3. The Rewards of the Persecuted Psalm 52:8-9

Text:  “Blessed (blessed with perpetual blessings) are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in Heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

Matthew 5:10-12.

          “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in our body.  For we which live (Spiritually live!) are always delivered unto death for Jesus’s sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.  So then death worketh in us, but life in you.”

2 Corinthians 4:8-12.

Good morning 21 Century evangelical Christian!  This morning I have quoted quite a long double-text to complete this three-part Bible Lesson on the subject of Doeg, and the harm he did to God’s people in his day.  I have done so, because I see a great increase and upsurge in Doeg-like antichristian persecutions and hindrances taking place right now, in the year 2022, and throughout societies internationally – heralding in the end of the times of the Gentiles, and ushering in the Second Advent of our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ.

If YOU or anyone reading this Bible exposition has NOT noticed this increasing trend of antichristian, ‘politically-correct’ spirit abounding throughout our so-called Christian nations – then perhaps it is time for you to wake up, and smell the stink of apostasy and corruption taking place all around us.  Harsh words?  Perhaps, but I believe, very and urgently necessary at this time.  An old Irish politician once said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” (Edmund Burke 1729-1797) 

Let us ask ourselves, brethren, ‘What NOTHING are you and I doing today for Christ Jesus?”

The story of what Doeg did to God’s people, found in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 22, reveals the nature of such anti-Christian people, and the fact that they can often be found in places of high political, legal, or ecclesiastical power – most dangerous places for God’s people to find them.

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  (Ephesians 6:11-12)

Satan stands behind every Doeg, every hinderer of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; every persecutor of Christian people, nationally, and internationally today.  Make no mistake, dear Reader, it matters not whether it is happening in China, North Korea; India; Nigeria; or here in Great Britain – behind every regime, every State, every religious institution or Court of Law which frames laws and exercises powers against God’s Laws and Christian values, Satan stands over the scene and enables his servants to persecute Christ’s Redeemed.

Yet, the Lord has never, nor will ever leave ‘His people’ without the help of His Holy Presence; we have the ultimate Victory – in Christ Jesus.  Hallelujah!  Jesus reigns Supreme!

“These things have I (Jesus Christ) spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) 

This is how the Spirit of God directed the Psalmist in reference to the doom of Doeg, and all such would-be Doegs throughout history and even the Doegs of today:

Verse 7.  “This is the man that made not God his strength... Behold the man, the great, vainglorious man!  He found a fortress, but not in God; he gloried in his might, but not in the Almighty.  Where is he now?  How has it fared with him in the hour of his need?  Behold his ruin and be instructed.

“...But trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. The substance he had gathered and the mischiefs he had wrought were his boast and glory.  Wealth and wickedness are dreadful companions; when combined they make a monster.  When the Devil is master of money-bags, he is a Devil indeed.  Beelzebub and Mammon together heat the furnace seven times hotter for the child of God, but in the end they shall work out their own destruction.  Wherever we see today a man great in sin and substance, we shall do well to anticipate his end and view this verse as the Divine in memoriam.” (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, pages 243-244)

Meanwhile, those saints persecuted by a Doeg, or his like today in places of high power over others, have their end well prepared for them, by the hand of a truly gracious and loving Father.

Verse 8.  “But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God.  For any plant to be ‘green’, it must first be alive; and the born again child of God is made Eternally alive by God the Spirit, through the grace of God the Father; and according to the full Atonement of Christ Jesus made for us, ‘His people’ on Calvary’s cruel Cross. 

“And you hath He quickened (made Spiritually alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins...even when we were dead in sins, hath He quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved).”  (Ephesians 2:1;5-6)

Verse 9.  “I will praise Thee forever, because Thou has done it. It is the Sovereign Lord God Jehovah Who has saved us, His elect people, not we ourselves.  Therefore we shall indeed praise the Lord forever, and all the Doegs, hinderers, and persecutors of this old world, cannot pluck us from the hand of the Almighty Lord of Heaven and earth.  Hallelujah!

Thought:  “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”  Rejoice, Blood-bought Christian!  Satan trembles at the sound of our praises.  Glory to the Lamb Who comes soon to end all wickedness!  (Psalm 30:5b)  Hallelujah!  Come, Lord Jesus!