We are sometimes unaware of it, but our cultural backgrounds can have a dramatic impact on how we interpret a particular passage in the Bible. It is important, however, that we realize the role our backgrounds can have. People from different cultures can look at a verse and see it in completely different ways.
This was driven home to me recently while listening to a preacher from Mexico. I have heard him speak many times, and have learned that in that country, among people who attend Evangelical churches, the family is extremely important. The family includes what we would call more distant relatives, like aunts and uncles. This pastor and his flock place great importance on seeing their extended families “saved” from hell. The preacher comes close to teaching that if a Christian is faithful and prays, he will see all his relatives saved. If we have an aunt who dies as an unbeliever, there is a near-implication that we are largely to blame.
Here in the United States, our families are important. But I think that most of us, while desiring that those related to us come to faith, do not think it is almost a certainty that they will be saved if we pray long enough. We recognize that we have many relatives who will not believe in Christ for eternal life, regardless of our best efforts.
In his latest sermon, this Mexican preacher was talking about Hezekiah. In 2 Kgs 20:1, Isaiah the prophet tells him that he is going to die. As a result, the prophet says to the king: “Set your house in order.”
You are probably familiar with the story. Hezekiah prays to the Lord and asks Him to extend his life. God hears the prayer of Hezekiah. He sends Isaiah back to the king to tell him that he will live for another fifteen years (2 Kgs 20:6).
When you read Isaiah’s original message to Hezekiah, what do the words, “Set your house in order” mean? I feel confident that most of us would respond in a similar way.
When Hezekiah realized he was about to die, he needed to take certain actions. If a doctor told us we would die in a month or two and that we needed to get our house in order, we would take that to mean that we needed to make sure our will was current. As a husband, I would need to let my wife know where all my important papers were located. I would need to make sure my family knew my last wishes, including how my funeral was to be conducted. If I owned a business, I would transfer ownership to my children. I would take the time to say my final goodbyes and tell my loved ones what they mean to me. In Hezekiah’s case, he would need to do things like preparing his son to take the throne after he died.
How do you think that pastor interpreted those words by Isaiah? He said that God gave Hezekiah fifteen extra years so that Hezekiah could see the spiritual salvation of his extended family. To set his house in order meant to preach the gospel to all the members of his household. This preacher did not mention a single one of the things I thought Hezekiah needed to do.
The message of that sermon was clear. God gives us time to lead our family members to faith. If we are faithful, like Hezekiah, He will even give us extra time to do so. The preacher didn’t want his flock to be discouraged if they had unbelieving family members. Have faith. God will do miracles to make sure their aunts and uncles are saved.
What a different interpretation from mine (and probably yours)! It amazes me that two people in Evangelical churches in two different countries could look at a simple sentence and see it in completely different ways.
Obviously, I think that Mexican preacher was reading his strong cultural background into the text. Even if subconsciously, he knew he was preaching what his audience wanted to hear. They shared his cultural biases.
He was wrong. But he provides us with a reminder. We can do the same thing. In fact, we sometimes do. We should ask the Lord to keep us from falling into that trap. What our mothers, fathers, preachers, denominations, and culture teach us profoundly impacts us. Lord, help us to let your Word trump every wrong belief we have.
