Theology Matters

Who is the person/people in your life who make life difficult for you?

Numbers 13

The Israelites refuse to enter the land... why?

v.17 - their instructions

.27 - It was, BUT...

Because they are afraid - "we seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."

What would you do in this situation? They’re ready to kill him.

Exodus 34

Notice how God declares His name to Moses

Numbers 14

v. 17 - NOW MAY THE LORD’S STRENGTH BE DISPLAYED

He quotes back to God what He has revealed about Himself -

He believes this to be true about God, and expects Him to act like it

He intercedes on behalf of those who want to kill him

This is truth about God becomes one the focal points of how the people of Israel understand and talk about God

Nehemiah - Psalm 86 - Psalm 103 - Psalm 145 - Joel

Jonah KNOWS - and that’s why he doesn’t want to go - He doesn’t want God to forgive his enemies!

Because if we believe that this is who God is, and we want to take it seriously, we have two choices to run from it, or to accept it. And if we accept it, it means we too have to be like this.

Like we read earlier from James - we too must be slow to anger

To be clear

This doesn’t mean we cannot be angry -

But slowness in our anger can prevent us from also including hatred with our anger.

That we also maintain grace and compassion -

to make enemies of those who are not meant to be our enemies -