October 31, 2007
Lately there has been a lot of coverage about the huge forest fires burning in various parts of California. As I watched the news yesterday, I was reminded of one of the times I have stood in a once forested area that had recently been burned over.
You stand in the midst of what was once an area teeming with animal and plant life. There is no life apparent. No birds sing, no animals are moving. The trees that remain are blackened sticks instead of being full of life. The ground is charred and nothing green is visible. Desolate is the only word that comes to mind. The tragedy and horror claws at your mind as you try and comprehend the difference.
Desolate, or its cousin desolation, are pretty harsh words. Desolate is an adjective meaning:
Devoid of inhabitants; deserted.
Barren; lifeless: the rocky, desolate surface of the moon.
Rendered unfit for habitation or use: the desolate cities of war-torn Europe.
Dreary; dismal.
Bereft of friends or hope; sad and forlorn
I think that's a pretty accurate description of a piece of forest that has been recently burned over.
It's also the term Jesus used to describe the city of Jerusalem at one point.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
"Woe to you, blind guides! You say, `If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, `If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, `If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!
"You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.' Matthew 23:13-39 NIV
Jesus is proclaiming a warning to those who claim a faith but have no love; to those who are "religious" but have no "Jesus"; to those who are stuck in dead orthodoxy or enthusiastic heresy. He calls them (and us) to turn and be restored or face desolation.
An eternal destiny of desolation doesn't make my top ten wish list. How about you?
Until next time, may you heed the call of Jesus and
find life instead of desolation,
faith instead of religion,
loving works not legalistic oppression.
May you find forgiveness, freedom, healing and joy in Jesus.
Be blessed
Darrel Mason