Echoes From the Campfire

[Don Adkisson]

Echoes From the Campfire

July 17, 2025

       “One must always to their best, whatever it is they are asked to do, or choose to do. To do any less, is to offend the God of all power.”

                    --B.N. Rundell  (Last Chance Gulch)

       "These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
                    --Revelation 17:14 (NKJV)
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It is one of the most important verses in Scripture, yet we hear little about it.  It is degrading and shameful, to say the least for it speaks of the plight of man without God.  It is the last verse of Judges.

          "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." --Judges 21:25, NKJV
          "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted."  --Judges 21:25, HCSB

Look closely at this verse.  In it we see the danger of ethical relativism; it is degrading and dehumanizing.  Read through Judges and look at the condition of mankind.  Read the Scriptures concerning the time before the flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Whenever man decides what is right or wrong, especially without moral absolutes there is the rampant growth of evil.  When you "do your own thing," there is nothing left but moral chaos and confusion.  "Humans can no more decide what is moral than they can decide whether the earth will rotate on its axis," so writes Gary Inrig.  
     Currently we can look at the news reports and see the appalling results when man decides what is right or wrong.  Moral relativism denies the validity of absolute moral, spiritual, or philosophical truth.  It celebrates diversity and the validity of "lifestyle choices."  It is absolutely absurd that man can say a woman is a man, and vice versa, or that right is wrong.  The question that must be asked, "whose truth is valid?"  The answer given by those who are truly indoctrinated by their particular type of humanistic belief (Secular Humanism, Cosmic Humanism, Postmodernism) is that all views of truth are valid.  This ends up with a world that is lawless, confused, and full of chaos.  In other words, a world that is ripe for the man of lawlessness to appear.  
     Just to add to this idea, take a look at just a few of the major thoughts that pervade our society today.  Besides relativism, we have the idea of pluralism.  This goes along with relativism because it states that we should respect and accept all views, especially religious claims as equally valid.  Then we see the idea of syncretism, the blending of views.  This is compromise in its fullness; it is an attempt to unify forms of belief and practice.  This has so deftly slipped into the church.  We are all brothers, therefore we should treat each other as one big family; tolerance is the key.  I will mention one more, but the list could go on, and that is the idea of consumerism.  This is the concept that the individual is the center of the universe.  It involves materialism and is selfish for it brings man to the center.  He has the right to see that his needs are met.
     But, more often than not, we tend to focus on the second phrase in this verse and sort of put the first one aside, yet it is as important because it relates directly to the idea of autonomous man.  "No king," but in reality there was a "king"; if nothing else the king of individualism.  Man, himself, was king for he thought he was sovereign and could do whatever he wanted.  Listen my friend, there is a king for everyone.  In fact, some may serve more than one king.  Who/What is it that sets upon the throne of your heart?  Are you boisterously shouting the idea of freedom?  But, whose freedom, and what is freedom?  Is freedom doing what you want, or is there a higher factor involved in true freedom.  The words of Luke come to mind, "We will not have this man to reign over us." (19:14)  Then who will reign.
     "No king, but King Jesus," was one of the battle cries of the American Revolution.  The idea that a man could govern at will, going against the laws of society was anathema to these founding Americans.  Gone was the idea, "Rex Lex," (king is law) and now in its place came, "Lex Rex," (law is king)  so wrote Samuel Rutherford.  Without a "king" there will be anarchy, apathy, and apostasy; and depending upon what king you choose there could be dangerous consequences.  Compromise and complacency become the norm without the proper authority ruling upon one's heart.  What was it the leaders of the Sanhedrin cried, "Give us Barabbas!"  There is no king on this earth, "people are rebelling against God and doing whatever pleases them; and it will be that way until the King returns and takes His throne on earth." (Warren Wiersbe)
     Those in the book of Judges, and all of us living today should hearken back to the words of Joshua, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"  Choose wisely--choose carefully--choose with eternity in view.
               "King of my life, I crown Thee now
               Thine shall the glory be...."
                    --Jennie Evelyn Hussey
D.C. Adkisson