The words of Jesus to all his disciples gathered on the plain to hear his most famous sermon - the one we know as the Sermon on the Mount.
Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.1
Three verses later, same sermon -
Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.2
The words of Jesus to the institutionalized religious leaders of his day (a few days before they killed him) -
On the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.3
One verse later -
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them is shedding the blood of the prophets.’ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!4
Hosea is one of those prophets revered by the institutional religious leaders in Jesus’s day and ours. And yet, both then and now, these men (mostly) blinded by pride, greed, and selfish ambition oppose those who faithfully serve the Living God.
Hosea tells us plainly why this is so.
Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you as my priests.5
Let’s be clear about something. There are some brilliant Bible scholars in prestigious churches, appearing weekly on television, publishing books, and in league with powerful politicians in our day.
This was also true in Jesus’s day. The knowledge of Scripture possessed by the prominent religious leaders was phenomenal. The power of the Jewish ruling body, composed of these big-shot religious leaders, was something not to be trifled with. Jesus ignored these things, and these religious movers and shakers pulled the levers of power and had him crucified.
Think about it. The Roman governing powers responsible for approving the death sentence knew Jesus was innocent, knew the religious leaders were acting out of jealousy, but because of their political influence, gave them what they wanted.6
All the Bible knowledge in the world does not guarantee that a person is following the Spirit of Christ. Joseph Stalin was a brilliant Bible scholar and atheist.
And when Bible knowledge is devoid of the knowledge of God, here’s what happens -
Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to me, and though they eat the meat, the Lord is not pleased with them.7
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.8
There exists in the church today a grievous misunderstanding of what constitutes the knowledge of God. This misunderstanding, which springs from an obsession with sacrifice and burnt offerings (otherwise known as supporting the prevailing religious institution), is missing the heart of God.
Jesus quoted Hosea, rebuking the hard-hearted religious leaders of his day for their harsh and exacting attitudes that slammed the doors of heaven in people's faces, and made their disciples (think church members) into twice the children of hell that they were.9
Hosea knew God. His life with Gomer, as we have described in previous posts, gave him insight into the mercy and love of our creator.
The same is true of the many prophetic voices crying out in our day. They have experienced the goodness of God through personal pain and tragedy. Their lives have been anything but sheltered. But God found them, called them, and they are living lives of integrity and faithfulness.
They are also being excluded, rejected, and persecuted as the prophets have always been.
If you are one of them, bless you. If you’re resonating with what I’m saying, be encouraged. You’re not alone. If you’re questioning or doubting the wisdom of the established, institutional church in our day, good. Don’t stop. Don’t be afraid to march to the beat of a different drum.
That’s always been the way of God’s people.
Peace,
Dan
Luke 6:22-23.
Luke 6:26.
Matthew 23:28.
Matthew 23:29-32.
Hosea 4:6.
Matthew 27:17-18
Hosea 8:13.
Hosea 6:6.
Matthew 9:13, 23:13, 15.
The Lord disciplines every beloved child. I'm grateful for the poverty and rejection I have been found worthy to suffer for seasons in my life. Blessed are the poor in spirit, I will give them my Kingdom. Blessed are those who will mourn, I will comfort them. Such a great word, Dan. Thank you for going with God. 🙏