Not that it’s happening in our church, but I thought I’d stroll through the Bible to find out what happens when people choose to criticize God’s leaders. Consider the consequences for these men and women:
- Miriam: she mocked Moses because he had a Cushite wife and was struck with leprosy (Numbers 12:1-2, 10)
- Korah and followers: He led the people of Israel to rebel against Moses’ leadership and was swallowed up by the earth (Numbers 16:1-2, 31-32, 33, 34)
- Michal: she despised David because he danced before the Lord and remained childless her whole life (2 Samuel 6:16, 20, 23)
- Shimei: he cursed and threw stones at David and was executed at Solomon’s order (2 Samuel 16:6-8, 9-10, 1 Kings 2:41-42, 44, 46)
- Some Youth: they mocked Elisha and laughed at his baldness and got killed by bears (2 Kings 2:23-24)
- Sanballat and Tobiah: they spread rumors and lies to stop the building of Jerusalem’s walls and got frightened and humiliated (Nehemiah 2:19, 4:1, 6:2, 5, 12, 13, 14).
- Hananiah: he contradicted Jeremiah’s prophecies with false predictions and died two months later (Jeremiah 28:15-17).
- Bar-Jesus, a sorcerer: he lied about Paul in an attempt to turn the proconsul against him and was struck with blindness (Acts 13:6-12).