Jesus said to his disciples, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18, 19).
Since the foundation of the world, wicked men have hated and sought to kill the righteous. Cain murdered his brother Abel because his own works were evil and his brother’s righteous; thus, we should not marvel that the world hates us today (1 John 3:12, 13). Joseph’s brothers hated him because of the partiality their father showed him and because of his dreams (Genesis 37:3-8). When Jehoshaphat refused to believe the counsel of the roughly 400 court prophets who said that Ahab would be successful in battle at Ramothgilead, he asked for a prophet of the Lord (1 Kings 22:6, 7). Ahab knew of one, Micaiah the son of Imlah. Notice what Ahab said about Micaiah: “And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so” (1 Kings 22:8). Ahab hated Micaiah because he told the truth when others would not. This was not a defect in Micaiah but rather in Ahab’s character. Ahab was continually setting himself against the Lord’s will. Thus, he was always at odds with true prophets sent from the Lord.
Similarly, both Ahab and Jezebel hated the prophet Elijah. They made a practice of killing prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:13). Ahab in his wickedness mixed up who the real cause of trouble was in Israel: “And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim” (1 Kings 18:17, 18). Prophets like Micaiah and Elijah were hated by Ahab and Jezebel because they spoke the truth—unlike the false prophets who were fed by the king and queen. Elijah’s challenge to Ahab was, “Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table” (1 Kings 18:19). If the false prophets had their livelihood provided by Ahab and Jezebel, they would tell them what they wanted to hear. At the contest at Carmel, God showed clearly that Elijah was the true prophet; the prophets of Baal were then slain (1 Kings 18:21-40). Jezebel swore to kill Elijah (1 Kings 19:1, 2). Elijah grew very discouraged because of the hate and persecution of the wicked against the righteous (1 Kings 19:4-14).
Jeremiah’s life was threatened by those in his hometown who demanded he stop prophesying (Jeremiah 11:19-21). His own brethren dealt treacherously with him (Jeremiah 12:6). He was mocked daily because of the word of the Lord (Jeremiah 20:7-10). He was beaten and placed in stocks in the high gate of Benjamin (Jeremiah 20:1-2). He was again beaten and imprisoned for many days in the dungeon in the house of Jonathan the scribe (Jeremiah 37:15, 16). When the princes asked king Zedekiah that Jeremiah be put to death, the king allowed Jeremiah to be thrown into the dungeon and sink down in the mire (Jeremiah 38:1-6).
The devil seeks to discourage us from living faithful lives. Remember that all who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). We are not alone in suffering. We must continue to resist being overcome by the evil in the world, knowing our brethren throughout the world suffer tremendous afflictions for the cause of Christ. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” (1 Peter 5:8, 9). Romans 12:21 says, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
So, let us not give up the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12). We must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). Remember when the world hates you that, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
Suffering in itself is not virtuous, but suffering for the cause of Christ is. There are many who suffer for the crimes they have chosen to commit. If Christians suffer for following their Lord, then they are blessed. “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:15, 16). Jesus said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:11, 12). How difficult it is to follow the example of the apostles and rejoice when we are counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 5:41). Let us not shrink back from our allegiance to Christ. Jesus prayed that his disciples would be delivered from the evil of the world (John 17:15). He taught us to do the same (Luke 11:4). But whatever happens, let us live in such a way that we can truly say as Paul did, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
— Mark Day