MAN OF GOD

 

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.