Israel, from the time of Abraham until the Exile to Babylon, understood that they were a people of God. And they expected the benefits that come from being close to God. They expected his love, his power…
and his protection.
They began by admiring that connection…
maybe even a little surprised by the fact that he had chosen them…
instead of a really big nation like Egypt…
and maybe humble, and understanding how unworthy they were.
It’s the way I feel when I consider a perfect God, accepting a totally imperfect me.
For Israel, as the years went by, they grew accustomed to having him there. They expected his help often and got it. At times he allowed bad things to happen but on the whole he was there pretty much every time they called – and even when they didn’t.
The feeling of unworthy admiration began to give way to a comfortable confidence.
Little by little…
as their disobedience grew…
their comfortable confidence began to give way…
to pride.
I’m continuing a series on the event that God used to humble a too proud nation – the Exile of Israel to Babylon. It’s part of a larger series on “the fullness of time” – the perfect moment in the history of the world for Our Lord to save all who would accept his gift.
Exile has seven parts so far, part one is here, two is here, three is here, and and four, and five and six (in case you’d like to peek) ツ
Israel may have thought God would never let them be defeated. He had made a promise to set up an everlasting kingdom. Even if they were disloyal to him, they must have thought that he would surely never abandon them. What began with a humble admiration, had, by the time of Exile, concluded with an unjustified arrogance.
It sounds all too familiar to ignore.
God had called the Israelites back many times; he had rescued them just as often, he had warned them, chided them, and pleaded with them. But by the time of the Exile there may have only been one option left.
We know it was the best option because he did it. If God is God, then any option he chooses must, by virtue of his power and love, be the best available choice. And God is God. He does not make mistakes, and so the option he correctly chose to humble their haughty heart, was defeat and Exile.
Yesterday I shared part of Leviticus 26…
written a thousand years before Exile…
One. Thousand. Years…
while they were still playing a game of desert Marco…Polo…Marco…Polo…
It continues from where I left off…
…Then, when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they make amends for their guilt, I will remember my covenant…” (LEV 26:41)
Exile leaves you aware of what could have been,
and convicted of why it had to happen,
and maybe depressed, and dark…
and if served well…
that darkness gets nudged to humility.
I know this, I really know this…
and someday I’ll share a story Exile…
not of Israel…
but someone we both know…
and someone only God knows…
better than me. (⌣˛⌣)
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Ah, Craig,
The part that shouted to me today was this:
We know it was the best option because he did it. If God is God, then any option he chooses must, by virtue of his power and love, be the best available choice. And God is God. He does not make mistakes, and so the option he correctly chose to humble their haughty heart, was defeat and Exile.
Wow! My sister is suffering, really suffering, over something that happened a year ago to her. It was truly unjust and her spirit crumbled under its weight. She has been dealing with anger and bitterness ever since. She wants those who did this to her to “have to pay”. We have been talking about God’s perfect timing and vengeance. How only He can get revenge because only He knows how to use it for the good, that we must wait on Him. She’s found Joyce Meyer’s book “Battlefield of the Mind” to be very helpful. I have found your Exile series to be very helpful.
Thank you,
Dawn
first of all, have I told you that is a baby Christian – maybe 25 years ago – I met Joyce Meyer while she was just teaching a group of 10 to 15 people once a week in a house – a small house. I went a few times – but it was too far away so I stopped. She’s come a bit of the way since then ツ. second I want to let you know that I just took a moment to pray for your sister. Third thank you for saying that my exile series is helpful fourth – run over – or have her run over to Deep Into Love – in the Lots of Loves section – under love forgives – I’ve written a lot on forgiveness – of all the things in Christianity that are difficult for me – forgiveness comes pretty easy. All except for one person – and I even ended up forgiving him ツ So there’s good stuff there – at least I heart it. Dawn, thank you as always – and your comment from the other day still has me tearing up a little. God bless and keep you
…Then, when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they make amends for their guilt, I will remember my covenant…” (LEV 26:41)
Such a great verse . . . I don’t believe He forgets His covenant . . . He just needs us to be in the right place for Him to act upon His covenant. Such redeeming love, to provide a way for us to be humbled, to crush the pride that separates us from the benefits of His love, provision and protection.
Really enjoying this series, Craig.
yeah, Andrea Dawn, I’m not a big fan of some of the Old Testament terms like “fear of the Lord “– which doesn’t really mean fear – as in “scared” – although that’s part of the meaning – because if we are on his wrong side – well – we don’t want to be there. But you probably know already that it means more like awe and respect. This “remembering” is the same way. I’m with you God doesn’t forget anything – a perfect God has a perfect memory. But there’s a section in I think Proverbs where it talks about wisdom – and wisdom has always been understood as Jesus in that proverb – hold on let me google – looking, looking, looking, – Chapter 4 – no – chapter 8 – there it is – 8:24-ish or so, where it says that God “brought forth” wisdom. And in the Hebrew it’s a word that means to bring forth something that’s already there. Like a shopkeeper would go to the back storeroom to bring out a special item. It kind of wasn’t there – but it really was. Know what I mean? So I look upon his “remembering” in this way – he doesn’t forget – but he can lay aside the memory – as in forgiving and “forgetting” our sins. Make sense”? Let me know if this helped a little – I only know it – because I struggled with the same thing. God bless and keep you Andrea Dawn, and thank you.
Craig, the sentence that leaped out for me in this was “It’s the way I feel when I consider a perfect God, accepting a totally imperfect me.” What amazing grace! My post tomorrow deals with this very same concept: who am I that you, God, are mindful of me? Nothing will move us to humility quicker than knowing how small we are, yet how loved we are.
I have a quick question, too: When, at the Last Supper, Jesus used the word “covenant” to describe his blood poured out for the salvation of many, wouldn’t his disciples have understood “covenant” to be an agreement only between God and man? That’s my gut feeling, but I never studied theology, and I was hoping you could help here.
Blessing to you, Craig, and thank you for all the inspiration you give!
you know, Martha, I don’t remember that often enough. That’s why I wrote it that way. It’s how I feel “when” I remember. To always keep that in the front of my mind would be a constantly humbling act.
Anyway your question – and I think I get what you’re asking – covenants – although they have a lot more weight when they’re with God – can be made between humans too. People made covenants with each other all the time in the Old Testament – and marriage is a “covenant” relationship between husband and wife. But covenants made with God are a tad bit more substantial I’d say ツ. I hope it helps – let me know if I didn’t answer it well enough. God bless and keep you – and thank you Martha.
This Exile series is so important, so relevant, for us all. Thank you. And the part that is speaking to me? The end . . .the person that God knows better than you.
Heart that.
God bless you and praying for you to have a good weekend, filled with His love!
I hope I wasn’t too clever with that last line – I could’ve just simply said “me” – but I got a little bit flowery with the language. I’m talking about me. You probably got that. Or if you didn’t – it sounds like what you got was special – so I’d stay with that if I were you ツ. Thank you for enjoying the exiles series – exile just never gets enough attention. And it really does fit in with the whole “fullness of time” thing. God bless and keep you Debbie!
The Israelites were really a case of “familiarity leads to contempt,” weren’t they. And so are we.
Thank you for continuing to draw the jewels out of the word.
yes, yes they were – and yes, yes, so are we ツ brilliantly put Michelle! And thank you – and as always – God bless you.
Craig, this series is very good-even when read in reverse. I laughed at the sign…thanks for that medicine. But, also, I very much appreciate the insights about the exiled ones (us at times, yes?) to help me refocus. And I really hearted the comment to Deb about staying with what she got that was special even if the meaning was different than what you intended.
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