Little Thoughts on Big Questions
The troubling tension came to light again today in 2 Samuel 24:1, where God's anger is cited as the reason for David's fatal mistake of ‘numbering’ his men, and so costing Israel 70,000 lives within days:
“…the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He incited David against them, saying, ‘Go, and take a census…’”
Why would God stir up David to something which would not only be a prideful act, but would also bring about such destruction – except that He had ordained judgment, and found in David a tool by which to execute it?
Ezekiel 3:20 also touches on the thought of God’s instituting a stumbling block so as to bring about a downfall: “‘… when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die…’”
It isn’t that God would tempt anyone to evil (see James 1:13-14), but that – like when He gave permission to a “deceiving spirit” to ‘entice and prevail’ against Ahab, already condemned (1 Kings 22:22-23) – He is implementing what look like less-than-righteous tools to bring about a righteous result.
...which leaves me puzzling. It was Pharaoh’s hardness of heart which brought the liberation of Israel; Joseph’s imprisonment which preserved Egypt in famine; Christ’s crucifixion which delivered us from death. The tools God chooses are rarely pleasant to behold.
And yet, does that make God Machiavellian in nature? A ruler who, disregarding the brutality of the “means,” is occupied only with the final outcome? And how could He – unless He had relinquished some of His authority – maintain total benevolence while having full control over every evil action?
Perhaps the flaw is in thinking that the tools must reflect the nature of the One using them. Perhaps it is my own short-sightedness which argues that, in order for God to preserve His righteousness, He could not “dirty” His hands with those aspects of our Fall - hardness of heart, deception, prideful scheming – which He despises, and which are so contrary to His nature.
But perhaps what I miss is that God omnipotent, whose judgments are righteous (Psalm 7:11; Psalm 96:13) and whose kindness is over all His works (Psalm 145:9, 17; Psalm 119:68), has taken hold of His prerogative to wield any tool He wishes. He does not give His approval to pride and deceit, any more than He does to nails and thorns. Nor does He “resort” to utilizing such hateful tools, as though He must salvage good through some lesser means. Instead, He chooses to use those very items of darkness as pawns in its unraveling.
For He yields the most thorough victory, not in destroying the Enemy with weapons of righteousness, but in defeating him with the very ammunition the Foe had brandished against Him. For in wielding His power over those destructive forces which have most opposed His righteousness, God presents proof that there is nothing within His hands which He cannot masterfully employ for good. As Psalm 119:91 says to our Risen and Righteous Lord with utter persuasion: “All things are Your servants.”
“…the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He incited David against them, saying, ‘Go, and take a census…’”
Why would God stir up David to something which would not only be a prideful act, but would also bring about such destruction – except that He had ordained judgment, and found in David a tool by which to execute it?
Ezekiel 3:20 also touches on the thought of God’s instituting a stumbling block so as to bring about a downfall: “‘… when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die…’”
It isn’t that God would tempt anyone to evil (see James 1:13-14), but that – like when He gave permission to a “deceiving spirit” to ‘entice and prevail’ against Ahab, already condemned (1 Kings 22:22-23) – He is implementing what look like less-than-righteous tools to bring about a righteous result.
...which leaves me puzzling. It was Pharaoh’s hardness of heart which brought the liberation of Israel; Joseph’s imprisonment which preserved Egypt in famine; Christ’s crucifixion which delivered us from death. The tools God chooses are rarely pleasant to behold.
And yet, does that make God Machiavellian in nature? A ruler who, disregarding the brutality of the “means,” is occupied only with the final outcome? And how could He – unless He had relinquished some of His authority – maintain total benevolence while having full control over every evil action?
Perhaps the flaw is in thinking that the tools must reflect the nature of the One using them. Perhaps it is my own short-sightedness which argues that, in order for God to preserve His righteousness, He could not “dirty” His hands with those aspects of our Fall - hardness of heart, deception, prideful scheming – which He despises, and which are so contrary to His nature.
But perhaps what I miss is that God omnipotent, whose judgments are righteous (Psalm 7:11; Psalm 96:13) and whose kindness is over all His works (Psalm 145:9, 17; Psalm 119:68), has taken hold of His prerogative to wield any tool He wishes. He does not give His approval to pride and deceit, any more than He does to nails and thorns. Nor does He “resort” to utilizing such hateful tools, as though He must salvage good through some lesser means. Instead, He chooses to use those very items of darkness as pawns in its unraveling.
For He yields the most thorough victory, not in destroying the Enemy with weapons of righteousness, but in defeating him with the very ammunition the Foe had brandished against Him. For in wielding His power over those destructive forces which have most opposed His righteousness, God presents proof that there is nothing within His hands which He cannot masterfully employ for good. As Psalm 119:91 says to our Risen and Righteous Lord with utter persuasion: “All things are Your servants.”
posted by Purple at 10:39 AM
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