Dear Missionary Lady,
Greetings in the name of our loving and patient God. Many professing believers today see God only as a God of love, a view which raises serious complications. Many others grew up seeing God only as a God of justice, ready to smash them at the smallest provocation, a view which also raises complications.
God is both loving and just, and He intersects those characteristics perfectly. It took me far too long in life to get an appropriate picture of God’s love, even for His children. What continues to amaze me is God’s love even for those who do not belong to Him.
I have recently seen this concept illustrated toward the nation of Israel, meaning the northern kingdom after the division. God was a God of justice, for sure. There were at least three kings so wicked that God completely annihilated their lines after just one generation on the throne, leaving not a single descendent. (God could do that even when there were seventy sons, as in the case of Ahab!) Another died after a fall because he asked help from false gods instead of Jehovah. Eventually God gave them to captivity in Assyria, and much of II Kings 17 tells the reason. In spite of God’s warnings, Israel was rebellious, idolatrous, and wicked. So God eventually judged.
The same God who punished evil had a soft heart toward those who showed some signs of humility. None of the kings of Israel were good, and there were not many redeeming qualities. God still loved those people, and on numerous occasions He expressed that love. I don’t think my list is exhaustive, but I would like to share some of the situations that I noted.
God sent a prophet with warnings to Joram regarding planned attacks. Joram took heed to those warnings, which appears to indicate that he believed God’s message to him (II Kings 6:8-10). God not only protected Joram from those planned attacks, but He later delivered him twice more, including from a terrible siege and famine (6:19-21; 7:6-7).
Jehu was probably the best of the bad. When a prophet arrived to anoint Jehu, he also gave some instructions (or predictions) from God (II Kings 9:6-7). Jehu obeyed those commands (10:1-11); additionally, he acted in accord with a separate prophesy that he had known of (9:24-26). He also eradicated Baal (10:25-28). God blessed Jehu’s actions of justice and established his legacy on the throne for four generations, which I believe is by far the longest line of succession for Israel.
Jehoahaz did evil and kindled God’s anger, prompting oppression by Syria. When Jehoahaz humbled himself and prayed, God sent a deliverer and rescued Israel from bondage (II Kings 13:4-5).
Jeroboam II did evil, but God allowed him to regain some territory, and the reason is beautiful. “For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel. And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash” (II Kings 14:26-27).
In spite of their sin, God loved these people. God’s heart of compassion was stirred. His faithfulness remained. I find these stories encouraging for two reasons.
First, there is hope for the people that you are trying to reach, because God loves them. He sees their misery, and He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (II Peter 3:9). He is delaying His final judgment to give these people time to believe and repent. He responds to the tiniest steps and to the slenderest heart inclinations toward Him. He is waiting for the opportunity to pour out His love and deliverance.
Second, if God responds so readily to wicked people who seek Him, can we as believers doubt His heart and inclination toward us? Surely His heart is inclined toward His children. He is not trying to crush us for our failures; rather, He wants to deliver and build us up. He wants to help and encourage. He wants to guide us out of our failures and into a stronger and closer walk with Him. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” (James 4:8a). Certainly we should try to avoid offending our righteous God (James 4:8b-10), but we can take great hope in knowing that He doesn’t want to crush us. He wants to support, redeem, encourage, confirm, and bless. And He responds to our most feeble cries.
May this wonderful God of love give you hope and strength this week as you continue reaching out to those who desperately need that love.
Love in Christ,
Peggy Holt
member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA
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