One of the boys at my house this last week started talking with me about some questions he had – he is reading through the book of Numbers, and he was just saying how much killing there was, and he was thinking that if a none believer read those stories that they would think that God was evil. And I think that is what happens many times – that on the surface, when we just glance, God does some things in the Old Testament that are hard for us to reconcile with our own sense of justice – of what is right and wrong. But the justice of God, is pure – it is good – there is no injustice with God. And as we look, as God opens our eyes to what justice truly is – then we see that justice is not alone, but that in the character of God there is something that is not justice – for all men deserve to die, deserve death this second – and yet there is life.
It is the mercy of God – as we look through scripture we see God, always ready to receive those who repent, always seeking for those who will turn to Him. We forget, the very life that we have is from Him – and that man has exchanged the truth for a lie, exchanged the Creator for the created, and that is the basis of evil – sin, for which we deserve to die – we do not deserve to breathe our next breath, let alone return to the One whom we have so deeply wronged – and yet there He is, waiting.
With Cain – “Why are you angry – why are you downcast? If you do well, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do well, sin is crouching at the door and its desire is for you but you must master it”
With Rehab – that in the judgment of a whole city – a city whose walls fell in – she and her household were spared, because she sided with Israel, the people of God, and received the spies in peace. For this one family, though the wall fell over and her house was on the wall, she was spared, in all the death and destruction, such mercy! That God would care for one as this, a harlot, that He would cause her house to be saved.
Christ Himself coming to a Samaritan town, to speak with a woman – to take time, specifically with her, that she might come to salvation – and know God. How great is His mercy toward us!
So, if you know God, if you have tasted of His salvation – if you are born-again – then worship Him – break out and sing of His glorious works – and proclaim His name to the nations:
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.”
(Psa 27:1-6)
1 comment:
I think you're right. As the Lord said to Job: "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" (38:2).
We have no answer for this mystery, but we know that God is unequivocally and wholly righteous. He is God, who creates both light and darkness, yet in whom is no darkness at all.
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