Hi shalom. I hope you are hanging in there.
When I read the post to which I'm replying, it made me think about the sermon our pastor preached on Sunday. Here is a verse that our pastor quoted. It is a verse where the LORD Himself tells Moses what He is like.
Exodus 34:6 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7) keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, ...
Your post questioned God's mercy. Yes, the LORD himself stated that he is merciful. However, sometimes I tend to forget some other of the LORD's characteristics. For instance, His justice. Verse 7 goes on to say, "by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation."
1 Chronicles 16:25 For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods.
Leviticus 26:25 And I will bring a sword against you that will execute the vengeance of the covenant; when you are gathered together within your cities I will send pestilence among you; and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
Romans 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,"[1] says the Lord.
Sometimes I tend to think of God in the "my buddy Jesus" framework and I forget that He is the awesome Creator Who is a jealous God and hates and punishes sin.
God bless you, shalom.
I2 |
