I was really impressed with the Tutankhamun Exhibit in Atlanta (I am equally impressed that I can say"Tutankhamun"). I don't think I have seen items that large, made of solid gold in one place before (excepting the Capitol Dome in Atlanta ... and maybe Mr. T). The prices of the tickets and the cost of items in the gift shop revealed how they are managing to pay for such a massive exhibit.
As I noted in yesterday's post, one thing was obvious about ancient Egypt - their hunger for God.
Without a doubt, this was a very advanced society. Advanced in their wealth, advanced in science and technology (to this day, the secret of their embalming practices have not been unraveled), their written communications are astounding and their architectural designs are almost eternal in their duration.
But among all these tremendous advances, there was lack.
These people couldn't find God.
They were obviously hungry and earnest in their desire to fill the "God-void" that is present in all of us.
When searching for God, in-lieu of the recognizing the one true God, people will often substitute a multitude of gods. Or people will deny the existence of God altogether- at which point they will, again, trust in any number of other things in order to give their life meaning and to settle their thoughts about the "after-life".
The ancient Egyptians relied on a multitude of gods. Like the Greeks and the Romans, they developed legends or myths about the origins of their gods and their exploits. Their very Pharaohs were thought to be the earthly embodiment of these gods.
Conclusion: they were hungry for God; there was a need for God to be like them in some way.
But in their breathless pursuit of God - they invented gods for themselves - and these gods though possibly having some benevolent qualities in the beginning, ultimately evolved into terroristic tyrants.
The people were enslaved by their many gods, trying desperately to find some way to connect and appease these harsh taskmasters.
Having become slaves themselves - it was probably a very small step for them to possess slaves. Enter the Hebrews, who through the hand of the One True God eventually shook off the shackles of slavery under Ramses II - the Warrior Pharaoh.
In the not too distant past, it was not unusual to scoff at the idea of people worshipping the sun, moon or stars; or revering animals as if they were the embodiment of deity. It seemed to be universally accepted - at least in the Western societies - that this type of worldview was asinine.
Like ancient Egypt, we live in an advanced society. Our recent advances in science, technology, sanitation, communications, health care are all unrivaled by previous generations. We have even advanced dramatically in the social arena: I love old movies from the 1930's, 40's and early 50's, but I often see in these -harsh racial stereotypes that make me wince when I compare them to our present day attitudes toward tolerance.
Like ancient Egypt, we are a society that is hungry for God. It is evident in the vacant look that greys the countenance of many. It is evident in the volume of the rhetoric of those that speak out against Christianity. It is evident in the rush by our society to assign and to embrace a certain "messianic" quality said to be represented by our new President. It is evident by the gradual deification of many "political" issues: global warming, animal rights, and the like.
We remember ancient Egypt as the bad guys in the Moses story... Yul Brenner lashing out against Charlton Heston ... enslaving, punishing, hanging on to their evil practices despite an outpouring of judgement from God. Defiant to the end.
But I think God looked on them with some degree of pity. Oh -no doubt, He was the instigator of their punishment - yet I think there is always some reluctance in His judgment; its as if He keeps calling out to those that oppose Him - "turn... please turn ... will you turn now? ... turn".
I believe God views our society today in this fashion. I further believe that as Christians, we should join Him in His view. To take on the heart of God - a heart full of compassion for those that oppose themselves.
And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
2 Timothy 2:24-26 KJV
My prayer is that God will change the way I view those that "oppose themselves" - even though they are the ones that most often antagonize me. Surely their offense toward me is nothing compared with their offense toward God - yet He sees them as needy... and He cares.
It is the same degree of care and compassion He showered on me - and still does.
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