Our Comfort amid Riots

It is without question the devil himself who is instigating the mayhem we have been witnessing in cities across the land in recent weeks. For the devil is always the one who entices the flesh away from God, as he did in the very beginning, when he tempted Eve in the Garden. The works of the flesh are always the devil’s own works, and his temptations are always toward the stirring up of the flesh. Recall his failed attempts to tempt Jesus himself in the wilderness: with the satisfaction of his own hunger (“Command these stones to become bread”), or with the lure of glory (“Cast yourself down from the temple, for  the angels will bear you up”), or with the promise of power (If you worship me, I will give you all the kingdoms of the world and their glory”).  

And so the rioting we have been seeing is all in efforts to satisfy the flesh. Consider St. Paul’s list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.” In this list we see in particular hatred. In the rioters there is hatred on full display in all its ugliness. Then there is variance, or better, contentions, that is, discord. This is the central feature of riots. And then, wrath, or unrestrained anger, the lack of self-control. And then, strife, that is, conflict and bitter dissensions. Then, seditions, a key descriptor in this case, that is, rebellion against all authority. Envyings is in the list as well, for these rioters clearly want what others have, and are taking to violence to get it. As the days go on, it becomes clearer that there are also murders going on during this unrest, a natural part of the riotous mobs. Over half  the items listed in the Apostle’s list here are directly applicable to the wild rioting on display. What we are seeing without question is the unrestrained wildfires of the flesh. This is the work of the devil.

Contrast the fruit of the Spirit, which St. Paul describes next: the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. The contrast couldn’t be starker.

It led me to begin to understand why Martin Luther had harsh words for rioters (see for instance his “Against the Peasants” written in 1525: www. historyguide.org/earlymod/peasants1525.html.) These people cannot be reasoned with or satisfied.

What is so important to understand is that the rioters have without question hijacked what were supposed to be peaceful demonstrations that were supposed to be in support of black people. Massive support for African Americans is clearly evident in the American psyche, and that is a good thing, of course. But see how everything quickly changed!

As we can all recall, the demonstrators who first came out wanted to express their long-held and laudable belief that racism is an ugly and unacceptable thing (and we all agree on that!). But little did they know that as soon as they came out in support of this cause, so did another group whose designs were entirely different (it appears to have been well coordinated). The first wave of rabble rousers infiltrated the crowds, wanting nothing other than to loot, steal, and destroy; and then, before you knew it, there followed on their heels a second wave of rioters, whose only agenda is quickly becoming painfully evident: anarchy and destruction. These are Marxist rebels whose desire is to cast off all authority and set themselves up as a new social order. They have hijacked the entire enterprise. Consider their demands: they want no government, no police, no law and order. They want to destroy statues of our founding fathers, still on the pretense of racism! And already there are calls for destroying statues and artistic depictions of Jesus! Why? Because, they say, he looks too European.

This is without question a ruse. It is the devil’s lies on full display.

But the blind rage of the rioters is already so out of control that they cannot be satisfied.

But since it is clear that this is the devil’s work, there is also occasion for great comfort for us Christians, because we know something about the devil’s trophies.

Consider the greatest of all Satan’s accomplishments. It began with the instigation of another riotous crowd, a crowd that the governor, who at the time was Pontius Pilate, could not restrain. “When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified” (St. Matthew 27:24-26). See there? The devil’s aims were met. He gained his greatest trophy: Jesus himself! Satan had tried to entice Jesus at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, but failed. Now, instead of winning Jesus over, he has him put to death.

And the devil, smugly satisfied to have gained this great victory, was greeted at once with a great earthquake. Before the body of Jesus was even taken down from the cross came the rumbling—literally—of the coming utter destruction of the devil’s lair. And on the third day, at its first moment, Christ descended into hell, inserted his divine hook into hell’s great doors, and, pulling up with all the infinite might of his holy resurrection from the grave, pulled off and destroyed the gates of that infernal lair. And he whom the devil though he had defeated, took his stand upon the earth, arisen from the dead. As the hymn writer has so eloquently put it:

“Who is this that comes from Edom, all his raiment stained with blood? To the captive speaking freedom, bringing and bestowing good, Glorious in the garb he wears, Glorious in the spoil he bears?

“‘Tis the Savior, now victorious, Trav’ling onward in his might; ‘Tis the Savior; oh, how glorious To his people is the sight! Satan conquered and the grave, Jesus now is strong to save.”

The devil’s great trophy chest has been smashed. So now, in our day, as he seeks to gain another, what may we Christians think about all this rioting?

We ought to shrug, and say, Ah! The devil’s kingdom has already been decimated! What we are seeing now is but a faint reminder of its bygone glories. It will not succeed. It cannot succeed. Even if all earthly kingdoms crumble and fall. Even if we should die. And, as it happens, the only thing that could prevent our deaths is the return of Christ in glory! So yes, in the meantime we shall all die. The good and the evil, the peaceful and the riotous.  The Christians and our enemies all.

But we Christians already have the promise of life and salvation. This is our trust, our hope, our assurance now, today. No looters, rioters, or murderers can keep it from us. For here is Jesus’ promise: “the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (St. Matthew 10:30-32).

So, in short: do not let this alarm you, dear Christian. Do not let your hearts fail from fear; for in the world you will have tribulation. Be of good cheer. Christ has overcome the world.