February 14, 1999, Sunday

Do people sometimes think that God has forgotten about

them and does not care if they exist? By contrast do

some think that God is angry with them and is thinking

about what affliction to deal out next to them? What

is actually the truth about God's judgement and what is

in store for those that trust Him?

God spoke through Isaiah to Israel to tell them they are

not a forgotten people. God did not forget His equity and

His justice to His people. His memory does not pass away-

"Why do you say this Jacob, and speak this Israel, that

my way is hid from Jehová, and the justice due to me is

passed away from my God? Have you not known? Have

you not heard? The everlasting God, Jehová, the Creator

of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary;

there is no searching of His understanding" (Isa 40:27-28).

He is faithful to know the right justice for us.

Moses the Psalmist, a strong leader and man of God, was a

person like us, with a mind that tried to understand God,

and had difficulty understanding why God's judgement and

wrath seemed so severe. Forty years in the wilderness was

a long time to wander, for a trip that only takes 38 days--

"For all our days are passed away in Your wrath: we spend

our years, as a story that has been told" (Psa 90:9). We

are dying creatures, all our comforts in the world are dying

comforts, but God is an ever-living God, and believers find

Him so. When God, by sickness, or other afflictions, turns

men to destruction, he does so to call men to return to Him

to repent of their sins, and live a new life.

Jesus is the Great Teacher that tells us how to escape the

judgement and wrath of God. His call for a new life is this-

"I am telling you the truth: those who hear My words and

believe in Him who sent Me have eternal life. They will not

be judged, but have already passed from death to life"

(John 5:24). To act on the Word, from our trust in the Word

is the escape route from judgement and route to new life.

Let us remember who is the Creator of the universe. God's

Name is Jehová Hoseem. He is the God who is the Creator

of our faith and reason. He is the Creator of our growth

and progress in Him. He is the Creator of the New Creature

spiritually. Trust Him and Praise Him Today for all the

"new" that has come and the "old" that has passed away. He

is determined to bring us joy as we progress in Him.