The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Micah 1:6-7,
"Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble, a place for planting vineyards. I will pour her stones into the valley and lay bare her foundations. All her idols will be broken to pieces; all her temple gifts will be burned with fire; I will destroy all her images."
Throughout the Scriptures the Lord reveals much of himself. We call the Scriptures God's revelation because he reveals himself, his intentions and his agenda within its pages. One theme he revisits over and over again is the two primary aspects of his nature: justice and love.
When God revealed himself to Moses on Mount Sinai, he proclaimed this of himself, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation." Exodus 34:6-7. Love and justice. In another place, the Lord said though the prophet Jeremiah, "Let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," Jeremiah 9:24. Love and justice.
These two primary aspects of God's nature are on full display in Micah. The book begins with the announcement of the Lord's judgment of Israel's northern kingdom. Micah 1:6-7. This the Lord completes in 722 BC when the Assyrians destroyed Samaria. The book ends with the expression of the Lord's love and kindness, "Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago." Micah 7:18-20. This will find its ultimate fulfillment when Jesus Christ returns to bring his salvation for all those who are his, Hebrews 9:28.
Love and justice. As we read in Jeremiah 9:24, these are the qualities the Lord wants us to know of himself. Some have God all confused. Some think he is a god of justice in the Old Testament and a god of Love in the New. Hardly an accurate conclusion to arrive at if we read our Bibles. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Lord is consistently both thoughout the ages. The closing book of the New Testament describes Jesus Christ as not only like a lamb who had been slain, but also, "He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty." Revelation 19:15.
The Lord wants us to know of him. He wants us to know of his justice and his love. He also wants us to know what his plans are for mankind and just what it is he is up to during our day - he is building his kingdom!
To read our Bibles is to know the Lord. To read Micah is an excellent place to start to begin to understand who our Lord is - what he is like.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble, a place for planting vineyards. I will pour her stones into the valley and lay bare her foundations. All her idols will be broken to pieces; all her temple gifts will be burned with fire; I will destroy all her images."
Throughout the Scriptures the Lord reveals much of himself. We call the Scriptures God's revelation because he reveals himself, his intentions and his agenda within its pages. One theme he revisits over and over again is the two primary aspects of his nature: justice and love.
When God revealed himself to Moses on Mount Sinai, he proclaimed this of himself, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation." Exodus 34:6-7. Love and justice. In another place, the Lord said though the prophet Jeremiah, "Let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," Jeremiah 9:24. Love and justice.
These two primary aspects of God's nature are on full display in Micah. The book begins with the announcement of the Lord's judgment of Israel's northern kingdom. Micah 1:6-7. This the Lord completes in 722 BC when the Assyrians destroyed Samaria. The book ends with the expression of the Lord's love and kindness, "Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago." Micah 7:18-20. This will find its ultimate fulfillment when Jesus Christ returns to bring his salvation for all those who are his, Hebrews 9:28.
Love and justice. As we read in Jeremiah 9:24, these are the qualities the Lord wants us to know of himself. Some have God all confused. Some think he is a god of justice in the Old Testament and a god of Love in the New. Hardly an accurate conclusion to arrive at if we read our Bibles. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Lord is consistently both thoughout the ages. The closing book of the New Testament describes Jesus Christ as not only like a lamb who had been slain, but also, "He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty." Revelation 19:15.
The Lord wants us to know of him. He wants us to know of his justice and his love. He also wants us to know what his plans are for mankind and just what it is he is up to during our day - he is building his kingdom!
To read our Bibles is to know the Lord. To read Micah is an excellent place to start to begin to understand who our Lord is - what he is like.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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