Day of the Locust

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There once was a prophet who spoke against a great kingdom. This kingdom was unparalleled by any other, and through her might dominated the known world. The godly prophet spoke many things against this nation. But there is one complaint written in his oracles that might resonate even louder today. Thus was spoken against the leaders of our ancient world:

“Your bureaucrats are locusts, your brokers and bankers are locusts. Early on, they’re all at your service, full of smiles and promises, but later when you return with questions or complaints, you’ll find they’ve flown off and are nowhere to be found.”

The courageous prophet who uttered these daring words was none other than Nahum. You will find his oracles in the book that bears his name, in the Old Testament of the Bible. The above passage comes from Nahum 3:16-17 (The Message). Nahum had the daunting task of speaking out against the Assyrian Empire, otherwise referred to as Nineveh, Assyria’s capitol. The prophet was nothing but a mouthpiece. However, the charges against Nineveh came from much higher. Yes, it was God Almighty who attacked Nineveh’s political and economic infrastructure. It was He who called the bureaucrats, brokers and bankers “locusts.”

Even as I write we see these same three swarming on the nightly news and, quite frankly, we are all “bugged” by these irritating grasshoppers. As an answer to our nation’s present crisis, the busy bureaucrats are bailing out the belly-up bankers before brokers go broke. This trillion dollar bandage will only serve to keep a few lucky locusts alive a little longer. And they will do what they always have done, swarm in and swarm out after devouring everything green in their path. There is no doubt that the bureaucrats, brokers and bankers are in bed with each other, but they are not the ones getting short sheeted. Notice what else the Lord says through Nahum:

“Early on, they’re all at your service, full of smiles and promises, but later when you return with questions or complaints, you’ll find they’ve flown off and are nowhere to be found.” (Nahum 3:17)

One has to laugh, it’s so true. Bankers really butter you up to get your business. After that you call an 800 number and get lost in a series of digitized voice menus. It really is frustrating. Last time I called to get a credit card error corrected, I ended up talking to a customer service rep in another country. We could barely understand each other so I had to call back and go through all the prerecorded gibberish again. At least Nineveh didn’t have voice mail!

As bankers, brokers and bureaucrats scramble to bail each other out, are we wise to think they will succeed and bail us out? Or, is that like trusting a swarm of locusts for a bail out? Can you really trust an agency that transfers your call to somewhere in Nineveh? The locusts have already devoured everything green in their path. They have left nothing and salivate for more. There is a bail out plan somewhere out there. But it won’t be found where locusts swarm. We will have to look a little higher. We will have to open our eyes to that which Nineveh could not see.