Right in our own Eyes

Good Morning,

While reading through the book of Judges, I feel as though I am reading a story of churches in America today.
Judges 17:6 “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

The thought is repeated at the end of the book:
Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

When there is no king or authority, each person does what he thinks is right. Without the Bible as a guide, without men of God to instruct people in the ways of God, right becomes very subjective.

The first half of the theme is presented twice more:
Judges 18:1 “In those days there was no king in Israel…"
Judges 19:1 “And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel…"

The trouble was, the people had no Bible to which they were loyal. They needed a Bible and someone to hold their feet to the fire of obedience. They needed someone to lay down the law of right and wrong.

Today, many pastors set their own standard for the manners of a pastor. They choose their own set of right and wrong, their own fashions and associations, and their own rules for behavior. Paul told Timothy how he ought to behave in the house of God. Paul commanded Timothy to:
2 Timothy 1:13 “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me”
2 Timothy 3:14 “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;”

On occasion, I hear from a pastor and I wonder if I am speaking to a surfer or a sports commentator. His vocabulary matches anything but a man of God. His dress is certainly nothing distinctive for a pastor. I remember Everett Gaylor (a retired Baptist preacher who is now in Heaven) came to our church in the early days, and stayed until he went to Heaven. He often said, "The church is getting so worldly and the world so churchy that you cannot tell one from another." Now, I am not sure about the world becoming churchy, but a worldly group of churches and pastors often criticize the manner of living preached in their home churches.

The point is, too many pastors are doing what is right in their own eyes instead of listening and honoring the older pastors who have taught them.

What brought Israel out of Egypt? Humble obedience and submission to every detail of God's Word. What brought Israel across the Jordan River? Obviously, the Israelites were different; they lived quite differently than the Egyptians. When Rahab the harlot joined the people of Israel, she had to start out "outside the camp" for a time because she was from the world.

Simple obedience got the children of Israel this far; but, for some reason, everyone started trying out their own ideas rather than continuing in the things they had learned. Leadership is vital; doing what is right in our own eyes is suicidal. We need to be devoted to the Word of God and loyal to a man of God; both are consistent with the Bible.
?With all our hearts, we need to seek out the Scriptures and love them. Likewise, we need a pastor to guide us in the Word, in order that we would not lean unto our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) or do that which is right in our own eyes. I heard a young pastor say that he and others were going to "redefine fundamentalism." How pitiful for some young pastor to think he can redefine what we have embraced and loved for generations. Fundamentalism is not his to redefine, neither does he have enough wisdom or experience to redefine what he has yet to figure out. The problem is we do what is right in our own eyes and fail to have a "king" in our lives.

Judges 17:6 “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

For four hundred years, the children of Israel followed their own path. Without loyalty to God or a spiritual leader, they repeatedly made wrong choices. They would be blessed, but then forget God and find themselves in bondage; that pattern repeated itself over and over again.

Judges 3:7 “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Balaam and the groves.”

Only a brief time of victory passed before they would backslide again:
vs. 12 “And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.”

After a short deliverance, again, the Israelites drifted back into sin:
Judges 4:1 “And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.”

Today, many pastors and Bible college teachers are changing the Bible because it seems RIGHT in their own eyes; they are justifying worldliness because it seems RIGHT in their own eyes; they are changing the old songs of the church because it seems RIGHT in their own eyes; they are bringing dance teams and rock bands into the church because it seems RIGHT in their own eyes.

Parents are failing to keep their children in Sunday school because having them involved in sports seems RIGHT in their own eyes. Christian mothers are trying to raise children without the father because it seems RIGHT in their own eyes. Well-meaning parents are sending their inexperienced seventeen or eighteen-year-old young people into hell holes called university campuses because it seems RIGHT in their own eyes. This list of decisions based upon feeling something is “right in his own eyes” goes on and on, but one thing is sure — we must get back to the Bible.

Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Reading our Bibles, listening to much preaching, and staying active in a good church are all extremely important. Doing what is RIGHT in our own eyes can do a great deal of damage.

Pastor