"You shall have no other gods before Me.” --- Exodus 20:3
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money…….lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…--- 2 Timothy 3:1, 2a, 4b
Millions would deny it, but it is true, no matter the objections – the most powerful “god” in the world is no longer that. In fact as suggested by the title, this “god” is in a staggering and quite weakened mode, suffering acute anemia in terms of monetary strength!
It is most appropriate to refer to this as a “deity” that dominates the thoughts and lustful desires of a majority of this world’s population in all nations. Furthermore, it has the allegiance of the poor as well as the very wealthy. It is not just in the corporate world that this “deity” has its devotees, but in governments among all nations as well. This definitely includes a debtor nation known as the United States of America!
This “god” is money! As mentioned, there would be a lot of vehement denials, but as the old saying goes, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating!” Where is it that major attention is now focused and has been for quite some time? Is it not on what is happening in the world of finance? Is not the evidence overwhelming that money is the “god” to which multitudes give attention day and night, and it is that toward which they expend energy in order to get as much as they can? And in far too many places are not highly questionable “ethics” employed in that quest, because this “god” has no ethical standards – get all the money you can by “hook or by crook” – and whatever you can get away with, whether you be in government or in business, it’s OK so long as you don’t get caught. And if you should get caught, if you have enough of the “green stuff” you can usually buy your way out of the situation with a high powered lawyer (whose ethics may also be highly questionable) or get a very mild sentence at most! Years ago a fellow got nailed for insider trading on wall street, spent a short time in a country club prison and then was released to go and enjoy the millions he had made illegally. His philosophy was that a little greed is a good thing!
The crisis has developed, not just in the United States, but talk is in regard to the “world economy” and how disaster has struck in many, many places around the world in terms of the money situation! There are protests in many foreign cities as people feel extreme frustration about what is happening financially and the negative impact that is having on their lives.
Now if we may turn our attention to the true and living God Who created a mighty universe of which this puny world occupies but a small spec of space – for the time being this God has permitted the chaos to take place since a majority has chosen to make money their “god.” However, it is wise to remember that the true and living God also chooses when He will bring judgment on false and totally unreliable deities which people take unto themselves. One of the most dramatic demonstrations of this was when Almighty God set the Israelite people free from their enslavement to the Egyptians and brought them to the promised land of Canaan. It is explained simply in such words as these:
“For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.” --- Exodus 12:12
Have you ever noticed that God is quite explicit in speaking to the issue as to Who should be God and the deadly danger of replacing Him with another deity?
Keep alert and see what all happens in days to come as this very popular “god” which so many members of the human race have set up for themselves comes increasingly under the “gun” of the One Who put this world together a long time ago by simple spoken commands! It will also be most interesting to see how government leaders and their “expert advisors” deal with the “god” which is suffering from acute anemia – and you do know, do you not, that this “god’s” blood runs green!
By the way -- do you see what God says will happen if a people who make the claim that He is their God, but they choose to make another deity or a number of deities dominant in their lives? How about reading that whole chapter -- it takes a while for God to detail all the calamities that will come on a nation that makes the fatal mistake of replacing Him with false and unreliable gods!
"So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country…” --- Deuteronomy 28:14-16
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