Tag: Repentance

Merciful Judgement

As we read through Ezekiel 20:1-22:16, one of the most striking themes is the tension between God’s judgment and His mercy. The passage reveals a pattern of Israel’s repeated rebellion against God, contrasted with God’s persistent mercy. The phrase that stands out is, “You will know I am the Lord when I repay your wickedness with mercy.”

In today’s world, mercy can seem almost extinct—especially in the harsh and unforgiving environment of the internet. Judgment is quick, and compassion often seems in short supply. Yet, here we see a profound aspect of God’s character: His willingness to extend mercy even when judgment is warranted.

God’s mercy doesn’t erase the reality of our sin or the consequences that might follow. Instead, it highlights how undeserving we are of His compassion. It’s precisely because we recognize the depth of our wrongdoing and the just punishment that should follow that His mercy becomes even more astonishing.

Ezekiel shows us that God’s judgment and mercy are not opposing forces but are deeply interconnected. When we reach a point of “hating ourselves because of the evil we have done,” it’s in that moment of humility and repentance that God’s mercy shines brightest. We know the death that should await us, and in contrast, we see mercy as the undeserved, overwhelming grace of God.

The world often offers judgment without mercy, but God offers mercy even in the midst of judgment. This mercy doesn’t ignore sin; rather, it transforms us, leading us to a deeper understanding of God’s love and justice. As we reflect on this, let’s remember that true mercy is rare and precious—something that God offers freely, even when we least deserve it.

Perspective on Perspective

I’ve always said that a change in perspective changes everything else, and that really came to the fore for me today. When we read prophetic books like Jeremiah, it’s easy to imagine that the “wicked people” he rebukes are those far from God, outsiders to the faith. But the more I read them the more a chilling realization set in: these are not outsiders he’s addressing—they’re believers, people who are supposed to be part of the family of God.

This shift in perspective changes everything. The harsh words and dire warnings take on a new weight when we recognize that they’re directed inward, toward those who claim to know God but live as though He doesn’t exist. It’s a reminder that being a believer isn’t just about belonging to the right group or knowing the right things; it’s about living in alignment with God’s will.

God’s rebukes through Jeremiah are a call to self-examination. Are we merely believers in name, or are we actively pursuing a life that reflects God’s holiness and love? The people of Judah had allowed their faith to become hollow, a mere shell of what it was supposed to be. They had the outward appearance of God’s people but lacked the inward devotion and obedience that He desires.

This perspective forces us to ask hard questions about our own faith. Are there areas in our lives where we’re just going through the motions? Do we, like the people of Judah, take God’s grace for granted, assuming that our status as believers exempts us from true repentance and transformation?

Jeremiah’s message is a call to wake up. To see ourselves as God sees us and to let that perspective drive us toward deeper faithfulness. It’s not enough to be part of the family of God in name only; we must live as true children of God, fully committed to His ways.

My Own Hero

In today’s reading of Jeremiah 8:4-11:23, we see a powerful depiction of human stubbornness and self-deception. God observes that when people fall, they don’t get up again; when they turn away, they don’t turn back. Instead, they persist in their own way, often thinking they are justified in their actions. This is a vivid portrayal of how we often see ourselves as the hero of our own story, convinced of our righteousness and unwilling to admit our faults or seek the right path.

Why do we stay down when we fall? Why are we content to lie in the dirt rather than get up and seek God’s way? Part of the reason is pride; we don’t want to admit that we need help or that we were wrong. Another reason is self-deception; we convince ourselves that our way is just fine, even when it’s leading us further from God. We create narratives that paint us in a positive light, ignoring or downplaying the areas where we’ve gone astray.

But God sees through this self-deception. He calls out to us, not to condemn us but to invite us back to the right path. He knows that true heroism doesn’t come from stubbornly sticking to our own way but from humility, repentance, and the willingness to rise after we’ve fallen.

The question for us today is whether we will continue to be the hero of our own story or whether we will allow God to be the hero who lifts us up, dusts us off, and sets us back on the path of life.

Tell Me What I Want To Hear

In Jeremiah 26:11, we see the priests and prophets accusing Jeremiah of treason for delivering a prophecy of doom: “This man deserves the sentence of death because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.” Jeremiah’s words were not what the people wanted to hear, and their reaction highlights a common human tendency: rejecting uncomfortable truths in favor of comforting lies. This is echoed in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, where Paul warns that a time will come when people “will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

The accusation of treason against Jeremiah underscores the resistance to prophetic truth that contradicts personal or national expectations. Jeremiah’s prophecy was not treasonous; it was a call to repentance, aiming to avert the disaster that awaited Judah if they continued in their sinful ways. Yet, the people preferred to silence the prophet rather than heed his warning, demonstrating the peril of valuing comfort over truth.

This scenario isn’t unique to ancient Judah. Today, we can be just as prone to seeking out voices that affirm our desires and beliefs, rather than those that challenge us with uncomfortable truths. Whether it’s in politics, religion, or personal relationships, the temptation to surround ourselves with yes-men—those who tell us what we want to hear rather than what we need to hear—is ever-present. This leads to a dangerous echo chamber, where truth becomes a casualty, and growth is stunted.

Paul’s warning to Timothy is a timeless caution against this tendency. True growth, both spiritually and personally, requires a willingness to face hard truths and to be corrected. When we reject sound doctrine in favor of teachings that merely scratch our itching ears, we stray from the path of righteousness and risk falling into deception.

In our lives, we must strive to value truth over comfort. This means being open to correction, seeking out voices that challenge us, and remaining vigilant against the tendency to embrace only those messages that affirm our desires.

Longsuffering Wrath

In today’s reading from Habakkuk and Zephaniah, we see a profound theme: God’s longsuffering nature, even in the execution of His wrath. The Lord, in His justice, speaks not only to His chosen people but also to the surrounding nations, warning them of impending judgment. This demonstrates His desire for repentance and transformation, highlighting His patience and mercy.

Habakkuk and Zephaniah both depict God’s judgment against wickedness. However, they also reveal God’s heart for repentance. In Habakkuk, we see the prophet’s struggle with the prevalence of injustice and God’s assurance that He will act in due time. Despite the promise of judgment, there is a call for faith and trust in God’s righteous plans (Habakkuk 2:4).

Zephaniah goes a step further by addressing not only Judah but also the surrounding nations. Zephaniah 2:1-3 calls the people to seek the Lord, righteousness, and humility in the hope that they may be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger. This call to repentance extends beyond Israel, showing that God’s desire for repentance and salvation is universal.

In the New Testament, 2 Peter 3:9 echoes this sentiment: “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” This verse highlights God’s enduring patience and His wish for all to turn to Him, which is consistent with His actions in the Old Testament.

We see a parallel in our lives today. God’s warnings, whether through Scripture, conscience, or circumstances, are not merely threats but invitations to turn back to Him. He does not delight in the destruction of the wicked but rejoices when they repent and seek His face.

Was I Wrong?

I have made much the last little while about the lack of repentance on the part of the Israelites during the period of the Judges. And here Samuel says something that seems to have made a liar out of me…

Then they cried out to the LORD and admitted, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baals and the images of Ashtoreth. Now deliver us from the hand of our enemies so that we may serve you.’

1 Samuel 12:10, NET

So… time to eat crow? Maybe. I’m willing to admit my understanding of this is flawed, but I think there is a significant difference between the account in Samuel 12 and the one in Samuel 7. Let’s take another look at 1 Samuel 7.

3 Samuel told them, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, get rid of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths that are among you, set your hearts on the Lord, and worship only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths and only worshiped the Lord. 5 Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.” 6 When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the Lord’s presence. They fasted that day, and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah

1 Samuel 7:3–6, CSB

In the first example they ask God to deliver them SO THAT they can worship him. In the second instance they tear down the false gods and idols, worshipped the true God, fasted, and confessed THEN God rescued them.

If we require that God prove Himself in the timing and manner of our choosing a precondition to obedience, that isn’t obedience, it’s just getting our way.

1 Samuel 9:1-12:25 | 101/365

Making It Right

There is much todo about sin throughout the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). And much of it is sin against God. The things we do that are an affront to Him and His law. But God isn’t simply worried about how we treat Him, but also how we treat each other.

In Leviticus 6 God gives Moses specific instruction regarding the mistreatment of each other. The Lord specifically cites cheating, security deposits, stealing, fraud, lost property, and lying under oath. Then He hits Moses with that catchall of “or any other such sin”. God was deeply concerned that we deal fairly with each other.

But what’s interesting is not that God says these things are sins, but rather what He says we are expected to do about it. The pattern so far has been sin:offering, sin:offering, sin:offering. So naturally that’s what we expect to see here, but it is not. Because there is a crucial difference. We are not committing a sin against God that ONLY requires an offering, we are committing a sin against a fellow image-bearer of God, a member of our community of faith. We cannot simply give an offering to God and dust our hands of the situation.

God says explicitly that we have to make it right first. Give back what you stole, took, found, or obtained. AND THEN add 20% on top. It is not enough that we seek to get right with God while there is still a matter outstanding with our sisters and brothers. We are called to go over and above to make it right, and only THEN do we go to God for the final forgiveness.

This is an act of contrition, repentance, and reconciliation. How can we stand before God and claim to be sorry while the person we wronged is left hurting? It isn’t possible. We need to make it right before we can make it right.

Leviticus 4-6 | 048/365