Compare God's judgment in Ezekiel 7:8 with His mercy in John 3:16. God’s Righteous Judgment—Ezekiel 7:8 “I will pour out My wrath upon you and exhaust My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways and repay you for all your abominations.” • Context: Judah’s persistent idolatry, violence, and covenant breaking (Ezekiel 7:1-7). • Key words: “wrath,” “exhaust,” “judge,” “repay”—God’s response to unrepentant sin is measured but severe. • Principles revealed: – God’s holiness demands justice (Psalm 99:4). – Judgment is not random; it is “according to your ways” (Galatians 6:7—“For whatever a man sows, he will reap in return”). – Wrath serves a moral purpose: to expose sin’s seriousness and defend His glory. God’s Overflowing Mercy—John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” • Context: Jesus explaining new birth to Nicodemus (John 3:1-15). • Key words: “loved,” “gave,” “believes,” “eternal life”—the offer of rescue rather than doom. • Principles revealed: – God’s initiating love reaches a rebellious world (Romans 5:8). – Mercy does not ignore justice; it satisfies it through the Son’s sacrifice (Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21). – The condition is faith, not performance, yet the offer is universal (“everyone”). Judgment and Mercy Held Together • Same God, consistent character: holy (Habakkuk 1:13) yet gracious (Exodus 34:6-7). • Judgment highlights the worth of mercy; mercy reveals a costly alternative to wrath. • Cross at the center: wrath poured on Christ instead of the believer (Romans 3:25-26). • Warning and invitation operate side by side (2 Peter 3:9: God “is patient…, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance”). Personal Application: Living in Light of Both • Take sin seriously—God does (1 Peter 1:16). • Treasure Christ’s gift—only He averts deserved judgment (Acts 4:12). • Walk in grateful obedience, not fearful avoidance (Titus 2:11-12). • Share the message faithfully: judgment is real, mercy is available (Matthew 28:19-20). |
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