Kill the sin, but save the sinner

“I [the Lord God] will put enmity between thee [Satan] and the woman [Eve], and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.” (Gen. 3:15).

 

The Lord God made this promise. It was a covenant with the human race, that is, to whomsoever “will…take the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17). Simultaneously, it was the first of many warning threats to His arch nemesis and all who would join him in his rebellion against the throne of God.

 

With one statement, He promised to make atonement by Himself and by Azazel (Lev. 16:10, Heb. ‛āzâ′zêl, scapegoat). Himself providing the entrance of salvation, assuming all the accountability of everyone ever converted back to the kingdom of God; and Azazel providing the closure of salvation, as ultimate accountability would be put upon the one on whom rested all of the apostasy’s inspiration and drive.

 

The Lord God and His Spirit would be the active agent in restoring His Father’s image in fallen man. “I will put enmity”. By divine virtue, a new paradigm would be worked into the sin-poisoned human mind. New principles of life would be written into the conscience. “According to the working of His mighty power” (Eph. 1:19), new desires and new intentions would be molded into the heart, plugging the God-shaped hole that resulted from the acceptance and submission to self-indulgence.

 

We get an inside view of this “working” when we look at Adam and Nebuchadnezzar.

 

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” (Gen. 2:18). But did the Lord God immediately make woman? No. He worked the desire for a wife into Adam, and then waited for Adam to ask for a life-mate.

 

Jesus worked the desire into Adam by introducing to Adam every member of his creation and by giving him the job of studying every specie and naming them accordingly. “Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field.” (Gen. 2:19,20).

 

Then, along the way, Adam did as the Lord God expected he would. “But for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.” (Vs. 20). He would ask for a mate like all the other animals had. The Lord God worked His desire into Adam. He put enmity in him against loneliness and aloneness.

 

The Lord wanted to humble and convert Nebuchadnezzar, “the hammer of the whole earth” (Jer. 50:23). The king went too far with his Jehu-style zeal to clean up Canaan of its spiritualism and wickedness. But, Nebuchadnezzar took all the praise to himself for his self-righteous work. So the Lord gave him a dream that startled the king out of his hard-earned sleep.

 

Nebuchadnezzar heard, “Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” (Dan. 4:14-17).

 

So, he called in his most trusted counselor, and Daniel’s explanation and advice followed. “This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my Lord the king: That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.” (vss. 4:24-27).

 

As disturbed as the king got, a year later he was found gloating over the grandeur of the city of Babylon which he atheistically believed he had built all by his own importance, greatness, and leadership. Not a single thank-you to Jehovah. And just as his dream had warned, he fell victim to the sentence of his nightmare.

 

“The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.” (vss. 30-33).

 

Seven long years of complete dementia, of freezing and sweating, in the rain and draught, convinced the king that the King of kings is his Lord God almighty. Humbled and childlike, the Lord showed him kindness; and the goodness of God led him to total conversion. The Lord God used infinite wisdom and the means at His disposal to work His truth into His dear Nebuchadnezzar. He put enmity into his heart against Satan.

 

“And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured Him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation: and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my Lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment: and those that walk in pride He is able to abase.” (vss. 34-37).

 

The Lord “worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.” (Eph. 1:11). “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.” (Phil. 3:20,21).

 

If we consent and cooperate, the Lord God can and will put in us all the animosity against sin and Satan. He will put in us repentance and a new heart for His laws and His grace. We will be new creatures in Christ, and we will have the walk of faith and hope and love.

           

“If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” (Isa. 1:19,20).

 

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (vs. 18).