Today’s thought “Plea for Vindication or for Protection against Oppressors” (January 07)

Christadelphian Ecclesia Brussel-Leuven – About-Over Nov. 14 11.45

The previous years we here in Belgium did not have it quite easy. In 2012 we got even silenced for some time. It looked like the time of a battle of the greatest and strongest, against such small communities like ours, had started. With the hope to have a bigger community and able to be stronger, in that period (years ago) we wanted to get all the different sorts of Christadelphians in Belgium, to unite. We had put our hopes in helping each other out and making the Christadelphian community in Belgium stronger. Unexpectedly, this worked out against us, showing clearly how deep the division is rooted, human pride receives priority, and brought us to losing more contacts.

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But not only from inside we had to tackle many problems. Already in the 1990ies we received several attacks or got awful letters in our land- as well as electronic mail boxes. In this century the aversion against worshippers of the Only One True God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, manifested in actions against Jehudiem or Jews, Jeshuaists and non-Trinitarian Christians. Worst of all is that by such actions against us and the other worshippers of the True God of Israel, it were and are mostly so-called “devote” or “devout” Christians.
What we can notice is that most often it is Christians who claim their religious group or denomination is the only true Christian Church. Often, all other denominations also receive slander and mockery. They love calling us and other non-trinitarians names, going from inappropriate words that cannot be said by a Christian, to words and childish expressions lots of bullies use, like “babes”, ”spiritual diapers”, “toddlers”, “kindergartners”, “uneducated”, “sock puppets”, “stupid ones”, “fools”, etc..
Shame for the language those attackers use; and how they do not see how they defile the name of Christ Jesus and try to destroy, what is called in the Bible, “The Body of Christ“. Strangely enough such writers and their websites do know to catch lots of people, indicating how much people love such slanderous language and ongoing battles.

Example of how people with other ideas are often silenced and not given a chance to defend themselves against the accusations of them belong to a sect or cult, or not following the Bible.

Funny too, is when we want to defend ourselves or react in a proper way or hasty manner, our reactions are censured or not shown on the articles which attack us and most often we are requested not to reply to writers their reactions.

In today’s Daily Bible Readings we read a.o. Psalm 17. In it, we find David pleading the Eternal One. He asks the Only One Eternal Spirit God, Jehovah, to listen to his cry for justice.

“ «A Prayer of David.» Hear the right, O Jehovah, attend unto my cry; Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.” (Ps 17:1 ASV)

The same as Job, David and other faithful of God did, we more than once pleaded with the Most High and are sure, we still shall have to pray more than once, asking Him to turn His ear also toward us.

David asks, that God shall let others come to see how he is pure at heart and loving the Most High All-knowing God. He asks God to announce that he is free of all the charges against him and knows that it is only God Who can see into his heart to know that to be true. Those accusations coming from guileless lips he hopes God shall listen to him.
Having no deceit on our lips, we too can only pray and hope that not only God, but also people shall come to see and get to know our honesty and sincerity.

The heart of this Psalm is about the vicious nature of David’s enemies {9-12}. David’s enemies are out to destroy him. They are not playing games, they are going for the jugular. They have no compassion, and they show no mercy. They are cold and callous. They are like vicious lions, ready to rip the other apart.

“ They are inclosed in their own fat: With their mouth they speak proudly.” (Ps 17:10 ASV)

“ Because he hath covered his face with his fatness, And gathered fat upon his loins;” (Job 15:27 ASV)

“ Their eyes stand out with fatness: They have more than heart could wish.” (Ps 73:7 ASV)

Not only us have to encounter such vicious people, who dare talk pretentiously. Many other true believers also are confronted with loudmouthed liars who heckle several others who do not want to agree with their way of thinking. With jeers and catcalls we may be surrounded. Though we are sensible too, like any human being, we should be very careful not to be carried away by their deceitful and bad language. Not a word of boasting, ever! For God knows what’s going on. He takes the measure of everything that happens. (1Sa 2:3) Even when it may come to jeers, using words to kill; those adversaries bully their way with words, and should not frighten us because we fear God more than them. Therefore, let us always keep following the Biblical teaching and not human doctrine, and be aware that God knows and searches the heart and knows who really wants to follow Him and His commands.

“ Talk no more so exceeding proudly; Let not arrogancy come out of your mouth; For Jehovah is a God of knowledge, And by him actions are weighed.” (1Sa 2:3 ASV)

“ Let the lying lips be dumb, Which speak against the righteous insolently, With pride and contempt.” (Ps 31:18 ASV)

“ They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression: They speak loftily.” (Ps 73:8 ASV)

We are fully aware how God His Eyes look with equity and behold things that are just. In the end it is He Who examines not only our heart, but also the heart of those who write vicious things against us and against other Christian denominations. One day we all shall have to come in front of the judgment seat – but they too. At the Last Days God will have His beloved son on the seat, judging in God’s Name. Then it will be seen if the others, or we, would have been right or be called righteous. God’s judgment or His vindication will come from before Him, Him having us tested previously.

Let us make sure that all through our life we intend that our mouth will not transgress and always remember that God’s eyes can see what is true [virtuous].

“2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; Let thine eyes look upon equity. 3 Thou hast proved my heart; Thou hast visited me in the night; Thou hast tried me, and findest nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.” (Ps 17:2-3 ASV)

“1 «A Psalm of David.» Judge me, O Jehovah, for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in Jehovah without wavering. 2 Examine me, O Jehovah, and prove me; Try my heart and my mind.” (Ps 26:1-2 ASV)

“ Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thy hand.” (Ps 39:10 ASV)

“ Jehovah executeth righteous acts, And judgments for all that are oppressed.” (Ps 103:6 ASV)

“ Before Jehovah; For he cometh to judge the earth: He will judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with equity.” (Ps 98:9 ASV)

“ The king’s strength also loveth justice; Thou dost establish equity; Thou executest justice and righteousness in Jacob.” (Ps 99:4 ASV)

“ For thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.” (Ps 66:10 ASV)

“ But he knoweth the way that I take; When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10 ASV)

“ And I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, Jehovah is my God.” (Zec 13:9 ASV)

“ that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ:” (1Pe 1:7 ASV)

“ In those days, and in that time, saith Jehovah, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I leave as a remnant.” (Jer 50:20 ASV)

Though we may be tested from all different corners of the world, let us rejoice in the Most High. Let us ask Him to be wonderful with His loving-kindness. We know He is our best Saviour and by Him we can take refuge at His Right Hand from those rising up against us and all those who are willing to follow His beloved son Jesus Christ.
Let us ask Jehovah God to protect us, as Jehovah would protect His own [or the apple/ pupil of His eye].
That God may hide us in “the shadow of His Own wings”, from the wicked who attack us — our enemies, who surround us.

“7 Show thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them that take refuge in thee From those that rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9 From the wicked that oppress me, My deadly enemies, that compass me about.” (Ps 17:7-9 ASV)

“ Blessed be Jehovah; For he hath showed me his marvellous lovingkindness in a strong city.” (Ps 31:21 ASV)

“ Now know I that Jehovah saveth his anointed; He will answer him from his holy heaven With the saving strength of his right hand.” (Ps 20:6 ASV)

“ In the covert of thy presence wilt thou hide them from the plottings of man: Thou wilt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.” (Ps 31:20 ASV)

“ Deliver me not over unto the will of mine adversaries: For false witnesses are risen up against me, And such as breathe out cruelty.” (Ps 27:12 ASV)

“ He found him in a desert land, And in the waste howling wilderness; He compassed him about, he cared for him, He kept him as the apple of his eye.” (De 32:10 ASV)

“ For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: After glory hath he sent me unto the nations which plundered you; for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.” (Zec 2:8 ASV)

“ Jehovah recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of Jehovah, the God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to take refuge.” (Ru 2:12 ASV)

“ How precious is thy lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge under the shadow of thy wings.” (Ps 36:7 ASV)

“ «For the Chief Musician; set to Al-tashheth. A Psalm of David. Michtam; when he fled from Saul, in the cave.» Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; For my soul taketh refuge in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I take refuge, Until these calamities be overpast.” (Ps 57:1 ASV)

“ I will dwell in thy tabernacle for ever: I will take refuge in the covert of thy wings. [[Selah” (Ps 61:4 ASV)

“ For thou hast been my help, And in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.” (Ps 63:7 ASV)

“ He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Ps 91:1 ASV)

“ He will cover thee with his pinions, And under his wings shalt thou take refuge: His truth is a shield and a buckler.” (Ps 91:4 ASV)

In spite of our weaknesses and failures, when we are sincere in our prayers, God will hear and answer them and can be confident in the Lord that He will protect us.

In this world – inclusive the world of Christendom – it can get very personal when you’re victimized and nothing gets done. The enemy can easily take us down if we are not careful and not enough trusting in Jehovah God. When we feel pushed and shoved around, feeling left reeling in a corner, it makes us want to throw in the towel and cash in ourself the best we can, while we can, like “men of the world, whose portion is in this life.” (v. 14)

“ From men by thy hand, O Jehovah, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly thou fillest with thy treasure: They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their substance to their babes.” (Ps 17:14 ASV)

When we love God more than the world, we must act like the godly who seek out a higher purpose in life, forgoing its fleeting and fading pleasures. Having chosen to follow the path Jesus laid in front of us, we should keep on the high road. Even when we can only beg to be kept the apple of God’s eye, staying within the shadow of His protective wings (v. 8), we should be satisfied and happy that we can take refuge within the radius of His wielded sword (v. 13). Only there are you, me and we, sincere followers of Christ, safe. Only there you can visualize how good it’ll be.

It’s also a lifelong commitment to fending off a relentless infatigable foe.

“26 For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds.” (Mt 16:26-27 ASV)

Preceding