Come, Follow Me Insights

Ye sons of Zion, think of this, and bear patiently the mocking scorn of unbelief. Taunting skepticism may deride your faith while sneeringly laughing at your confidence in God. But remember that the power to bear humiliation is the test of humility. "There must needs be offences, but woe unto them by whom they come!" The exiled and imprisoned may bear contempt; and while earthly powers hold high carnival and mock at sacred things, the promises of God may seem to fail; but you who are wise will know that the methods of Satan have never changed. Pride, haughtiness, rebellion, oppression, deceit, rule and ruin have ever been characteristic of the fallen son of the morning. On the mountain top he offered the Christ of God the kingdoms of this world as the price of false worship. Treachery lurked deep when he sought to kill by tempting the Lord to cast Himself down from the Temple pinnacle; then sneeringly asked that bread be made of stones to satisfy hunger gnawing at famishing vitals. As then, so now—Who lives godly in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution. 'Tis the heritage of Saints. As they hated the Master, so will they hate His servants. Be not surprised, therefore, if for a time, humiliation, contempt and scorn be your part; for even while the hand of God traced on the palace wall the doom of the mocking king, the proud in drunken revel defiled the sacred cups of the Temple; but how quickly followed the fall! Boasting Assyrian hosts, declaring there was no God, reveled in sight of the walls of Jerusalem; but the angel of death passed over and wrapt them in dreamless sleep, that knew no mortal wakening.