We can't go unpunished!

 

I was a pretty good kid. I am not saying I was perfect. My family can attest to that. But, I really don't remember being in trouble a lot. I am sure I was and I grew up in an age where "spanking" was an expectation. Paddling was a way of life in the Principal's office. I know that is no popular now and trust me there is a definitely line between abuse and discipline. Beating out of anger is not the same thing as paddling for correction. If you want to argue about that, we can just agree to disagree. 

God cannot let sin go unpunished. I think most people know that and I think that is why people try so hard to redefine sin as NOT sin. There are so many people that take the Bible and twist it to redefine sin and therefore justify there actions. They believe they are justifying to God what should and should not be punished. AND even though I believe in a God filled with grace, mercy, and love, He is also a God of justice and righteousness. 

When I was reading Jeremiah 44 today, my righteous indignation was rising. 

"Then all the women present and all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to idols - a great crowd of all Judeans living in northern Egypt and southern Egypt - answered Jeremiah. "We will not listen to your messages from the Lord! We will do whatever we want. We wil lburn incense and pour out liquid offerings to the Queen of Heaven just as much as we like ---" (Jeremiah 44:15-17)

When I was reading this I could feel the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. I thought, if my kids had talked back to me like that, there would be clear, strong consequences. They didn't deny Jeremiah was a prophet, they didn't deny the messages were from the Lord. They just flat out refused to obey God!

God has a whole lot more patience with us than I could ever imagine. I am not God, but in my mind I would have sent a lightning bolt down upon these people immediately. I would have made an example of their complete and utter defiance. 

Wait! Am I any different? How patient has God been with me? How much of his righteous wrath do I deserve? (I take back my lightning bolt!)

God eventually does punish the defiant group from Israel, but some were allowed to return home. Later in Jeremiah 47, God demonstrates, once again, his patience with Israel. 

"But do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant; do not be dismayed, Israel. For I will bring you home again from distant lands, and your children will return from their exile. Israel will return to a life of peace and quiet, and no one will terrorize them. Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, for I am with you," says the Lord. 'I will completely destroy the nations to which I have exiled you, but I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you, but with justice; I cannot let you go unpunished."(Jeremiah 47:27-28)

These defiant people deserved the full wrath of God, but he chose grace and mercy, just like he does for us! We deserve punishment. We deserve his full wrath, but his discipline is just and his motives are pure. He loves us and even though we deserve death, he has granted us life through his Son Jesus Christ. We will be punished. We deserve SOME discipline, but we do not get what we fully deserve and I thank God for that!