The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Thessalonians 2:14b-16,
"You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last."
Note the urgent malevolent interest, the fixation Paul's opponents had in his work of bringing the gospel message to the Gentiles. Paul acknowledges this same opposition was what the Thessalonian believers experienced, as well as the prophets and the Lord himself. There has always been opposition to the things God does among mankind.
We might find cause for this opposition (as unjust as it has always been) in the fear of loss of power for these opponents as the purveyors of false religions, office holders, etc. Maybe their motivation might have been due to fear of loss of influence in the community. Possibly they saw potential for financial gain as they saw Paul's success in the fellowships he established. If Paul could establish a fellowship for his purposes, possibly greedy and unscrupulous people might find encouragement to do the same -- with the intention to fleece and plunder (as opposed to Paul's intentions).
Whatever the motivation of those people who oppose what God does among mankind, whether through Paul, the other apostles, the prophets, etc., I think the ultimate cause is more sinister than simply the avarice, the attempt at maintaining or attaining power, or whatever moves a sinful man's heart.
I believe those who oppose what God is busy doing in the lives of people are simply the "useful idiots" the spiritual forces of darkness use to oppose heaven's agenda. Here is a comment from Paul on just this very thing as he discusses the "devil's schemes": "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last."
Note the urgent malevolent interest, the fixation Paul's opponents had in his work of bringing the gospel message to the Gentiles. Paul acknowledges this same opposition was what the Thessalonian believers experienced, as well as the prophets and the Lord himself. There has always been opposition to the things God does among mankind.
We might find cause for this opposition (as unjust as it has always been) in the fear of loss of power for these opponents as the purveyors of false religions, office holders, etc. Maybe their motivation might have been due to fear of loss of influence in the community. Possibly they saw potential for financial gain as they saw Paul's success in the fellowships he established. If Paul could establish a fellowship for his purposes, possibly greedy and unscrupulous people might find encouragement to do the same -- with the intention to fleece and plunder (as opposed to Paul's intentions).
Whatever the motivation of those people who oppose what God does among mankind, whether through Paul, the other apostles, the prophets, etc., I think the ultimate cause is more sinister than simply the avarice, the attempt at maintaining or attaining power, or whatever moves a sinful man's heart.
I believe those who oppose what God is busy doing in the lives of people are simply the "useful idiots" the spiritual forces of darkness use to oppose heaven's agenda. Here is a comment from Paul on just this very thing as he discusses the "devil's schemes": "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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