For about two centuries, reason, up until very recently, played the stated dominant role in Western Civilisation. The enlightenment lifted up the concept of reason to the place of the highest human value.
But reason is not only not the highest human value, it's inherently flawed if it does not submit to heaven.
The Bible shows us this in many ways. We read in Daniel 4:34 - "34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me..."
This is written in the context of the great King Nebuchadnezzar having been cursed to live like an animal for 7 years, and having just had his mind returned to him. Daniel 4 tells us:
"28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws."
God was merciful to Nebuchadnezzar. You might think he was harsh because Nebuchadnezzar was cursed to live like an animal for 7 years. But God gave him a great gift, he taught him that he, the Great King Nebuchadnezzar, was not the top of the pile, God was. God taught him there was a higher King, law and standard that he should submit to. This is mercy.
It is mercy, because human reason, confidence and power, separated from God become insanity, pride and destruction. There is no lesson more important for us, than that we should submit to God, above all else.
The West thought it could abandon God and cling to reason, but human reason was formed to direct the mind to God. Unless man looks to heaven his reason will be untethered from reality. In the mind that rejects God, up will become down, heaven will become hell, male will become female, and craziness will break lose.
We need our society to learn from Nebuchadnezzar, we need our society to look to heaven so reason will return.
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