Nehemiah
9:19-21 KJV
Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the
wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them
in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the
way wherein they should go.
Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest
not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.
Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so
that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled
not.
Nehemiah's confession brings to
the forefront the grace and mercy of God to Israel during those forty years and
that after their sin with the golden calf.
- Was with them
- Provided for them and
- Protected them.
What a picture this is of God's
tender love. It reminds me of a dear friend in Astoria who, when his daughter had disobeyed,
took her in another room to be spanked, but for love for her took the spanking
himself. Here was disobedient Israel .
Their sin must be dealt with and God justly dealt with it. They were judged and
their sentence was carried out, but God never left them through it. As they
faced their judgment God wiped their brow, if you will, and blessed them as He
could through it.
Oh, and the story of my friend
in Astoria ? Is
that not exactly what God did when, out of love for us, He became man and died
in our place?
No comments:
Post a Comment