PUNISHMENT, PITY AND PARDON

“And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since You our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such deliverance as this" (Ezra 9:13 NKJV).

After returning from captivity, Israel sinned greatly against God. They were doing abominable things including not separating themselves from the heathen. Further, many Israelites had married heathen wives. Under Ezra’s leadership, these Israelites repented of their sin. Our text is taken from Ezra’s prayer and speaks of the punishment from God, the pity of God, and the pardon of God.

Punishment – “After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt.” These words are a sobering reminder that God does and will punish sin. Israel’s past sins had resulted in oppression and captivity by their. The pleasures of sin quickly turned into the punishment for sin. The consequences of sin are echoed by Ezra’s prayer. Many folk think they can live sinful lives and not be punished. Yet in Scripture, God warns that punishment will come for doing evil.

Pity – “God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve.” Here Ezra speaks of God’s mercy. If you are still alive, you have been punished less than you deserve. Although deserving hell, believers in Jesus have been given salvation. We can all testify that we have been “punished less than our iniquities deserve.” People often complain that their troubles are more than they deserve. But the opposite is always true.

Pardon – “And have given us such deliverance as this.” This great deliverance is evidenced of God’s pardon. Israel had repented and so was delivered from their enemies. This pardon is Gospel language. Though sinners deserve death, God in mercy through Christ pardons the repenting sinner and delivers them from eternal condemnation.

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“The measure of God’s love is that He loves without measure!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Doers

In Jam. 1:22 we read, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (NKJV).

Doers is the Greek word poiētēs (ποιητής = poy-ay-tace'). It means maker, poet, and author. In Classical Greek poiētēs refers to one who does something, a maker or workman. It readily passes into the meaning of poet, composer of music, or author. There is no reference to poiētēs in the Septuagint. In the New Testament poiētēs is used once in the sense of poet in Acts 17:28, but translated elsewhere as doer.

And so James warns that it is not enough simply to hear the Word; we must do it. Many people have the mistaken idea that hearing a good sermon or Bible study is what makes them grow and get God’s blessing. It is not the hearing but the doing that brings the blessing. Too many Christians mark their Bibles, but their Bibles never mark them! If you think you are spiritual because you hear the Word, then you are only kidding yourself.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – Messiah would come to bring a sword, not peace (Mic. 7:6)

New Testament Fulfillment – Matt. 10:34-36

Bible Facts

Microorganisms anticipated (Ex. 22:31). The Bible warns “Whatever dies naturally or is torn by beasts he shall not eat, to defile himself with it: I am the LORD” (Lev. 22:8 NKJV). Today we understand that a decaying carcass is full of disease causing germs

Bible Quiz

In the parable of the tenants, what did the tenants do to the vineyard owner’s son?

**Answer to last week’s trivia: What is the name of the mountain on which Noah’s ark came to rest? Ararat (Gen. 8:4).

That’s in the Bible

"Gall and wormwood”

“Remember my affliction and roaming, the wormwood and the gall” (Lam. 3:19 KJV).

“Gall and wormwood” - The expression “gall and wormwood” refers to a bitter experience to endure. Although he was experiencing pain and sorrow, Jeremiah called to mind the faithfulness of the Lord, and this gave him hope. Jeremiah turned from contemplating his misery to remembering God’s mercy. Unbelief causes us to look at God through our circumstances, and this creates hopelessness. On the other hand, faith enables us to look at our circumstances through the reality of God, and this gives us hope

Did You Know - Christian History

John Newton was born in Wapping, London, in 1725. He was an English Anglican clergyman who served as a sailor in the Royal Navy, and former slave ship master. It took him a long time to speak out against the Slave Trade but he had an influence on many young evangelical Christians, particularly William Wilberforce.

At just 11 years old, Newton went to sea with his father. In 1743 he was on his way to a position as a slave master on a plantation in Jamaica, when he was pressed into naval service. He became a midshipman but after demotion for trying to desert, he requested an exchange to a slave ship bound for West Africa.

Eventually he reached the coast of Sierra Leone where he became the servant of an abusive slave trader. In 1748, he was rescued by a sea captain and returned to England. During a storm, when it was thought the ship might sink, he prayed for deliverance. This experience began his conversion to evangelical Christianity. Later, while aboard a slave vessel bound for the West Indies, he became ill with a violent fever and asked for God’s mercy; an experience he claimed was the turning point in his life.

Despite this, he continued to participate in the Slave Trade. After a serious illness in 1754, Newton finally gave up seafaring ways and became a priest in 1764. He became well known for his pastoral care and was respected by both Anglicans and nonconformists. So popular was his preaching, that the church could not accommodate all those who flocked to hear him.

He collaborated with William Cowper to produce a volume of hymns, including Amazing Grace. After he became Rector of St Mary Woolnoth, in London in 1779, his advice was sought by many influential figures in Georgian society, among them the young M.P., William Wilberforce. Wilberforce was contemplating leaving politics for the ministry. Newton encouraged him to stay in Parliament and ‘serve God where he was.’ Wilberforce took his advice, and spent the rest of his life working towards the abolition of slavery.

In 1787, Newton wrote a tract supporting the campaign, ‘Thoughts upon the African Slave Trade,’ which was very influential. It graphically described the horrors of the Slave Trade and his role in it. He later joined William Wilberforce in the campaign for abolition of the Slave Trade. In February 1807, when the act to abolish the Slave Trade finally became law, John Newton, nearly blind and near death, rejoiced to hear the wonderful news. Newton died on 21 December 1807 in London.

A Little Humor

Right in the middle of the service and just before the sermon, a soprano in the choir remembered she had forgotten to turn down the heat under the Sunday roast. Hurriedly she scribbled a note and passed it to the usher to give to her husband. Unfortunately, the usher misunderstood and took it to the pulpit. Unfolding the note, the preacher read, “Please go home and turn off the gas.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“The harvest of judgment is sure as soon as the seed of sin is sown!”