Topical Bible: Persecution: The Wicked: Addicted To

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Persecution, as depicted in the Bible, is a recurring theme where the wicked are often portrayed as being addicted to the act of oppressing the righteous. This behavior is seen as a manifestation of their rebellion against God and His commandments. The wicked, driven by their sinful nature, frequently target those who uphold God's truth, seeking to undermine their faith and commitment.

Biblical Instances and Descriptions:

1. Hatred of Righteousness:
The wicked's addiction to persecution is rooted in their inherent hatred of righteousness. In the Psalms, David frequently laments the relentless pursuit by his enemies. Psalm 37:12 states, "The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them." This verse highlights the deep-seated animosity and the deliberate plotting against those who follow God's ways.

2. Opposition to God's Servants:
Throughout the Scriptures, the wicked are shown to oppose God's chosen servants. In the New Testament, Jesus warns His disciples of the persecution they will face. In John 15:20, He says, "If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well." This warning underscores the continuity of persecution from the Old Testament to the New Testament, as the wicked remain consistent in their opposition to God's messengers.

3. Persecution as a Tool of Intimidation:
The wicked often use persecution as a means to intimidate and instill fear in the hearts of the faithful. In the book of Acts, the early church faced severe persecution from both Jewish and Roman authorities. Acts 8:1 describes how "a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem," forcing believers to scatter. This scattering, however, only served to spread the Gospel further, demonstrating God's sovereignty even amidst persecution.

4. The Role of Envy and Jealousy:
Envy and jealousy are frequently cited as motivations for the wicked's persecution of the righteous. In the account of Cain and Abel, Cain's jealousy of Abel's favor with God leads to the first act of persecution and murder (Genesis 4:3-8). Similarly, in the New Testament, the chief priests and elders handed Jesus over to Pilate out of envy (Matthew 27:18).

5. Persecution as a Reflection of Spiritual Warfare:
The addiction of the wicked to persecution is also a reflection of the broader spiritual warfare between good and evil. Ephesians 6:12 reminds believers, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world's darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." This verse emphasizes that persecution is not merely a physical battle but a spiritual one, with the wicked being instruments of the forces of darkness.

6. The Inevitable Outcome:
Despite the wicked's addiction to persecution, the Bible assures believers of the ultimate victory of righteousness. Psalm 37:13-15 declares, "But the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming. The wicked have drawn the sword and bent the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken." This passage reassures the faithful that the wicked's efforts will ultimately be in vain, as God's justice will prevail.

In summary, the Bible portrays the wicked as being addicted to persecution, driven by hatred, envy, and a desire to oppose God's truth. This persecution serves as a test of faith for believers, who are called to endure and remain steadfast in their commitment to God, trusting in His ultimate justice and deliverance.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 10:2
The wicked in his pride does persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 69:26
For they persecute him whom you have smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom you have wounded.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Blossoming Desert.
... the great change in a man notoriously wicked, who at ... "For thirty-one years he was
addicted to the ... have all the others in that town, to experience persecution. ...
/.../fagg/forty years in south china/vii the blossoming desert.htm

Letter Lvii. St. Ambrose Informs the Emperor Eugenius Why He was ...
... himself also of the same dignity, addicted to the ... sort in former times, and yet
persecution itself yielded to ... was being kept, and the intensely wicked King of ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/letter lvii st ambrose informs.htm

The Statute of David for the Sharing of the Spoil
... of Christ, that when they fall into persecution and loss ... foul-mouthed men of Belial,
these wicked men: how they rail against those whom God has addicted! ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/the statute of david for.htm

Letter Xciii. (AD 408. )
... the fellowship of the good, tolerating the wicked, as the ... rebaptized, up to the time
of the persecution made by ... blind, does not know how many addicted to this ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter xciii a d 408.htm

The Oration on Holy Baptism.
... injury, nor wait till we get more wicked that more ... be afraid of danger in time of
persecution, and of ... alien from God and from salvation, both addicted to all ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xl the oration on.htm

Answer to the Objection of the Heathen, that it was not Right to ...
... while, on the other hand, the wicked shall receive ... And those who are godless, addicted
to impiety, hard ... As soon as persecution ceased, we find the Christian ...
/.../clement/exhortation to the heathen/chapter x answer to the objection.htm

The Mystery
... 120 years with great fervour, and persecution of idolatry ... saints, whose relics, likewise,
that most wicked man abominated ... Yet a people not addicted to any one ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the mystery 2.htm

Of Immediate Revelation.
... and authority whole councils of magistrates, under pretence that they were addicted
to Popery? ... not said, that the people are bound to force a wicked prince to ...
/.../proposition ii of immediate revelation.htm

The Heavenly Race
... men; and they will even undergo some persecution for the ... greatest fault to which
man can be addicted: they say ... him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the heavenly race.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1820 to the Beginning ...
... For my part, I have been a very wicked man, and have committed many great sins against
the Good Spirit, was addicted to drinking whisky and many evils: but I ...
/.../chapter 6 from the close.htm