Mercy Said No

Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And He could bear Israel's misery no longer.

(Judges 10:6)

Sin, punishment, repentance and salvation are the major themes in the book of Judges. The stories in this book play out like a recurring bad dream: Israel does wrong; God delivers them into the hand s of their oppressors; Israel cries out to the Delivering God, Yahweh shows up and acts out on their behalf through a divinely appointed leader; deliverance comes; the people are faithful for a while; the land has rest and yields its increase; Israel forgets God; Israel does wrong; and well...the nightmare continues...

However, the cycle breaks in Chapter 10...in the going back to God to ask for forgiveness stage of the cycle, they say there usual prayer...of course looking sorrowful and pitiful(Ok, the Bible does not say that), " We  have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals"...and the answer this time round was not as expected. God answered,"...But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!" :CRINGE: How would you feel if God told you that? I would probably like Job say..."If only you would hide me in the grave & conceal me till your anger has passed! If only yo would set me a time and then remember me!" Coz, honestly, how will i live knowing God wants nothing to do with me? How does even thinking about that make you feel? I don't know about you but there is no way I can make it through this life without God.

...and He could bear their misery no longer. Verse 16 of Judges 10, however, introduces us to the heart of God. A heart of mercy. He cannot just watch us suffer. He is a forgiving Father, the only one capable of forgiving and forgetting. Israel went back to God and asked to be forgiven and be rescued from the hands of their oppressors. They did not stop at asking for forgiveness, they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served God...and God could not bear their misery no longer.

Thats the kind of heart our Father has. He cannot bear seeing us suffer. If only we could get rid of the gods that we have chosen to worship other than Him, the things that we have put before Him. the things that we have worshiped, the things that act as barriers between Him and us...we know what they are, may be not...and He will deliver us from the hand of the enemy who is oppressing us day and night.  

We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God but He is faithful and just and will forgive us from all unrighteousness only if we confess...Gods forgiveness is complete, it is everlasting and it is always available. What joy it is to know that God willingly and gladly release us from the debt of sin and restores our fellowship with Him.

We are shaped in iniquity(Psalm 51:5) and our greatness need therefore is that of forgiveness. God forgives our sin, removes it completely and forgets it forever. He is merciful in deed. Thanks to Him that Jesus Christ has met this need and has restored our fellowship with our heavenly Father!!