Readings for today: Genesis 5-7, Matthew 3:7-4:11, Psalm 3, Proverbs 1:10-19
In 1871, Charles Darwin published the culmination of his life’s work. Titled The Descent of Man , it applied general evolutionary theory to human beings. Human beings, Darwin argues, are “descended” from more primitive life forms and subject to natural selection much like every other lifeform in the world. Of course, “Descent” is somewhat of a double entendre because Darwin’s theory also levels the playing field between human beings and the rest of the animal world. We are not special. We are not set apart. We certainly are not made in the image of God, have no divine mandate, and therefore no kind of ascendant status over the rest of creation. Though there is some debate about Darwin’s own views, his theory has been used to justify all kinds of evil. Racism. Eugenics. Social Darwinism and the Final Solution. If humanity is not set apart by God. If humanity is not special in any way. If humanity is just another animal species than we are NOT endowed with any inalienable rights and therefore might makes right. Natural selection is just. It’s survival of the fittest and only the strongest survive.
Strangely enough, the Bible also talks about the “Descent of Man.” Not in terms of biological evolution but in terms of moral devolution. We will see this story set on repeat throughout the Scriptures. God makes a covenant with a human family. The descendents of that particular human family become morally compromised over time. Their corruption eventually becomes so great that God responds with righteous anger and judgment. God then starts over with a new covenant with a new human family and the cycle begins anew. Some might argue this calls God’s judgment into question. Why do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result? Isn’t that the definition of insanity? This is not, of course, the argument the Bible makes. The point the Bible sets out to prove is the utter futility of humanity. Humanity is, simply put - a lost cause. Sin corrupts everything it touches. Infecting every heart. Polluting every mind. Silencing every soul. There is no hope for us unless God Himself decides to intervene.
Thankfully this is exactly what God does. The Bible is a record of God’s interventions in human history over time. He intervened with Adam and Eve, clothing them in an act of grace before sending them out of the Garden into a world ruined by sin. As the generations that come after them descend into further chaos, devolving to the point where God Himself grieves over what He has made, He intervenes yet again. He starts over by delivering Noah and his family from the flood. One can only imagine what it must have been like for Noah as he watched the world around him drown. I cannot fathom the pain and suffering he must have witnessed. But that is nothing compared to the pain God experienced as He watched His good creation drown in evil and sin. Grieving over what He made, He makes the terrible decision to cleanse the world by destroying it.
Fast forward thousands of years. The world is still writhing in pain. Still ravaged by sin. Still drowning in evil. God’s heart continues to break. He grieves over what He has made and He makes the terrible decision to send His Beloved Son into the world to cleanse it once and for all. Jesus appears before his cousin John to be baptized. All of the Old Testament prophecies are coming to fulfillment. Jesus will be destroyed so the world can be saved. Jesus will suffer so you and I can be set free. Jesus will drown in order to rescue all of creation. This is the good news of the gospel, friends!
I know the world around us suffers. There is injustice. There is pain. There is heartache and heartbreak. Hatred, evil, and sin still seemingly run amuck. Human systems cannot stem the tide. Human beings cannot save the day. Our only hope is God. And thankfully, He is eternally faithful. Place your trust in Him and you will never be put to shame!
Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 8-10, Matthew 4:12-25, Psalm 4, Proverbs 1:20-23