Mourning For Those Who Get What They Deserve
I'm currently reading through Isaiah, trying to really study it. I've got a number of commentaries and study helps I'm using. It's slow going, and sometimes a little dry. Then God pokes me with something.
I spent this morning reading Isaiah 15 & 16. In these chapters Isaiah tells of the fall of Moab due to God's righteous judgement. Isaiah talks about all the Moab does to try and fight the judgement coming from/through the invasion of Assyria. They spend time sacrificing to their gods in a variety of ways. They even appeal to Judah, their enemy for hundreds of years. In the end, God not only says no, but gives them a definite time frame of three years... which comes to pass.
What struck me was Isaiah's response during this prophecy. It's not just a, "Thus sayeth The Lord." He goes beyond telling of their destruction, and their vain attempts to ward it off. In 15:5 & 16:9 Isaiah specifically weeps and mourns for them, not because they don't deserve God's discipline, but because they won't accept the discipline and turn back to Him. They are, after all, relations of Israel, being descendants of Lot, Abrahams nephew. So, even though their behavior against his people angers him, and he realizes they deserve what they're getting, Isaiah still mourns for them. It's as if he's saying, "It doesn't have to be this way. You could still be rescued, if you'd just humble yourselves and turn to Jehovah rather than your own gods."
How do I respond when God seems to be disciplining those who have hurt me? How do we as Christians respond when God seems to be using pain and suffering to try and get the attention of those whose behavior - if not their very hearts - is so anti-God that they are attacking His people. If the government leaders who are leading the charge against business owners attempting to run their business in a Godly way were to suddenly be struck down, would we get excited and thank God? If a state leader who promotes a policy specifically against Christians or Godly morals were to suddenly have to withdraw because of some life-threatening illness - whether personally, or in their family - would I rejoice and get all excited, or would I pray for that person, asking God to have mercy on them? One more thought that occurs to me. Just the other day a Sunni terrorist accidentally set off a bomb during a training exercise. Yes, I am thankful that bomb didn't go off among innocent people. However, 22 people died without Jesus. I don't know what hand God had in that, but I guarantee you that God, in his perfect anger at their sin, wasn't rejoicing over their deaths. They were, after all, in all their anger and hatred, still made in His image, created by Him to do good works. So, I wonder how to both mourn their deaths, while still being thankful for the justice that God somehow took, and the way he protected other innocent people from their bombing later.
I'm reminded off a story Keith Green told after reading of a Christian who had done something bad that was very public. Keith admitted that he had to love the guy, and new that God would forgive him, but asked God to really make him suffer for his sin because it was so bad. God immediately asked Keith if he wanted to be treated the same way.
It's that same old adage: We judge others by their actions, but we judge ourselves (and want others to judge us) by our motives. God, please help me to have your heart for lost and and sinning people. I know they may eventually have to be judged by you, but, in the meantime, you offer them grace and forgiveness, if they'll just turn to you, surrender to you, and repent of their sin.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I spent this morning reading Isaiah 15 & 16. In these chapters Isaiah tells of the fall of Moab due to God's righteous judgement. Isaiah talks about all the Moab does to try and fight the judgement coming from/through the invasion of Assyria. They spend time sacrificing to their gods in a variety of ways. They even appeal to Judah, their enemy for hundreds of years. In the end, God not only says no, but gives them a definite time frame of three years... which comes to pass.
What struck me was Isaiah's response during this prophecy. It's not just a, "Thus sayeth The Lord." He goes beyond telling of their destruction, and their vain attempts to ward it off. In 15:5 & 16:9 Isaiah specifically weeps and mourns for them, not because they don't deserve God's discipline, but because they won't accept the discipline and turn back to Him. They are, after all, relations of Israel, being descendants of Lot, Abrahams nephew. So, even though their behavior against his people angers him, and he realizes they deserve what they're getting, Isaiah still mourns for them. It's as if he's saying, "It doesn't have to be this way. You could still be rescued, if you'd just humble yourselves and turn to Jehovah rather than your own gods."
How do I respond when God seems to be disciplining those who have hurt me? How do we as Christians respond when God seems to be using pain and suffering to try and get the attention of those whose behavior - if not their very hearts - is so anti-God that they are attacking His people. If the government leaders who are leading the charge against business owners attempting to run their business in a Godly way were to suddenly be struck down, would we get excited and thank God? If a state leader who promotes a policy specifically against Christians or Godly morals were to suddenly have to withdraw because of some life-threatening illness - whether personally, or in their family - would I rejoice and get all excited, or would I pray for that person, asking God to have mercy on them? One more thought that occurs to me. Just the other day a Sunni terrorist accidentally set off a bomb during a training exercise. Yes, I am thankful that bomb didn't go off among innocent people. However, 22 people died without Jesus. I don't know what hand God had in that, but I guarantee you that God, in his perfect anger at their sin, wasn't rejoicing over their deaths. They were, after all, in all their anger and hatred, still made in His image, created by Him to do good works. So, I wonder how to both mourn their deaths, while still being thankful for the justice that God somehow took, and the way he protected other innocent people from their bombing later.
I'm reminded off a story Keith Green told after reading of a Christian who had done something bad that was very public. Keith admitted that he had to love the guy, and new that God would forgive him, but asked God to really make him suffer for his sin because it was so bad. God immediately asked Keith if he wanted to be treated the same way.
It's that same old adage: We judge others by their actions, but we judge ourselves (and want others to judge us) by our motives. God, please help me to have your heart for lost and and sinning people. I know they may eventually have to be judged by you, but, in the meantime, you offer them grace and forgiveness, if they'll just turn to you, surrender to you, and repent of their sin.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
posted by Pastor Paul at
7:27 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home