The Thoughts of Many Hearts

It just is not possible for someone to walk away from the presence of pure truth and not be affected by it. It has never happened in the history of the world. When pure truth that comes from heaven is spoken, things happen to people, whether for good or for bad. Whichever direction it goes in is up to the hearer, but it WILL go in one direction or the other. When Jesus was here his presence manifested exactly what everyone around him was really about. The prophet Simeon, who had waited to see the Lord’s salvation, prophesied over him when he saw him as a baby: “And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Lk. 2:34,35). And indeed he did manifest the thoughts of many hearts, and surely some fell and some rose by his words. Those whose hearts were after God were drawn to him, many of whom APPEARED to be just the opposite. One stellar example was the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and wiped them dry with her hair. The religious leaders that were present when that took place thought ill of Jesus for allowing her to do it, which thoughts Jesus rebuked firmly (Lk. 7:36-50). And on the other hand, many who APPEARED to be righteous and holy scorned, resisted, and eventually occasioned his death (Mat. 23:27,28; Jn. 11:44-53). Jesus called this manifestation of the hearts of God’s people just what it was: “And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth” (Jn. 9:39-41). Those who THOUGHT they knew and had the truth rejected the real truth that he brought, and their condition was worsened thereby; while those who knew that they were in need received what he brought and were immeasurably blessed for doing so.

Jesus elsewhere addressed the ‘blinding’ of the religious elite who rejected him as follows: “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin” (Jn. 15:22). He also addressed the same malady this way: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (Jn. 12:48). Everyone can say amen to these things because they are plainly written in the Bible, and because they were said by Jesus. But most of all, everyone is willing to say amen because these things are not spoken directly against them. But the truth is, absolutely nothing has changed. Nothing at all. Jesus also said plainly, “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also” (Jn. 15:20). He said the same thing in another place like this: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me” (Jn. 13:20). So the burden falls upon all of God’s people, and everyone else for that matter, to know who is speaking for God and who is not. It is also noteworthy to mention that everyone who receives the report of those who are speaking falsely in the name of the Lord are the same as those who reject the truth of God, and will do so if given the opportunity. That reality is documented throughout the entire Bible. You just can’t agree with a lie and with the truth at the same time. Lies have always been told about the word of God by many who were and are SUPPOSEDLY speaking for God. One thing is certain my friend: If there is pure truth from God to be heard, it will draw one of the two responses that it procured from those who heard Jesus. There simply is no other possibility that exists regarding the matter, for indeed nothing has changed. God’s true word that comes from heaven to those whom he has appointed for it to come to, will still make manifest the thoughts of many hearts when it is put forth. Amen.