How Churches and Nations Ruin Themselves
Securing Security Apart from Faith in Christ
This post builds on, Understanding the Balaam-Jezebel Effect, which function within to change societies to a direction apart from reliance on Christ. The Balaam Effect is a Bottom-Up strategy to change society’s fundamental unit of social continuity, the family. The Jezebel Effect is a Top-Down governmental restructuring providing support for those changes already occurring at the basic level to legitimize them. Together they change society; but, for what point or purpose? The above graphic leads on to believe it is simply about Control; especially over YOU. However, this begs to subtle but very real true agenda of which Control is simply a one step.
The Bible clearly shows a pattern of God’s people being called out, set aside for God’s purposes. They are called out of their current state to enter into an intimate covenantal relationship with Him. However, this idyllic situation does not long last when they return to their previous belief system seeking to become a major force in the World; i.e., they want to compete with the big nations for Control. Now, I say nations but it actually began, and continues, on the family level. Let us start at the beginning.
God made Man in His image and later cloned Woman from Man so the two literally are One Flesh (Ge 1:26-27; 2:7, 21-22). {Since this is a biblical, Christian post those who claim rationality and science as their religion will take offense though they do this by ignoring the inherent contradictions embodied in their favorite creation theory: Evolution. This does not detract from but highlights the pattern being presented in this post.} When Christ presents Woman to Man he utters a soliloquy that they are an interdependent unity, One Flesh, without any secrets, naked, and thus unashamed (Ge 2:23-25; Col 1:15-20). This relationship becomes the metaphor for Christ’s relationship with the people He will call out of Egypt; the weakest of all nations, the Hebrews, descendants of Abraham (De 7:6-8; Ez 16). Did God call the Hebrews because of their inherent goodness? No, He called them because of His covenant with Abraham even though they were also idolatrous (Ez 20:1-32).
This carries over into the New Testament with Christ referring to His relationship with His Church {ἐκκλησία, ekklēsia; Called out ones} as both His body and one’s marriage as the metaphor of how the Christ relates to the Church (Col 1:18; Ep 5:22-6:4). Those who join themselves to a Lost person or outside of the marital relationship are also referred to as playing the harlot; joining Christ into an unholy relationship totally repugnant to Him (1Co 6:15-20).
Therefore, since Christ views His relationship with those He called as intimate, He uses the same terminology as physical intimacy to refer to His people breaking His intimacy. Physical intimacy, reserved between married man and woman, becomes broken when one or both have physical intimacy with another; i.e., harlotry. Since Christ gives Himself on the stauros for His people, their rejection of His intimacy is also a violation of intimacy and referenced with the same terminology. So, how does this relate to our topic?
Pattern of Transitioning of God’s People
Gives Purpose to Balaam-Jezebel Effect
Christ called the Hebrews, heavily into idolatry, out of Egypt to be a called out people to Him. He protected and led them to Mount Horeb to give them the Ten Words and the copy of His Temple in Heaven, The Tabernacle housing the Ark of the {New} Covenant (Ex 20:1-17; He 9). Now tabernacle is simply a fancy English word for tent, a temporary structure representing the temporary nature of this Creation emphasizing that, like Abraham, His people should be looking for a {new} city to come which will remain forever (Ga 4:21-31; He 1:10-12; 11:9-10). However, since we remain in fleshly bodies we are torn between temporal, temporary, security needs {Think Maslow} and heavenly, eternal security guarantees (Lk 16:13).
Christ had led the people out of Egypt by a pillar of fire (night) or cloud (day) and destroyed Pharaoh’s chariot army by having the people cross over a seabed dry-shod. Yet, when they were several days into the desert and water ran low, their physical security need became greater than their perceived God need. They murmured against Him at the Rock of Massah (Ex 17:1-7). Their adult children failed the same test again showing that the parents learned nothing and taught their children the same failed values at Meribah {Balaam Effect} (Nu 20:2-13). This set the pattern for the Old Testament; His people would drift into idolatry, spiritual enslavement, become physically enslaved or oppressed by Gentiles, they then would cry out to God to save them; He would send a hero or judge and the process would begin again. Just as it had in Egypt for the people were not suddenly enslaved but had already embraced Egyptian idolatry, spiritual enslavement, only to be then enslaved by the Egyptians (Ex 1:8-11; Ez 23:1-3).
Speaking through Ezekiel, God metaphorically used this pattern to give Israel {Northern Kingdom} and Judah {Southern Kingdom} special titles illustrating this spiritual idolatry in very ribald terms (Ez 23:4). Israel He named, Oholah {Her own Tent}, and Judah, Oholibah (Tent in Her}. This chapter details how Israel left God’s Tent to make her own tent which she did by erecting Calf Worship shrines in Bethel and Dan which Jezebel later redirected to Baal bull fertility worship with temple male and female prostitutes literally legitimizing physical immorality as a worship ceremony (1Ki 12:25-33; 16:29-33). Israel chose temporal security and sought to secure herself by aligning herself with Assyria. This worked until Assyria did not need Israel, conquered her and deported her aristocracy such that she never became a separate people again. She became an amalgamation of Judaism and paganism known as Samaria (Ez 23:5-10). But, Judah did worse.
Judah did not heed the example of Israel; thus, her spiritual immorality was far worse (Ez 23:11). She lusted after the Babylonians even through a good king, Hezekiah who chose friendship with the Babylonians over faithfulness to God. His response when Isaiah told him that Judah would be conquered for his choice, “There will be peace and security in my days” (Is 39). Judah doubled down on her idolatry even to establishing hidden worship centers in the Temple (Ez 8). Christ spoke bluntly in saying that Judah sought idolatrous nations with big male members and large ejaculate for them to thrust into her tent to demonstrate the security they could provide (Ez 23:19-21). Yet, instead of her controlling them; they turned on her when her usefulness was ended; a pattern that would be seen in Revelation when the Whore of Babylon, False Zion Jews, seek to Control the Antichrist but instead become destroyed by him (Re 17)!
Thus, this is the Pattern of Diminishing Security. One rejects one’s relationship with God sacrificing eternal security for temporal physical security by adopting the World’s standard(s); i.e., moving from God’s Tent to the World’s Tent. Though this is seen as the smart move, one actually places oneself at the mercy of the strong one. Once one’s influence is no longer required, they are neutralized to prevent any complications; i.e., they are moved to No Tent, no protection. But, this is not finished for there is a time of accountability with Christ (2Co 5:10).
One does not lose one’s salvation but one certainly can be disciplined which may be painful and even result in earthly death to preserve the soul (Jn 10:28-30; 1Co 11:27-32; He 12:7-11). However, one may be so far enmeshed in spiritual harlotry that in Christ’s eyes you are covered in stinking fecal stained garments carrying the stench of hellfire about your person; that is how close you can come to Hell without falling into it. This shows the mercy and longsuffering of Christ (2Pe 3:9).
Christ views the Lost as those who reject their human essence, God’s image, and choose to live according to the animalistic nature of the flesh of this Creation (2Pe 2:12-16). They receive the reward they desire; a future without Christ (Re 20:11-15). Christians can fall back into this animalistic, ungodly spiritualism seeking satisfaction for temporary, temporal lusts but they will not be happy for God will not allow them to stay in this adulterous relationship; they will be filled with guilt and fear (Ps 73:13-26; 2Pe 2:19-22; 1Jo 2:15-17; 4:17-19).
Therefore, when we perceive the Balaam-Jezebel Effect we should also understand that behind the scene that family, that church, that nation is seeking alliance with a perceived stronger entity which will only result in its own destruction. When a wife or husband align with another for security, they run the risk of being devoured when their usefulness has ended unless the Lord intervenes mercifully. These influences are becoming more openly pronounced as those behind the scenes peek out form behind the curtain of secrecy thinking they will accomplish their goal of total Control of you. Their goal is not you directly but the destruction of the Gospel which is the only true hope of eternal security in this World. Yet, even if they achieve this, their efforts are in vain as all die and then face Christ’s judgment (He 9:27). How is this more secure than being intimate with Christ for all eternity (Re 2:17; 21:1-4)?