Humans Are Still Often Inhumane

Did you know that one per cent (1%) of the world’s wealthiest people own more than fifty per cent (50%) of the world’s wealth? It is a startling statistic. They have the resources to influence the decisions made by governments; decisions that affect the rest of us every day.

For months we’ve all experienced the rise in prices—inflation—and we’ve heard the politicians play the blame game and tell us who’s at fault. What has been overlooked is the fact that food and energy companies doubled their profits in 2022. So while there were some economic factors at play—the law of supply and demand—there was also greed at play as these companies saw an opportunity to raise prices.

For years they have fed us a lie through the politicians in their pockets, or through the influence they can buy, and had us believe that decisions made to benefit them, benefit the rest of us. Some thoughtful common sense would not tell us this is simply not true. The rest of us get used to put more wealth into their pockets.

There is nothing wrong in having wealth per se. It’s the misuse of that wealth that makes the difference. When greed takes over the human heart, all manner of “wrongs” unfolds.

Amos from Tekoa warned the people of Israel in the eighth century BC…and us in the twenty-first AD:

“They sell the righteous for silver,

and the needy for a pair of sandals—

they who trample the head of the poor into

the dust of the earth,

and push the afflicted out of the way…” (Amos 2:6b-7a)

There is wisdom in the Proverbs of the Bible:

“The rich rule over the poor,

and the borrower is the slave of the lender.” (22:7)

“Oppressing the poor in order to enrich oneself,

and giving to the rich, will lead only to loss.” (22:16)

If you’re thinking this is some kind of argument for the redistribution of wealth, it is not. It is an argument for righteousness, justice, and a biblical morality from the word of God.

When John received the Revelation on Patmos on that Sunday long ago, he was shown the throne room of God, and he saw in the right hand of the One on the throne a scroll filled with writing—nothing could be added to it—and sealed with seven seals—nothing could be taken from it—the plan in the scroll was/is complete.

The contents of that scroll were such that no one was found worthy to open the seals and reveal the contents of that scroll…until…in the midst of the elders and living creatures around the throne, he saw a Lamb as if it had been slaughtered, and the angels declared this Lamb was worthy to reveal its contents.

Here, I pause to remind us all, that what John saw on Patmos was a vision from God, and he used figurative, symbolic, metaphoric, and apocalyptic language to paint us a word picture of what he saw. When we’re trying to convey the spiritual, words often fail us; for where do we find the language to describe what is often indescribable. So we have to think through, pray over, and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit when we’re reading and trying to interpret the Revelation. The Revelation is written in such a way, and with such symbolic language, that those who want to use it to prove their personal views often do so, but that is a misuse of the word of God. When reading and interpreting the Revelation, we should take care that it speaks for itself, and we don’t speak for it. We must be careful that we don’t take the words of the Revelation out of their context. I digress.

Where was I? Ah, yes, the Lamb was found worthy to open the seven seals that sealed the scroll. What will the opening of the seals reveal?

The first two seals reveal the reality of wars. They are fought for conquest—the desire for power and/or greed—and this is pointed out to us by a rider on a white horse who has a bow and a crown—the symbol of power in the world—who “came conquering and to conquer.” Wars are also fought to destroy a people—ethnic cleansing it is often called, or to annihilate a group of people that are seen as enemies—and a rider on a bright red horse takes peace from the earth, “so that people would slaughter one another; and he was given a great sword.”

It is the third horse that reveals another truth to us: “When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, ‘Come!’ I looked and there was a black horse! Its rider held a pair of scales in his hand, and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a day’s pay (a denarius), and three quarts of barley for a day’s pay, but do not damage the olive oil and the wine!’” (Revelation 6:5-6)

The black horse and its rider represent famines across the globe. But the Revelation given to John reminds us that even famines treat the poor differently. It would take a days pay to feed their families, but those who have plenty—oil and wine—are affected differently.

Before we jump to too many conclusions, we must let Jesus speak: “There will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.” (Matthew 24:7b-8) These disasters do not mean the end is here; they are reminders to us of what we humans often do to one another, and a reminder why we so often need one another. They also remind us of a coming end in God’s time.

And there is a fourth horse and horseman. “When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out, ‘Come!’ I looked and there was a pale horse (some older manuscripts say “a pale green horse”)! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth.” (Revelation 6:7-8)

The fourth horse brings death by human violence (sword), death by famine (a lack of food and/or water), and death by a plague (pestilence), and death by creatures of the wild. {A query, and only a query: when we have driven the wild creatures from their natural habitats, as we are doing, how will those wild creatures respond? It is only a query, but what do you think?}

One would think that after all the death and destruction of human history that we would have learned. But we haven’t.

Humans are still often inhumane—Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, and on and on and on…

We are not as civilized as we have presumed; we can still act barbaric.

We no longer use a bow and sword; we now use guns and bombs.

We still accept lies for truth; and for too many, the truth doesn’t matter.

We too often choose willful ignorance over reality, because it suits our opinions.

John saw it long ago. He’s tried to do what the Lord told him to do and relay it to us.

Sadly, we have not allowed the word of the Lord to sink into our hearts and minds…

Look and see…the white horse and its rider with the bow of conquest; the bright red horse and its rider with the great sword of war; the black horse and its rider with famines; the pale horse and its rider with death by violence (the sword), by famines (often brought on by human choices) and by pestilence of plagues.

We have been shown what is behind four of the seals on the scroll of God. Sadly, too many still refuse to see.

Is there any hope?

“My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:2)