“Why are the nations in an uproar, / And the people’s devising a vain thing? / The kings of the earth take their stand, / And the rulers take counsel together/ Against the Lord and against His Anointed. . . . / He who sits in the heavens laughs, / The Lord scoffs at them” (Psalm 2:1–2, 4).
The folly of humanity is not a funny thing. In fact, it is downright tragic. Always seeking to glorify themselves, men and women refuse to give glory to the only One worth of glory—the One who sits in the heavens. This truth was vividly illustrated in the places we visited on our second day in Israel.
Starting in Caesarea, the place Peter came to preach to the Gentiles, Roman glory was on display in full regalia. From the beautiful amphitheater to Herod Agrippa’s palace to the hippodrome where ancient chariot races circled the track, Caesarea dripped with the authority and pomp of Rome. It was here that Paul defended himself before the might and power of Rome, preaching the gospel of Christ to Herod Agrippa and to two Roman governors, Felix and then Festus (Acts 25–26). It was in Caesarea that the old, weather-beaten apostle, manacled hand and foot, almost convinced the corrupt and power hungry Agrippa that he should give up his power and bow before the crucified Savior (Acts 26:1).
From Caesarea we traveled north, and back in time, to Mount Carmel and the great battle between the pagan god Baal and the One who sits in the heavens, Yahweh (1 Kings 18:19–46). The Lord laughed as the prophets of Baal cut their flesh and cried for their god to rain fire down from the sky and consume the sacrifice. The silence was deafening. Then the great man of God, Elijah, prayed to the Lord and fire consumed the sacrifice, the wood, and the water which drenched the wood. The folly of humanity is no match for the glory of God.
Having celebrated the great victory of God over Baal, we came to the site which will end the folly of humanity—the place where the Lord’s scorn for those who fail to glorify Him will leave foolish men and women decimated: Megiddo. The ancient city of Megiddo lay in ruins. Its rocks overlook the valley where Jesus will bring to ruin those who would presume to exalt themselves over the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Down in the valley, a beautiful patchwork stretches for miles. Life is down there—groves of luscious fruits and vegetables, cars and trucks pass through driven by people the Lord longs to give eternal life. But a terrible day is coming when the valley will turn into one vast graveyard for those who refuse to give glory to King Jesus. It will be a day of death and destruction, a day when that beautiful patchwork of greens and browns will be watered by the blood of sinful humanity (Revelation 19:11–21). What a terrible day that will be.
And to think, the boy who grew up across the valley from Megiddo, in his hometown of Nazareth, will be the One to speak but a word and judge the foolishness of humanity for glorifying themselves and not the boy who is God. Truly, God sits in His heavens and laughs at such folly and will one day bring the wrath of His scorn against those who stand against His Anointed. Such foolishness . . . and such glory.
