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Is GRACE evident in the Old Testament? Some would give a quick and emphatic "NO" and move on. Hold on - not so fast! It may be harder to recognize, it may look a bit different than we know GRACE today, but it's there. GRACE is part of WHO God IS - and since He never changes, GRACE has to have been part of His relating to people even before Jesus came to earth!
Let's take a look at those people God chose as His example of His desire for relationship from the Old Testament stories - the Israelites. Even a fast perusal of Genesis and Exodus shows a people to whom God showed extreme favor to over and over again even as they disobeyed Him over and over again!
Exodus Chapter 33 is an interesting bit of scripture, recording the relationship between God, Moses and the Israelites. In verse one, God tells Moses to take the people from Egypt to the land He promised to Abraham. Verse two, He declares He will send a Heavenly emissary with them and that He will drive out the current inhabitants of the land. Then verse 3 - a very interesting verse. He declares that they are to "Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff necked people, lest I destroy you on the way." (Amplified)
He is sending them to a good place. He has made all preparations for them and will make sure the place is ready for them. He is sending an angel to go with them so they are not alone, but He Himself will refrain from going in case they make Him so angry with their grumbling and complaining that He just destroys them! Since He doesn't want to destroy them, He will avoid them so as to be GRACIOUS toward them!
Are you a parent? Then you can relate to this specifically. Have your children ever frustrated you to the point that you just needed to be away from them for a few moments, for THEIR own good? I know I have! As I raised my three boys, there were times they tried my patience so sorely that I WENT TO MY ROOM for their own good!
This is only one example of the many times God gave GRACE to the Israelites. I can't count the number of times He has given me GRACE when I surely deserved discipline and punishment! I'll bet if you think on it, you'll come up with plenty of examples yourself.
GRACE has been misunderstood and misapplied many times. Often, mercy and grace are treated as interchangeable, and often they certainly seem so! WHAT DO YOU THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS? You are welcome to click the comment button below and leave your thoughts. We'll talk more on that next time!
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God bless you and have a DELIBERATE week!
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