Why the World Hates God

Scripture: When the king realized how much the Lord was with David and how immensely popular he was with all the people, he became even more afraid of him and grew to hate him more with every passing day. 1 Samuel 18:28-29

Observation: David has become the most popular man in Israel ... leader of the armies, desired by the king's daughter, and praised by all in songs. For this, Saul becomes afraid David will usurp him and thus hates him more and more. This will evolve into outright murder attempts until Saul is destroyed.

Saul hates David because David is successful, and his success is only explainable as a blessing from God. Saul therefore covets what David has. In fact, while Saul has literally everything he could want by virtue of being king, he is jealous of how the people recognize David's success, how David succeeds in battles against even the king's enemies, and how the king's family likes David. Again, Saul himself has all these things! His family honors him, he is still a successful war leader, the people sing of him as well. Yet Saul hates David.

Application: As God has deserted Saul, he is now of the world, and David is of God. Therefore, it is clear that the world hates people of God because ... they succeed by God's grace, mercy, and love.

I have no true ability on my own. As I have been successful - purely by God's blessings - others have hated me. When our church succeeds at being a place of caring and joy where people gather in peace and fellowship, others hate us and strive to negatively impact our activities. In all cases, this has nothing to do with the success of these same people. They can be successful, yet they hate the success of God's people.

Moreover, they hate our joy, our peace, our hope, our love. It is truly these characteristics they attack, seeking to diminish or end those elements of our life.

David was full of these characteristics, people all around respected that, so Saul - a man now living outside of God's influence - hated David. I don't have these characteristics in the measure David had, but to the extent that God's blessings have given me joy, peace, comfort, and happiness, others have hated me and attacked those specific aspects of my life.

The world hates God, and thus hates the characteristics of God ... love, joy, mercy, peace.

Prayer: Lord, you know I am struggling right now in finding joy. I desire a purpose in life that is defined by you, and as I result I understand I will be attacked on these fronts, as the world hates you. Please continue to give me your peace, love, joy, mercy, and blessings. I desire you all the more. Amen.