Psalm 129

The people of Israel were persecuted from their earliest days of being a nation. They have faced opposition from different people for different reasons over many, many years. Often their opposition came from people who wanted to do wrong and did not like that Israel pointed to the Truth. They did not like God's people because they did not love God. Yet God sustained them and helped them endure. There were times where they found themselves overtaken by other nations, but that was never in a moment where they were in right standing and obedience to God. When they trusted in God, they were fine. When they turned on God and went their own way, they found trouble until they got it right and were restored by God. The mere existence of Israel today is nothing short of a miracle of God.

The church too has faced opposition from the beginning. Jesus clearly faced opposition as the Head of the Church. His disciples all faced persecution for speaking the truth of Jesus. Yet, the church endured. The writing of Scripture comes from people who risked their lives to share the truth. The church today still faces opposition. We have seen it around the world for years. We are seeing horrible glimpses in our own country today. The church may face pressure and opposition, but it will remain standing if we remain faithful to Jesus. They tried to destroy the church before it could really get started, but every attempt led to more growth in the church. Places like China try to shut down the church, yet every obstacle just has seen the church grow larger and stronger. The church will endure whatever obstacles it may face because the Head of the Church already took on death and won. In reality, nothing can silence the church except for a church that chooses to remain silent and not speak the Truth.