Every parent knows about the phenomenon known as the “terrible twos.” It is the season of life when many children seem to be constantly getting into mischief and can seldom be satisfied no matter how hard the exasperated parent may try. We are told this is normal for children as they struggle between reliance on their parents and desiring to be independent. Hopefully, they will outgrow these frustrations, tantrums, and episodes of mayhem, but what if they don’t? Then we end up with a society much like the one we have today; a society where children and adults seem to have a permanent case of the malignant terrible twos.
What is causing this age of rage? Maybe it is the chemicals in our food. Some blame it on the economy. Others say it is religion or racism. Fact is, it can be anything. We are a paranoid generation. We think everyone is out to get us, attack our religion, belittle our heritage, and judge our gender. It seems as if the whole human race thinks they are circling the drain, and no one knows how to stop it.
People just don’t seem to handle conflict very well today. Losing your job, being bullied, being suspended from school, divorce, financial problems, or real or perceived persecution can lead folks to go ballistic. People can even get angry about relatively inconsequential things. What was once recognized as a lack of emotional maturity is now considered a disorder.
Now, it is important to differentiate anger and aggression. Anger is an emotion which may not necessarily trigger a violent outburst. This is usually considered a mature way of dealing with anger. On the other hand, you can be aggressive toward someone without actually being angry at them. A guy who mugs you may have no personal anger toward you; he just wants your money. This form of aggression is obviously wrong, but it is not to be confused with the violence generated when anger and aggression are combined to form rage.
Rage may display itself in words or actions. It also appears to the governing principle of those who delight in murdering innocent people. We’ve seen it displayed around the globe dozens of times over the past few weeks. Here at home, our police officers are massacred on the streets and shoppers are murdered in our malls. Many of our larger cities have been turned into little more than war zones.
How did we get here? Although it is no longer politically correct to identify and name our real enemies, we must recognize we cannot understand this age of rage unless we first comprehend the source of all the hate and venom. Our politicians can’t seem to find an answer. Our law enforcement officers are powerless to bring it to an end. Although our military may kill or capture terrorists, they cannot begin to explain or curtail their violent or extremist ideologies. Even our theologians seem to come up short.
America has been divided into two segments. The smallest segment comprises those who are basically content with their lives. The other group which is far larger in number is the victims. These are the folks who see themselves as oppressed in some manner. The interesting thing is that most folks would rather be victims. Perhaps it is so they can use their perceived misfortune as an excuse to mob, malign, or murder the contented. After all, they believe everyone is supposed to be miserable so they absolutely hate those who actually feel good about life.
As you might expect, I believe the Word of God provides instruction and real answers. The Bible offers in-depth insight into why people think, communicate, and behave the way they do; and why they increasingly commit bizarre acts. Of course, most people are not interested in the real answers when it is much easier to keep passing the poison to the next generation.
First, Man Has Misplaced His Trust.
The reasons for our increasing rage reflect a frustration with those around us, especially those who promised to make everything right. We believe we have the right to expect things to go well, and when reality falls short of these expectations, we feel that we have the right to get angry about it. After all, we have been promised by politicians, advertisers, educators, and businesses that if we would give them our trust, they would make things right. So, if they break their word, we feel we have the right to get annoyed, demand redress, or maybe even commit murder. Man has always wanted things to go his way. This is not new, but today he actually expects it to happen. After all, it is what we have been promised.
Society has also given man a mixed picture of hope. It is easy to see the stunning achievements man has made in technology, medicine, and engineering. Our standard of living and life span reflect the great advancements we have made. But, man has never been able to solve his worst problems: crime, poverty, starvation, violence, racism, perversion, and war. These are often the things that ignite the fires of rage. Donald Trump has risen to the political forefront because people are frustrated that government has not fixed these things; but government cannot fix these things. These are character issues. Government can certainly do more than it is doing, but it does not have the answer! What man has missed is that these problems are spiritual; meaning they cannot be solved through political, legal, military, or physical solutions.
I am reminded of a master politician named Lucifer; he also believed that government could fix anything, as long as he was the head of that government. He lusted for additional power, a higher position and actually convinced a multitude of angels he could make things better. Lucifer became Satan, and the rebellious angels became demons. Now, he continues to influence the world by disseminating the four major tenants of his nature into the carnal mind: vanity, jealousy, lust, and greed. These constitute the foundation of our age of rage.
Second, We Have the Element of Religious Furor.
Although there are some dark chapters in all religious history, including Christianity, Islam is rare among religions in its propagation of continual violence. We can even see this violent history back in the days of Thomas Jefferson and the Barbary Wars when American naval vessels were attacked primarily to capture Christian slaves for the Muslim-Arab slave market in northern Africa. Today, radical Islam has become a glue uniting fractured societies into a framework of terrorism. It has proven to be a powerful banner to rally rebels. Islam reminds its followers of lost Islamic glory. Muslims are painfully aware that while Europe was in the dark ages, the house of Islam was the seat of world enlightenment. And while it is understandable that the Muslim world may justly be angry at its oppressors, this anger became aggressive, and then was allowed (by some) to turn blatantly evil.
Religion has offered little hope in curbing the age of rage because of the multitude of differing and competing religious movements, each professing to be the right way to God. Sadly, as you Biblically examine much of their theology, you can easily prove that these belief systems do not represent God. But, this false faith contributes to creating and enabling the age of rage by not teaching the truth about the missing component man needs to make him spiritually complete: A relationship with Jesus Christ.
Of course, this is exactly the way Satan wants it. While the world’s “experts” offer their professional advice on dealing with the age of rage, the Bible, God’s instruction manual to mankind, is ignored.
Signs of the Times.
Any assessment of the age of rage must include the acknowledgement that the Word of God tells us the character of society will worsen in the last days. God forewarned us of man’s evil nature during the end of the age. We are told these would be “perilous times”. The word “chalepos” was used, which means “troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, and savage.” How true of modern society!
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent (without self-control, people known to fly off the handle), fierce (savage, untamed, wild), despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady (rash, reckless, headstrong), highminded (the Greek word used here is typhoo, related to typhoon, and it defines being puffed up to the point of being so blinded with pride or conceit that one is rendered foolish or stupid. Such people, in effect, come off as disastrous storms, which endanger the peace, security and lives of others.), lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
II Timothy 3:1-5
So, what is the meaning behind this age of rage and how did we get here?
First, man is frustrated because certain problems have not been fixed. Man wonders how can we be so advanced in technology and yet governments have not fixed our basic core problems. Man’s carnal mind, often empowered by false religion, does not and cannot realize these problems are spiritual problems and cannot be fixed by military force or legislation.
Second, Satan, as a masterful politician, wants to rule the earth. So, he utilizes the four major traits of his nature: vanity (pride), jealousy, lust and greed to create and enable today’s age of rage.
Third, these perilous times were clearly foretold and defined in the Word of God.
Fourth, man has neglected the answers found in the Bible. For example, Romans 12 presents wisdom that surpasses any advice this world’s experts could offer:
“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another…Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not…Recompense [repay] to no man evil for evil…avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:10, 14, 17, 19-21
With the Spirit of God working within us, Christians can conquer the carnal nature and employ these verses.
So, whenever the stresses of life start to build, we must examine ourselves for signs of pride, jealousy, greed and lust, the characteristics of Satan that can lead us to emotionally melt down and commit vile acts. We must remember “the carnal mind is enmity [naturally hostile] against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:7), the carnal mind can easily succumb to pride, jealousy, greed and lust, and cause us to bend to the pressures of the age of rage. Furthermore, we must allow the Holy Spirit to produce and empower the fruits of the Spirit within us (Galatians 5:22-23).
We are living in an age of satanically inspired rage. He is the adversary who “deceiveth the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). He is Apollyon, the great destroyer who is the grand architect of the age of rage. Indeed, the perilous times foretold in the Bible are already here, and they will continue to worsen. But, as children of God we must not fall into the trap of allowing angry and foolish knee-jerk reactions control our lives. Remember, we are to be controlled from the inside by the Holy Spirit, not from the outside by the forces of the world.
Dr. Worthington has been in the ministry forty years and serves as President of Pathway Ministries.