Misinformed!

History's Greatest Anti-Cult Activist

As the boy and his father stood at the edge of the field admiring the team of oxen pulling straight rows through the fertile soil, the boy asked, “Why does the farmer have that sharp stick, pressing it into the back side of the oxen?”

His father replied, “Son, there is a great lesson to be learned in this. That pointed stick is called a goad. It is the way the farmer directs his animals onto a straight path. If he did not use the goad on them when they start to go off course, they would be impossible to lead.”

“Oh, that must hurt the oxen, Father,” the boy replied.

“Well son, it hurts enough, enough that the animal gets the message that he is going off. If he does not respond to the gentle prod of his master, then the farmer will increase the pressure, making the prodding stronger. He will continue making it stronger until the animal finally obeys. If he continues to resist, it can really hurt.”

Then the father turned to his son with a stern warning, “But if the oxen are really rebellious to the farmer, they will sometimes kick back with their strong hooves – that is called kicking against the goad.  It is very bad for them to do that. This means that they are stubborn oxen. The goad is for their good, to lead them in the right path. If they kick against it, they are very foolish indeed. If they continue in that stubborn way, the farmer will not tolerate it for long. That ox will no longer be useful to him, and it will end up being only food on the farmer’s table.

“Son, the lesson you must learn is this: our God has given us all a conscience. It is like the goad of the farmer. It leads us in the right path so we could really know what is good and what is evil. If we go off, we will feel the pain of the goad, which is our conscience. If we immediately turn from our wrong ways, it will be fine. If we continue in our wrong ways, the goad will get stronger, even to the point it is almost unbearable. Then we have to make a choice — do we kick against the goad or do we submit to the will of the Great Farmer who is trying to lead us rightly. The goad is really the oxen’s friend, even though it hurts.

“It is important that you understand this, son, as I can see that you will be a boy of great energy and zeal. Like a strong ox you can be very valuable for the Great Farmer. But you must remember that it is He, not yourself, who knows the exact course. If you pay attention to the goad, to your conscience, it will lead you right. Do you understand, son?”

The young boy thought deeply about his father’s words and responded, “Yes, father, I think I understand a little bit… Well, maybe when I grow up I will understand more.”

That he would…

The son’s name is Shaul.

The term “a Hebrew of Hebrews” means a Hebrew-speaking citizen of Israel. In those days many people of Israel were speaking Greek, the language of their conquerors. Speaking Greek was something that was not tolerated in Shaul’s family in Tarsus. Even though Tarsus was now a Greek city, his father made it clear to Shaul who he was. He was of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin, circumcised on the eighth day as their forefather Abraham, instructed in the law and the prophets. His father often spoke to Shaul, teaching him to be a wise son.

As Shaul grew, his family could see that he had the heart of a real zealot for their God. He was not satisfied to just play around like the other children. He was serious and interested in the things of God. Knowing a lot about the way things should be, Shaul could become impatient and even indignant at times with people, being too swift to bring judgment, forgetting that the Almighty would judge at the proper time. They could see the potential in their son to be a great man if he could learn wisdom to equal his zeal, mixing it with the proper self-doubt. So they decided to send him to be an apprentice in Jerusalem, to be trained at the feet of a great rabbi named Gamaliel, who had become famous for his wisdom.

In Jerusalem, Shaul grew into an honorable youth who took the words of his teacher to heart, always trying to remember the lesson of the “goads” his father had taught him. He felt strongly about a lot of things. He felt he should take action, but then he would remember the “Great Farmer” as the gentle pain of the goad would reach his heart. This must be his friend and guiding light for life.

Returning home to his family in Tarsus, Shaul grew into a strong young man. After talking a lot with his father, Shaul decided to become a Pharisee. Out of all  men in the nation, these were the most dedicated to the God of Israel.

So, at about the age of 24, Shaul again found himself in the great city of Jerusalem, in awe of the Holy City, and feeling very honored to be counted among the Pharisees as an apprentice. His heart swelled in anticipation for what lay before him in his life, and his self-confidence grew as he put on the garments of a Pharisee, enjoying the approving looks he received as he walked through the streets.

The Pharisees gathered daily to study and discuss the scriptures. They were very serious and devoted, and Shaul admired them all greatly. He sat among them and listened intently to their words. But one subject was preeminent in the daily discussions of the spiritual problems of their nation. That was dealing with the error that was trying to creep in to the faith of their people, because it really was a very difficult day they lived in. Many of their own people were predicting the coming of the Messiah. And that is where all the confusion came in, which caused the Pharisees so much trouble. The prophets did seem to be predicting the appearing of the Messiah in these times, yet an emotional reaction had happened among the people, causing all sorts of strange groups to spring up. But today the Pharisees were more fiery than usual, stirred up by some people who had been coming to the temple every day and speaking. Several of the leading Pharisees turned their attention to Shaul and very seriously warned him: “These are very difficult times for our people! Many are looking for an easy way out, an escape. So many strange men are raising themselves up, starting weird cults, and gaining followings for themselves. I am sure Gamaliel, your teacher as a youth, warned you about these things, didn’t he?”

“Yes”, said Shaul respectfully, “when I was quite young I remember being taught about the danger of false messiah’s who would come to deceive people. But I heard later from my father that my rabbi Gamaliel spoke these words in a famous speech he made a few years ago after an uprising of a strange group. He said, ‘Be careful how you deal with these people. I suggest that you leave these men alone and let them go. If this movement of theirs is of human origin it will break up on its own; but if it does in fact come from God you will be unable to destroy them. Take care not to find yourselves fighting against God.’” Gamaliel was a humble man and always left a little room for self-doubt.