Monday, July 18, 2005

Our Emotional God I am reading the book of Jeremiah, and I am really amazed at the interaction between Jeremiah, God and the people of Israel. In chapter 14, God promises famine and war, only famine and war. In verse 17, God says to Jeremiah “Say this to them: ‘My eyes flow with tears day and night without stopping because my dear people will suffer massive destruction. It will be a very serious blow.’” On the one hand, God promises to strike them for their disobedience; and on the other hand, he tells them that he is broken hearted over what is going to happen to them. God is not dispassionate as he metes out discipline, but he says that his heart is broken over their disobedience and the resulting consequences. Jeremiah tries to intercede with God using the “stand in the gap” prayer of Moses, but God rebuffs him saying, “Even if Moses and Elijah were standing before me, I would not relent of my plans to punish this people. God is the offended party and the Judge who exacts recompense. He is broken-hearted by his lover’s infidelity and yet he dishes out the punishment deserved with impartiality. He is a righteous, and broken-hearted judge. Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet, but this book is more about the weeping judge than the weeping prophet. The tears that wet the pages of this prophecy are the tears of God. 2:00:41 PM    comment []

© Copyright 2005 Allan Smith. Last update: 9/21/2005; 7:23:08 AM.