Unrelenting Love, Unaltered Calling
August 01, 2023
Depiction of the assassination of King Eglon by Israelite Judge Ehud, Speculum Humanae Salvationis, 1360.
" The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord strengthened King Eglon of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord." - Judges 3:12
Don't single out the Israelite family based on this scripture and history.
They are simply a prototype of all of us.
Our histories are filled with betrayal, intrigue, back-stabbing, front-stabbing, coercion, dishonesty, unfaithfulness, and sinister machinations.
But we are also, bearers of God's image and objects of God's love.
We are given this record so that we can relate and so that we can track the mercy of God to take a people of purpose and keep forgiving. restoring, and recommissioning consistently, persistently, and repeatedly through time.
This is the story of the relentless love of God. Judgment is not the flip side of this. It is included in it - not as a paradox, but as an exclamation mark because, throughout the Hebrew scriptures, God's judgment of His people was designed to lead to repentance and renewal of the covenant.
For that reason, we ought to shun sin and embrace the discipline of a God who passionately and sacrificially draws us into a relationship that is on His terms, knowing that His terms ooze with love, grace, and mercy ... even when it hurts.