Love is one of the traditional themes of Advent, thinking
particularly of God’s love made incarnate in Jesus Christ. I happen to be
reading through the book of Numbers right now, and came across this verse:
“Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of Your steadfast love, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now” (Numbers 14:19 ESV).
It struck me that Moses pleaded for forgiveness for the
Israelites based solely on God’s steadfast love. It wasn’t based on their
repentance—they were still grumbling. It wasn’t based on their promises to do
better—they hadn’t yet learned their lesson. It wasn’t based on God’s
foreknowledge of some vastly more obedient future—they were still disobedient
centuries later. God’s forgiveness was sought because He was and is loving,
gracious, and merciful. And as we live after the crucifixion and resurrection
of Christ, this is even more clearly true for us. God provided the means of
forgiveness long before we were born, not just when we realized our need. His
steadfast love predated our repentance.
Psalm 107 presents a quick summary of the Israel’s
afflictions and judgment, referring probably to Exodus but possibly other
exiles as well. We may find ourselves somewhere in these verses—wandering,
hungry, in darkness, suffering for our own sin, fearful, oppressed. But the
recurring refrain for Israel and for us is “Let them thank the Lord for His
steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of man!” (vv. 8, 15, 21,
31). Wherever we may be, His love has not changed, and His love seeks us out
and provides more than we could ever need.
In Luke 1 Zechariah prophesied that God “has visited and
redeemed His people and has raised up a horn of salvation” and that John was “to
give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because
of the tender mercy of our God” (68-69, 77-78a). I think it is significant that
Zechariah doesn’t speak of this as something that is about to happen, but has
already happened (Greek aorist tense). It reinforces the fact that God’s
steadfast love was at work from the beginning of time (Ephesians 3:9-12). The
incarnation wasn’t “Plan B” when God realized we needed help. In love, even as
He created the world He planned to make it possible for sinners to be united
with Him through the blood of Christ.
It begins to boggle the mind as you think through these
things. We may never fully understand the lengths God went to for us. It should
indeed lead us to “thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous
works to the children of man!”
“I have loved you with
an everlasting love; therefore I have continued My faithfulness to you”
(Jeremiah 31:1b).
© 2017 Dawn
Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from
pixabay.com.
