God's Promises Do Not Change

This evil, which is sin, drives a wedge between God and us. No longer do we see nor know God’s will perfectly in our lives. All of our thoughts are tainted by sin. There is nothing that we say, think or do that has not been tarnished by our sinful nature. As long as we live and breathe in this world and this life we are not exempt from the corruption of sin. This is our constant battle, to discover what God wants, what is his will for us, for our families, our church, our Synod, and our nation. Sin makes our battle doubly difficult. "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear"(ISAIAH 59:2). God’s anger burns against sin.

We know how it is today. Many would try to earn heaven by good works. Many would try to earn heaven by obedience. Many would say we have an unfair and unjust God who sends people to hell. But that is not the truth. Man’s choice concerning eternal things is only one – a choice for evil. The choice of heavenly things has been done already by God’s grace. Consider Adam and Eve. Satan tempted them by saying it was okay to eat from the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. There was the lie. Adam and Eve already completely and fully knew what was good because they knew Gods’ will. The choice they were going to make was really, only to add evil to their knowledge of good. That was not a good choice. Make no mistake our God is a just God. In his justice he does not, because he cannot, allow the guilty to go unpunished. God’s anger burns against sin. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him"(JOHN 3:36). Faith comes by grace. God’s wrath comes by and because of man’s rejection – a bad, very bad choice. Those who want to disown God here on earth will ultimately and finally be disowned by the heavenly Father before the angels in heaven.

Thankfully, GOD’S PROMISES DO NOT CHANGE. True, God’s anger burns against sin. Also true is the comforting fact that II. God’s love provides forgiveness.

II. GOD’S LOVE PROVIDES FORGIVENESS

We had left Moses and the Lord talking on the mountain. The Lord told Moses to leave so that he could let his anger burn as he destroyed this ungrateful nation. You can well imagine the shock, dismay, and even disgust of Moses as the Lord told him how his very own chosen people had rejected him. Notice also the choices that are given to Moses. Moses could leave and Israel would be destroyed. Moses could leave and Israel would be destroyed and the Lord would make Moses a great nation. Those are bad choices. Moses is also given another choice. Moses could come to the rescue of Israel.

Moses does not waste too much time in his shock, dismay, and disgust concerning Israel’s idolatry. But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. "O LORD," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?