God's Eternal Judgment Part 5
In these present times, God still uses this world to teach and prove those, who would desire to be his children, the purpose of his judgments has not changed. He began having his laws and judgments written for mankind's learning, almost 4,000 years ago. In these last days God gave his son Jesus, the gospel message, which was recorded by his chosen apostles. To be a highway for the strangers, and pilgrims of earth, that seek a city prepared by God. A heavenly city, where he is not ashamed to be called their God.
Many generations after God had delivered them out of Egypt, the Israelites desired Samuel the prophet, to make them a king to rule over them, which ended the era of the judges.
1Samuel 8:19-20
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
A basic principle that God had given to judge the Israelites was, A blessing if you obey, and a curse if you disobey. For centuries their disobedience, had brought his chastisements upon them, and cost them greatly. God no longer appeared to them at Shiloh, nor sent any prophets to speak his judgments to them. Until a woman named Hannah, vowed to give her only son, whom she named Samuel, to minister before God from his youth. Samuel was chosen by God to be his prophet, and also judged the Israelites all through his life. Through his obedience and prayer to God, the people were delivered from the Philistines. When he grew old, the Israelites insisted Samuel make a king to rule over them, and so began the era of the kings. Nay, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
The prophet Samuel declares the devotion of God, who shows mercy to achieve his purpose for the people.
1Samuel 12:20-22
20 And Samuel said to the people, Fear not you have done all this wickedness, yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
21 And turn you not aside, for then should you go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
22 For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you his people.
God had suffered the wickedness of the Israelites for hundreds of years, and yet did not abandon them. His desire for them still, was to make a treasured people, and an holy nation on the earth. The Israelites were in great distress due to a threat, from the king of the Ammonites, and instead of turning to God, they rejected him as their king. The people had decided it would be more expedient, to be like all nations with a man as king, to judge them and fight their battles. Samuel the prophet who was accepted of God, entreats the people not to depart from him. God judged to show his mercies rather than reject the people, and Saul was anointed to be their king, and save them from their adversaries. For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you his people.
Samuel admonishes the Israelites, that the judgment of God will still prevail upon them.
1Samuel 12:24-25
24 Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider how great things he has done for you.
25 But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed, both you and your king.
The Israelites departure from God, had led them to do what ever was necessary, to achieve their own self interests. Rather than turn from their iniquities, they were willing to become subjects, and sustain a king who would defend them, even in their wickedness. Many times throughout the era of the judges, they had found themselves in peril from their adversaries. And God had provided judges to deliver them, in his effort to turn their minds to him. Had the Israelites simply put away their iniquity, and returned to serving God truthfully, he would have blessed them with peace. The choice to replace God with a man, and to be like all nations, reveals how unsound their minds had become. Without any success Samuel warned the people, and they refused to heed his counsel. But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed, both you and your king.
Samuel rebukes king Saul for turning back from following God, and disregarding what he had commanded him to do.
1Samuel 15:22-23
22 And Samuel said, Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.
When Saul was first chosen as king from among the Israelites, he considered himself to be an insignificant man for the purpose. Even hiding himself from the people, when he was chosen to be king. After reigning only a short period of time, the power and influence given to him as king, led him to disregard the commandment of God. And when Saul asked counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, it is apparent he did not place his trust in God. Had he been of a humble and contrite mind, perhaps God would not have judged to take the kingdom from Saul, and to send an evil spirit to trouble him. But Saul justified his sin, and God found a man who had a mind to lead the people, according to his will. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.
Through the prophet Jeremiah, God warns that placing confidence in anyone except him, is an ill-fated choice.
Jeremiah 17:5-6
5 Thus said the Lord, Cursed be the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the Lord.
6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good comes; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
There is good reason why God warns to not trust in a man or in the flesh. Flesh is weak it can only grow old and die, and the minds of men imagine evil continually. Being reliant on any man or woman, to speak truth and do good, puts an individual at a serious disadvantage. From the beginning the work given man, was to learn to choose good and not evil, which is not something that is intrinsic. The example written of Saul and David, shines a light on this fact. Two kings but only one with a mind willing to obey God, and lead the people by observance of his laws. The Israelites choice to have a man as king, would cause them repercussions for centuries to come. In actuality the period of time that the nation of Israel was united as one kingdom, and at the peak of its existence, lasted approximately 80 years through the reigns of David and Solomon. Not a very long period of time, nor very many good kings, considering how many centuries it existed, and the numerous kings that ruled the nation. Being like all the nations and choosing a man as king, did not work well for them. Thus said the Lord, Cursed be the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the Lord.
God speaking through Isaiah the prophet makes known that it is the thoughts of Israel which led them to destruction.
Isaiah 65:2
2 I have spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, which walks in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts.
The woes of Israel were a result of their desire, to conform to the sins of the nations around them. God used famine, pestilence, disasters, and war, to turn Israel from the vanity of the thoughts of their minds. Yet they did not grieve, but refused to receive correction, and made their minds harder than a rock, refusing to turn. God had given Israel a way to have a life with love, joy, peace, and, faith. And they judged to reject his ways so that adultery, fornication, filthiness, lewdness, idolatry, witchcraft, murder, drunkenness, and reveling could be pursued. I have spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, which walks in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts.
God warns Israel that ultimately he will execute his judgments, evil is not overlooked or dismissed by him.
Psalms 50:21
21 These things have you done, and I kept silence; you thought that I was altogether such an one as yourself: but I will reprove you, and set them in order before your eyes.
Israel refused to accept the fact, that when they chose to break their covenant with God, he would administer retribution. And because he did not immediately execute sentence upon them, for their evil deeds, they presumed they had escaped his judgments. But God, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them, many times he turned his anger away, and did not exercise all his wrath. Even so his eyes were upon all their ways, and their iniquities were not hidden from him. His promise to remove Israel out of the land which he had given them, and make them to be scorned, among all people. He eventually fulfilled, showing the world his judgment, upon those who forsake him to do evil. God judged for Israel to be conquered, the people scattered abroad, and the temple they had built, to be completely destroyed. These things have you done, and I kept silence; you thought that I was altogether such an one as yourself, but I will reprove you.
The apostle Paul teaches it is wise to learn from the examples that God has had written of his judgments, to keep from making the same errors.
1Corinthians 10:5-6
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
The people of Israel, were no different than the men and women of these present times. Who seek to fulfill, their lusts and desires for evil things. There are many lessons that can be learned, from the examples written of Israel. It is important to know that the commandments of God, were given for the benefit of the soul. To give understanding that lust, can never be satisfied, and the doing of evil, can only bring forth evil in return. Most importantly that faith in God, and obedience to him, is an absolute must. By his great wisdom and foreknowledge, before he made the earth. God had already judged, all men and women in unbelief and sin, that he might have mercy on all. And according to his good pleasure, he purposed to make for himself a spiritual people from all mankind. God who searches the mind, and tries the reins gives each individual the choice to obey or disobey, and to understand there is consequence for their actions. Allowing him to know if their mind is evil, or if it is good, and he calls all to make their minds right. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
God tells Isaiah that as the life of a flower, so the days of a man or woman's flesh pass quickly until they are no more.
Isaiah 40:6-8
6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
7 The grass withers, the flower fades: because the spirit of the Lord blows upon it: surely the people is grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
The dwelling place of God is in the heavens, and it is he that rules over all the things he has made. As a father has compassion for his children, so he has compassion for mankind, he remembers that we are made from the dust. That we are as grass and a flower of the field, flourishing for only a short time, before withering away. But God and his judgments are eternal, from everlasting to everlasting. Resisting or rebelling against him, only causes the severity of his judgments to be imposed, to bring about repentance. As was done for the nation called Israel, that he delivered from the bondage of Egypt by his great power. It is foolish to think that we are wiser than he, and that our ways are more excellent. His ways and eternal judgments light the highway to the heavenly city he has prepared. The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. Please take the time to study and examine his words.