THE BURNING ISSUE
Want to become an international celeb in a jiffy? Go no further than aping the dubious, provocative style of “Pastor” Terry Jones of Dove World Outreach Center Gainesville who was hell-bent on burning Koran on Sept 11 (for obvious reasons) in the year 2010. He had become the cynosure of the media. Honestly, at a time the World has enough problems to cope-up with, who wants the “the Koran burning issue” to become the burning issue forcing International leaders to "burn midnight oil" in sorting out this mess. Sadly after the issue had seemed "burnt and buried", it has risen from the ashes like a Phoenix, with trouble brewing for US troops in ever-simmering Afghanistan...if recent media reports are to be believed.
Agreed those involved in Islamic Jihadist’ movements are no angels, as evidenced by several of their cruel acts against people of faiths other than Islam. While tragedies such as Sept 11, 2001 and November 26th, 2008 (Mumbai terror attack) may come readily to mind for the media attention these tragedies garnered, instances’ such as destruction of an old Coptic Church building in Egypt some decades ago (come to think of it) just because its spire was taller than the recently constructed minaret of a nearby Mosque would remain buried in the obcure pages of history. This act of destroying the old Coptic Church was not only derogatory but also an insensible act flying in the face of logic (since Mosque was constructed much later, could not its builders’ have planned and constructed a taller minaret in the first place?). Worse, it never attracted international media attention at that time, far less any international response of solace cum comfort to victims of this heinous action. Add to this, several senseless Islamic terror strikes around the Globe and the ever condemnable act in Islamic states of imposing heavier tax on other communities and surely a bitter taste would develop in the mouth of many a Christian. But does all this justify a violent tit-for tat action in the spirit of some highly condemnable Catholic crusades against Islam which lasted for nearly 200 years beginning approximately at 1095 AD? Does not the action of “Pastor” Terry Jones fit into that “crude crusade category”? What is a Biblical mandate to Christians at the receiving end of persecution?
We have been commanded (nothing less) to LOVE our persecutors (Matt 5:43-48) and leave the matter of justice into the hands of the fair, Almighty judge (1 Peter 2:23)! Christian victims of communal persecution for no fault of theirs in the state of Orissa in India (in recent times) and many others going through similar kind of persecutions in different parts of the World, would doubtless find obeying this commandment very, very difficult. But when we consider the fact that that this commandment has been given for our good, perhaps it would become easier for us to obey it. What do I mean, by for our good? Examine the following verse carefully and the answer would emerge
“Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” – Heb 12:15b (NLV)
Who suffers the most, when there is bitterness in your heart? Is it not YOU who is harboring bitterness? No second thoughts on this score, please! For it is said that bitterness of spirit, is like an acid in a vessel. It corrodes and destroys the very vessel in which it is stored. We are the ones’ who would suffer from increasing hypertension or mounting glucose levels, whenever we nurse a strong desire to get even, with someone who has wronged us. Our health deteriorates, even as the impelling desire to get even consumes us. Would it not serve us well then to hand over (I admit it is easier said than done), all our grievances to the ONE, who has said,“Vengeance is mine” (Deu 32:35/ Romans 12:19).
The claim “vengeance is mine” is no empty boast of the ONE, who has “settled scores” countless times historically. Jesus handed over Himself to His Father, even as His enemies (Jewish religious leaders and many other Jews) subjected Him to inhuman treatment. Add to His physical and spiritual anguish, the torment of people mocking Him, at the foot of the cross (Matt 27:39-43/ I Peter 2:21-23), and the picture of extreme provocation with a capital P would emerge. But did the Son of God threaten to get even? NO! But would the Father keep quiet? The chilling fact that in 70 AD Jerusalem was devastated by the Roman army with the massacre of over 1 million Jews (doubtless including many of those who scowled at Christ in the cross) should remind us that God keeps His word for good…ALWAYS…be it in the matter of blessing (Joshua 21:45) or even “settling scores” on behalf of His wronged ones’!
It is indeed surprising that Scriptures bear witness to the fact that godly souls, who would not as much as harm a fly had more enemies, than one can remember. In this message, for better understanding of the
a) Measured response of devout souls to persecution and
b) God’s ways’ of dealing with enemies of His dear ones’
I have categorized the adversaries into 3 groups…
I. Enemies stronger than us
II. Enemies as strong as us and strange, as it may seem
III. Enemies weaker than us
Let us go step by step
I. SUPERIOR - Enemies stronger than us
Now the Early Church had a crisis. Acts chapter 12:1-4 somberly records the fact that Apostle James, the brother of Simon Peter was put to the sword and Peter himself was imprisoned by the envious King Herod (Actually Agriappa 1, father of Agriappa II before whom Apostle Paul testified-Acts 26). Now this Monarch who kept adding to his list of sins could not simply digest the soaring popularity of these early Christian leaders amongst the masses, hence the cruel reaction. While King Herod’s reaction was one of brutality borne out of his jealousy, what was the response of the Spirit filled First century Church? Did it reeling under the weight of unjust persecution invoke God’s curses upon the cruel tyrant? NO FAR FROM IT, IT SIMPLY PRAYED FOR THE RELEASE OF PETER FROM THE JAIL.
Even as we see Peter being miraculously delivered from the prison (Acts 12:6-11), we need not even go beyond the 12th chapter of Acts, to see Divine comeuppance catching up with the heartless potentate Herod in a most melodramatic way. Scriptures point soberly that this Herod, who dared to poke his finger into the apple of God’s eye (Zech 2:8) by persecuting His dear ones’ was eaten up alive by maggots (Acts 12:23). Eaten up by worms, after dying is normal but whilst still being alive! Herod got his just desserts alright!
Now did the Early Church in the aftermath of cruel persecution at the hands of this brutal despot, lift as much as it’s little finger to exact vengeance? NO! God who thunders “Vengeance is mine” took care of that little unfinished business of settling scores! Enemies beware…and more importantly repent…
II. PEER- Enemies as strong as us
In organizations (be it even army) people keep a watchful eye on the career path of their peers. If their seniors get promoted, no problem but if their peers get promoted, even if meritoriously…Boy all hell breaks loose…inside them… that is. Envy and peer pressure (they are bedfellows, you see) are an explosive mix. As someone remarked wisely “If you turn green with envy, it means you are ripe for trouble” Envy and peer pressure can get to anybody. Well, it got to colleagues (having equal administrative powers) of a faithful Jew diligently working his way up the career ladder (Daniel 6). So welcome once again to this oft-repeated remarkable story of Daniel in Lion’s den, which throws up wonderful insights, each and every time it is studied!
Now it is one thing to play political tricks to hinder your competitor’s progress and it is quite another thing to hatch a diabolical plot aimed at snuffing out his life itself! Well Daniel’s enemies, chose the latter option…sad for them!
Being well aware of their conspiracy (even Daniel’s juniors’ joined hands in the plot, ostensibly at the prompting of Daniel’s peers, who were the main villains), do we see Daniel praying for God’s curses to come upon his enemies! NO! Neither in his private chambers before his arrest nor in the Lions den, do we see Daniel nursing an iota of bitterness in his heart. He leaves it all to omniscient and an omnipotent God and the result? The fellows, who expected Daniel to make up the dinner of the famished lions the previous evening, end up being the ready breakfast for the hungry predators, the very next morning (Dan 6:24)! Enemies of God’s chosen ones’ (I Peter 2:9) beware…His special lot, would seem innocuous for all practical purposes but behind them stands a God who can be more dangerous than a roaring lion (Hosea 11:10)… at breakfast time, if I may add!
III. INFERIOR- Enemies weaker than us
Yes, strange as it seems, we see sometimes, even enemies who are actually weaker than us provoking us badly. Here it would be all the more tempting to settle scores because there would be no great fear of retaliation! Ask David who was severely pricked by an uncouth, surly but not-so-strong Nabal (I Samuel 25)! Now the temptation to get even at being insulted was too great even for a man of God’s own heart (I Sam 25:21-22), especially as the provoker was not as strong as him! But for the timely intervention of wise Abigail (Nabal’s wife) and her wonderful intercession, David would have had a seared conscience of a man, who took law into his own hands, all his life (I Sam 25:31)! But what about Nabal, who heaped insults upon the anointed servant of God? He was not going to get away, was he? Though David forgave him, verses 37 and 38 of the same chapter record somberly the fact that Divine comeuppance by way of a premature death caught up with that churlish character, shortly.
A SHORT DETOUR…
Forget physical persecution, as this David versus Nabal account testifies even insulting God’s chosen ones’ can prove costly for the careless lot. Even with respect to the Nation of Israel, let us be careful with our words. I shuddered coming across a tirade against Israel by a Christian pastor, recently. Even if all of Jewish actions in the simmering West Asia do not seem overboard, would it not serve us well to remember the Biblical mandate “Do not give him (Israel) your blessing and DON’T CURSE HIM” (Genesis 31:24-TLB)? Jerusalem as per the Biblical prophecy (Zech 12:1-3) would soon become ground zero of all Global tension in the imminent tribulation period which would begin shortly after a more imminent Church rapture. Are not all Global events most notably the failed/truncated peace talks of recent vintage between Jews and Arabs a harbinger of future events to come? Jews have the spirit of Anti-Christ now (I John 2:22) in that they deny that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God (our Arab friends are just as guilty). No wonder in the early part of Tribulation period, Anti-Christ would have countless admirers amongst Jews and Arabs, since they share his spirit. Jews however would repent and seek Christ towards the end of Tribulation (Romans 11:26). However one truth which can be denied only at the risk of being branded as feather-brained is the fact that Israel is a tool in the hands of the Wise Creator, as He takes the World history to a climax (for more on this topic, click on the following link…http://www.jandsmministries.com/rev_pre.asp). To those following developments in West Asia in the media, I can only pen these words with an air of one pleading with folded hands “those with eyes PLEASE SEE and those with ears PLEASE LISTEN (Matt 13:9)” for events are unfolding therein exactly in consonance with Biblical prophecies! So have you accepted Christ in order to be part of the Rapture party!!!
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN…
Now coming back to the main track (I had used “a loop line”, you see!), no Sermon on any topic is complete, till we look at both sides of the coin, as it were. What about those ruthless persecutors of Christians, who at some time, realized the folly of their ways and repented? Did God forgive them? There is an emphatic YES to this question in the Scriptures. What about Saul the rabid Jewish persecutor, who became a mighty Christian apostle Paul, following his personal encounter with Christ, on the Road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-16)? Or for that matter the jailer who cruelly clamped the limbs of Paul and Silas in the Philippians’ jail in the rusting stocks (Acts 16:24-24) but accepted Christ later? God keeps the doors of forgiveness open to all who sincerely seek Him…yes to even to the likes of Dara Singh and his Islamic counterparts, who are perpetuating the communal violence globally! So even as there is a command to persecuted Christians to forgive their persecutors, there is a call to the persecuting lot also to repent of their cruel ways and seek the true and ever living GOD, when there is still time (II Cor 6:1-2)! `
“Winners do not do different things, they do things differently”…wrote the wise management guru Shiv Khera in his book “You can win”. In conclusion, I would like to rephrase this sentence oozing wisdom slightly and put it this way “Christians may not do not do different things but they are commanded do things differently”. That is in the face of persecution let us –as we have been commanded to show love- flesh out love.
Still, you badly want to “BURN” something? Burn this into the “hard disk” of your heart that it would serve you well to “burn your idols” FIRST, the way the Ephesian magicians burnt their incantation books/magic charms in a public bonfire (Acts 19:18-20) and I REITERATE NOTHING QUITE LIKE BURNING YOUR DESIRE TO GET EVEN IN THE EVENT OF GETTING PERSECUTED!!!
(Suresh Manoharan)
