An introduction to honour and shame – Written for our instruction
— Read on writtenforourinstruction.com/an-introduction-to-honour-and-shame/
An introduction to honour and shame – Written for our instruction
— Read on writtenforourinstruction.com/an-introduction-to-honour-and-shame/
A true prophet is not honored in his hometown because the people know him. Often he has to contend with the religious leaders who want to continue to receive the applause, acclaim, and adoration of the people and who do not want to lose the affections of the people. Folks do not want their sins pointed out to them; therefore, they do not want to hear about judgment. The prophets suffer shame. They spend time in a pit like David, or in jail like Joseph and John the Baptist, or in a cave like Elijah. It is a shame what their brethren do to them who are their own kinsmen raised up and sent to help his own people!
A prophet is made into the role. It takes time to perfect and requires training from God. Skills have to be honed and fine tuned. Though Jeremiah was ordained from his mother’s womb as we see in Jeremiah 1, his training and commission took time. He suffered rejection from the men of his village of Anathoth. King Zedekiah did not listen because his advisers said to ignore Jeremiah. Then there were false prophets to contend with. But King Nebuchadnezzar from Babylon honored Jeremiah with life when the captivity took place.
So we see that prophets suffer as our Lord’s half brother wrote in James 5, who rejected his brother Jesus when he was here on earth. “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.”