(Part 3/3 – A summary of the Sunday morning teaching on 12-Jul-15, in AFT Church, English service. From the series The Foundation For Victorious Living)

The Bible’s description of God as an avenger implies that one day He’ll make every wrong thing right. Deuteronomy 32:35 says, ‘Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.’ God alone has the right to take vengeance and judge evildoers. We have no business meddling with vengeance. Again in Romans 12:19, God says, ‘Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord’. We are called to give place to God to judge and punish.

c) FURIOUS GOD

Fury is generally understood as having uncontrolled anger or blowing one’s lid! But when the Bible talks about fury, it’s referring to ‘controlled fury’. When the Bible says that God is angry with the sinner every day (Psalm 7:11), it means that God’s attitude towards sin is steady and constant. He looks at sin with wrath. But His fury is controlled and relenting towards the sinner.

PURPOSE OF THIS CHARACTER PARADE

Well, now that we have seen the Holy attributes of God, let’s dwell just a bit on why Nahum prophesied like this. In all likelihood, the Ninevites had been attacked by amnesia! They didn’t remember AT ALL about their past repentance and God’s forgiveness! Maybe they mistook God’s mercy and longsuffering for his slackness. Prophet Nahum affirmed God’s characteristics once again so that they wouldn’t mistake His goodness and kindness for granted. It was possible that they had presumed God’s patience as permission to sin.

Does that ring a bell in our minds?

Romans 2:4 and 5 say, ‘Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God’. God is rich in goodness, and that goodness is meant to lead us to repentance. So, Paul wonders whether believers were despising His goodness rather than praising it! Without mincing words, Paul says that if we keep taking advantage of God’s goodness, then one day His wrath and judgment will be dumped on us!

CONCLUSION

2 Peter 3:3, 4, 9 say, ‘knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.’ Jesus’ glorious return is imminent and certain! He has been gracious, patient and longsuffering so that nobody should perish. As much as He is Jealous, Furious and Vengeful in His attitude, God does not want us to be lost. He loves us and is willing to wait so that we could turn back to Him.

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