The first great persecution for religious opinion of which we have any record was that which broke out against the worshippers of God among the Jews in the days of Ahab, when that king, at the instigation of his wife Jezebel, "a woman in whom, with the reckless and licentious habits of an Oriental queen, were united the fiercest and sternest qualities inherent in the old Semitic race", sought in the most relentless manner to extirpate the worship of Jehovah and substitute in its place the worship of Ashtoreth and Baal. Ahab's example in this respect was followed by Manasseh, who "shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another" (2 Kings 21:16; comp. 24:4). In all ages, in one form or another, the people of God have had to suffer persecution. In its earliest history the Christian church passed through many bloody persecutions. Of subsequent centuries in our own and in other lands the same sad record may be made. Christians are forbidden to seek the propagation of the gospel by force (Matt. 7:1; Luke 9:54-56; Rom. 14:4; James 4:11, 12). The words of Ps. 7:13, "He ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors," ought rather to be, as in the Revised Version, "He maketh his arrows fiery [shafts]." Christ suffered -- Ps 69:26; Joh 5:16. Christ voluntarily submitted to -- Isa 50:6. Christ was patient under -- Isa 53:7. Saints may expect -- Mr 10:30; Lu 21:12; Joh 15:20. Saints suffer, for the sake of God -- Jer 15:15. Of saints, is a persecution of Christ -- Zec 2:8; Ac 9:4,5. All that live godly in Christ, shall suffer -- 2Ti 3:12. Originates Ignorance of God and Christ. -- Joh 16:3. Hated to God and Christ. -- Joh 15:20,24. Hatred to the gospel. -- Mt 13:21. Pride. -- Ps 10:2. Mistaken zeal. -- Ac 13:50; 26:9-11. Is inconsistent with the spirit of the gospel -- Mt 26:52. Men by nature addicted to -- Ga 4:29. Preacher of the gospel subject to -- Ga 5:11. Is sometimes to death -- Ac 22:4. God forsakes not his saints under -- 2Co 4:9. God delivers out of -- Da 3:25,28; 2Co 1:10; 2Ti 3:11. Cannot separated from Christ -- Ro 8:35. Lawful means may be used to escape -- Mt 2:13; 10:23; 12:14,15. Saints suffering, should Commit themselves to God. -- 1Pe 4:19. Exhibit patience. -- 1Co 4:12. Rejoice. -- Mt 5:12; 1Pe 4:13. Glorify God. -- 1Pe 4:16. Pray for deliverance. -- Ps 7:1; 119:86. Pray for those who inflict. -- Mt 5:44. Return blessing for. -- Ro 12:14. The hope of future blessedness supports under -- 1Co 15:19,32; Heb 10:34,35. Blessedness of enduring, for Christ's sake -- Mt 5:10; Lu 6:22. Pray for those suffering -- 2Th 3:2. Hypocrites cannot endure -- Mt 4:17. False teachers shrink from -- Ga 6:12. The wicked Addicted to. -- Ps 10:2; 69:26. Active in. -- Ps 143:3; La 4:19. Encourage each other in. -- Ps 71:11. Rejoice in its success. -- Ps 13:4; Re 11:10. Punishment for. -- Ps 7:13; 2Th 1:6. Illustrated. -- Mt 21:33-39. Spirit of -- Exemplified Pharaoh &c. -- Ex 1:8-14. Saul. -- 1Sa 26:18. Jezebel. -- 1Ki 19:2. Zedekiah &c. -- Jer 38:4-6. Chaldeans. -- Da 3:8-30. Pharisees. -- Mt 12:14. Jews. -- Joh 5:16; 1Th 2:15. Herod. -- Ac 12:1. Gentiles. -- Ac 14:5. Paul. -- Php 3:6; 1Ti 1:13. Suffering of -- Exemplified Micaiah. -- 1Ki 22:27. David. -- Ps 119:161. Jeremiah. -- Jer 32:2. Daniel. -- Da 6:5-17. Peter &c. -- Ac 4:3. Apostles. -- Ac 5:18. The Prophets. -- Ac 7:52. The Church. -- Ac 8:1. Paul and Barnabas. -- Ac 13:50. Paul and Silas. -- Ac 16:23. Hebrews. -- Heb 10:33. Saints of old. -- Heb 11:36.
Persecution