𝐇𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝟏𝟎:𝟑𝟏- ‘𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐨𝐝.’
It is really sad when we see in the Old Testament that our Lord killed some of His chosen one’s while they were serving Him in His sanctuary. For example, Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron the priest, Hophni and Phinehas the sons of priest Eli and Uzzah who reached out and took hold of the ark of God and many others to add to this list of those who were killed because they did contradictory to the will of God and dishonoured the holy presence of God that was dwelling amidst of them.
In the New Testament we see the mysterious death of Ananias and his wife Sapphira. They were the people of the new covenant who were under the grace of God and they were serving Him in the apostolic ministry of God. God brought sudden judgement upon them and killed them while they were serving in the house of God just because they told lies to apostle Peter. We all know that our God is loving, kind and merciful in nature. One may wonder whether it is just and fair for God to kill them for a single lie without being merciful towards them.
Ofcource not! If it would be so then today half of the churches all over the world would be empty because God would kill them by His consuming fire because most of God’s chosen people today are living in lies, falsehood, manipulation, hypocrisy etc.
The Word of God tells us in Hebrews 10:31- ‘It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.’ Ananias and his wife Sapphira were fully corrupt from within and they had taken for granted the grace of God. Moreover, the spirit of greed made them lie to the Holy Spirit besides this they were man pleasers who were desiring praise and honour from men.
When they saw some of God’s people who loved God sincerely sell their property and give that money to the church elders for the service of God, they too desired to do the same with the ultimate intention to be appreciated by the Church elders as they had seen the former being appreciated for their generosity. So they sold a piece of property and kept certain amount back for themselves and gave the rest to apostle Peter. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter asked them whether it was the entire amount of the sold property and they lied by saying yes and suddenly God killed them without showing any mercy because of their hypocrisy.
People those who please man cannot please God, those who fear men can never fear God and live in awe of Him and those who desire praise and honour from men cannot receive honour and reward from God. Pleasing and trusting people of influence, power and authority inorder to be promoted or receive honour or find justice, highly displeases God because depending on people for strength rather than God is a great sin.
Trust and fear God alone and always try to do what pleases to Him and in His right time you will be promoted, honoured, granted justice and along with that you will be rewarded with everlasting life in His Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
(𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝟏𝟕:𝟓-𝟏𝟎)