BABYLON'S GREED (35 OF 52)
Scripture: Isaiah 14:3-21
This content is part of a series.
Babylon's Greed (35 of 52)
Series: Discipleship Part Two
Christopher B. Harbin
Isaiah 14:3-21
Satan tends to figure pretty large in Evangelical and Catholic theology, especially in its popular formulations. We tend to credit Satan or the Devil where there is no reason to do so. In part, this is a very human function of casting blame upon some ''other,'' removing that blame from ourselves or our loved ones. It is a form of self-protection. What that does to us, however, is keep us from dealing with our personal issues and failings. It may not absolve us of guilt, but it removes our sense of responsibility for dealing with the reality of our actions and attitudes. Perhaps nowhere is this more prominent than in this passage from Isaiah on the greed of Babylon.
Greed is about much more than the desire to accumulate money. Greed is also about power. It is about stepping on others in the pursuit of wealth, power, control, and dominance. It is about considering oneself of greater importance to the exclusion of others. It is about dis-considering the impact of our actions upon others and unimportant. If it were only about amassing money, greed would not be an issue. It becomes and issue and a problem when it impact the lives of other people, stepping on them as little more than stepping stones to get where we want to go.
It is this larger sense of greed Isaiah was calling out in this taunt against the king of Babylon, the greatest world power of the time. Isaiah dealt with greed for wealth, but he also dealt with this broader concern underlying that limited notion of greed. He tackled the issue of greed in regard to the oppression and violence undergirding it. He addressed God's intervention to limit the scope and depth of greed for power, control, and dominance over others. He called out the hubris inherent in greed that considers all others as worthless in contrast to the greedy. He pointed out the fallacy of considering oneself equal to God in power, impor ...
Series: Discipleship Part Two
Christopher B. Harbin
Isaiah 14:3-21
Satan tends to figure pretty large in Evangelical and Catholic theology, especially in its popular formulations. We tend to credit Satan or the Devil where there is no reason to do so. In part, this is a very human function of casting blame upon some ''other,'' removing that blame from ourselves or our loved ones. It is a form of self-protection. What that does to us, however, is keep us from dealing with our personal issues and failings. It may not absolve us of guilt, but it removes our sense of responsibility for dealing with the reality of our actions and attitudes. Perhaps nowhere is this more prominent than in this passage from Isaiah on the greed of Babylon.
Greed is about much more than the desire to accumulate money. Greed is also about power. It is about stepping on others in the pursuit of wealth, power, control, and dominance. It is about considering oneself of greater importance to the exclusion of others. It is about dis-considering the impact of our actions upon others and unimportant. If it were only about amassing money, greed would not be an issue. It becomes and issue and a problem when it impact the lives of other people, stepping on them as little more than stepping stones to get where we want to go.
It is this larger sense of greed Isaiah was calling out in this taunt against the king of Babylon, the greatest world power of the time. Isaiah dealt with greed for wealth, but he also dealt with this broader concern underlying that limited notion of greed. He tackled the issue of greed in regard to the oppression and violence undergirding it. He addressed God's intervention to limit the scope and depth of greed for power, control, and dominance over others. He called out the hubris inherent in greed that considers all others as worthless in contrast to the greedy. He pointed out the fallacy of considering oneself equal to God in power, impor ...
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