FROM PASTOR TIM JOHNSON:
With apologies for a one day delay in writing this, thank you all for your comments from Sunday’s message. For this coming Sunday, if you read Jeremiah 50-51 you will be familiar with the context of the message, which will concentrate on unpacking the rise and fall of Babylon.
The groundwork was laid this past Sunday as Jeremiah leveled strong words of judgement on eight nations. However, recall that four of those eight will be restored in the last days: Egypt, Moab, Ammon and Elam.
God always offers mercy with His judgements. He is just; “Shall not the judge of the earth do what is right?” (Genesis 18:25). There will always be a remnant, there will always be a means by which God completes His salvation plan.
I acknowledge that it is difficult to reconcile the question of God’s judgement on those who did not have the Old Testament to guide them any more than we are able to reconcile how those who are seemingly “good” people will be separated from Christ for eternity (i.e., dwelling in eternal, conscious torment – hell) because they did not trust Jesus.
Paul nails it when he challenges us with his penetrating question in Romans 9:20 “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” God poses a similar question to Job in chapters 38-41.
I pray my Uncle Richard accepted God’s justice, though it’s hard to comprehend, instead of relying on his own sense of what constitutes justice. Only those who genuinely recognize and acknowledge the depth of their own sin can possibly accept that they are incapable of knowing what is true justice.
But our God does, and that’s why He judged Judah, and yet promised a future (Jeremiah 29:11). And that’s why He sent Jesus to die in our place. He is just.
Joining you in trusting our just God,
Pastor Tim