For the sake of your wisdom and holiness, and of your future, would you join me for perhaps fifteen minutes in hanging out with three men in the Bible who were almost unbelievably stupid? I believe they are men who serve as powerful, mind-etching reminders for us as all that we are also capable of a degree of stupidity that isn’t just bewildering but that is also completely horrifying.
Herod. Firstly, have a read of Mark 6:14-29. Here we read of a King so epically stupid that he promises a young girl – just a child – anything that she wanted. Whether or not Herod was drunk is unclear but the King was intoxicated enough with something to promise her half of his kingdom for basically coming into the dining room and performing her school dance in front of her mum. Imagine the POTUS throwing a public party, getting tipsy and then promising to go equal halves on his presidency with a kid entertainer. And, not only that, but then announcing and ratifying the agreement by something that today would be like a binding, legal statement, publicised to millions of people via Twitter. Though Proverbs 6:1-5 addresses this type of situation exactly if we ever speak to soon, there was apparently no back-tracking, or way out for the heathen Herod. Instead, he honoured his preposterous pledge and John’s bright and shining light was extinguished. This is the very same stupidity of porn.
Esau. Secondly, have a read of Genesis 25:29-34 and Hebrews 12:12-17. Esau demonstrates the same level of irrational stupidity as Herod when he traded his birthright for a mug of soup. Again, using the POTUS metaphor, this would be like Trump trading the wealth of his presidency for a strawberry Cornetto and a can of Lilt. But make no mistake, the writer to the Hebrews links Esau’s short-sighted stupidity with sexual immorality rather than gluttony. Indeed, the passage makes an example of the insanity of Esau as a pointer, specifically, towards the irrationality of sexual sin. Can you imagine coming home from university, sitting down so tired and hungry that all you wanted to do is eat a Pot Noodle and deciding that, for the sake of a special fried rice, you were willing to lose your entire family? This is the very same stupidity of porn.
Samson. Thirdly, have a read of Judges 13-16. It is true that God achieved more through the restored and dramatic climax of Samson’s life than He did during its heyday (Judges 16:30), and it is also true that Samson was a man of God, loved and very much liked by the Father. But this frail, biblical stalwart also shows us that there is a species of stupidity that isn’t only after ruining unbelievers. Samson was an anointed, warrior-hero of Israel but who was also incredibly, mind-bogglingly stupid. When we read Judges 16, we should shake our heads in disbelief of Samson voluntarily giving away his spiritual strength and volunteering his complete atrophy. We should shudder at his eyes being gouged out and at his public disgrace; but we should weep as we watch him unwittingly give away his relationship with Jesus for a head massage from a woman who hated him. (Judges 16:19). This is the very same, outrageous stupidity of porn.
Us. Lastly, have a look in the mirror. Every single person on the planet has experienced the temptation of sexual sin but, for various reasons, some have deeper struggles in this area than others. Perhaps it is gambling or swearing or the internet that you relate to more. The point is, addictions abound. This is what God gave me for you in this article, when we are speechless at the stupidity of Herod, Esau and Samson, we must also be staggered by the stupidity in ourselves. Whenever I see unhelpful images on Instagram and feel, like King David, tempted to linger; whenever I fail to deal instantly and decisively with thoughts like that, in a way, I am Herod, Esau and Samson forfeiting my privileged strength. I am thinking and choosing with unbelievable stupidity. And so are you.
I consider it only an act of God in my life, having warred with sexual temptations for more than three decades as a single man, and for four years as married man, that I am not completely ruined or addicted to pornography. I believe that one of the main reasons for this miracle is the God-given revelation in my heart and mind that the fight against sexual sin is nothing but sheer grace; that you and I get to fight and resist the devil and the flesh and the world is proof that we are His, if, indeed we have obeyed Romans 10:9. Just above the deafening din of sin, a fraction above the cacophony of demonic lies and associated accusations, is an infinitely sweeter song of His love and His abiding, manifest presence. Listen up! He is in, over and through our lives. He is all over us; He is all over you.
I think it will help some of you today to see this stupidity played out on the pages of your Bible and be reminded of it whenever you next feel the lure and bait of Satan.
I’d like to leave two things with you today:
For no temptation has seized you except that which is common to man. This means that we are all in the same war together in our struggle against the flesh, whether it is pornography, gluttony, materialism, unbelief, impatience or pride. There is a way out. Speak to someone today because the power of the devil is, without question, in the secret.
Submit yourself to God, resist the devil (remember the horror of his stupidity) and he will flee: remember Herod giving a child half of his kingdom; remember Esau swapping his lineage for a cup-a-soup and remember Samson chucking away his closeness with God for the sake of a head rub.
There is a sweeter song and it’s just a Spirit-led thought above the sheer stupidity of porn.