Perfect in His Love
I've heard God described as an angry, vengeful, and jealous god. I've never believed that to be true. He is a perfect being which suggests that He is perfect in love.
However, I can understand why some people would come to that conclusion. There are several stories in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, which could lead one to the conclusion that this could be the case. When the children of Israel are found to be worshiping a golden calf (Exodus 32), "the Lord plagued the people". One might think that it was because God was jealous and didn't like that His people were worshiping someone else.
Upon studying Hosea 2, it became very clear that God does this so as to remind His children where the path to happiness lies.
In this chapter, a wife has sought other lovers. She asserts that her daily sustenance, her riches, and the fine things of life are from her lovers. However, the husband is the one who has provided these things for her.
The husband then decides he will take all these things away from his wife. Once she is naked and all things have been removed from her and given away, the husband will come to her and give all these things back to her in a way that she will recognize that they have all come from him.
This chapter is a metaphor for the relationship that God has with His people. The Israelites, whom this chapter was literally written for, were an idolatrous people at this time. They were worshiping other gods and claiming that their prosperity was due to these other gods.
God (the husband in the metaphor) took away their prosperity so that the Israelites could realize to what source they should turn for happiness. When they reached the point of humility, then He would give them back these blessings.
This happens with all of God's children. He doesn't punish us, because He is angry or jealous or vengeful when we do wrong. He allows for the absence of blessings and even the introduction of trial and tribulation so that we can be humbled and turn toward Him, because His way is the only way, the source of truth and light. He wants us to be happy and He wants us to progress. And He knows that they only way this can be achieved is by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.
When we recognize this, we can save ourselves much grief by humbling ourselves and turning to Him rather than being compelled to be humble through trial and tribulation.
Our Father in Heaven is a loving God, perfect in His love, and desirous in wanting us to return to live with Him in a state of happiness and joy.
However, I can understand why some people would come to that conclusion. There are several stories in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, which could lead one to the conclusion that this could be the case. When the children of Israel are found to be worshiping a golden calf (Exodus 32), "the Lord plagued the people". One might think that it was because God was jealous and didn't like that His people were worshiping someone else.
Upon studying Hosea 2, it became very clear that God does this so as to remind His children where the path to happiness lies.
In this chapter, a wife has sought other lovers. She asserts that her daily sustenance, her riches, and the fine things of life are from her lovers. However, the husband is the one who has provided these things for her.
The husband then decides he will take all these things away from his wife. Once she is naked and all things have been removed from her and given away, the husband will come to her and give all these things back to her in a way that she will recognize that they have all come from him.
This chapter is a metaphor for the relationship that God has with His people. The Israelites, whom this chapter was literally written for, were an idolatrous people at this time. They were worshiping other gods and claiming that their prosperity was due to these other gods.
God (the husband in the metaphor) took away their prosperity so that the Israelites could realize to what source they should turn for happiness. When they reached the point of humility, then He would give them back these blessings.
This happens with all of God's children. He doesn't punish us, because He is angry or jealous or vengeful when we do wrong. He allows for the absence of blessings and even the introduction of trial and tribulation so that we can be humbled and turn toward Him, because His way is the only way, the source of truth and light. He wants us to be happy and He wants us to progress. And He knows that they only way this can be achieved is by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.
When we recognize this, we can save ourselves much grief by humbling ourselves and turning to Him rather than being compelled to be humble through trial and tribulation.
Our Father in Heaven is a loving God, perfect in His love, and desirous in wanting us to return to live with Him in a state of happiness and joy.
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