Numbers

I was reading Numbers in the prayer room—God's absolute hatred of wickedness was brought to my attention. He sent a plague on His beloved Israelites because they turned from Him and accused Him (once again). Moses, who was an intercessor, one who stood before God and begged Him to turn His wrath away from others for their sins time and time again, sent Aaron out among the dying Israelites with a censor filled with incense of propitiation to stand in between the living and the dead. When Aaron got there and stood with the censor, the plague went no further and the wrath of God abated. This all happened in a few moments, and already 14,700 had died.

What I was thinking was this: God never changes. His hatred of wickedness and compromise on the earth and in our hearts is the same as it ever has been. He is altogether just, He will not compromise His nature, He will not be manipulated into excusing any bit of wickedness. We deserve every ounce of His wrath; our own hands cry out against us. Our own sins cry out against us, rightly accusing us.

The Lord is committed to justice and righteousness; they are the foundations of His throne. It is right for Him to pour out His wrath on wickedness to abolish it.

Jesus literally was the propitiation, like the censor of incense that Aaron held up between God's wrath and the living Israelites. He took on all sin and became the atonement for it, the only sacrifice necessary. He took on our sin; He became everything God hates, and it pleased the Father to crush Him. (Isa. 53:10). That's a hard thing to read! The Father was pleased to bruise Jesus; He was happy to crush Him.

Why—when they loved on another so much? You would think He'd do it sadly, reluctantly; hesitantly turning on His Son for us, the undeserving sinners. No.

That is how much God hates wickedness and is committed to removing it. That is how much He is committed to the pursuit of a pure and holy Bride for His Son. That is how much He is committed to providing us with every opportunity to turn and enter into love and close relationship with Him again. He was joyful at the crucifixion because the cross enables us to draw near to Him.

The cross was absolutely brilliant! It was the plan from the very beginning! It satisfied the necessities for both judgment of sin and merciful lovingkindness for us. When one loves the Son and believes He is the only way to the Father, every sin, before we even know about it, is already eternally taken care of. We have been bought with a heavy price to satisfy the just cries of our sins against us.

Bless the Lord, o my soul and all that is within me; bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, o my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindess and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord executes justice and righteousness for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy towards those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fears Him. For He knows our frame: He remembers that we are dust...
Psalm 103.