Persecution
“Blessed are those persecuted for
righteousness’ sake, because theirs is the reign of the heavens. Blessed are you when they reproach and persecute
you, and falsely say every wicked word against you, for My sake. Rejoice and be glad, because your reward in
the heavens is great. For in this way they persecuted the prophets who were
before you.” (Mat 5:10-12)
When I looked up the word ‘persecute’
in Noah Webster’s Dictionary, I was somewhat astonished at the cruelty,
ugliness, and spitefulness this word portrays.
It means: “to pursue in a manner to injure, vex or afflict; to harass
with unjust punishment or penalties
for supposed offenses; to inflict
pain from hatred or malignity; to
afflict, harass or destroy for adherence
to a particular creed or system of religious principles, or to a mode of
worship”[1](emphasis
mine).
Our history books teach us that
the United States of America was founded on the principles of religious
freedom, and according to the First Amendment to the Constitution, we are
guaranteed “the free exercise thereof” – a freedom that many believe we are
already in danger of losing. More and
more, especially on any social media, we bear witness to the mudslinging and
‘hate speech’, all in the name of religious intolerance.
Because of the advancements in
communication technology, we are now more aware of the horrible persecutions of
Jews and Christians worldwide than we have ever been before. Yes, we have the history of the Holocaust,
something that we should never forget.
But to see these atrocities happening on almost a daily basis – in the
name of religion[2] – makes one wonder exactly where
“the blessings” begin.
Just recently, evidence has been circulating
concerning the genocide and extermination of the Uyghur Muslims by the CCP (Chinese
Communist Party), actions that are being condemned worldwide[3]. The
CCP has long been known for its totalitarian form of government, and the
persecution of any and all religions. It
remains to be seen how long such persecution will be tolerated.
I studied the Apostle Paul’s list
of credentials in 2Corinthians 11:22-28; yet in all the many hardships and
persecutions that he suffered, even at the hands of his own countrymen, Paul’s
first concern was always for the congregations he had founded, and for his
flock. Paul knew that he could safely
leave the judgment of those who troubled and persecuted him in the hands of his
Elohim (see Rom 12:19; 2The 1:6); his focus would always be on what the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had called
him to do.
Yes, persecutions will come; Yeshua
Himself warned us of this. We are
instructed to pray blessings over those that ‘spitefully use us’ (Mat
5:44). And we also are warned about
serving two masters (Mat 6:24), denying our knowledge of Yeshua before others
(Mat 10:33) and the dangers that lie in wait for us there. But when we stand for what we know is right,
and righteous, great is our reward, and He has promised that He will never
leave us or abandon us as we make our stand (Jos 1:5; Heb 13:5). We never
stand alone, and he is always the fourth
Man in the fire (Dan 3:25).
“The wicked become a ransom for the
[uncompromisingly] righteous and the treacherous for the upright [because the
wicked themselves fall into the traps and pits they have dug for the good].” (Pro
21:18 AMPC)
“The Name of יהוה is a strong tower; The righteous run into
it and are safe.” (Pro 18:10)
©2021
[1] American Dictionary of the English
Language, Noah Webster, 1828
[2] https://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/482859-a-militant-group-you-may-not-know-kills-hundreds-of-christians-every
[3] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-22278037
No comments:
Post a Comment