Final post from Severe Mercy

“This journey through the Old Testament has consistently revealed the importance of the character of God for remedying sin, and it is this character that makes sense of the variety of remedies. God’s character is consistently emphasized, especially focusing on the recitation of elements from the character creed found in Exod 34:6–7. There, God’s character is identified as both gracious and just; God forgives and yet punishes, that is, he displays a severe mercy. This character has been consistent throughout the Old Testament. Yahweh is a God who takes sin very seriously and does not leave the guilty unpunished, and yet he is a God filled with grace and mercy expressed through his patience and forgiveness. It is his justice that explains his regular discipline of sin but his grace that offers hope to a disciplined people. His justice has gracious intent, as he seeks to eliminate the sin that threatens human existence and severs relationship with him. His grace is seen in his constant mitigation of punishment and expressed in his reticence to discipline. This severe mercy, however, cannot be controlled even by the character creed, which is carefully qualified by Yahweh himself as being always under the control of his sovereign will (Exod 33:19).”—A Severe Mercy, pages 522-523

<idle musing>
That's the final bit from A Severe Mercy. I put off starting the book for nearly two years because it was so monstrous in size, but once I started it, it was well worth my time. I hope you've enjoyed the snippets—maybe even enough to buy/borrow the book. I know some of you have, because you told me. I know others looked at the shear size of the book and got scared—just like I did initially. Don't let the size overwhelm you, it is worth the read.

If you don't know Hebrew, some of it will go over your head, but it will still repay your time reading it. Next up will be some snippets from The Horsemen of Israel. The book doesn't lend itself well to excerpts, but it certainly reads well (and quickly at 160 or so pages). I've learned a lot about horses and chariots and ancient warfare. After that, I'm not sure what; I've got 2-3 books going right now.
</idle musing>

No formula here!

“...one cannot reduce divine-human interaction to a single model (the problem of Job!), especially because of the dynamic of divine and human sovereignty. The Old Testament is witness to the consistent recalcitrance of humanity but also recognizes the mysterious sovereignty of God. Before renewing covenant with rebellious Israel in Exodus 34, a renewal based on Yahweh’s gracious and just character showcased in 34:6–7, Yahweh declares in Exod 33:19: 'I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.' This divine freedom is recognized regularly throughout the Old Testament in phrases such as 'who knows' and 'perhaps,' which precede hopes for God’s grace in reply to human response (2 Sam 12:22; Joel 2:14; Amos 5:15; Jonah 1:6, 3:9; Zeph 3:3). It is expressed by the people in Lamentations 3, who claim that God refuses to listen to their penitential cries, and those in Isaiah 64, who claim that God has hardened their hearts. This divine freedom most often benefits humanity. For instance, Cain deserves no grace, but instead Yahweh mitigates his punishment. The nation of Israel is deserving of annihilation in Exodus 32–34 and Numbers 13–14 but instead is preserved by God. The dominant pattern of human sin–divine discipline–human response–divine grace in all of its forms cannot be reduced to an impersonal retribution principle separated from the dynamic relationship between Yahweh and his people.”—A Severe Mercy, pages 521

<idle musing>
And we can all thank God that the divine freedom usually benefits us and can't be reduce to an impersonal principle. I much prefer the divine-human relationship.
</idle musing>

Stubbornness

“Because of the stubbornness of humans, divine discipline or threat of discipline does not always lead to a normative human response. In some cases, when this happens God responds with further discipline (Ezekiel 20), sometimes with a mixture of discipline and grace (Psalm 78, 106; Ezekiel 20), and at other times with grace alone (Nehemiah 9, Ezekiel 20, Hosea 11). In some cases, what appears to be a proper human response does not always elicit a divine response of grace from God. This may be due to the fact that God’s patience has run out for the people who have been given enough chances (Jer 14:1–15:4), that divine discipline is not yet complete (Lamentations 3?), or that the people lack true penitential response (Jer 4:1–4).”—A Severe Mercy, pages 521

<idle musing>
In other words, don't put God in a box! And, don't think you can trick God into doing what you want him to do...
</idle musing>

Divine discipline

“At the head of the pattern [of dealing with sin] is divine discipline. Divine discipline for human sin is often presented simply as punishment for violation without being part of a larger pattern that sees it prompting a human response. This is displayed most vividly in the Torah, especially in the early stories of Genesis and in the penalties associated with the legal codes. Punishments of this sort are designed to remove serious violators from the camp or to discourage the violator or others from repeating the violation. However, even in these cases divine discipline refines the community by removing the rebellious and warning the rest of the community. As part of the larger pattern, divine discipline prompts repentance from the willing. The fact that full punishment is rarely exacted but rather more often a punishment is mitigated reveals its disciplinary design.”—A Severe Mercy, page 520

The progession of hope

“It is in the midst of Israel’s struggle with sin that the way forward is revealed. Expanding the insight first voiced in Deut 30:6, the prophets ultimately look beyond Israel’s ability to a new day in which Yahweh will enable them to remain faithful and avoid sin. What was only a passing comment in the Torah expands and dominates hope, especially in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Initial signs of fulfillment of this promise can be discerned in Hag 1:12–15 as God stirs up the spirits of the faithful remnant. Only through a divine transformation such as this will Israel be able to fully realize its destiny as the conduit of divine presence and blessing to the nations.”—A Severe Mercy, pages 515

<idle musing>
What was true for Israel is even more true for the church. No divine transformation means no power, no witness, no good news. Christianity is more than a mental assent to a set of doctrines...
</idle musing>

Transformation in the Psalms

“...the confession of culpability reveals a theological conviction that the remedy for sin is not just divine discipline but rather grace obtained through prayerful admission of sin. This forgiveness, however, is not the final remedy, because the psalmists also look for a righteousness that arises from the heart and that is enabled by Yahweh, who teaches as well as transforms the heart.”—A Severe Mercy, page 508

Job and repentance

“Divine discipline is indeed the dominant remedy for sin. Job’s friends and Elihu echo this principle of divine discipline and stress as well the importance of prayer and repentance as a remedy for sin in response to discipline. Job’s problem is not with these remedies for sin but rather with the absolutizing of the world view that assumes all suffering is directly related to sin and thus demands repentance. It is interesting, however, that in the end Job does repent, not of sin, but rather of his expectation that Yahweh is accountable to him for his administration of his retribution principles.”—A Severe Mercy, pages 507-508

Redemptive purposes

“...one can discern a pattern that sin is first met with prophecy, and only after repeated warnings (expressions of God’s grace) does God act in judgment. Even this judgment has redemptive purposes because it has as its goal the rest of the land and the return of the people.”—A Severe Mercy, pages 503

Why?

“[2 Chronicles 7] Verses 14 and 16 provide two reasons why human responses to God of this sort make forgiveness possible. First of all, it is because the supplicants are “my people who are called by my name” (v. 14). Here one finds the covenantal language of “my people,” seen regularly in the covenantal formula: “I will be your God and you will be my people” (Exod 6:7, Lev 26:12, Deut 29:12, Jer 31:33). Further, these people are called by Yahweh’s name in an ancient context in which “name” is intimately associated with the very essence of the one who bears it. Thus, “to be called by my name” is to be intricately associated with this deity, that is, to be the people of Yahweh in covenant relationship. Covenantal language of this sort thus assumes the entire foundation of grace that undergirds this relationship. Divine grace thus propels the people of God to respond when he enacts the kind of discipline rehearsed in v. 13. The second reason that the process described in vv. 13–14 is possible is given in v. 16. God’s attentiveness to his people is linked to his election of and passion for the temple.”—A Severe Mercy, pages 496

Humility and repentance

“Humility (כנע [kn`]) points to the inner disposition that is the essential starting point for all repentance. The call to prayer (פלל Hithpael [pll]) shifts the focus to an external expression, in this case the verbal dimension of repentance, depicted most vividly in the threefold confession already provided in 2 Chr 6:37. Like humility, seeking God’s face highlights a key inner disposition, as the people are invited to a passionate pursuit of God. To seek after the “face of God” is a radical statement in light of God’s prohibition of this in Exod 33:23. Finally, turning from their wicked ways shifts the focus again to an external expression, in this case the active dimension of repentance, that is, the practical change of behavior. Throughout Chronicles, exemplary characters are not those who attain perfection but rather who exemplify these characteristics.”—A Severe Mercy pages 495-496

<idle musing>
We could use more "practical change of behavior" in Christianity—cheap grace is far too common. And, lest you misunderstand, it is all by the power of the Holy Spirit living within us—works is not the cure for cheap grace!
</idle musing>

Immediate retribution or cumulative guilt?

“Throughout the rehearsal of this story, the Chronicler depicts the failures and successes of the kings through a theological paradigm often described as 'immediate retribution,' that is, the belief that 'God’s rule of his people is expressed by his constant, direct and immediate intervention in their history' (Japhet 1993: 44) or that 'reward and punishment are not deferred, but rather follow immediately on the heels of the precipitatin events' (Dillard 1987: 76). Although this theological viewpoint is not absent from the Chronicler’s source in Samuel–Kings, the author(s) of Samuel–Kings emphasized another theological paradigm often referred to as “cumulative guilt” (see pp. 165–189 above on Kings).”—A Severe Mercy, page 490

<idle musing>
You can use either paradigm; the end result is the same: guilty! Of course, we are no more innocent than the Israelites were...
</idle musing>

Nehemiah's covenant renewal

“This covenant agreement in Nehemiah 9–10 is based firmly on the belief that God does punish sin but also that he forgives because of his mercy and grace when his people cry to him in contrition.”—A Severe Mercy page 488

<idle musing>
I, for one, am glad that he does forgive when we cry to him!
</idle musing>

Social Injustice in the Bible

“Sin in Nehemiah 5 is defined as social injustice. The process for remedying sin here shares some elements in common with the “covenant” enacted in Ezra 9. Confrontation through accusation is essential to the process as is the call to behavioral change. The people publicly accept this call through an act of praise and are put under oath.”—A Severe Mercy, pages 481

<idle musing>
Better start getting out the scissors; there's just too many places in the Bible that demand social justice. We can't have that! Better use the mental scissors to eliminate them, that way you can continue to think salvation is just about a mental assent and no life change...
</idle musing>

Separation has a purpose

Concerning the uncleanness and separation from foreigners in Ezra 1-6, Boda says, “It also reveals that separation such as this is not just from but is also to something, that is, to the returned community in order to seek (דרש [drsh]) Yahweh.”(emphasis his)—A Severe Mercy, pages 475.

<idle musing>
That is very important to remember. You don't separate to be separate; you separate to draw near to YHWH. And then he usually sends you back as a witness :)
</idle musing>

Pile the words higher

“It is clear that the source of hope for the 'man' in [Lamentations 2] vv. 1–20 comes from his reflection on the gracious character of Yahweh in vv. 21–33.12 Throughout this section of the poem, the composer nearly exhausts the lexical stock for grace in the Old Testament: covenant loyalty (חסד; 3:22, 32 [hesed]), compassions (רחמים; 3:22, 32 [rahamim]), faithfulness (אמונה; 3:23 ['amunah]), goodness (טוב; 3:25, 26, 27 [tov]), and salvation (תשועה; 3:26 [tshu`ah]).”—A Severe Mercy, page 455

<idle musing>
Sometimes I feel like that; pile the words on in hopes that it works...but is that what he is doing? Or, is he reminding himself instead of God? Just an
</idle musing>

The goal of confession

“The admission of sin highlighted above reveals that this mercy and grace does come to the guilty, but only when they confess their culpability. This confession, however, is not merely an external verbal articulation but involves a real change in disposition and behavior. This is suggested by the way in which Ps 103:11, 13, and 17 play on the character creed in Exod 34:6–7, noting that God’s mercy is afforded to those who fear him. It is made explicit in the way in which these psalms accentuate the fact that forgiveness is not the ultimate goal of God’s mercy but rather the transformation of one’s inner disposition and a fundamental change in behavior. According to Ps 130:4, there is forgiveness so that Yahweh may be feared. In Psalm 32, forgiveness is what leads to a new lifestyle (vv. 6–11). Psalm 51 places the priority on a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart. Transformation of this sort is not left to humans. Rather, the psalmists regularly cry for God to do a work within them, asking him to reveal, teach, and lead them in his ways (Psalm 25), to create in them a clean heart, renew a steadfast spirit, and sustain a willing spirit (Psalm 51).”—A Severe Mercy, pages 446-447

<idle musing>
Crash goes the self-improvement theology of so many! It has to be God doing it, or it won't work! They knew it in the Psalms; they knew it in the New Testament and early church. Why do we get it wrong here in the good ole US of A?!
</idle musing>

Psalms and formulae

“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>

Psalm 51

“Verses 12–14[10–12] [of Psalm 51] take the psalmist’s request to a new level. Having asked for the mercy of God, the psalmist implores God for nothing short of an inner renewal of the affections so as to avoid replicating the sinful patterns of the past. In addition, the psalmist emphasizes that the goal of mercy and transformation is ultimately relationship with God, whose presence the psalmist craves and before whom the psalmist longs to rejoice with thanksgiving.”—A Severe Mercy, pages 429

<idle musing>
I'll take it!
</idle musing>

Hide that sin

“Psalm 32 thus accentuates the importance of confession for finding forgiveness with Yahweh. For the psalmist, failure to confess is more of a concern than even the sin that needs to be confessed. In this, one can discern a heightening of transparency with Yahweh that is necessary to realize the ultimate vision of the wisdom teacher in Psalm 32, that is, the willing and trusting submission of the disciple to the mentorship of Yahweh.

“The second half of the Psalm reminds the audience that the ultimate goal of Yahweh’s mercy is not forgiveness but rather a transformation of one’s inner disposition ('spirit,' v. 2; 'understanding,' v. 9) and a fundamental change in behavior ('way,' v. 8). God’s merciful forgiveness is an invitation to submit to his loving mentorship, to avoid the 'sorrows of the wicked,' and to enjoy the protection and status of the 'righteous' and 'upright in heart.' Psalm 32 reveals that there is indeed a path from the status of wicked to the status of righteous and that this path is through the forgiveness that comes in response to confession of sin and the mentorship that comes through seeking, trusting, and following God.”—A Severe Mercy, pages 422-423

<idle musing>
That first phrase, "failure to confess is more of a concern than even the sin that needs to be confessed" is powerful. Many revivals have started simply through confession of sin. But, we hesitate to confess; we try to hide our sin—as if we can hide from the all-seeing eyes of God! But, ever since the garden, that has been our gut response. God's way is different, though, and more freeing, too.
</idle musing>

No cheap grace

“Psalm 25 highlights the role that sin and its remedy play in the prayer tradition of Israel. Here we see a confession of sin with the verbalization in v. 7 of 'the sins of my youth or my transgressions' and in v. 11 of 'my iniquity,' which is admittedly 'great.' There is a request for God to forget (v. 7) as well as to forgive sin (v. 11), and this request is carefully and relentlessly linked to the merciful character of Yahweh. But this is not cheap grace. Surrounding these requests is the expectation that this kind of forgiveness comes to those who have placed themselves under the loving and demanding mentorship of Yahweh. Psalm 1 at the outset of the Psalter 'directs the wise to the choice of the right road; Psalm 25 is a companion for use along the way' (Craigie 1983: 222). In this way, there is an admission of the challenge of remaining on the path laid out in Psalm 1: 'The essence of the road of the righteous is this: it is a road too difficult to walk without the companionship and friendship of God' (Craigie 1983: 222).”—A Severe Mercy, pages 417-418

<idle musing>
Amen! Good preaching! That is just as true now as it was in the days of the Psalmist.
</idle musing>