Dangerous Act of Winning

2 Chronicles 25:11

“But Amaziah took courage and led out his people and went to the Valley of Salt and struck down 10,000 men of Seir.”

It is after our greatest victories that the danger becomes even more pronounced. As Amaziah sent away One hundred thousand men before the battle, he was greatly blessed because he trusted fully in the LORD to win the day. After the overwhelming victory of his army, he immediately falls into idolatry. Bringing fallen God’s back to Jerusalem. Seeing how great he was and how well his army did he decides he needs to pick a fit with his larger, wealthier neighbor to the north. Ignoring Godly and secular council, he takes the field and is defeated, Jerusalem and the temple are open to looting. This has proven to be the case throughout the history of mankind. When Godly men stand and when the day they often quickly stumble into sin around the next corner.

It was hot in the Tennessee courtroom in the summer of 1925. A young teacher was on trial for teaching. His defense was young and bright, his prosecutor was old and past his prime. The trial would come to be known as the Scopes Monkey trial and it would change the trajectory of our nation. The young teacher was found guilty of teaching evolution. The theory of Evolution lost and the biblical representation of creation had won the day. William Jennings Bryant had one the day against Darrow but only in the courtroom. The media had its way and the tide was turned. Through the work of gifted writers like H.L Mencken the “backward ideas” of fundamentalist Christians were ridiculed and maligned to the point that all the cultural engines were set against what had previously been the overwhelming majority opinion. The churches weren’t ready for the scorn of society and many denominations would fold to the pressure.

This last summer Christians were treated to the blessing of the Supreme Court of the United States choosing to remove the unconstitutional Roe and Casey decisions. With this victory they recognized that there was no right to abortion except in the heads of Justices who desired it. The supreme court then pushed the responsibility of legislation back to the states and the congress. It was a huge victory for life and one that had been long in coming. The agents of death knew that the June date for release would not give them enough time to sway public opinion, so one broke all protocol and released the decision early.  (An act that no one wants to investigate, charge, or bring to light who the guilty party was.) Over the elector cycle from August in Kansas to November in Kentucky with multiple places along the way the citizens of the states have sided with the vile and evil practice of abortion. It is harder to tell what is going on with candidates but even here we should note that there was no overwhelming tide of pro-life candidates.

We are in the midst of another Scopes moment. A long-drawn-out battle had been one and the question remains if we will be able to hold the ground that was gained for life. The enemy has reared his head with renewed vigor, will Christians patiently continue to fight for life and the unborn in our laws and our legislatures? Will Christians seek the hearts and souls of those who serve the cause of death in this world? As the American forces approached the Japanese island the defenders fought with ever greater tenacity, giving the American forces an idea of just how hard conquering the island would be. It is going to be hard work defeating sin and death in this country. Let us prepare for the fight ahead.

Coram Deo