Bobservations Column
By Pastor Bob Lawrenz
As we learned last week, the LORD shall not be “quieted” until He has silenced His enemies, and fulfilled His judgments against them. The seven verses last week pertaining to the Philistine judgment is multiplied nearly seven-fold against the Moabites. Idolatry was rampant among the Moabites, and they even worshiped their National Deity, “Chemosh.” (Pronounced khem-owsh’)
With their roots in the family of Abraham, they fell away from Jehovah and the faith of Abraham and eventually fell to drunkenness and sin. Their namesake ancestor was Moab, a child born in illegitimacy by Lot’s eldest daughter, and fathered by Lot himself. Living in the sexually free society of Sodom and Gomorrah had taken its toll, and
come full circle to Lot’s daughters. (Aptly named, “Moab” means “of the father.”)
It is still sin when a nation of foreigners fall into Idolatry, like the Philistines, but it seems to raise the ire of Jehovah God all the more when the family of His chosen Abraham falls away from Him, and into the worship of false gods. A god of learning and “letters,” Chemosh was not unique to the Moabites. First and foremost, he was a Babylonian deity, and that’s a problem. But Chemosh also corresponded to Hermes of the Greeks; to Mercury of the Latin speaking Romans; and to Thoth of the Egyptians. Wherever cultures cropped up, the same gods followed them, because their gods are man-made.
Humanity shares this common trait: we all recognize our need to worship, but the majority of cultures miss God’s revelation of Himself in His creative work in nature, and in the world around us. From Romans 1:19, to the end of the chapter, the Holy Spirit sheds light on the issue, exposing the error, and telling us the results of that error: “professing themselves wise, they became fools...”
How gracious God is, however. He sent His only begotten Son to us, that whosoever should believe on Him would be saved from the judgment coming against those that refuse and reject His witness. Jesus also affords us the benefit of the Holy Spirit, teaching us of all God’s mighty works, and that God alone is worthy to be worshiped.
Revelation 4:11 –
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
The judgment of the Moabites is their pride. We have seen God’s judgment poured out over His own people, using Israel’s enemies to humble them, and for the last few chapters we have been reading about God humbling Israel’s enemies for the very same reason. God hates sin and will ultimately judge it!
Those who trust in the LORD, understand God’s goodness, mercy and grace. They follow His leading and rest under His protection. They hide His word in their hearts and count themselves blessed as they openly declare their dependence upon Him.
Those who easily forget God take great pride in their own abilities opening themselves up to moral corruption and apostasy. The pride of man is the root of ALL sin! Moab had become complacent in its relationship with the Lord. Satisfied in their own abilities and situation, they were completely unaware of the danger they were in. They had forgotten God, and in their arrogance and pride began worshiping false gods, adopted the pagan culture around them, and legislated their own law after their own lusts. They have become the dregs at the bottom of the wine vessels, impure, bitter and foul.
Lukewarmness is a spiritual condition that Jesus can’t stand. Another name for it might be “complacency.” Complacency is not contentment. Where contentment is finding joy in the blessings of walking with God, complacency has stopped walking in truth and perfectly satisfied to do so.
If we view ourselves higher than what God determines to be true. (Luke 18:10-14). If we live in an attitude of self-sufficiency. (Proverbs 3:5-6). If we are comfortable in the sinful culture in which we live. (1 John 2:15-17). If we are spiritually satisfied, in false spirituality. (Ephesians 6:12-18). We have fallen into spiritual complacency, sin and may even end up apostate.
The way to guard against complacency is to seek the Lord with all diligence - heart, soul, mind and strength. Real contentment is in Christ. He is our life. He is our satisfaction. He is our Goal. He is our ALL! Run the race and finish strong!
