THE EVIL HEART OF MAN

THE EVIL HEART OF MAN

When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.  —Genesis 8:21

“Come,” they said, “let us build for ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens, that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of all the earth.”   —Genesis 11:4

            Because “every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth” man sets out to 1- build a city for themselves 2- develop their own religious system 3- make a name for themselves 4- not spread out over the earth as commanded. 

            Where will the violent youth gags be located… in the cities.  Look at Chicago.  561 were murdered in that city in 2018, down from 660 in 2017 https://abc7chicago.com/5-shot-in-chicago-on-1st-day-of-2019/5003799/.  Cities where people congregate will breed crime as the evil in men’s hearts from their youth is carried out.

            Man’s evil heart from youth also encourages them to develop religious systems.  There are “Over 310 Religions and Denominations in the United States” alone.  The majority of them do not honor Jesus https://undergod.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000068.   

            The tendency for people to want to make a name for themselves derives also from man’s evil heart from their youth.  Down through the ages those seeking to make a name for themselves will many times do what it takes for their name to be recognized.  It is interesting that Jesus took on the nature of a servant and did not seek to make a name for Himself.  He had confidence in who we was and was able to take a servant’s role.  We too can have confidence of who we are in Him and serve as well.  Those who do not have confidence in Him will seek to make a name for themselves.

            Man loves to congregate in cities because that is where the “action” is.  “By 1920, more Americans lived in cities than in rural areas for the first time in history…. Only 2% of Americans live on farms or ranches today, but in 1790 90% of the population did” https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/the-gilded-age/gilded-age/a/america-moves-to-the-city.  

            As followers of Jesus we need to take these things into consideration as we seek to reach the world with the gospel.  May we be wise in doing so.

Dear Father please guide us in bringing the gospel to a rebellious world.  May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus.