Two years have now passed since the returned Israelites had come together at the temple ruins in Jerusalem, but the time has come when the repairs begin. These are overseen by the leaders, Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the Levites over the age of 20 years.
As the workmen laid the foundation, the priests, wearing their priestly robes and using their instruments, sang and praised the LORD. The people shouted with joy, but mingled with the singing, praising and shouting was the loud sound of weeping from the elderly Jews who had known the previous temple. Such was the level of noise from joy and weeping that it could be heard far away.
The people were praising and thanking the LORD, 'because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel' (verse 11). The rebellious Israelites had been chastised by 70 years of exile, but God had now allowed them to return to their homeland and they were witnessing this wonderful day of the start of rebuilding the temple. As I read this I was reminded how my eyes were recently opened to more clearly see this goodness and mercy of the Lord, and I would like to share it with you.
But firstly, have you ever struggled with how to answer when people say to you, 'If God is love how does he let such and such happen?'
And secondly, whilst I have been writing these posts I have been concerned that I wasn't portraying God right - I was being tempted that these Old Testament chapters make God seem like a hard taskmaster with strict rules, but how did this match up with the loving Lord who I have been blessed to come to know - a Lord, who when I have been bitterly condemning myself for sinning again, has come to me with a sense of love - and no condemnation; a Lord, who when I have been at my most difficult times has given me peace.
A simple illustration by a preacher* gave me sudden illumination and it demonstrates God's goodness and mercy - he said something along these lines:
'If you were to take somebody to visit the Jewish Concentration camps, such as Auschwitz, afterwards you would expect the horror and cruelty of those days to have made an impression on them, wouldn't you? You would expect them to want to punish the perpetrators of these crimes, the Nazis, and their leader Hitler (if he were still alive). If it all made no impression on you people would almost think you weren't human!
Now think of it like this - we are by nature enemies to God - Romans 8:7 says, 'Because the carnal mind is enmity against God'. God is holy - we constantly break his laws. Would it not therefore be wrong if he did not punish us for the horrible things we do to each other, in our minds or outwardly, and against him? '
Because we are under a curse, a curse of being born sinners who must die, as a result of Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden, we have no hope of not being deserving of God's wrath and punishment. So when we hear or catch ourselves saying, 'I thought God was love, why does he let this happen?', what makes us think we deserve or have any right to his love?
But, praise God! Because he IS love, we are not left here in hopelessness. Because he IS love, he has made a way of salvation for us. Jesus, Son of God, has borne the punishment of that curse for his children - a punishment which was so great that he sweat blood. A punishment so great and terrible, that as he died, a great darkness covered the land, the earth quaked and rocks were broken....
And not only did he endure the punishment of our sins, the physical pain of blows, whips, thorns and crucifixion, the mental pain of taunts, humiliation and rejection, but he endured poverty and living with sin all around him during his lifetime. He, who was sinless, who could not sin, who is the King of Kings, allowed himself to be placed in an animal's manger at his birth, born into a poor home, and in his later ministry without an earthly home to call his own.'
This, dear reader, this is love!
So, when you next get asked (or think) 'why does God allow this - I thought he was love?' joyfully answer, but he IS love! God is love itself! He is justice and mercy and righteousness. We have brought all these problems on ourselves by our own sinful nature and actions, we don't deserve God's help, thoughts towards us, or love, but he has shown himself merciful in promising to hear us if we pray to him for help, in sending his dear Son to be punished for us, that his children might be accepted by him, given his supporting care through this life and eternal life when we die.
*Dr Paul Hayden
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