GOD’S WORD FOR MAY 27 ~ ~ Jeremiah 9:1 ~ ~ “O that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, so that I might weep day and night for the slain of my poor people”
I just want to add some thoughts to what John Piper has written. There are many other verses that shed some light on this.
The book of Jeremiah presents God as a God who had repeatedly called to his people to return to Him.
Jeremiah 9:1 ~ ~ “O that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, so that I might weep day and night for the slain of my poor people”
Correction comes in many forms. God did not take pleasure in judging his people. He was not pleased to bring judgment upon Judah, instead He had hoped his people would turn from their rebellion and cry out to Him for mercy. God was pained to have to deal so severely with his people.
His people were meant to be a blessing to the nations. But, because of their rebellion, God’s heart was grieving for them in quiet silence.
He was seeking their repentance so that the people could return back into a right relationship with him. Yahweh was not punishing his people for punishment’s sake. He was offering them a chance to turn and be saved, “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord GOD. Turn, then, and live” (Ezekiel 18:32).
Mr. Piper sights Romans 9:22-23 for this, but I’d like to go further, and read Romans 9:15-26 in the Amplified translation (which uses a more expanded meaning of the original language)
“For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I have compassion.” So then God’s choice is not dependent on human will, nor on human effort [the totality of human striving], but on God who shows mercy [to whomever He chooses—it is His sovereign gift]. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “I raised you up for this very purpose, to display My power in [dealing with] you, and so that My name would be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then, He has mercy on whom He wills (chooses), and He hardens [the heart of] whom He wills.
You will say to me then, “Why does He still blame me [for sinning]? For who [including myself] has [ever] resisted His will and purpose?” On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers [arrogantly] back to God and dares to defy Him? Will the thing which is formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does the potter not have the right over the clay, to make from the same lump [of clay] one object for honorable use [something beautiful or distinctive] and another for common use [something ordinary or menial]? What if God, although willing to show His wrath and to make His power known, has tolerated with great patience the objects of His wrath [which are] prepared for destruction? And what if He has done so to make known the riches of His glory to the objects of His mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory, including us, whom He also called, not only from among the Jews, but also from among the Gentiles? Just as He says in [the writings of the prophet] Hosea:
“I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’
And [I will call] her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’”
“And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’
There they shall be called sons of the living God.”
And Isaiah calls out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is only the remnant [a small believing minority] that will be saved [from God’s judgment]; “
What this boils down to is: GOD IS GOD AND WE ARE NOT.
But, the focus that Mr. Piper wants to show is this part: “
“What if God, although willing to show His wrath and to make His power known, has tolerated with great patience the objects of His wrath [which are] prepared for destruction? (unrepentent sinners) And what if He has done so to make known the riches of His glory to the objects of His mercy, (repentent sinners) which He has prepared beforehand for glory,”
As they say, diamonds show best on a black background. God’s glory shows best on a background of wickedness.
He cannot blur the lines between right and wrong. He wouldn’t be God if He did.
We are in no position to judge God nor to even come close to understanding Him. His signature is literally imprinted on our DNA. Scientists have found that recently. That’s for another writing, but suffice it to say that if we’re saved, we don’t need to worry about His wrath or judgment. Chastisement as a Father to His children, …yes, if needed, but even that is done in everlasting Love.)
We should consider that sometimes it’s referring to situations involving the very wicked, who have voluntarily joined the evil of satan, and sometimes it is those who have not heard of salvation.
Either way, He always would prefer that the person make the choice to turn to Him, rather than face the consequences. But that doesn’t mean that He can blur the lines. We must be holy to be with Him in heaven, and there is only one way to become that way—through Jesus.
When He destroys the wicked, His pleasure would be in knowing that they will no longer be convincing those who don’t know the Truth to follow the wrong path.
So, while we are merely the clay and He is the Potter, ~ ~ so far is He above us~ ~ we can rest assured that He will NEVER do anything that is not PERFECT IN EVERY WAY for all concerned.
He is Sovereign and never will make an imperfect decision.
Whatever judgment is made, it is just, and we can count on that, just like we can count on His eternal love for His own!!!