If Chance be the Father of All Flesh
Isaiah 66:1-6
"This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is the house you will build for Me? Where will My resting place be? Has not My hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at My word. But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations; so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases Me.” Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at His word: “Your own people who hate you, and exclude you because of My name, have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy!’ Yet they will be put to shame. Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the LORD repaying His enemies all they deserve."
Today, these verses reminded me of a satirical poem by English writer in the 1970s, Steve Turner, critical of contemporary society at the height of the so-called cultural sexual revolution, post-modernism, the eager branches of which are felt today, interestingly both brought to its logical conclusions, strengthened and mired in disillusionment at the same time:
"We believe in Marx, Freud, and Darwin;
We believe everything is OK as long as you don’t hurt anyone
to the best of your definition of hurt, and to the best of your knowledge;
We believe in sex before, during, and after marriage.
We believe in the therapy of sin.
We believe that adultery is fun.
We believe that sodomy’s OK.
We believe that taboos are taboo;
We believe that everything’s getting better despite evidence to the contrary;
The evidence must be investigated and you can prove anything with evidence;
We believe there’s something in horoscopes UFO’s and bent spoons.
Jesus was a good man just like Buddha, Mohammed, and ourselves.
He was a good moral teacher though we think His good morals were bad;
We believe that all religions are basically the same--
at least the one that we read was.
They all believe in love and goodness;
They only differ on matters of creation, sin, heaven, hell, God, and salvation;
We believe that after death comes the Nothing
Because when you ask the dead what happens, they say nothing;
If death is not the end, if the dead have lied, then it's compulsory heaven for all
excepting perhaps Hitler, Stalin, and Genghis Khan;
We believe in Masters and Johnson
What’s selected is average, what’s average is normal, what’s normal is good;
We believe in total disarmament.
We believe there are direct links between warfare and bloodshed.
Americans should beat their guns into tractors and the Russians would be sure to follow;
We believe that man is essentially good.
It’s only his behavior that lets him down.
This is the fault of society, society is the fault of conditions, conditions are the fault of society;
We believe that each man must find the truth that is right for him.
Reality will adapt accordingly.The universe will readjust. History will alter;
We believe that there is no absolute truth
excepting the truth that there is no absolute truth;
We believe in the rejection of creeds, and the flowering of individual thought;
If chance be the Father of all flesh,
disaster is his rainbow in the sky,
and when you hear:
'State of Emergency! Sniper Kills Ten! Troops on Rampage! Whites go Looting! Bomb Blasts School!'
It is but the sound of man worshipping his maker."
Let us remember the Word of God through the prophet today, “these are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at My word (v. 2), as king David sang, "for You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise (Psa 51:16-17)." The LORD said, “this is the most important: 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” “Right, Teacher,” the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One and there is no other but Him, and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, which is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, He said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God (Mark 12:29-34, Deut 6:1-19, Matt 22:34-40).”
"This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is the house you will build for Me? Where will My resting place be? Has not My hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at My word. But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations; so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases Me.” Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at His word: “Your own people who hate you, and exclude you because of My name, have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy!’ Yet they will be put to shame. Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the LORD repaying His enemies all they deserve."
Today, these verses reminded me of a satirical poem by English writer in the 1970s, Steve Turner, critical of contemporary society at the height of the so-called cultural sexual revolution, post-modernism, the eager branches of which are felt today, interestingly both brought to its logical conclusions, strengthened and mired in disillusionment at the same time:
"We believe in Marx, Freud, and Darwin;
We believe everything is OK as long as you don’t hurt anyone
to the best of your definition of hurt, and to the best of your knowledge;
We believe in sex before, during, and after marriage.
We believe in the therapy of sin.
We believe that adultery is fun.
We believe that sodomy’s OK.
We believe that taboos are taboo;
We believe that everything’s getting better despite evidence to the contrary;
The evidence must be investigated and you can prove anything with evidence;
We believe there’s something in horoscopes UFO’s and bent spoons.
Jesus was a good man just like Buddha, Mohammed, and ourselves.
He was a good moral teacher though we think His good morals were bad;
We believe that all religions are basically the same--
at least the one that we read was.
They all believe in love and goodness;
They only differ on matters of creation, sin, heaven, hell, God, and salvation;
We believe that after death comes the Nothing
Because when you ask the dead what happens, they say nothing;
If death is not the end, if the dead have lied, then it's compulsory heaven for all
excepting perhaps Hitler, Stalin, and Genghis Khan;
We believe in Masters and Johnson
What’s selected is average, what’s average is normal, what’s normal is good;
We believe in total disarmament.
We believe there are direct links between warfare and bloodshed.
Americans should beat their guns into tractors and the Russians would be sure to follow;
We believe that man is essentially good.
It’s only his behavior that lets him down.
This is the fault of society, society is the fault of conditions, conditions are the fault of society;
We believe that each man must find the truth that is right for him.
Reality will adapt accordingly.The universe will readjust. History will alter;
We believe that there is no absolute truth
excepting the truth that there is no absolute truth;
We believe in the rejection of creeds, and the flowering of individual thought;
If chance be the Father of all flesh,
disaster is his rainbow in the sky,
and when you hear:
'State of Emergency! Sniper Kills Ten! Troops on Rampage! Whites go Looting! Bomb Blasts School!'
It is but the sound of man worshipping his maker."
Let us remember the Word of God through the prophet today, “these are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at My word (v. 2), as king David sang, "for You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise (Psa 51:16-17)." The LORD said, “this is the most important: 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” “Right, Teacher,” the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One and there is no other but Him, and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, which is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, He said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God (Mark 12:29-34, Deut 6:1-19, Matt 22:34-40).”
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