Right In His Eyes

Verse of the day: Judges 17:6, In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Today, I will be using dirty words. I will be using words like “authority”, “submission”, “obedience”, and “truth”. These, in and of themselves, are not dirty, but in today’s society they have become words that will quickly get us categorized as narrow-minded, intolerant, and even prejudice. However, in many places around the world, when people push back against authority, refuse to submit, rebel against obedience, and create their own “truth” (which, by the way, is not truth at all), it leads to nothing but chaos. That is where Israel was, as “everyone did what was right in his own eyes”. In its context, this verse is written as Micah was in the process of creating his own religion and form of worship. The verse also tells us that in those days there was no king in Israel. On the one hand, Israel had a God who was kind, gracious, and merciful. He was, and is, the one true God. Yet, they sought to create their own religion and follow heathen gods that they could control, rather than seek the God they were called to submit to. Israel had no king, but later, to be like everyone else, sought a king (1 Samuel 8), even though they were already under the authority of the King of kings. These were very dark times in Israel. As God’s children, when we choose to rebel against God, those He has put in authority over us, and reject truth, the result is darkness and chaos. This darkness and chaos stems first, and foremost, from our rejection of truth. What truth? God’s truth. In John 17:17, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” The fact of the matter is that if we want to know the truth about anything that pertains to life, we find it in God’s Word. It is not found in our opinions, or our views of what is right or wrong. There is only one truth. Truth is not what you decide is truth to you or what I decide is truth to me. Truth is what God says is truth, and it is found in the pages of the Bible, His Word. In His truth, He commands us to submit and be obedient in many areas of life. Our first, and most important area of life, is our relationship with Him. It begins with trusting Him and by faith believing that Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, gave His life for us, and in Him finding life eternal (John 3:16). It is Jesus who is the Truth, the only Way to God the Father, and the Life (as in life eternal) (John 14:6). When we become a child of God, the greatest enemy we must resist is Satan. However, God tells us that if we submit to Him and draw near to Him, He will draw near to us and the devil will flee (James 4:7-10). God does not stop there. He goes on to give us instruction on what the family unit should look like when we submit and obey one another, based on the levels of authority He has set within the family. The husband, as the head of the home, is to lead the family in spiritual things, and love his wife. The wife is to submit to the husband and be his helpmate, and the children are to obey and honor their father and mother (Ephesians 5:22-25; 6:1-3). God gives us instructions and commands in our obedience to those in authority over us within the church and within the government. In Hebrews 13:17, we are told, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” This is in respect to those in authority in the local church. In 1 Peter 2:13-15, God clearly says, “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men”. Sadly, there are many Christians who claim God’s Word as truth, but then choose to live in a way that is right in their own eyes, based on their own opinions and feelings. God clearly tells us in His truth, that He resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). Therefore, we should be seeking the only truth that is truth, and be the example of what a life of humility, submission, and obedience looks like. Let us not create unnecessary chaos in our lives by avoiding what is right in our own eyes, and living life based on what God says is right in His eyes.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).