Utopia. So...how has that worked out for you?

In Deuteronomy 15:4-8, 11 it says:

Nevertheless, there shall not be among you a poor person, because Yahweh will certainly bless you in the land that Yahweh your God is giving to you as an inheritance, to take possession of it. If only you listen well to the voice of Yahweh your God by observing diligently all of these commandments that I am commanding you today. When Yahweh your God has blessed you, just as he promised to you, then you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow from them, and you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you. If there is a poor person among you from among one of your brothers in one of your towns that Yahweh your God is giving to you, you shall not harden your heart, and you shall not shut your hand toward your brother who is poor. But you shall certainly open your hand for him, and you shall willingly lend to him enough to meet his need, whatever it is. ...For the poor will not cease to be among you in the land; therefore I am commanding you, saying, ‘You shall willingly open your hand to your brother, to your needy and to your poor that are in your land.’

We all think we know what's best

Almost all people have their own idea of how to make a better nation and a better world, but most people don't understand that only God has a blueprint that works...after all, he is the architect, builder and sustainer.

If God is denied, the only way to bring peace, harmony and prosperity to the world is denied. If you look at world history you will see that all man-made attempts at utopia end in disaster (tyranny, dictatorships, mob-rule, etc.). Yet even when you look through the Scriptures you will see chaos resulting when God's people reject him. When they do, their society falls apart as well. A whole book is dedicated to showing this...Judges ("Every man did what was right in their own eyes.").

The reality

Utopias do not and cannot exist without God as the absolute ruler and all people in perfect obedience to him and love to him. The only utopia that can exist is a world filled with people who have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb, and completely cleansed and purged from their sin...in a word the new heavens and earth. This is one reason why Deuteronomy says that there will always be poor among you. However, on this earth the best approximation of this is masses of people converted to Christ who live the law of God out in their lives and pray and live Jesus' prayer: your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The result would be generous hearts to the needy and compassion for those who are suffering.

How has that worked for you?

Note from Deuteronomy how God ties the lack of poverty and the hope of blessing with his people obeying his laws. This just goes to show that there is only One who knows how to eliminate poverty, and that is God, but not many really want to hear or do what he has to say. Why? Because as people we think that our finite minds (either individually or collectively) are wise enough to come up with the answer. Umm...yeah, I think that this sort of thing has been attempted by every generation since the fall of Adam. As some are prone to say, "How has that worked out for you?"


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