The Trouble of Conspiracies

Based on my experience we seem to be living in the not-so-golden age of conspiracy theories, but the Bible says this is nothing new.  It may be the distrust in government and media are at all time highs yet skeptics, doubters, and those touting hidden agendas have been around since the beginning.  Satan very well might be the first one who promoted a conspiracy when he said to Eve, "Has God really said you cannot eat from the tree in the midst of the garden?"  Lies mixed with truth proved a deadly combination.

It feels like wherever I look there is more evidence of a conspiracy mindset taking hold.  On my news feed I read about anti-vaxers, 5G and COVID combo, and anti-maskers; Christian bookstores sell paperbacks about government schemes and inter-dimensional portals; billboards go up warning about the day the world will end.  Countless documentaries are churned out annually that follow the same pattern:  what you have been led to believe is wrong, hidden evidence with sinister motives is presented to draw possible conclusions, experts are lined up to contribute their opinions, and stay tuned for the next installment--and people pay to eat this stuff up.  Armed with this new knowledge the watcher becomes a walking and talking advertisement campaign designed to prey upon people's fears.  Why pay for advertisement when others do it for free?

Like I said before, conspiracy is nothing new.  Last night I was reading in Isaiah 8 and how God directed His people to look to Him alone when the claims of conspiracy swirled around.  God revealed Israel would fall before Assyria and Ephraim would no more be a people, but He would protect and deliver Judah.  Isaiah spoke the truth in the name of the LORD and when God does the talking let all on the earth take notice.  Time would make the truth of what Isaiah said plain.  If he was wrong one time he was not to be feared or listened to ever again (Deut. 18:20)--and it is wise to put modern-day prognosticators to the same test.  If only people who are put in fear by alleged government conspiracies or a hidden satanic agenda would have the God-confident perspective presented in Isaiah 8:10:  "Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak the word, but it will not stand, for God is with us."

The prophet continued with words which spoke to my heart in Isaiah 8:11-13:  "For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying: ¹² "Do not say, 'A conspiracy,' concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. ¹³ The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread."  Conspiracy preys on fear.  It may be the fear of ignorance, fear of death, and the fear of being controlled and manipulated which only increases with knowledge rather than being lessened.  Isaiah was told not to be afraid of potential threats but to fear the LORD.  It was God who is a stable rock of refuge He was to seek rather than casting his eyes upon a shadowy and foreboding future.

People have always been fascinated by what the future holds and for what is hidden to be made known.  People these days seek counsel on online chats, buy books on how to interpret dreams, and obsess over the implications of a new documentary.  They immerse themselves in online resources and through knowledge gain a sense of control in a mad world.  In Isaiah's day people would go to mediums and wizards to do a similar thing, to tap into the knowledge of spirits to know how to live their lives and have future success with money and relationships.  Mediums claimed to be able to contact souls who had died to be consulted by the living.  Isaiah 8:19-20 says, "And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? ²⁰ To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."  God told His people instead of looking to spirit guides they ought to seek their God!  What could the dead do to assist the living?  Is not God the almighty, living God who created all things whom we fear?  Is God in any way threatened by the schemes of Satan or man?

God directed His people to look to the law and the testimony, to the word of God for guidance.  The fear of the LORD strips us of all fear of man, the unknown, and death.  Jesus Christ is the Light of the World who alone has the words of life.  Books and articles have their benefits but God's Word is all we need.  This may seem boring and cliche to believers or people who are rightly concerned about the bleak outlook for this world or what may be "going on behind the scenes."  Every preacher and pastor will answer to God for how they have interpreted and taught the Bible, and only the LORD knows the heart.  Instead of being afraid of deception or conspiracies, our call is to fear God, know He is with us, and to seek the LORD.  Let us speak according to God's word and walk according to it, not using scripture dishonestly to prop up conspiracies.  Are you afraid of potential threats and troubled?  If you fear the LORD you don't need to be.