I know God hates but I never thought he was cruel for doing so, but rather just. Maybe I don’t understand the word cruel right.
Token E.
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The word “cruel” can entail maliciousness and injustice, and most of the time it does. But not always. Solomon said, “An evil man seeks only rebellion; therefore, a cruel messenger shall be sent against him” (Prov. 17:11). But who sends cruel messengers (angels) to punish the wicked? Isaiah answered that question when he said: “Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate, and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it” (Isa. 13:9).
Also consider these verses:
“The Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord, and a fierce king shall rule over them, says the Lord, the Lord of hosts.” (Isa. 19:4).
“I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased” (Jer. 30:14).
When people are cruel, they sin; when God is cruel, He is still righteous. Possessing the knowledge of God’s supreme cruelty, the Lake of Fire, the author of Hebrews warned us that “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31). And it is that fear which is the beginning of wisdom.
God hates certain people and certain things, and God can be very, very cruel. And when He is, He is still perfect in judgment. And He is still love. May He grant us to abide in His love.
jdc
On Sun, Dec 4, 2016, Pastor John wrote:
God’s Hatred and Cruelty
“You have trodden down all them that err from your statutes,
for their deceit is falsehood. You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross;
therefore, I love your testimonies.”
Psalm 119:118–119
God is not intimidated by human social fads. Even when, as in our culture now, men begin to imagine that hatred and cruelty is contrary to God’s nature and ways, God continues to hate certain people (Ps. 11:5) and to be very cruel when justice demands cruelty (Isa. 13:9).
I love God for hating what He hates, and for being cruel when He is cruel. His hatred and His cruelty are good; they are perfect.
David went on in Psalm 119 to say this: “My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments” (Ps. 119:120). David was wise; he humbled himself to fear God and His righteous judgments rather than pretend there is no need to fear God, since He does not hate and will never be cruel.