Don’t Follow a Crowd to Do Evil

“Don’t follow a crowd to do evil” (Exodus 23:2).

Crowds can have a powerful effect on people. It’s easy to go along with the crowd, and it’s hard to go against a crowd. But Christians sometimes need to stand against a crowd to be faithful to God.

“That which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15).

People often value things that God hates. Crowds often value things that are totally wrong. If we are influenced by crowds, then we can be pressured to go against God.

Modern Deceptions

In the history of the world, it’s not uncommon for almost everyone to be deceived. 

In the past 100 years, mass deception has swept through the world. Hitler ravaged Europe. Vast delusions took over China and Russia, leading to millions of deaths. Governments said that killing people was essential for progress, and people blindly believed these lies and went along with mass murder.

There is deception in the United States of America, too.

As a small example, there has been much deception regarding health and diet over the years.

A few decades ago, doctors, scientists, and the US government said that margarine is great, and butter is terrible. So people stocked up on margarine and eliminated butter from their pantries. But now “experts” say the opposite – margarine is terrible and butter is good, and so people throw out margarine and buy butter.

For years, the US government recommended that people stop eating too many eggs because of cholesterol. So people stopped eating a lot of eggs. But now, experts tell us that eating eggs has no effect on blood cholesterol levels, and the US government in 2015 scrapped their recommendation about eating fewer eggs. So now people are eating more eggs than before.

In the 1990s, there was a craze to eliminate fat completely from the diet. The government and popular media urged us to eat a lot of carbohydrates and hardly any fat. Many people desperately tried to stop eating fat. But now, experts say we should eat more fat and minimize carbs, and so people are eating less carbs and more fat.

People are often pushed around like pingpong balls by leaders.

These examples probably seem small. But they point to the fact that cultures and societies have been wrong throughout history. People who follow “experts” blindly can end up being completely wrong, and they often regret it later.

There is no benefit in believing a lie. Lies, whether big or small, come from Satan. We don’t need to be pushed around by the crowd or blindly follow “experts.”

Ancient Deceptions

In the Bible there are several examples of almost everyone in the world being completely deceived.

Before the Flood, the entire world was corrupt except Noah and his family (Genesis 6:9). Wickedness was everywhere, but Noah stood against it. He preached righteousness (2 Peter 2:5). He built a massive boat, which was very different from what everyone else was doing. Noah had strength to go against the crowd. He got this strength from the word of God. God spoke to Noah and warned him that judgment was coming (Hebrews 11:7). Most people didn’t hear this warning from God, and they probably mocked Noah when he told them about it. But Noah believed God’s word, and faith God’s word gave him strength to stand against the corrupt world.

After the Flood, everyone in the world was busy building the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-8). Nimrod united the entire world in this vast building project. Nimrod was a rebel against God and he did a lot of evil things, but everyone wanted to follow him anyway.

God called Abraham to come out of Babylon (Hebrews 11:8). Abraham obeyed. Abraham had strength to go against the crowd and follow God, because he had faith in God’s word. He left Babylon and headed toward the Promised Land.

God calls his people today to come out of Babylon (Revelation 18:4). Babylon is the entire world system that is contrary to God. Leaving Babylon is not easy. This means going against the crowd, the culture, and what is popular. This takes strength. But if we want to survive at the end of the age, we will need to come out of Babylon. This is only possible by the Holy Spirit.

Exodus 32 says that the priest of God’s people, Aaron, encouraged them to make a golden cow to worship God. All Israelites except two people fell into this deception. This shows us that government leaders, religious leaders, and “experts” can lead people to do dumb things. Leaders may have good intentions, but they can be totally wrong.

We need to think for ourselves. Follow God’s word.

In Daniel, the king of Babylon set up a big statue which everyone had to worship. Everyone happily bowed down to this massive statue and worshiped it. Why? The government told them to. It was the law. Three Jews refused to bow down to this statue. They didn’t follow the crowd into deception, and they disobeyed the government. As a result, they were thrown into a fiery furnace. There are consequences for not going along with the crowd. But God brought them out of the furnace. He will be with us too if we are faithful to him.

Many Jews were afraid to tell people they believed in Jesus because they were afraid of their leaders (John 12:42-43). This is a problem, because with the mouth confession of Jesus Christ is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10).

The fear of man brings a snare (Proverbs 29:25). A snare is a trap. It causes injury and possibly death. If we are afraid of people, we will be trapped. We will become a prey to the crowd and their whims. We need divine strength to not be afraid of people so that we are not deceived by the crowd.

Job said if he was afraid of the crowd he would stay inside his house and not say anything (Job 31:34). This is the condition of some Christians who are afraid to speak truth. We need to overcome this fear if we are going to live for God.

Fickle Crowds in the New Testament

In the New Testament, crowds were very fickle.

When Jesus went to Jerusalem for Passover, the crowds said he was the Messiah. They shouted “Hosanna!” and threw their clothes in the street before him to walk over. But a few days later, stirred up by government leaders, they shouted out to crucify him. (Compare John 12:12-13 and John 19:6.) Crowds can be quick to change, quick to hate, and quick to kill.

Once Paul and Barnabas came to a town, did a miracle, and then everyone in the town said they were the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes. They wanted to sacrifice to these gods which had appeared in human form. But then, when the crowd heard some gossip about Paul and Barnabas, they suddenly turned against them, stoned them, and left them for dead outside their city (Acts 14:8-19).

Once a crowd said that Paul was a murderer. A few moments later, they changed their minds and said he was a god (Acts 28:4-6). Crowds are full of whims and dangerous ideas.

We should not be fickle like this. We should not believe one thing and then suddenly change and believe the opposite. This is double-mindedness and it leads to dangerous instability (James 1:8).

End Times

At the end of the age, everyone in the world will be deceived except a few faithful Christians. Everyone on earth will be amazed by the Antichrist, and they will all worship Satan (Revelation 13:3-4). Everyone is going to rush out and get the mark of the beast so they can buy or sell (Revelation 13:16-17). All nations drink of the wine of Babylon – glutting themselves on her entertainments, chasing after money, building up the world system that is about to be destroyed (Revelation 14:8). All the world is going to marvel at the power of the Antichrist and his political system at the end of the age (Revelation 17:8).

Christians need to be able to withstand the pressure of crowds if they are going to stand for God at the end of the age. We need to develop this strength of standing up for God now.

Overcoming Crowd Pressure

How can we be strong against the crowd?

Follow the word of God. Measure everything by the Bible.

Think for yourself. Don’t blindly follow “experts,” governmental leaders, religious leaders, scientists, or traditions. Be led by the Holy Spirit.

Overcome fear. Don’t be afraid of people, fear only God (Luke 12:4). Don’t be afraid to stand alone. God will be with you.