In Psalm 7 we clearly see that God is ready to punish, but we also see from all of the Scriptures that God is also ready to save.
Psalm chapter 7, a very familiar verse. God is a righteous judge and a God who feels indignation every day. If a man does not repent, God will wet his sword. He has bent and readied his bow. He has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows, fiery shafts.
What’s going on here? Well, God is not only ready to say, but he’s ready to punish. We see that in this text. He’s a righteous judge. He feels indignation every day. Let us put these images together. So, yes, in Romans 10, he’s out there pleading with people. He’s in front of these sinners and they have a knife and want to charge at him. But the problem is he’s got a gun or he’s got this bow and it’s drawn back and it’s bent and he’s ready to fire. But he doesn’t want to fire. He’s pleading with them, calm. Don’t make me shoot you. Right. The good picture you might think of again. Here’s a man with a knife, another guy who’s got a gun. And you think it’s. Well, definitely the guy with a gun is going to win. And you think maybe the person with the knife is in real danger. And they are, in a sense. But then you turn around and you get another look and you see the one with the gun as tears are pouring down his face and he’s saying, drop the knife, drop the knife, please come. This is the picture. Yeah. He’s ready to punish, but he’s ready to save. He’s ready to deliver. The man with the gun does not wish to harm the one with the knife. He desires peace. And he would save that man if he could. This is the way God pleads and threatens the center. He’s ready to punish, but he’s equally ready, more ready to put his weapon down and to save.
Ezekiel 33:11 says it this way. “Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from their way and live.” We usually stop there. Let me just finish the verse. “Turn back. Turn back from your evil ways. Why should you die? Or House of Israel.” See the pleading?
This excerpt is taken from the full sermon.
