Cultural Erosion

Psalms 9:5 (KJV) Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.

(Proverbs 5 also read)

When I first read this, I started thinking about the pyramids of Egypt, the gates of Babylon, the aqueducts of Rome, and I wondered how this was applied.  Then I did what we should always do when I read things in the Bible, I started thinking about the context.

If you go back to the beginning of this Psalm, you’ll find that it’s written by David.  If you know much about David’s history he was constantly fighting wars against the “nations” around him.  I would literally guess that most of them you have never heard of outside the Bible.  Even in the Bible, when you read the names on a list of enemies of God, you ask yourself, “Who is that?”  How many are names for cities we have no historical reference for outside of the Bible?  The list is long.  If you think about it and do any reading, you’ll even find that mention of David is just about nonexistent outside the Bible.

So?  Yes, these nations have been forgotten.  Some may be dug up because the Bible references and we may learn something about them but for all intents and purposes they are gone.  God’s promises, and his threats, are very real.  Keep that in mind today as you decide what your priorities are.