Hosea 7: 13-16 NIV – ‘Woe to them, because they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me! I long to redeem them but they speak about me falsely……………. They do not turn to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent words. For this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.’
Jonah 3: 4-10 NIV – ‘Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth…………..When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.’
Have you ever noticed that if you stick around some people long enough you see a different side of them? Maybe you find the person who is outwardly rude in public is sensitive and emotional in private. It’s almost like they turn into a different person.
In our human experiences, we take this concept into our relationship with God. We think sometimes He’s an angry God and sometimes He’s a nice God. We think He has many faces and that He changes. We might even think the God in the bible is angry, but now we worship the nice God. Wrong.
The truth is God’s character is the same in every action He does. So how do we reconcile these two different ways we see God as one? Well we start with an example.
The city of Nineveh and the people of Israel (in the book of Hosea) seemed to experience two different faces of God. The city of Nineveh received mercy from God for their sins while the people of Israel experienced judgement described like “I will make her like a desert…a parched land (Hosea 2:3).”
Here’s the truth: The love of God is in both circumstances and that is how we know our Father didn’t change. The real difference between the two experiences was the people. The city of Nineveh was repentant and Israel was not. God showed love to Nineveh by giving them mercy and He showed love to Israel by disciplining them so that their sin would not lead to death. God’s discipline and mercy were both acting as a funnel to draw His people back to Him.
How does this apply to you? At one point I was genuinely scared of God’s judgment. I’m talking about second guessing every action and word, afraid I might experience the wrath of God for every mistake. Maybe you relate to that. I want to assure you that the fear you’re experiencing is not from Him and that His perfect love drives out fear (2 Timothy 1:7 & 1 John 4:18). There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Breathe.
God knows that you are not perfect and there is more than enough grace (Hebrews 4:16). On the other hand, some of us might be trying to take advantage of God’s mercy. We are insincere and unrepentant. God is not a pushover and he loves us too much to let us stay in sin which we know leads to death. Here’s my advice for you: The day you hear His voice harden not your heart. In other words, humble yourself before God has to.
Try this exercise to correct your incorrect view of God. Find stories in the bible that show God’s mercy and that show his discipline. Pay close attention to the purpose behind each of God’s actions. Ask God to show you the truth of His character. Is God changing or are people changing?
PRAYER: God, sometimes our experiences and feelings can get in the way of how we see You. But we thank You that Your eyes are so much better than ours and You won’t withhold Your perspective from us. The truth is everything You do is out of love. Examine our hearts for any incorrect perceptions of You and lead us into the truth of who You are. In Jesus name, Amen