Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing by Colleen O’Sullivan
The high priest Hilkiah informed the scribe Shaphan, "I have found the book of the law in the temple of the LORD." …When the king heard the contents of the book of the law, he tore his garments and issued this command to Hilkiah the priest, (and to several others): "Go, consult the LORD for me, for the people, for all Judah, about the stipulations of this book that has been found, for the anger of the LORD has been set furiously ablaze against us, because our fathers did not obey the stipulations of this book, nor fulfill our written obligations." (2 Kings 22:8, 11-13)
Jesus said to his disciples: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits, you will know them.” (Matthew 7:15-16a)
Piety
Give me discernment, that I may observe your law and keep it with all my heart. (Psalm 119:34)
Study
Wolves in sheep’s clothing are nothing new. Look at today’s Old Testament reading. I doubt the Book of the Law just happened to go missing one day. It probably “disappeared” during the reign of Manasseh, two kings previous to King Josiah. Manasseh, a wolf in sheep’s attire, was responsible for restoring the worship of Baal and Asherah (the queen consort of a Sumerian god). It would have benefited him a great deal to “lose” or “misplace” any reminder of what God expected of God’s people. King Josiah’s two predecessors on the throne of Judah were supposed to lead God’s people in the ways of the Lord, but history tells us that they used their positions to lead the people astray instead. It was very fortunate that the people unearthed the Book of the Law during clean-up and repairs to the Temple building. King Josiah, a good ruler, was able to begin moving the people away from idolatry back to adherence to God’s Law.
Wolves in sheep’s clothing abound in today’s world as well. Just channel surf some of the religious channels on any Sunday morning. The wolves are out there, some dressed up, and some dressed down, all telling their audiences that God wants to reward your faith. God wants you to be materially wealthy. God wants you to have good health. God wants you to have everything that God promises to no one. What God promises us for our faith is a place in heaven for eternity when we complete our lives here on earth. God also promises the companionship of His Son and the Holy Spirit as we make our trek through life.
Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved is a book published earlier this year. The author, Kate Bowler, teaches at The Divinity School at Duke University. She is in her late 30’s, is married and has one child. She also has Stage IV cancer. Her illness has led to her re-examine some of the much cherished (in some circles) tenets of the prosperity gospel. Her own experiences tell her that it just isn’t true that your health is measured out in proportion to your love for and belief in God, just as the poor would tell us that wealth and financial prosperity, or lack thereof, have little to do with our faith in the Lord. I would highly recommend this candid and thought-provoking book.
Action
Where have you encountered a wolf in sheep’s clothing? On the flip side, do you think you’ve ever been the disguised wolf to someone else?
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