Wrath of the Heathen

I don’t how it is where you are, but over at my part of the world I run into the wrath of the heathen quite often this season.

Psalm 2:1-3 (KJV) - Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”

This tells me that God and the people of the world, those who do not know him or who reject him, are on a collision course. They are going to clash and there will be conflict. If you are expecting that Christians who are salt and light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-14) are always going to be welcomed with open arms by the unbelievers, be prepared for reality to hit.

It is going to hurt!

Of course, if we are going to be hated, mocked or persecuted by the world, I’d rather it be for the right reasons.  Preaching the name of Jesus, healing the sick and adding lost souls to the kingdom of God are good reasons.

When Psalm 2 was quoted in a prayer in Acts 4, the apostles had just healed a man lame from birth (Acts 3:8). As they preached the resurrection of Jesus and the forgiveness of sins, they were arrested by the priests (Acts 4:3) and threatened with all kinds of punishment. And this was a fulfilment of Psalm 2 (Acts 4:25-26).

What would be bad reasons?

1 Peter 4:15 (ESV) - But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.

“Thief” would also include embezzlement and cheating, criminal breach of trust and that kind of stuff.  And let’s not forget immorality. The secular world may tolerate immorality from among their own people, but they should find us blameless of it.

1 Corinthians 5:1 (ESV) - It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife.

Keep Your Perspective

When you face the wrath of the heathen, and you know it is for good reasons, we need to keep our perspective. Firstly, we need to remember how transient their opposition is.

Isaiah 51:7-8 (ESV) - Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations."

Often, what happens is that people get so intimidated by the threats and mocking that they forget the power and faithfulness of God. Now, if I were God, I’d find that rather insulting…

Isaiah 51:12-14 (ESV) - "I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear continually all the day because of the wrath of the oppressor, when he sets himself to destroy? And where is the wrath of the oppressor? He who is bowed down shall speedily be released; he shall not die and go down to the pit, neither shall his bread be lacking.

In this passage, we see very clearly the contrast between remembering our Maker and being intimidated, oppressed and continually fearful of men. When I look at this passage, I also suspect it tells us that if we can just guard our hearts and set them on the power of God, we will see deliverance from persecution and oppression. And it will not be long in coming, as God says that the oppressed shall speedily be released.

Then in the meantime?

1 Peter 2:12 (ESV) -  Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

We still have to behave ourselves. We still ought to trust in the LORD and do good, that we may dwell in the land (Psalm 37:3). This means we will be able to stand firm and not be uprooted.

And if we have any difficulties with our emotions, and we find ourselves fearing the wrath of the heathen more than we should, we would do well to meditate on Psalm 2 and the two above passages from Isaiah 51 daily. Read them aloud to yourself a few times a day for about a week or so (as I did) and you will find your heart and mind settled by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God.

That’s what has been up in my mind recently, so I decided to share it with you. Hope that this will inspire you and keep you grounded in the greatness of our God!