In today's reading of Job we see a lot about the punishment of the wicked and how often the candle of the wicked is put out... and yet in all of these we see that God is not a vindictive God, as Inspiration tells us, but He wounds only to heal, to draw hearts back to Himself. It is not His desire to destroy the wicked... but they bring these things upon themselves.
Listen to these two powerful statements from EGW that I just read this morning. Puts things in perspective...
"God is Himself the source of all mercy. His name is 'merciful and gracious.' Exodus 34:6. He does not treat us according to our [sins]. He does not ask if we are worthy of His love, but He pours upon us the riches of His love, to make us worthy. He is not vindictive. He seeks not to punish, but to redeem. Even the severity which He manifests through His providences is manifested for the salvation of the wayward. He yearns with intense desire to relieve the woes of men and to apply His balsam to their wounds. It is true that God 'will by no means clear the guilty' (Exodus 34:7), but He would take away the guilt." (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, p. 22)Yet there comes a time when He says, "NO MORE!" And He will vindicate His people from the power and oppression of those who stubbornly refuse to be drawn by His love...
"God’s judgments will be visited upon those who are seeking to oppress and destroy His people. His long forbearance with the wicked emboldens men in transgression, but their punishment is nonetheless certain and terrible because it is long delayed. 'The Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, He shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act.' Isaiah 28:21. To our merciful God the act of punishment is a strange act. 'As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.' Ezekiel 33:11. The Lord is 'merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, ... forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.' Yet He will 'by no means clear the guilty.' 'The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.' Exodus 34:6, 7; Nahum 1:3. By terrible things in righteousness He will vindicate the authority of His downtrodden law. The severity of the retribution awaiting the transgressor may be judged by the Lord’s reluctance to execute justice. The nation with which He bears long, and which He will not smite until it has filled up the measure of its iniquity in God’s account, will finally drink the cup of wrath unmixed with mercy." (Great Controversy, p. 627)
Let's stay tender to the voice of God and the Holy Spirit. And when it seems we are being chastened by the Lord, may these trials turn our hearts closer to Him.
Tomorrow's Reading: Job 22-23 and Psalm 85
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