A Troubled Land – Part 2
2 Chronicles 29:1-8

by Paul George

The problems in our nation, the world, and in the Church are an extension of the problems in the twentieth century. The problems in the twentieth century were an extension of the problems in the ninth and previous centuries. The problems were in previous centuries were the results of the attitude of the people toward God. The attitude today is, "It's my life and I can do what I want." This is a second reason why the problems we must deal with in both our nation and the Church exist. The fact of the matter is that our lives are not altogether ours to do, as we like. God has created us and we belong to Him. The universe, this world and the people in it all belong to God. He owns them all by right of creation. Furthermore, God has not set us loose in the universe to do as we please but to live according to the plans and purposes of God. We are to obey His laws and commandments in the grateful pursuit of the life He has given us. It is important we recognize and accept the biblical worldview. This world and the people in it belong to God. Many today believe that their life is theirs to do with it as they please and that they have a right to live in an autonomous way before God. This is the opposite of the biblical worldview, which recognizes an inherent responsibility of every person to honor and obey God.

God’s plans and purposes

The Bible teaches that God has created all things with a purpose, which fits into His overall plan. In Isaiah, it is written, "Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'; ...Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it” (Isaiah 46:9-11)

In Genesis 1:27-28 it is written “And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

From Isaiah we learn that God has planned things with purpose according to His good pleasure. The account of creation states man's purpose, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth". Furthermore, man is placed in the garden and is commanded by God not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Some important principals become known here. First, we are the object of God’s love and goodness. Second, we have been given a specific purpose by God and are responsible to fulfill that purpose. Third, God has given us His laws and commandments to govern our lives as we accomplish the plans and purposes, which God has ordained for us. 

There are other verses in the Bible that tells us that the plans and purposes of God for man are for his good and blessing. While some might initially view the plans, purposes and commands of God as restrictive, the wise person will see that God alone can provide an abundant life of happiness and fulfillment. However, this can only be realized as each one yields in complete subjection to God's plans and purpose, trusting Him, obeying Him and honoring Him in all things. On the other hand, we are warned in scripture of the danger of taking the gift of life and misusing it by pursuing our own plans and purposes refusing to acknowledge God's rightful place in our life.

The laws and commandments of God

Many have a mental picture of God as one who takes pleasure in denying happiness to man through the imposition of His laws and commandments. The truth is God wants His people to enjoy an abundant life. When we observe all the beauty of creation the fact that God has provided it and sustains it for us to enjoy should reveal the goodness of God in this regard. However, the ability to enjoy this creation and every other thing that God wants to bless us with rests upon our obedience to God's laws and commandments, which are given to preserve the gift of life.

While the world was created to be in subjection to God, the facts of the matter reveal the sad reality that man from the beginning did not maintain this relationship with God. The account of the creation of man also gives testimony to the account of the fall of man. Adam and Eve disobeyed God's commandment and took from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The scriptures reveal that Eve was led to question and doubt the wisdom and goodness of God and to test the authority of God. Being told by the serpent that she would not die as God had warned and led to believe that God was withholding some good thing from her she succumbed to temptation and broke God's commandment. Furthermore, she convinced Adam to do the same and he too broke God's commandment (Genesis 3:1-6).

The lesson we need to learn from Adam and Eve’s disobedience is this; we must trust God and obey Him in all things. All God's commandments are for man's good and God will not withhold any good thing from His creation. Furthermore, the warnings that God gave to Adam and Eve concerning the consequences of disobedience were in the end found to be accurate. The death God had said would come did in fact occur and continues to this day. Many today still do not take seriously the warnings that God has given to this world in His word. Tragically, like Adam and Eve, those who continue to ignore His warnings will one day reap the inevitable consequences of their disobedience, as they will face the certain judgment that God has declared will come on those who reject the truth and disobey the gospel.

We must be thankful and content to be living in God's will and keeping His commandments knowing that God will not deprive us of any good thing and that obedience to Him is for our good and that of our neighbor. Much if not most of the misery in the world today is a direct result of man living in disobedience to God. The pain and unhappiness we find in our lives at times is a result of our waywardness.

The key to finding the solution to the problems in our nation, the world, and in the Church is learning and doing God's will. 

A Troubled Land - Part 3

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