The dictionary defines Culture as ‘the ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular people or society’. The cultural center of Israel was and still is Jerusalem, this is where the biblical scholars and Levites defined and interpreted the law that defined the culture for the rest of Israel. The Lord in great wisdom also instituted holidays and festivals that reminded the children of Jacob, who they were, where they are coming from, who their God was and most importantly resolved the sin issue that separated them from God. By insisting that leaders of Israel assemble in Jerusalem (the only high place) where the only copy of the book of the law was, and having it read out loudly.. God’s plan ensured that His ideas, customs and social behaviors spread from a single source of truth, therefore spreading consistently and uniformly through out the Nation.
When I look at families today, and society in general, I see a generation that is defining its own culture by borrowing from the west. I have concluded that the cultural center of the world is Hollywood and that our traditional cultures have also been incorporated to create a mashup that evolves based on needs, challenges and coolness. We have been indoctrinated to believe and follow the ideas of the west that glorify materialism, hedonism, rebellion, idolatry and a me first approach to life.
The Old Testament
Do not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, or follow the practices of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You must not follow their customs. Leviticus 18:3
Where you used to live
The God of Israel from the onset had identified the two cultures the children of Israel would be tempted to revert to when things did not go their way. The first is the culture of where they came from, this was evidenced when Moses ascended to Mount Sinai, and delayed returning
“But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’ Acts 7:39-40
This kind of idol worship has been linked to the customs of the Egyptian’s around that time. ” Israel had left Egypt, but Egypt was still in them”.
Where I am bringing you
The 2nd threat was the culture of their neighbors where they are going to, therefore God gave them many instructions on how they should avoid them (e.g. not to intermarry) or destroy them, this commands are at the heart of Deuteronomy 7 . Many have accused the God of Jacob of cruelty claiming he executed Genocide against the tribes that lived in the Promised Land. The bible paints a different picture..
But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” Genesis 15:14-16
The scripture above is a conversation between Abraham and God, God explains that the inhabitants of the promised land, the Amorites had not yet sinned to the level where God could justify expelling them from the land. Remember the only cure for persistent and unrepentant sin is Death, therefore by the time the Children of Israel are entering Canaan, they are not only taking their land but executing Gods Justice.
When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there…. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 18:9 – 13
During the reign of the Kings, because of the Israelite’s sins, God executes the same Judgment on Israel that he executed on the Amorites. He sends them to exile, the bible says the land vomited them
Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves. Even the land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants. But you are to keep My statutes and ordinances, and you must not commit any of these abominations—neither your native-born nor the foreigner who lives among you.… Leviticus 18:24-26
An echo of what happened to Adam and Eve when they were expelled from the good land called Eden. The children of Israel are removed from the good land that flowed with milk and honey because they had defiled it, the bible says that at some point they had practiced more evil than the tribes that existed before them
But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites. 2 Chronicles 33:9
The book of chronicles gives a graphic description of what are the real issues and what was God’s resolve according to the blessings and curses found in Deuteronomy 28
This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people–all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah 2 Chronicles 34:24
Among the primary reasons is that they had picked up the customs and habits of their neighbors. This merger of custom’s had started when Solomon had married foreign wives
Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful, following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.
The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men or young women, the elderly or the infirm. God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there. 2 chronicles 36:14-19
Nebuchadnezzar had been sent by God, to purge the defiled land and execute Justice on God’s behalf. The tables had turned, the Judge was now the prisoner
A testament to God’s impartiality when it comes to the issues of sin
The New Testament
Jesus brought His church one message, “the kingdom of God is here” , the good news is that we no longer have to wait to die to enter the kingdom. That we can be born again and start to leave in it while on earth, this was what the prophets called the new Promised Land a.k.a the new Jerusalem. But instead of being a physical entity, the new Promised Land is an invisible kingdom that has very tangible ‘ideas, customs, and expected social behavior’.
The Kingdom of God as described, is a culture that reflects and copies the culture of heaven. Just like movies have imported the culture of the Hollywood into our lives, the son of man came to teach us how we can leave in a fallen world but maintain the culture of heaven. He not only taught us this new culture but most importantly he modeled it. Early in His ministry Jesus identified the 1st big obstacle to people receiving this new culture
Where you are coming from – our traditions
Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters. Mark 7:13
Our traditions, nullify the Word of God. I dare suggest that our traditional cultural believes also war with the ideas and customs of the kingdom of God in our lives. If the culture of the kingdom of God as described in the new covenant is the route to the blessings of God, then we should not allow other cultural believes to infiltrate our homes. Instead we should be renewed in our thinking, to follow in the steps of Christ.
Where you are going to – The World
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.t will of God.Romans 12:2 NLT
I write this article for an African generation that is gradually walking away from its African traditions and customs (Egypt) and entering into it’s promised land that is primarily dominated by western culture. This western ideas borrowed from neighboring countries, are in total contrast to what is described in the bible. We should therefore renew our minds, because we are in the world but not of it, strangers just passing by.
Joshua conclude this theme properly by making a fatherly call to all men, that is needed in this generation
But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15
Blessings or Curses 
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