Written by Dawn Rutan
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. The views stated may or may not reflect the beliefs of the pastor or leadership of Dulin’s Grove Church.
