Psalm 35:19

Psalm 35:19

Religious hatred?    

We have discussed David’s suffering and indignation at those who were supposed to be his friends but who plotted and schemed against him. He is justifiably livid that the accusations of his enemies are unfounded and based on lies and deception. Such things are indeed more than infuriating; we long to retaliate, to get our own back!

We have seen that this kind of treatment was meted out to Jesus on many occasions and it found its fulfilment at His trial and execution where even the Roman Governor could find no fault in Him. Blasphemers and false witnesses were bad enough, but it was the religious establishment that most wanted Jesus disposed of. Those who knew the Scriptures, those for who He came, those who represented Almighty God and who should have been His friends and supporters, these were they who hated Him the most. 

In John 15:18-25 the Lord refers to David’s writing in this verse as He warns the disciples about the hatred they will suffer from the world. He points out that they too will be hated because He has chosen them; they will be hated because of His name. Jesus went on to say that hatred of Him inevitably leads to hatred of His Father and all such hatred is beyond reason. It’s a sobering thought that if we live as the chosen ones of Jesus Christ and bear the name of Jesus Christ then we will be hated! Not just disliked or regarded as odd or the butt of a few jokes, no – the world will hate us! History has shown this to be so on many occasions. I guess if it does not hate us, we are not living as we should? It’s a weird situation is it not, that we live in a country where religious hatred is an offence and yet Jesus warned us that our faith should provoke it? Perhaps we should be taking advantage of the Law?

 

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