There's an obvious contrast in these two photos that were taken on the same day in the same area on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We also see a contrast between the scenarios of God's judgment and God's love in our Bible reading today. However, God's love is basic to all that He has created and to all that He does.
"When I thought God was hard, I found it easy to sin; but when I found God so kind, so good, so overflowing with compassion, I beat my breast to think I could ever have rebelled against One who loved me so and sought my good." ~C. H. Spurgeon.
In all his deceptions, Satan wants us to be deceived most about the identity of God. In the Book of Genesis, we are first introduced to Satan as he casts suspicion on God in his conversation with Eve in the Garden of Eden. We often read descriptions of God mercy and His love for Israel in the midst of chapters that record instances of God's anger and less-than-pleasant accounts of His judgment. That might seem odd unless--that is unless we know the truth about God and His love and jealousy for His people. "Look upon me and be merciful to me, as Your custom is toward those who love Your name" (Psalm 119: 132). Satan would have us worship carved images that are lifeless and offer nothing except deception. He knows they will somewhat satisfy our desire to worship, as well as deter us from worshiping the one and only true God. To know the truth about God puts idolatry into perspective and reveals it for what it is--a less-than-poor substitute for worship of the Creator God. God has preserved His Word for us that we might come to know Him. Open it with an understanding of what we hold in our hands--the very words of God--that reveal God's existence, His nature, and His tremendous love and His provision of salvation for us. "The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple" (Psalm 119:130).
"He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom, and stretched out the heaven by His understanding." Power, wisdom, understanding! "When He utters His voice--there is a multitude of waters in the heavens: He causes vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightnings for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries." Jeremiah 51:15-16. "The Portion of Jacob is not like them" (the lifeless, carved images) "for He is the Maker of all things; and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance. The Lord of hosts is His name" (v. 19). In reading the Old Testament, it has been my experience that redundant passages about destruction and war become wearisome while the descriptions of God are always refreshing and uplifting. This is also true to life. These less-than-"fun" passages help set a stage of appreciation, as well as a feeling of relief when we finally get to the inspirational passage that describes the reality of God's mercy, power, and love. We have also learned that God uses unbelieving, arrogant nations for His purpose--see verses 20-23. He then judges them for their wickedness and idolatry. Verse 47, "Therefore behold, the days are coming that I will bring judgment on the carved images of Babylon".
As God's people, we experience oppression and long for God's standard to prevail--for His kingdom to come. "Redeem me from the oppression of man, that I may keep Your precepts" (Psalm 119:134). "Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law" (v. 136). We have choices to make in our lives even in the friends we choose. We can become discerning sons and daughters or we can fail to use discretion in choosing our companions (Proverbs 28:7, 8).
But as for us, our lives are to exemplify the "sound doctrine" we say we believe. Paul instructs Titus, "that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things---that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed" (v.1-5).
The young men are exhorted to "be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you" (v. 6-8). He also admonishes bond servants in respect to pleasing their "masters"and ends the passage with this: "that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things" (v. 10). He says the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all of us regardless of our position in life. We are to never lose sight of what God has done for us because of His love and through Christ, His Son, "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ" (v. 13). When we know God and His love for us, we will then live in anticipation of His return. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
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