Musing – Why Might We Be Suffering Persecution Today?

Hebraic Musing – Why Might We Be Suffering Persecution Today?

When, where, why and to whom has persecution been described in the Bible? 

·      Let’s start with Noah’s time.  “Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.” Gen 6:11-12  NIV  “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Gen 6:8   Problem – Corruption.  And you know the drastic consequences had to God use.

·      For Moses to free the Hebrews in Egypt, the Lord had to expose each of the idolatrous gods that the Egyptians worshipped.  One by one the Lord God demonstrated His Supremacy over each of Egypt’s idols.

·      Samuel had to admonish King Saul.  “For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king." 1 Sam 15:23  As a result Saul suffered persecution and the loss of kingship, all as the consequence of idolatry.

·      Before the Babylonian exile, both the North and then the Southern Kingdoms were warned of the consequences of their idolatry but ignored the warnings.  “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet, I the Lord will answer him myself in keeping with his great idolatry. (in the next verse God tells why)    I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.” Ezek. 14:4-5    Ezekiel had to condemn the idol worship of both the North and South while they were in captivity despite warnings.  “You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord." Ezek. 23:49   Interesting note.  After the Babylonian exile the Jews never fell back into the sin of idolatry!  Lesson learned!

·      Paul’s epistles to Ephesians and Titus in Crete dealt a lot with the Christian communities experiencing persecutions due to their battle with many gods in the Greco/Roman idolatry culture.  Claiming Jesus as the one true God was an affront to the many gods that Greco/Roman citizenry worshipped.  Thus the Christian church faced persecution from the Romans and Greeks for expressing their “One and Only God” belief which was an affront to citizens’ worshipping their gods.  Sound familiar today?

Fast forward to current times – Does the world today worship and serve other gods,  i.e. Idolatry?  What does the world worship by spending time and money on?  A few examples – youthfulness, status symbols, escapism, erotic pleasure, power, image, free choice, convenience, …   And do we Christians get persecuted if we dare to preach against those idols?

If we avoid idolatry and preach the Gospel, will we avoid persecution? 
Yes, from our God; but probably not from the friends in the world around us.  
Is the importance their friendship a form of idolatry?

Who defined idolatry better, Peter or Paul? 
Peter – “For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do — living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.”  1 Peter 4:3  NIV
Paul - “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.” Col 3:5-6  NIV

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

Who are the gods behind the content of today’s media?  Networks or Satan or man’s choice(s)?
How many gods/idols do our media outlets want us to worship?

Do our younger generations recognize how many gods they worship?

Do we Christians get caught up worshipping “other gods”?
 “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.”  1 Cor. 10:14-15

“You will … bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry.” Ezek. 23:49

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          September 24, 2019

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”