Today’s Scripture
Reading (November 7, 2013): 2 Chronicles 28
The “Manifesto
of Race” or “Charter of Race” was published on July 14, 1938 by Benito Mussolini’s
Fascist party. The “Manifesto”
was anti-Semitic in nature, stripping the Jews of Italian citizenship and with
it any position in the government or professions which many had previously held. Depending on how you look at the events leading up to the release of the “Manifesto,”
it could be considered both a surprise and a very predictable event. As far as
the surprise is concerned, Mussolini had never showed any interest in racial
politics. But the “Manifesto” was predictable in that it helped to cement
relationships between Mussolini’s Italy and Hitler’s Germany. Hitler had privately
confessed to looking up to the Fascist Leader, but throughout most of his
career Mussolini had absolutely no interest in the German dictator. But by the
late 1930’s, things were changing. Hitler’s star was definitely on the rise,
and Mussolini made the fateful decision to try to hitch a ride. And so the “Manifest”
was intended to show solidarity with the cause of Germany. Historians have
looked at the document as evidence of the extent of influence that Hitler held over
Mussolini. But it was more likely evidence of Mussolini thirst for power, a
thirst so strong that Mussolini was willing to change even his own strongly
held beliefs.
If Jotham
was the perfect king, his son Ahaz was his negative image. Ahaz had no
positives attributes. While Jotham had chased after the things of God, Ahaz had
become a student of the religions of the countries that surrounded Judah. But
he not only became an expert on their religions and their gods, he became a
follower of them. Ahaz was imitator of the nations around him. He was a man without
restraint, he believed every myth that he came into contact with.
Even in
rough times, Ahaz refused to follow God. Until his last beat of his heart, Ahaz
believed that it was the gods of other nations that would come to his rescue.
His heart was never attracted to the god that his father had so faithfully
served. While other kings had returned to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in
times of trouble; even in trouble, Ahaz’s heart increase in rebellion against
God.
But maybe
the saddest part of the story is that Ahaz found himself following the gods of
a nation that no longer even existed. Ahaz followed the gods of Israel, but
Israel had already been destroyed and her gods had done nothing to save her.
And yet Ahaz seemed willing to follow Judah’s sister nation into obscurity.
Late in his
life, Mussolini is reported to have confessed that he wish the “Manifesto of
Race” had never been written. While Hitler’s star had been on the rise when the
“Manifesto” was published, Mussolini was also able to recognize when Hitler was
in deep decline. While by that time it was too late to change his own path, but
it was not too late to admit regret. For Ahaz, that was a level of awareness that
he had never mastered. To the very end he was convinced that the god who had
failed Israel had the power to have him.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2
Chronicles 29
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