The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘There is still one man who can enquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.’ ‘The king shouldn’t say that! ’ Jehoshaphat replied.
This is what the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, says to one who is despised, to one abhorred by people, , to a servant of rulers: ‘Kings will see, princes will stand up, and they will all bow down because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel #– #and he has chosen you.’
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him.
You who tremble at his word, hear the word of the Lord: ‘Your brothers who hate and exclude you for my name’s sake have said, “Let the Lord be glorified so that we can see your joy! ” But they will be put to shame.’
strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, ‘It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.’
keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
You adulterous people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility towards God? So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God.
See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children #– #and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him.