Reconciling the apparent contradiction between God's love and His justice 540 - 6 - 6

The story of Job addresses the question, “How are the goodness and justice of God reconciled with the suffering and pain in the world.

2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” So here Paul tells us that Scripture specks to what is right, what is not right, how to get it right and how to stay right.

In the next chapter of 2 Timothy Paul tells us what will happen/ is happening. 2 Timothy 4:3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;”

We serve a loving God, however, he is also a righteous God who will not tolerate the presence of sin. Of ourselves we can do nothing to earn our acceptance before God. Jesus was our propitiation and while we are justified before God, we need to set ourselves apart from a sinful world and work on our sanctification.

Most of the televangelists seem to treat God in a casual way; almost as a genie in a bottle. The name it and claim it prosperity televangelists pervert Bible passages to generate income; Malachi 3:10, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” What many seem to ignore is that while we may have a loving God we also have a righteous God.

The justice of our righteous God often results in judgment. Ultimately, all will be judged; some at the Bema Seat judgment and some of the White throne judgment. Philippians 2:10, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;" Those of us who are justified through the blood of Christ will be judged at the Bema seat.

As for those who persecute the followers of Jesus, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 speaks to their ultimate destination. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9, “6, Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7, And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8,  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9, Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”

How does Isaiah 5:1-7 impact us here today? 532-2 - 15 - 1

About a year ago I answered is a discussion question in another KI class, "What is God’s greatest problem? How is it resolved?” God’s greatest problem is just how does a righteous God forgive sins without compromising His righteousness? Of our many sins one that I suspect that will really bring down God’s hedge of protection will be our arrogance and disobedience in our treatment of his chosen people.

According to CM, God's has three Alternatives:

#1 He can indulge it and allow it to go on forever;
#2 He can force man into automata;
#3 He can withdraw Himself.

IMO any indulging our sins by God, alternative #1, is quickly coming to an end. We are not automats so we are left with alternative #3. God can choose to withdraw himself from us by withdrawing His hedge of protection from America. Given world events, it would seem that any hedge of protection has long since been removed from many other countries and is being removed from American.

Jeremiah 19:3-5 as well as Isaiah 5:1-7 seem as applicable today as when they were proclaimed thousands of years ago.

In his book “The Harbinger: The ancient mystery that holds the secret of America's Future” Jonathan Cahn discloses that when attacked by the Assyrians, those in the northern kingdom boasted, "The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars." Isaiah 9:10. Rabbi Cahn said that 911 was a shaking, however, rather than repenting, two of our leaders quoted Isaiah 9:10 and most in the country wanted to rebuild the towers taller and better. We would seem that we are on track for a definite pruning.

Isaiah 5:6 includes “I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.” Interesting and timely article, “West Coast Is “On Track for Having the Worst Drought in 500 Years”

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2014/02/west-coast-track-worst-drought-500-years.html

And of course we are again meddling in Israel’s right to the land deeded to her by God in His unconditional covenant. Isaiah 5:5, “And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down.”

God will not be mocked and will continue taking down the hedge of protection that we in the United States have long enjoyed. Interestingly enough, a group of rabbis are reacting to John Kerry’s bulling of Israel and threatening an embargo. “U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is now being warned he’s risking the divine wrath of God if he continues plans for Israel that some feel is a war against the Almighty.”

http://www.wnd.com/2014/02/divine-wrath-of-god-threat-on-kerrys-head/#i8xP73o0msJdlgFD.99

Indeed, these are very interesting times that we live in.