Don't Take God's Patience for Granted

The story of Israel and Judah, as read from 1st Kings all the way to 2nd Chronicles is mainly characterised by a people who often forgot God and rebelled in sin, yet upon repentance they were restored to a right relationship with God.  Also noteworthy is that often the Lord withheld His anger and wrath against His people and did not treat them as their sin deserved.  This clearly demonstrates God's compassion, mercy, and immeasurable love for His people.  

Here are some scriptural examples where God forgave His people whenever they called upon Him in repentance:

• 1st Kings 21:29- Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me?  Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.
• 1st Chron 21:26-27- David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.  He called on the Lord, and the Lord answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offerings.  Then the Lord spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.
• 2nd Chron 32:25-26- But Hezekiah's heart was proud and did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord's wrath was on him...Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem, therefore the Lord's wrath did not come upon Him during the days of Hezekiah.
• 2nd Chron 33:12- In his (King Manasseh) distress he sought the favour of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.  And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea.
• 2nd Chron 34:27- Because your (King Josiah's) heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declared the Lord.

True repentance ought to always be our response to the realisation of sin in our lives.  When God confronts your sin, you should run into His presence in repentance, because that's where you will find mercy, healing and restoration.  When David was confronted by prophet Nathan concerning his sin with Bathsheba, he sought God's mercy and compassion and repented of his sin.  For example, Psalms 51:1-2 states, Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.  Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.  In another incidence, when David realised that he had sinned by numbering his fighting men, he said to prophet Gad in 1st Chron 21:13, "I am in deep distress.  Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men." 

Unfortunately, many people when confronted by God to deal with sin in their lives respond contrary to His Word: they harden their hearts in rebellion; justify their sinful living; hide it 'under the carpet' and hope that God will understand and condone their sinful lifestyle; and /or show acts of repentance to please those around them and purge their guilt, but their hearts remain unchanged and set on sin.  Such responses greatly grieves God because His desire is that none should perish, but all should reach repentance.  2nd Peter 3:9 states, The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Prior to both Samaria and Jerusalem's fall, God had made numerous attempts through His prophets and Kings who feared God, to draw His people back to Himself.  However, they ignored God's clarion call to repentance and in their rebellion persisted in sin.  Regarding Samaria, 2nd Kings 17:22-23 states, The Israelites persisted in all the sins of Jeroboam and did not turn away from them until the Lord removed them from his presence, as he had warned through all his servants the prophets.   Also regarding Jerusalem, 2nd Chronicles 36:15 states, The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place.  But they mocked God's messangers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.  Consequently, Samaria was taken captive by King of Assyria and in later years, Judah was taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.  The Israelites mistook the long time period between God's message of punishment for their sin and its actual happening, to be God's slowness to His promises.  They were wrong!  God was simply giving them time to repent.

Queen Jezebel's life is a perfect example of a person who failed to take advantage of God's patience and so failed to reach repentance.  In 1st Kings 21, prophet Elijah spoke God's Word against Ahab and his family, for they had provoked God's anger through their wickedness and had led Israel to sin.  Despite King Ahab's (Jezebel' husband) wickedness, his response was remarkable: he humbled himself before God (1st Kings 21:29).  Queen Jezebel saw the fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy unfolding over the next thirteen years e.g. After three years from the time the prophecy was given, Ahab her husband was killed in battle; two years later, her son Ahaziah died in accordance to God's Word; eight years later, Joram her son was killled and his body was thrown into Naboth's field (field belonging to the man whom his father Ahab had killed).  Jezebel was given ample time to repent; God gave her an opportunity to see His Word come to pass, with a desire that she would turn back to Him.  Despite numerous opportunities for repentance, Jezebel did not turn back to God and her end was heart breaking: they (the palace eunuchs) threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot....when they went to bury her, they found nothing except her skull, her feet and her hands...(in fulfilment of prophecy) Jezreel dogs will devour Jezebel's flesh (2nd Kings 9:33-37).  It is a dreadful thing to be subject of God's wrath!

You and I should desire to be responsive to God's word; and to be broken and contrite in spirit.  These virtues characterised David: he trembled at God's word such that repentance was his natural response to sin in his life.  He was broken and contrite in spirit which made God's heart to always be moved by compassion whenever he called to Him in repentance.  Honestly answering the following questions will help you to assess the current condition of your heart:

• Do I tremble at God's Word whenever I hear it, and do I respond to it in faith to obey God's commands?  Or, have I become so familiar with God's Word that I treat it with contempt?
• Do I weep and groan in humility and ask for God's forgiveness upon realisation of sin in my life, my family, nation etc?

With the Lord, there is no injustice, partiality or bribery (2nd Chron 19:7)- He rewards righteousness and punishes sin.  God is holy and hates sin.  The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).  God is love and He also is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).  We live in a post-modern society in which sin is camouflaged, justified and accommodated in the spirit of liberalism, intellectualism and tolerance.  You and I are definitely more modern today than previous generations, our values may have adjusted over time, and our life's priorities and pursuits may have changed.  However, God's Word remains the same, and against that Standard only, shall we be judged on the Final Day of Judgement!