The Politics of God
And YHWH was gracious to them, and pitied them, and turned toward them, for the sake of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and was not willing to destroy them not to cast them out from His presence as yet. 2 Kings 13:23
Gracious – God’s keeps His promises even when circumstances might warrant refusal to do so. God made a promise to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. Centuries later those promises still determine God’s behavior in spite of the fact that the behavior of the descendants no longer justifies grace. Over and over we see the same unwavering commitment and the same miserable pattern. Time and again God would have been perfectly justified in destroying Israel or casting them away. But He doesn’t. He stays married to His people no matter what. This gives rise to a very important question. If the wicked of centuries of rebellion were not enough for God to renege on His covenant with Abraham, what allows replacement theology to suggest that the death of Yeshua was enough to change God’s mind? And if God changed His mind about His promise to Abraham and Israel, what prevents Him from doing so again?
The answer is found in the very nature of God. He does not waver. He does not relent. He does not lie. He does not walk away. Much to our relief, God is gracious. The Hebrew verb is hanan (to be gracious toward, to favor, to have mercy on). Outside of the Wisdom literature, this word most often describes God’s actions toward men. It’s a very good word. It gives us hope in spite of our mistakes, doubts and falls. We are not excused, of course, but we find this Hebrew idea echoed in John’s reassurance that He is faithful to forgive and restore. God is not an umpire. It is never, “Three strikes and you’re out.”
Now step back and look at this bigger picture. God is King of all creation. The political affairs of men are truly under His authority (so Paul, in Romans 13). Righteous men in political positions operate as His servants, carrying out His moral government among the people. Unrighteous men who usurp the political scene in order to gain control are actually at war with God Himself. They are idolaters. They will not succeed. But even when we were at war with God, He was gracious toward us. In God’s politics, grace wins. It might take a very long time because men are continuously wicked, but God still wins. No government will survive His government. All nations will become His footstool and eventually seek His face. But in the meanwhile, He refuses to break His promise.
If we learn anything from God’s history with Israel, we learn commitment. The world is in rebellion. Followers of the Way will find it a very hostile place. But there is nothing to fear. God is committed. He is committed to care, to protect, to provide and to bring about justice. Our temporal horizon might not be able to see the end result of hanan, but we are assured of its reliability. After all, we have the politics of God in the history of Israel.
Topical Index: politics, hanan, gracious, 2 Kings 13:23
Great encouragement. Thanks as always, Skip.
Our G-d is King. (notice the period at the end of the sentence-sometimes we do not see it). Here is the “politics” we need to know. G-d is not a Democrat (we knew that..), and YHWH is not (shock of shocks) a Republican either. He is LORD. He is King. LORD of lords and KING of kings- this is our G-d.
We (yes, I just said “we”) have forgotten who G-d is. “Who knows and who cares”, just about sums up our collective mindset. We (yes, I just said “we”) have lost “the fear of the LORD”. We do not know who this G-d is. (another period- not to be overlooked).
We might have an idea, we might have an inkling.., but until we “come to the place” of full and complete repentance and unless Someone convicts and convinces of sin, of righteousness and of judgment, we will remain blind, deaf and dumb.
All we (rather inclusive- is it not?) like sheep (with a brain the size of a walnut- not a very complimentary remark- the truth often..ouch) have gone astray. We have turned “every one” (I believe this might include everyone) to his own way. – Yes, we all have our own “opinion”, – don’t we? We have our own way of “seeing” stuff and things.
Read Isaiah 6:1-8. When Isaiah “saw” the LORD and who He was- it was a “gamechanger.” He went from “woe is you (and you and you) to “woe is me.” What made the difference? YHWH revealed Himself to Isaiah. He caught a “glimpse of glory.”
Yeah..”me and Jesus were shaving the other day..”- NOT. -“When I saw him, I fell at His feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. (Revelation 1.17) John caught “sight” of who G-d was and when he did have this “vision” as many before and after him did- his “right response” was to fall at His feet as dead.
You believe that God is one. (wonderful..) “…the demons also believe and tremble.” (James 2:19
When is the last time we “trembled” in the presence of the Holy One. You gonna be “outdone” by a demon? (pitiful indeed..)
Do we believe He is LORD of heaven (and of earth?) Do we believe He is LORD of the telescopic and the microscopic? Do we believe “the (Sovereign) LORD, He is G-d?” Have we, as David, asked.. “Who is this King of Glory?”
Do we even want YHWH to reveal Himself to us? (Wholeheartedly) -“Seek” and you will find. What is it (more accurately- Who is it) we “seek”? (Whom seek ye?-John 18.7)- Or are we even looking?
(looking for love in all the wrong places?..) What impact do these four words have on us: “but G-d is faithful..?” Covenant love -we just don’t even have a clue..
” If the wicked of centuries of rebellion were not enough for God to renege on His covenant with Abraham, what allows replacement theology to suggest that the death of Yeshua was enough to change God’s mind? And if God changed His mind about His promise to Abraham and Israel, what prevents Him from doing so again?”
This is a point well made. If Replacement Theology is correct, then God might replace what is called “Christianity” with something different because of the abuses and rebellion found within the church over the centuries. Consider the crusades, pogroms, and other abuses done in the name of Jesus Christ. We might want to consider our past in condemning the current violence by Muslims today. The acts of violence by both Christians and Muslims are not acceptable. The point is that God is faithful to His covenants even when His people are not. He is not replacing the church and He is not replacing His covenant with Israel. His covenants build on each other and do not replace each other.
Thanks Skip for this encouraging Word for today. Was talking on this topic with my beloved today.
God the King is truly Faithful to His people! Much blessings for the day!
“The acts of violence by both Christians and Muslims are not acceptable.”
Hi Barry,
While I don’t disagree with you, in my view much of violence by Christians, Muslims, and Jews is not acceptable.
Michael,
You make a valid point. At various times throughout history, all three monotheistic religions have inflicted unneccessary violence on the other. However, as I understand history, the Christians and Muslims have been the greatest offenders.
Quoting Barry: “However, as I understand history, the Christians and Muslims have been the greatest offenders.”
Perhaps………but did that not change starting in 1948……….until this present day??
No, I don’t think so. The leader of Iran has stated that it his purpose to eliminate Israel. I don’t believe that you will find any such comment from Israeli leaders. If there is, I am ready to be corrected. I know of no intentional attacks by Israeli’s on Americans or on American soil. To the contrary, the attacks of Muslims against Americans and on Americn soil are well documented. I have heard of no instance of a Jew threatening or taking a life of someone who will not convert to Judaism. In contrast, Muslim mercy killings have been in the news lately. While conservative Jews desire their children to marry other Jews, I have no knowledge of a case where a Jew has killed his or her own child for an intermarriage. Muslims have done so simply upon the occurrence of a date with a non-Muslim. Beginning in 1948, Israel had land and they have defended their land including engaging in wars. I do not attempt to justify every act they have commited as righteous. However, I do draw a distinction between acts during war against military and those acts commmited against civilians. I also recognize that when a people at war conceal themselves among the civilans and engage in war, there will be casualties. Since 1948, how many unprovoked acts of aggression have been made by Israel? Compare this with those of Muslims, and the difference is readily seen. JMO
“I know of no intentional attacks by Israeli’s on Americans or on American soil.”
Hi Barry,
With all due respect, your statement above seems a little naive to me.
Of course there are no attacks by Israel on Americans, Israel is our ally.
The United States and Israel are at war with “third world” Muslim countries.
But not all Muslims in these countries are at war with the United States and Israel.
Many Muslims come to the United States to get away from war and to live a good life.
At Cisco, I worked on one project that had three engineering managers.
One was a Chinese Christian, one was an Iranian Muslim, and one was an Israeli Jew.
There were 30 or 40 engineers who were Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians.
But everyone worked together as one team, one company, one network, with a few exceptions.
Probably because the employees shared the same values: teamwork, integrity, and open communication.
I had this same value-oriented, multi-cultural, experienceat Foundry Networks and VeriSign.
In my view, it was the result of great leadership at the top of the company.
To Barry and Michael:
Quoting Barry: “‘Since 1948, how many unprovoked acts of aggression have been made by Israel? ”
Quoting Michael: “Of course there are no attacks by Israel on Americans, Israel is our ally.”
If you do not know about the report concerning the USS Liberty, I respectively point you to the website:
http://www.ussliberty.org/index2.html.
There is also a book titled “Assault on the Liberty”, written by James M. Ennes, Jr., who was on board that ship when it was attacked.
Quoting Barry,
“Since 1948, how many unprovoked acts of aggression have been made by Israel?”
In my opinion, and together with what I have read of history, the taking of land on which Palestinians lived, along with Jews and Christians for close to 2,000 years, was the greatest and worst unprovoked act of aggression made by Israel/Zionists ever!! The latest “act” has been the attack on the Gaza strip, and the impoverishment of thousands of Palestinian civilians, due to refusal of Israel to allow movement in and out of Gaza, denying those people the necessities of life. They are not even allowed to rebuild what Israel destroyed, because they are not allowed even the basics needed to do that rebuilding.
I am aware of most of the opinions and arguments refuting what I have just said, blaming the Palestinians for shooting rockets into Israel in the only feeble attempt to defend their lives and property available to them. I have been called antisemitic…….even questioned as to whether I’m an Arab…, but neither is true.
A wonderful presentation of the hearts of both Jew and Arab, the personal suffering of one Jewish woman and one Arab man, read the book titled The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan. Their story (true, by the way) gave me so much more understanding of that situation, but especially of the individuals involved on both sides.
Can it be said then that there is grace outside of Jesus? I think not. Or is it that grace can be found outside the church? Depends.
The Church as a hierarchical institution is basically graceless (in many ways), but the church as the living Body of Christ is full of grace. If the ‘replacement’ of the nation of Israel is the institutional church then I say no to replacement theology, but if the ‘replacement’ is the living Body of Christ, well, then there is no such thing as replacement for we are all one in Christ.
AMEN! Ivan, you have written wonderful Truth!!
Quoting: Ga 3:16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.
Ga 3:29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Also: Ga 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
What a good message, Skip!!! Thank you for your diligence.
Let’s not get confused about the Land. Scripture shows that, not only are the Jews the only race of people in Creation to NOT be occupying land (they are the only race living on land that the Owner of the whole world gave to them for every generation), but that they paid for the Land on three separate occasions – even negotiating a price when it was actually given free of charge by the human ‘owner’! And, as all this is recorded in the world, it seems that God knew that someone would dispute the ownership. This is neither to condone or condemn the agenda of the secular government – just stating facts. Shabbat Shalom!
“This is neither to condone or condemn the agenda of the secular government – just stating facts. Shabbat Shalom!”
Amen to that!