Sunday, October 22, 2017

The Pharisees Persecute Prophets

29“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!
33“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation. (Matthew 23:29-36)

Thoughts: It is always easy to have 20-20 hindsight and assume that we would have acted better than others if we were there.  I find myself saying, "I will never deny you Lord" the same way Peter did before he denied Jesus.  The Pharisees honored the prophets yet were responsible for killing John and Jesus. 
      Jesus says he is sending even more prophets but they will reject them too.  The problem is that we want to do what we want to do no matter what God wants.  

Prayer: Lord, you are King.  You are worthy of praise not persecution.  


                                                              

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