In the Old Testament, there is one book which shows us what obsessed people are like. This book is Malachi. In 1:2 it says, “I have loved you, says Jehovah.” This is a fact. Yet the Israelites said, “How have You loved us?” This is obsession. The word which came out of the mouth of the Israelites was different from ordinary lying. They were not afraid to say to God, “How have You loved us?” This proves that they sincerely believed in their heart that God had not loved them. They did not believe the facts, they took falsehood as truth. This is being obsessed.
Malachi 1:6 says, “A son honors his father, and a servant his lord. Therefore if I am a Father, where is My honor? And if I am the Lord, where is My fear? says Jehovah of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name.” This is God’s word. Yet they said, “How have we despised Your name?” They did not fear Jehovah, yet they believed that they had not despised His name. This is obsession.
Verse 7 says, “You offer defiled bread upon My altar.” This is God’s word. Yet they said, “How have we defiled You?” They were wrong, yet they believed that they were right. This is obsession.
Malachi 2:13 says, “And this second thing you do: You cover the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping and sighing, so that He no longer regards the sacrifice or receives it with pleasure from your hand.” These are facts. Yet they said, “For what reason?” (v. 14). They did something wrong, yet they did not believe that there was such a thing. This is obsession.
Verse 17 says, “You have wearied Jehovah with your words.” This is a fact. Yet they said, “How have we wearied Him?” They wearied God, yet they did not believe that they had done so. This is obsession.
Malachi 3:7 says, “From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you, says Jehovah of hosts.” This is God’s word. Yet they asked God, “How shall we return?” It seems as if they had never gone away from God’s ordinances. They believed that they did not need to turn any further. This is obsession.
Verse 8 says, “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me.” This is God’s word. Yet they said, “How have we robbed You?” They robbed God, yet they believed that they had not done anything. This is obsession.
Verse 13 says, “Your words have been strongly against Me, says Jehovah.” This is a fact. Yet they said, “What have we spoken against You?” Their words had been strong against God, yet they believed that they had not done anything. This is obsession.
The New Testament also has a book which speaks a great deal about obsession. It is the Gospel of John. The following are some examples.
John 5:43 says, “I have come in the name of My Father, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.” The Israelites seemed to be perfectly at peace with their conscience when they rejected the Lord Jesus. This is obsession.
Verse 44 says, “How can you believe when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that is from the only God?” They did not seek the real glory; they sought that which is not glory. What is this? This is obsession.
John 7:19 says, “Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill Me?” This is the Lord’s word. The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill You?” (v. 20). They were obsessed by their lies. Otherwise, they would not have said, “You have a demon.” They wanted to kill the Lord, yet they were so obsessed that they thought the Lord had a demon.
Verse 27 says, “But we know where this man is from; yet when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.” This is again lying to the point of obsession.
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