“What these scenarios show is the twofold riddle of the relationship between God and Israel. On the one side, whether God shows mercy or discipline, Israel does not obey, and even what looks like repentance ends up being a lie. Certainly, the psalmist highlights the guilt and despair of humanity. On the other side, there is no established pattern with God. When one expects the full venting of his wrath, he responds with mercy and forgives his people, realizing their frailty. Though in this lies the only hope for a human race unable to respond appropriately to God’s grace or discipline, it does resist any neat schematization.”—A Severe Mercy, pages 433-434
<idle musing>
Amen to that! Praise God for the hope and a double Praise God! that we can't reduce it to a formula; he isn't a tame lion...
</idle musing>
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