“Who is a God like you,
who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy.
19 You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
20 You will be faithful to Jacob,
and show love to Abraham,...
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors
in days long ago.” {Micah 7:18-20}
Why are Christians so willing to believe that the God they worship will one day forgive the nation Israel her many heinous sins against Him, but refuse to believe that He will extend that same forgiveness to the rest of humanity?
Israel is but a microcosm of all the nations of humanity. God purposely separated Israel out from all the other nations on earth, not because they were better than the rest, but because He wanted to reveal His abundant grace to all mankind, through the MOST rebellious of all Adam’s descendants!
In fact, Jesus declared that the residents of Sodom would have believed and repented of their wickedness had they seen His miracles.
“Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.” {Matt.11:20-23}
If the residents of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum will ultimately be rescued from Hades (The Grave), and given their inheritance among the redeemed of Israel, then we can be confident that God will do the same for all His wayward sons of mankind. He chose Israel as the greatest example of His longsuffering grace, so that all men would be assured of their ultimate rescue from sin and death.
Even those of Sodom will one day repent before God’s awesome presence and be forgiven their perversion. This is not God OVERLOOKING sin, but the forgiveness of all based upon the death of His Son upon Calvary’s Cross. The price for their sins was paid. Sodomites will take their place among all those of Adam’s race, to declare the glory and redeeming love of their Creator.
Does this statement offend the reader? Read the following verses slowly and deliberately, and allow The Spirit of God to reveal their truth to your heart.
“Your (Israel’s) older sister was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom. 47 You not only followed their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they. 48 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.
“Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.
51 Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done. 52 Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters.
Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.
53 HOWEVER, I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them, 54 so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort. 55 And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before.” {Eze. 16:46-55}
Restoration is always God’s purpose. It was the self-sacrificing love of God for His creatures that brought The Son of God to earth. The same spirit of superiority that infected Israel because of their special access to God, has sadly taken up residence in the hearts of Christians today. God has given us clear statements from Paul’s pen, that He will save every child of Adam in the end. May we be delivered from the unforgiving spirit of the Older Brother of the Prodigal Son.
“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him ALL THINGS were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; ALL THINGS have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before ALL THINGS, and in him ALL THINGS hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in EVERY THING he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to RECONCILE TO HIMSELF ALL THINGS, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace THROUGH HIS BLOOD, shed on the cross.” {Col. 1:15-20}
who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy.
19 You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
20 You will be faithful to Jacob,
and show love to Abraham,...
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors
in days long ago.” {Micah 7:18-20}
Why are Christians so willing to believe that the God they worship will one day forgive the nation Israel her many heinous sins against Him, but refuse to believe that He will extend that same forgiveness to the rest of humanity?
Israel is but a microcosm of all the nations of humanity. God purposely separated Israel out from all the other nations on earth, not because they were better than the rest, but because He wanted to reveal His abundant grace to all mankind, through the MOST rebellious of all Adam’s descendants!
In fact, Jesus declared that the residents of Sodom would have believed and repented of their wickedness had they seen His miracles.
“Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.” {Matt.11:20-23}
If the residents of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum will ultimately be rescued from Hades (The Grave), and given their inheritance among the redeemed of Israel, then we can be confident that God will do the same for all His wayward sons of mankind. He chose Israel as the greatest example of His longsuffering grace, so that all men would be assured of their ultimate rescue from sin and death.
Even those of Sodom will one day repent before God’s awesome presence and be forgiven their perversion. This is not God OVERLOOKING sin, but the forgiveness of all based upon the death of His Son upon Calvary’s Cross. The price for their sins was paid. Sodomites will take their place among all those of Adam’s race, to declare the glory and redeeming love of their Creator.
Does this statement offend the reader? Read the following verses slowly and deliberately, and allow The Spirit of God to reveal their truth to your heart.
“Your (Israel’s) older sister was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom. 47 You not only followed their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they. 48 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.
“Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.
51 Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done. 52 Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters.
Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.
53 HOWEVER, I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them, 54 so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort. 55 And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before.” {Eze. 16:46-55}
Restoration is always God’s purpose. It was the self-sacrificing love of God for His creatures that brought The Son of God to earth. The same spirit of superiority that infected Israel because of their special access to God, has sadly taken up residence in the hearts of Christians today. God has given us clear statements from Paul’s pen, that He will save every child of Adam in the end. May we be delivered from the unforgiving spirit of the Older Brother of the Prodigal Son.
“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him ALL THINGS were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; ALL THINGS have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before ALL THINGS, and in him ALL THINGS hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in EVERY THING he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to RECONCILE TO HIMSELF ALL THINGS, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace THROUGH HIS BLOOD, shed on the cross.” {Col. 1:15-20}
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