I mean really...when you think about it, the stakes can be so high and the consequences of making the wrong choice so grave...why take those chances? Now I’m not about to try and answer for God on that one, but there is no denying how we see throughout scripture where God was continuously calling His people to ‘choose for yourselves this day...whom we would serve’ (Josh. 24:15)
It began with a single, simple command (and choice) in the Garden of Eden and it boiled down to just one tree that Adam and Eve were told to not eat from (Gen. 2:17). They made the wrong choice. (Gen. 3:4-8; Rom. 5:19)
We would read much later where Moses was speaking on God’s behalf giving millions the freedom once again...to ‘choose life and good ... or death and evil’, along with ‘blessings and cursing’...then being encouraged to ‘choose life so that both you and your descendants may live...’ (Deut. 30:15-19; 5:29)
There was Joshua’s exhortation to the next generation that I posted above (24:15) where he proclaimed that famous line: “but as for me and my house...we will serve the Lord”.
Perhaps you are familiar with the well-known story where Elijah, the prophet of God, stood before the people on Mt. Carmel and asked them ‘how long will you falter between two opinions...’ giving them a choice once again to choose whom they would serve. (1 King 18:21)
What strikes me as frighteningly scary ...is when God lets us have...or even gives us... what we choose. Yeah, you might read that last line one more time.
It’s a simple life-truth we are taught early on that ‘choices matter’. No wonder so many ‘memes’ and slogans are generated in various forms reminding us to therefore ... ‘choose wisely’.
Where we so often get tripped up is when we are deceived into believing that we can ‘choose both’, especially when it comes to whom we will ‘serve’. And friends, we are going to either serve one or the other (God or Satan) when it comes to the course our lives take; and Jesus made it clear that we cannot ...serve ‘two masters’ (Matt. 6:24)
One of the more tragic incidents that unfolds before our eyes in those final days of Jesus is when one last time...the people were given a choice. Pontius Pilate presented to the crowds...both Jesus and Barabbas, a notorious ‘robber’ who was imprisoned at the time; and the people were to choose who could be set free. The consensus was loud and clear: The people chose Barabbas. (John 18:38-40)
Beware when God lets you choose. There’s another chilling reminder as to what happened in the wilderness where the Israelites soon ‘forgot God and His works...nor waited for His counsel and they lusted exceedingly in the wilderness...’ (Ps. 106:13-14). To ‘lust’ is to want something badly; so badly in fact that you really don’t care what the consequences of your decision will lead to. Anyone familiar with the story of Esau and what he traded away for a bowl of stew? (Gen. 25:29-34; Heb. 12:16-17). But back to Ps. 106 and let’s read how God “gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.” (15). That word ‘leanness’ means ‘wasting disease’.
Yes, my friends...the Lord God who created the heavens and the earth, and made you and I (Acts 17:24-28)... saw fit to give us ‘free will’ and allow us to choose. He also provided much insight and valuable info as to what was at stake when we made these choices and it always seemed to point back to ‘life...or death’.
I only bring this up today because there is a very sobering warning laid out for us in 2 Thessalonians where Paul was writing about the great apostasy that would come in the final days leading up to the return of Christ (2:1-3) He writes there about a ‘falling way’ that would occur which most understand to be this time where professing believers turn away from the faith (and/or following Jesus). It happens (John 6:66).
Then...there will arise the ‘coming of the lawless one according to the working of Satan with all power, signs, and lying wonders and with all unrighteous deception...’ (9). He does not paint a pretty outcome for those who are perishing and/or will ‘perish’. It seems that folks once again...make a fatally bad choice to ‘not believe’. And it boils down to choosing not to believe something.
We’ll pick back up here tomorrow, Lord willing.
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