“I will make boys their leaders, and toddlers their rulers. People will oppress each other— man against man, neighbour against neighbour. Young people will insult their elders, and vulgar people will sneer at the honourable. In those days a man will say to his brother, “Since you have a coat, you be our leader! Take charge of this heap of ruins!” But he will reply, ‘No! I can’t help. I don’t have any extra food or clothes. Don’t put me in charge!’”
Isaiah 3:4-7 NLT
The verses this morning describe a society that has collapsed into chaos and dysfunction. Boys and toddlers are obviously unsuitable leaders in society but that seems to be the only option left because, as we read in the previous verses, all the competent people had been removed from Judah by the invading armies. When Isaiah wrote this, he could see in a vision what was to come, but history recorded the fact that it actually happened. The Jews ignored his words and ultimately discovered that God spoke truth through His servants.
There was no social cohesion following the initial exile and no remedy for the crimes of insults and oppression. Faced with no restrictions the true colours of a sinful people started to emerge, with neighbours trying to benefit themselves at the expense of their fellow neighbours. With young people behaving terribly to their elders, and “vulgar people [sneering] at the honourable” amongst them, things were going from bad to worse. The vacuum in leadership was very apparent and people who had even some insignificant and trivial benefit, such as a coat, were promoted as a leader, only to find that they subsequently refused.
But as we read these words today, we see parallels with society today in the UK. Attitudes and beliefs are polarising in a society that contains many different people groups. The cohesion that is present in a God-believing society has all but collapsed in our secular environment, forcing the government to bring in legislation that enables our overstretched police forces to implement moral laws. Hate crimes are now common place and even Christian pastors are being arrested while they preach the Good News about Jesus in public places, all because what they have to say “offends” someone. “Free speech” now seems to be a thing of the past. And our political leaders lack the ability and vision to lead the country through difficult times, putting the “Great” back into “Britain” in the process.
Thankfully, there are still many Christians in the UK who pray for their communities and government faithfully. Churches still hold services. There are Christians amongst our politicians. We pilgrims pray for a Godly society, one in which peace, justice and love prevail. Such a society is committed to God’s values, particularly those that honour the sanctity of life, is fair, and looks after the vulnerable. Justice and reconciliation between different people groups, coupled with just generosity, must be there, but in it all the roots of the society we need is based in God’s Word, the Bible. All we need for society in the way that God planned is there.
So we pilgrims pray. And keep on praying. We refer to our mission, that we are here “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). Jesus said early on in His Sermon on the Mount, “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:13-16).
But before we go on a rant about how bad our government is, we note what Paul’s wrote in Romans 13. “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God” (Romans 13:1). A little further down the page, Paul wrote something else that is a bit contentious, “Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do” (Romans 13:6). We do not have to take matters into our own hands and rebel in some way, because there will be a time when our leaders and tax authorities will be called into account before God’s throne. God will bless us when, or if, we are badly treated by the authorities, because the treasure that matters is being stored up for us in Heaven.
So we pilgrims pray, and keep praying, for our leaders and anyone else in authorities, because that is must what we do as “salt and light” in our society. We are the “glue” that bonds our dysfunctional society and aligns us with God’s will and purposes for our world.
Dear Heavenly Father. Please help us to be Your witnesses in the places where we live, leading us and guiding us as You desire. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 