Wednesday, April 27, 2011

God's Story - Rebellion

"And when your people ask, 'Why did the LORD our God do all this to us?' you must reply, 'You rejected Him and gave yourselves to foreign gods in your own land. Now you will serve foreigners in a land that is not your own.' "Make this announcement to Israel, and say this to Judah: Listen, you foolish and senseless people, with eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear. Have you no respect for Me? Why don't you tremble in My presence? I, the LORD, define the ocean's sandy shoreline as an everlasting boundary that the waters cannot cross. The waves may toss and roar, but they can never pass the boundaries I set. But My people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned away and abandoned Me. They do not say from the heart, 'Let us live in awe of the LORD our God, for He gives us rain each spring and fall, assuring us of a harvest when the time is right.' Your wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings. Your sin has robbed you of all these good things. 
(Jer 5:19-25 NLT)


CREATION... THE FALL/BROKENNESS... A PROMISE... THE LAW...


REBELLION

God went to the extreme of putting a system (LAW) in place that would keep the scales balanced - that would keep a right relationship between the Israelites and God.  But the people not only rejected God rules, but they reject God Himself.  They made a mockery of God, His love, protection, and provision.

The Israelites turned away and worship gods of neighboring nations.  They no longer made the animal sacrifices at the temple to keep those scales balanced for a right relationship with the one True God.  Instead they sinned greater than even their neighbors, defiling the temples, sacrificing their children, and in so doing totally rejecting God.

God gave them a choice just as He gives us a choice today.  God gave them over to the results of those choices and nations came and conquered them taking them into exile.

Even in exile though God's people were not without a choice, nor without hope of God's promise.  God sent prophet after prophet to point out to Israel and at times even other nations where they were falling short of God's standard.  These prophets encouraged them to turn back to God.  They spoke messages of hope in the midst of exile and brokenness.  Some turned their hearts back to God.  They continued to watch and listen for God's fulfillment of His plan.


"Yet even in those days I will not blot you out completely," says the LORD. 
(Jer 5:18 NLT)

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