The relentless love of God

“And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for Him.” (Isa. 30:18).

This verse is my favorite in all the Bible. I love it more than I do John 3:16.

But the above verse wasn’t always my favorite. It seemed too harsh for me. It made Jesus appear self-centered, self-exalted. It made Him seem violent and forceful, overbearing. He didn’t look like a God of love.

Now I know why His is the God of love. It is because He is a Father.

“They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn.” (Jer. 31:9).

You see, the background to Jeremiah 31 is a belligerently rebellious children, the children of Israel. They weren’t just Israel’s children, they were God’s children. They were the group that were privileged with His gifts—the gift of His laws, the gift of His presence in all of the Sabbaths He gave them. They were given freedom from idolatry and self-destructive, superstitious fears. These basics of life were given to them to place them high above every empire Satan could devise.

“In the day that I lifted up Mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:

Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

But they rebelled against Me, and would not hearken unto Me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

But I wrought for My name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made Myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.

And I gave them My statutes, and shewed them My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.

Moreover also I gave them My sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.” (Ez. 20:6-12).

“Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive: Thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.” (Ps. 68:18).

As a result of the forefathers’ obedience, great temporal prosperity came to them. Jesus opened the windows of heaven and poured out a blessing that they could not contain it all. Jesus gave and He gave and He gave.

From His heart He gave. He was happy to give to them, and all that He wanted was to see His love and righteousness in them, and spreading to all those around them, to the uttermost parts of the earth. He loved them. He provided for them and protected them. He pleaded with them and trained them and showed His pleasure in them. He was their Father. His love wasn’t just so-so love, it was powerful love.

But, they wanted what the Jones’s next door had. They looked at all the fun and glamour and toys and games that the heathen gods allowed their people to have, and the Israelites thought it would all be fun and glamorous to have all the same things. Israel wasn’t allowed to have the corruption, the greed, ambition and unscrupulous trading, the pride of life, the hoarding of wealth, etc. that all the nations had. The religion of the heathen nations didn’t call for self-denial, so Israel thought self-indulgence would be a good thing also. The beauty of holiness that their father Abraham exhibited had lost its charm. Now the wickedness of the self-pleasing world charmed them.

“But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in My statutes, and they despised My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and My sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.” (Eze. 20:13).

So what was Jesus to do? Get rid of the nation? Abandon them like the world does to its own? No, He must punish His children. He would give them a spanking that they could not run from. Through His providences He empowered Nebuchadnezzar the Great, and made him invincible. Then He sent him over to kill the incurably rebellious, and to take captive all would surrender to poverty and enslavement.

It was punishment. And the punishment was to be seen as that. Punishment from a God of love? Yes!

Yes, punishment is not a bad word. Spanking and other forms of punishment are not politically correct, but they are good when done with love. But, here is the point that leads to salvation or to damnation. Would Israel see the punishment as love? Or would they see it as hate?

Prior to, during, and ever afterward, Jesus never left them. He and His love remained faithful and true. “Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and His Spirit, hath sent me. Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.” (Isa. 48:16-18).

The punishment was meant to show the difference between the God of relentless love and the gods that the world loved. Their gods were devils and didn’t have love to give. Love suffereth long and is kind. Infinite kindness was in the heart of Jesus. But Israel had become too darkened by serving the gods of hate and self-service, that that characterized the Israelites and colored their concepts of their fathers’ God.

They needed to see that their God could be angry with them, yet remain with them. He could be furious without losing His love for them as a father does. They would say of Him, “God my Father loves me.”

In the end they would grasp the fullness of His love, and go out evangelizing the heathen nations by comparing their God of love with the self-centered gods of the other nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples.

And they would know what righteousness is. They would be humbled and willing

“The LORD shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion: rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the beauties of holiness….” (Ps. 110:2,3).

The lesson would be messy, but He would confirm their trust in Him. They would be happy again. In their minds He would be altogether lovely again. They would be the joy of the whole earth. He would be exalted again in their understanding, as the Father of relentless love.

“Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” (Isa. 51:11).

“O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.

O give thanks unto the God of gods: for His mercy endureth for ever.

O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for His mercy endureth for ever.

To Him who alone doeth great wonders: for His mercy endureth for ever.” (Ps. 136:1-4).

Jesus blessed Jesus