Ardent American Patriot and Lover of Israel
Posts tagged mercy
The Lords Controversies
Dec 11th
“Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with His people, and He will plead with Israel” (Micah 6:2).
There are four references in the prophetic books of the Old Testament to the controversies of the Lord. Three of these speak of controversy with His own people, the other of controversy with the ungodly nations of the world.
The Hebrew word means a serious conflict that must be completed. God’s opponent in such a case must eventually either yield or be destroyed, for “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).
The Lord first pleads with His adversary, as indicated in our text, speaking of His love and desire for reconciliation. “O my people, what have I done unto thee?” He cries (Micah 6:3). But if His pleadings are ignored, punishment is sure.
“The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways” (Hosea 12:2).
When God’s people turn away from Him, they fall into grievous sin and invite His certain wrath.
“Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. . . . Therefore shall the land mourn” (Hosea 4:1,3).
Now, if God has a controversy with His own people, what of other nations? God will seek reconciliation with His own backslidden people, but the God-despising nations of the world face utter destruction.
“A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, He will plead with all flesh; He will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD. . . . And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other” (Jeremiah 25:31,33).
When God Says, “Leave Him Alone”
May 13th
"Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone." (Hosea 4:17)
Our God is long-suffering and full of mercy, but there is a line which must not be crossed. It is dangerous to presume that God will always continue to forgive; He can become a "consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29).
The leaders of Ephraim (a collective term for the ten northern tribes of Israel) had passed this point of no return. They had become completely infatuated with the pantheistic polytheism of the nations, being "joined" to their symbolic models of natural forces and all the immoral practices which accompanied such nature worship. The word for "joined" means "fascinated by." They had been brought so deeply under the occult powers behind these nature-god idols as to be irrevocably committed to them, so that it would be a waste of time and tears to try to reclaim them now.
The Scriptures contain many similar warnings.
"My spirit shall not always strive with man" (Genesis 6:3). "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind" (Matthew 15:14).
"There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it" (1 John 5:16).
"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine" (Matthew 7:6).
Pharaoh repeatedly "hardened his heart" against God, and finally God Himself hardened Pharaoh’s heart (e.g., Exodus 8:15; 10:27). "God gave them up" (Romans 1:24, 26, 28).
These should be sobering words to anyone who is becoming enchanted with evolutionism, or occultism, or any form of pantheistic humanism!
As long as such a person has any qualm of conscience, or even any doubts about the pseudo-scientific philosophy to which he is becoming addicted, there is hope that he might yet turn to the true God of creation. To continue in his present course, however, is presumptuous and deadly.
The time will come, perhaps sooner than he thinks, when God will say: "Let him alone."
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