Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who called on His name; they called upon the LORD and He answered them. He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; They kept His testimonies and the statute that He gave them.
Oh LORD our God, You answered them; You were a forgiving God to them, and yet an avenger of their evil deeds. (vs.6-8 NASB)Avenge is a strong word! It has connotation of retribution.
Eugene Peterson translates that last line (in The Message):
But You were never soft on their sins.Consider:
- Eve and Adam sinned and were removed from the Garden of Eden.
- Cain killed his brother and God cursed him.
- Moses sinned and was forbidden to enter the Promised Land.
- Joseph's eleven brothers sold him into slavery; as a result they nearly died from starvation and had to humble themselves.
- Esau despised his birthrite and lost his inheritance to his younger brother.
- David sinned and reaped sexual immorality and rebellion among his children.
- Peter denied knowing Jesus and had to answer for it face-to-face.
- Paul had a pride problem that prevented him from being healed.
But, in spite of all this evidence, you probably won't suffer as a result of your sin. NOT!
God is not soft on sin! God is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY! God cannot abide the presence of sin! God will not abide the presence of sin!
When we willfully sin, we banish the presence of God from our lives. And we will deal with the consequences of our sin.
Will God forgive us? Always! (Read I John 1:9)
Will God take away the consequences of our sin? NO.
And the consequences of our sins can be VERY PAINFUL!!!
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