THE
MAN OF GOD
The
man of God is the salt of the earth, yet he is called many names by men. To the
natural eye he is a pestilent fellow, a mad man driven insane by much study, a
setter forth of strange gods, and a speaker whose words are hard to be
understood. But though men misjudge him, God knows him. Men judge by
appearance, tone, and perception; God judges by truth, calling, and
faithfulness. Throughout Scripture, a consistent pattern emerges: the man of
God is misunderstood, mislabeled, slandered, and falsely accused — yet always
divinely vindicated. Paul was accused of being a public menace, a spreader of
foreign deities, and a preacher of new and destabilizing doctrines. Joseph was
mocked for his dreams. Jeremiah was hated for speaking truth. Elijah was called
a troubler of Israel.
Even
Jesus Himself was labeled a deceiver of the people. When men cannot explain the
spiritual, they demonize it. Thus, the holiest men were accused of having a
devil. Jesus was charged with madness and demonic possession, John the Baptist
was condemned as one possessed, and even the undeniable miracles of Christ were
attributed to Beelzebub. When the manifestation of divine power becomes too
clear to ignore, the wicked simply shift the accusation from the messenger to
the source, claiming that wonders must be powered by Satan. Yet these slanders
only reveal the blindness of men and the authenticity of the man God sends.
In
contrast to human insult, God places His own names upon His servants. He calls
them His messengers, His prophets, His servants, His chosen vessels, His
friends, His watchmen, and even men after His own heart. While men call him
deluded, deceptive, or dangerous, God calls him faithful. And God’s testimony
always overrides the verdict of men. Even among the ungodly, there are moments
when truth cannot be ignored. Gamaliel, a doctor of the law honored among the
people, recognized the danger of opposing God’s servants. He warned the council
that if the apostles’ work was of men, it would die on its own — but if it was
of God, no one could overthrow it, and resisting them would be resisting God
Himself. This principle becomes a protective seal around the man of God: even
his enemies fear to touch him when they sense that God is with him. Pharaoh
eventually feared Moses. Balak feared Balaam’s blessing. Saul feared David
because the Lord was with him. Nebuchadnezzar feared the God of Daniel. The
captains trembled before Elijah. The early believers dared not join the
apostles lightly. And the wise feared opposing a man whose counsel might be
divine. The man of God may be mocked, slandered, rejected, downvoted, and
dismissed, but even his enemies sense that resisting him is resisting God.
This
pattern continues even into the digital age. If Christ walked among us today,
many would not recognize Him. If He healed the sick, some would call it staged.
If He fed the multitude, others would claim it was manipulated. If He preached
repentance, modern critics would label Him controlling or toxic. A generation
quick to judge without the Spirit would crucify Christ again, not with nails
but with comment threads, report buttons, and public ridicule. The same spirit
that moved the Pharisees moves today in those who reject anything that
challenges pride, ego, or comfort. These are the ones who would accuse the Son
of God of deception while claiming to defend truth. It is not Christ who fails
the people — it is the people who fail to see Christ. And the same blindness
that rejected Him in His day rejects His servants now. The man of God will
always be resisted by the world because his message contradicts its spirit. But
he will also always be vindicated by God, for the One who sends him stands
behind him. Men may downvote him, slander him, mock him, and misjudge him — yet
heaven calls him chosen.
