Topical Bible: Persecution: The Wicked: Active In

◄ Persecution: The Wicked: Active In ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Persecution is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, often depicted as the actions of the wicked against the righteous. The wicked, driven by malice, envy, or opposition to God's truth, actively engage in persecuting those who follow God's ways. This persecution can manifest in various forms, including physical violence, social ostracism, and legal injustices.

Old Testament Instances

In the Old Testament, persecution is frequently seen in the lives of the prophets and the faithful. The wicked often sought to silence those who spoke God's truth. For example, the prophet Jeremiah faced severe persecution for his messages of impending judgment against Judah. In Jeremiah 20:2, we read, "Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin at the house of the LORD." This act of persecution was a direct result of Jeremiah's faithful proclamation of God's word.

The account of Daniel also highlights the persecution of the righteous by the wicked. Daniel's commitment to prayer and his refusal to worship the king led to his being thrown into the lions' den, as recorded in Daniel 6. The wicked officials conspired against him, using his faithfulness to God as a means to persecute him.

New Testament Examples

In the New Testament, persecution becomes even more pronounced with the advent of Jesus Christ and the early church. Jesus Himself warned His followers of the persecution they would face, saying in John 15:20, "If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well." The wicked, often represented by religious leaders and political authorities, actively sought to suppress the burgeoning Christian movement.

The Apostle Paul, once a persecutor of Christians himself, became a primary target of persecution after his conversion. In 2 Corinthians 11:24-25, Paul recounts his sufferings: "Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea." These acts of persecution were carried out by those opposed to the message of the Gospel.

Theological Implications

Theologically, persecution is understood as a consequence of living in a fallen world where the forces of evil are in opposition to God's kingdom. The wicked, under the influence of sin and Satan, actively work against the purposes of God, often targeting His people. This persecution serves to test and refine the faith of believers, as noted in 1 Peter 1:6-7, which speaks of trials proving the genuineness of faith.

Response of the Righteous

The Bible encourages believers to respond to persecution with steadfastness and love. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus instructs, "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." This radical response is rooted in the example of Christ Himself, who, despite being persecuted unto death, forgave His persecutors.

The early church exemplified this response, as seen in Acts 5:41, where the apostles rejoiced "that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name." This joy in the face of persecution underscores the belief that suffering for Christ is a privilege and a testament to one's faithfulness.

Conclusion

Persecution by the wicked is a persistent reality for the people of God, both historically and in contemporary times. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings that equip believers to endure persecution with faith and integrity, trusting in God's ultimate justice and deliverance.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 143:3
For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has smitten my life down to the ground; he has made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Lamentations 4:19
Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us on the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Concerning Persecution
... (1) Love is active. ... The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous'
(Psalm 125:3). The rod may be there, it ... Persecution is sharp, but short ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/21 concerning persecution.htm

"Who Will Rise up with Me against the Wicked?"
... of some to "rise up against the wicked," and join ... may, indeed, "endure for a time;
but when persecution or tribulation ... Say not, "But if I am active in this work ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 52 who will rise.htm

The Roman Conflagration and the Neronian Persecution.
... good, but to the ferocity of a wicked tyrant. ... an inscription at Pompeii traces of
a bloody persecution; but the ... This is to be understood in the active sense of ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 37 the roman conflagration.htm

Letter Lxxxix. (AD 406. )
... anything for their iniquity, they call it persecution; and not ... but when it is
administered by a wicked man, whose ... is of two kinds"either with active rage or ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter lxxxix a d 406.htm

Patmos
... busy scenes of life, and from the active labors of ... experience of the apostle John
under persecution, there is ... does not prevent the plottings of wicked men, but ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 56 patmos.htm

Acts XII
... religious partisans in Jerusalem, without any active assistance on ... seen that the
brunt of persecution uniformly fell ... a man engages in a wicked enterprise, his ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xii.htm

The Tongue.
... liberty, and to exhibit Faith as the most active principle within ... Is persecution
only fire and sword? ... never persecuted"you leave that to the wicked Church of ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/robertson/sermons preached at brighton/i the tongue.htm

The Life of Henry Hall of Haugh-Head.
... After the restoration of that wicked tyrant Charles II ... down in the hottest time of
the persecution, mostly with ... He had, indeed, an active hand in the most part ...
/.../howie/biographia scoticana scots worthies/the life of henry hall.htm

On the Feast of the Epiphany, vi.
... The cessation of active persecution does not do away with the need of continued ... the
burning of incense, should be paid the homage of divers wicked deeds [898 ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/sermon xxxvi on the feast.htm

The Sermon on the Mount.
... before the secret hate became outspoken and active. ... For instances of persecution
of the prophets, see I ... This tendency caused the wicked of Christ's times to say ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xlii the sermon on the 2.htm