Occupy Wall Street and the Boogey Man

Haunted houses, ghouls, zombies, mad men with chain saws ready for mayhem, witches, horror movies and “Occupy Wall Street”. It must mean one thing, Halloween! I mean, really; have you seen the protestors?

When the Occupy Wall Street protests began a few weeks ago conversation about the demonstration centered on the protestor’s grooming and hygiene (or lack thereof for some). But looking on with disdain from our Ivory soap tower there was a growing, grudging awareness that the protest against corruption in Washington and Wall Street had some merit. Is there corruption in government and business? Yes, there is corruption; there always has been and there always will be until the time of “the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory (Matthew 19:28).” I’ll get back to this last thought in a moment.

At first we were unsure of what the protestors wanted. But now the protest has continued for a while and we know what many of them want. Some of them desire a revolution where communism and or socialism overthrow capitalism.  But as Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Great Britain once said, “The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” And as far as communism is concerned, is there anyone at the protest who really desires a one way ticket to Cuba or Venezuela or even some third world country? How would they live without their smart phones allowing them to upload YouTube clips on the go while they sip Starbuck’s coffee?

Other protestors have argued for the overturning of the US Constitution, mortgage and student loan forgiveness, extended unemployment benefits, green energy jobs, free health care, even an expropriation of other people’s property and money for redistribution to those who are “less fortunate.” This is all pie in the sky thinking. The protestors don’t want to compete in the free market, they want to be supported.

Do these people realize where their demands have brought Greece, Spain and Portugal?  Do they understand that Europe is tottering on collapse? The welfare state is doomed. It seems none of this matters, however. The protestors are so serious about their demands that there is now violence in the similar protests in Europe. And it may not be long before it happens here. There is also a large anti-Semitic sentiment in the protests rearing its ugly head—watch out.

I jokingly said all of this must mean Halloween. But there really is a “Boogey Man” behind all of this. Oh, yes there are those puppet masters like billionaire (a hundred times over!) George Soros, who funds leftist radical groups for his own benefit and who made his money in the good old capitalist system. And there are some unethical union and political leaders pulling strings, taking advantage of opportunities and working in various ways for a new world order. But there is a more evil one behind the curtain. The real “Boogey Man” is Satan. And he stirs up chaos on both the left and the right side of politics. The course of human history is always changing and yet always the same. Ever wonder why?

The Bible tells us that at some point all of us live life “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 1:2).” What this means is that Satan manipulates the world order, setting up values, philosophies and standards of living that are ungodly. He is the instigator of class warfare, hatred, greed and corruption. He is “the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4)” who blinds men and women to the truth. The only way to not live according to “the course of this world” is to be rescued by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Knowing the truth about Jesus Christ, trusting in him for salvation and obeying his word “shall make you free (John 8:32).”

The “Boogey Man” will not operate freely forever. The Bible says that his rule over the earth will come to an end. Jesus Christ will return to this earth to rule it justly and righteously. As I mentioned earlier this will be the time of “the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory (Matthew 19:28).”

There is a day coming when our world will be renewed and healed. There will be no more injustice, no more hatred, greed or corruption when Jesus Christ rules as “King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).” And so I encourage you to discover Christ if you have not and to commit yourself to him. If you trust in Christ follow him more completely in every way. And I pray in the words of Scripture “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20).”