Bible League: Living His Word "The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation."— Numbers 14:18 ESV "Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" – I found this characterization eight times in the Bible. Its elements are inseparable, like two sides of one coin. God's love is steadfast because He is slow to anger. Conversely, God is slow to anger because His love is steadfast. It's abounding, too. We're not talking about a scrap of His goodness but about an abundant overflow. Love is His most significant feature, and it makes Him patient to a level we can hardly fathom. The characterization appears for the first time in Exodus 34:6, where the Lord makes Himself known to Moses after the Ten Commandments have been given for the second time. The fact that God uses these phrases at this moment proves how true they are. Not long before, Israel had danced around the golden calf, an immense violation of His holiness. The Lord could have terminated His relationship with His people there and then, but He didn't. Instead, He declared Himself to be slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The second time we find the characterization is in today's verse. While the people of Israel are complaining again and deserve God's punishment, Moses reminds the Lord of His own words. Rather than wiping out the people once and for all, God chooses to discuss it with Moses, who holds Him to His word. Apparently, that's what the Lord wants: that we remind Him of His words. I encourage you to read the other places where we read the phrase "slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." These are Nehemiah 9:17, Psalms 86:15, Psalms 103:8, Psalms 145:8, Joel 2:13, and Jonah 4:2. You will discover that God always gives people the chance to repent. His grace is always there, even amid the grimmest of circumstances. Let me make it personal. If I look back, there have been many moments in my life where my misbehavior would have justified punishment. God could have wiped me out because I deserved it. But He didn't. Rather, He showed how slow He is to anger and how abounding in steadfast love. What is the best way for me to see that? In the person of Jesus Christ, whose love was so abounding that He gave His life to save me. Who, as the greater Moses, pleaded with His heavenly Father to save me from punishment. Who accepted to undergo the full anger of the Lord to set me free. What else can I do than sing with David in Psalm 86:15? "You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness." Hallelujah! By Anton de Vreugd, BLI global staff, the Netherlands Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJob 21, 22 Job 21 -- Job Says God Will Deal with the Wicked NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Job 22 -- Eliphaz Accuses and Exhorts Job to Repentance NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 10:1-23 Acts 10 -- Cornelius' and Peter's Visions; Peter Preaches to the Gentiles NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.Insight Christ's defeat of the devil in the desert was decisive but not final. Throughout his ministry, Jesus would confront Satan in many forms. Challenge Too often we see temptation as once and for all. In reality, we need to be constantly on guard against the devil's ongoing attacks. Where are you most susceptible to temptation right now? How are you preparing to withstand it? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Genesis 3:8 The voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.My soul, now that the cool of the day has come, retire awhile and hearken to the voice of thy God. He is always ready to speak with thee when thou art prepared to hear. If there be any slowness to commune, it is not on his part, but altogether on thine own, for he stands at the door and knocks, and if his people will but open, he rejoices to enter. But in what state is my heart, which is my Lord's garden? May I venture to hope that it is well trimmed and watered, and is bringing forth fruit fit for him? If not, he will have much to reprove, but still I pray him to come unto me, for nothing can so certainly bring my heart into a right condition as the presence of the Sun of Righteousness, who brings healing in his wings. Come, therefore, O Lord, my God, my soul invites thee earnestly, and waits for thee eagerly. Come to me, O Jesus, my well-beloved, and plant fresh flowers in my garden, such as I see blooming in such perfection in thy matchless character! Come, O my Father, who art the Husbandman, and deal with me in thy tenderness and prudence! Come, O Holy Spirit, and bedew my whole nature, as the herbs are now moistened with the evening dews. O that God would speak to me. Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth! O that he would walk with me; I am ready to give up my whole heart and mind to him, and every other thought is hushed. I am only asking what he delights to give. I am sure that he will condescend to have fellowship with me, for he has given me his Holy Spirit to abide with me forever. Sweet is the cool twilight, when every star seems like the eye of heaven, and the cool wind is as the breath of celestial love. My Father, my elder Brother, my sweet Comforter, speak now in lovingkindness, for thou hast opened mine ear and I am not rebellious. Daily Light on the Daily Path 1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us."Psalm 116:6 The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. Psalm 28:6,7 Blessed be the LORD, Because He has heard the voice of my supplication. • The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him. Psalm 118:8,9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in man. • It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in princes. Psalm 146:5 How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the LORD his God, Psalm 107:7 He led them also by a straight way, To go to an inhabited city. Joshua 21:45 Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass. Luke 22:35 And He said to them, "When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?" They said, "No, nothing." Psalm 63:7 For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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