July 10, 2011 Same God

Same God
Read Jeremiah 14-16

Jer 15:2 This is what the LORD says: “‘Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.’”
&
Jer 16:15 For I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers.

A GREAT lie exists in the world today. It says that the God of the Old Testament is a God of Judgment, and the God of the New Testament is a God of Grace who forgives.
Not true. God is the same throughout the Bible. Jeremiah’s words clearly show that God judges, and he restores. Amid the judgment over Jerusalem comes grace that delivers Jerusalem from its punishment to rich blessings.
And in the New Testament you will read of Jesus’ judgments against those who oppose him and the Father. Then comes the cross, and Jesus offers a way to restore people to the Father.
My friends, God, as a perfect Father, cannot tolerate sin. And as a perfect Father, he offers a way out of the sin. God uses judgment to stir our hearts out of darkness that we may see his light of restoration.
In “Old Testament” days, your salvation was on the line when Jerusalem disobeyed. If God had punished his people and not restored them, we would have no Savior. But God had a plan before time began to save you. Amid all these horrible happenings God had to keep the plan alive.
In his judgment, God showed his restoration perfected in Jesus Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension. As a good Father, God kept his promise for his people then and restored them. You can trust he will keep his promise for you, too—forever.


Pause and Consider: that God is constant. All he wants to do is to make you his own. Why wouldn’t we want that relationship with him?