The God of Judgment and Compassion
By the word of the LORD a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. By the word of the LORD he cried out against the altar: "Altar, altar! This is what the LORD says, 'A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.' "
That same day the man of God gave a sign: "This is the sign the LORD has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out."
When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, "Seize him!" But the hand he stretched out toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not put it back. Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the LORD.
Then the king said to the man of God, "Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.
The king said to the man of God, "Come home with me for a meal, and I will give you a gift." But the man of God answered the king, "Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you . . . For I was commanded by the word of the LORD: 'You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came,' " So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.
I Kings 13:1-10
That same day the man of God gave a sign: "This is the sign the LORD has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out."
When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, "Seize him!" But the hand he stretched out toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not put it back. Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the LORD.
Then the king said to the man of God, "Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.
The king said to the man of God, "Come home with me for a meal, and I will give you a gift." But the man of God answered the king, "Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you . . . For I was commanded by the word of the LORD: 'You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came,' " So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.
I Kings 13:1-10
The compassion of God is often juxtaposed against His judgment in ways that are rather humbling and incomprehensible. Truly, God desires that no one should perish. His greatest desire is to see repentance and contrition. He would rather forgive and restore than punish and destroy. That is evident in the situation with King Jeroboam.
Here is a man who was uniquely favored by God and given ten tribes of the nation of Israel to rule over. God made it clear that He had chosen him to be king because Solomon had been unfaithful and turned to other gods. God promised him that if he kept His commands and followed Him diligently, He would build a dynasty for him like the one He built for David.
But for political expediency, King Rehoboam established shrines of worship at places of his choosing and appointed his own priests all in a bid to prevent the people of Israel from going to Jerusalem to worship. His rationale was that preventing them from going to the temple of God would prevent any possibility of the Israelites switching allegiance from him to the King of Judah in Jerusalem. He depended on lesser gods to keep him in power.
God sent a prophet to pronounce judgment on him. He hated the judgment and stretched forth his hand authorizing the seizure and possible death of God's servant. The hand shriveled up and he begged the man of God to intercede to God for the restoration of his hand. The man of God prayed and the king's hand was restored.
How in the world would a man who had shown such contempt for the Almighty God receive such compassion from Him? The answer is simple: Our God is both a God of judgment and compassion. He would rather restore than destroy.
As children of this compassionate God, let's learn from our Father. In the face of attacks, and even great harm from others, let's show the same compassion our heavenly Father shows us.
Here is a man who was uniquely favored by God and given ten tribes of the nation of Israel to rule over. God made it clear that He had chosen him to be king because Solomon had been unfaithful and turned to other gods. God promised him that if he kept His commands and followed Him diligently, He would build a dynasty for him like the one He built for David.
But for political expediency, King Rehoboam established shrines of worship at places of his choosing and appointed his own priests all in a bid to prevent the people of Israel from going to Jerusalem to worship. His rationale was that preventing them from going to the temple of God would prevent any possibility of the Israelites switching allegiance from him to the King of Judah in Jerusalem. He depended on lesser gods to keep him in power.
God sent a prophet to pronounce judgment on him. He hated the judgment and stretched forth his hand authorizing the seizure and possible death of God's servant. The hand shriveled up and he begged the man of God to intercede to God for the restoration of his hand. The man of God prayed and the king's hand was restored.
How in the world would a man who had shown such contempt for the Almighty God receive such compassion from Him? The answer is simple: Our God is both a God of judgment and compassion. He would rather restore than destroy.
As children of this compassionate God, let's learn from our Father. In the face of attacks, and even great harm from others, let's show the same compassion our heavenly Father shows us.
Prayer: Father, it is because of your mercies that I am not consumed in spite of my numerous shortcomings. Please help me to live out the same compassion as I relate to others. Amen