Knowing right and doing wrong is common
The baffling thing for me is that these kings do not act on their observations. If Babylon is not too big to fail what gives them the notion that they are different? In Proverbs Solomon says the simple see danger and keep right on going. They suffer because of that foolishness1.
These kings should see the game is up but they do not. Ugh. Does not realism demand otherwise? What about self-preservation?
I think that the answer is that the kings love darkness rather than light. The prefer the sin and rebellion to the implications that Godly light have for them. Their preferences outweigh the consequences.
I like frosting, not the kind from that comes from the store ready made with its plastic lid and protective foil under it. I like the frosting we make at the house for our own cakes. Probably it is better to say that I love it. I have a weakness for that and all the more if it is put on graham crackers or a cookie. What is better than a calorie laden cookie base with calorie laden (sugar + shortening) topping?
The taste, the pleasure of cracker after cracker, cookie upon cookie is very difficult for me to resist. Liking the taste now more than how the pants will fit later is the issue. I may even try to convince myself that more time on the elliptical will counterbalance more sugar & shortening on the taste buds.
I don’t think the kings of Revelation were pondering a counterbalance. I think they simply preferred ungodliness over godliness. They preferred darkness to light.
What did Jesus say?
We are almost assuredly familiar with John 3:16 about God loving the world. Jesus did not stop with that phrase though, but went on saying that men will not come into the light because the are afraid their deeds will be exposed. People loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.
Jesus did not stop there, but went on
His going on was for us. Here is what the 21st verse of John 3 says.
21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. (John 3:21–ESV)
While I am troubled that the kings see consequences, keep going and suffer for it, their decisions are their decisions. Mine are mine. Yours are yours. The best way of living is this 21st verse. Like the wise men of Joseph & Mary’s day we should come to the light.
Why? So that the world, the universe can see that our works have been carried out in relationship with our maker, with God himself. We do best when we carry out our deeds in connection with God. It is not about earning grace. It is about living there.
The kings were not interested in this. Are you? Am I?
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