When we think of God, we
can tend to set up a strict line between His judgment and His mercy. But this
is not a biblical distinction. In Scripture, they go together.
The preceding verses,
13-15, carry this same idea in a very profound way. Wind, fire, and tempest are
all associated with the Spirit of God in the Old Testament. In fact, the Hebrew
word used for “wind” here is the same one used for “Spirit” elsewhere. When the
psalmist calls down God’s destructive power, he is calling for the Holy Spirit.
And when He calls for the Spirit, he is asking for more than punishment. He is
asking for renewal. He is asking for revival.
We should be willing to
make this same prayer. The world is full of, let’s face it, wicked people. Some
are worse than others, but everyone is selfish. Everyone is self-destructive.
And everyone else hurts other people along the way. We need to be willing to
ask the Lord to put a stop to our evil ways. But that request should always
have one aim in mind: the salvation of souls.
People need to know that God is both: He is just and merciful. And may He send sinners destruction, so they can recognize their error by seeing its consequences. Then may they seek His name, as He desires. For there is no other Lord, no other name by which we can be saved (Acts 4:10-12).
People need to know that God is both: He is just and merciful. And may He send sinners destruction, so they can recognize their error by seeing its consequences. Then may they seek His name, as He desires. For there is no other Lord, no other name by which we can be saved (Acts 4:10-12).
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