Psalm 106:34-48
Today we see one of the most consequential mistakes of ancient Israel: their disobedience in not completely driving out the Canaanites from the Promised Land. As with the incident at Peor, which we saw yesterday, the result was cultic syncretism with its attendant idolatry and abhorrent practices. I won’t bother giving specific references here, because the problem runs throughout the Old Testament. Time and again the people stray from the LORD, and time and again He both warns them and rescues them, but their continued disobedience leads to exile — the Northern Kingdom to Assyria (never to return), and the Southern Kingdom to Babylon.
As we have seen, we tend to be very much like ancient Israel in our own faithlessness, and we, too, may struggle to stand against the ways of the world. But unlike ancient Israel, we are here now, and in the power of the Holy Spirit we can choose to repent and follow the Lord today.
One more thing…
They sacrificed their sons
Psalm 106:37-39
and their daughters to the demons;
they poured out innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
and the land was polluted with blood.
Thus they became unclean by their acts,
and played the whore in their deeds.
Tell me, what significant difference is there between the child sacrifice described here and modern-day abortion?
With the recent “Dobbs” Supreme Court decision and with the upcoming midterm elections, we stand at an extremely important cusp of our nation’s history. We can join with the world around us, or we can stand up for righteousness. We can vote for life, or — like ancient Israel — we can vote for death. Which will it be for you?
Save us, O LORD our God! (v. 47)