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GOD - Reluctant In Judgment

This lesson is to show how the LORD tolerates evil but only for a certain amount of time.The scriptures give good insight to the patience of the LORD. God made the world and

put man into it. In Genesis we can see that the LORD was disappointed with mankinds

conduct.

Genesis 6: 5-6 & 11-13 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth,

and thatevery imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at

his heart.11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt;for all flesh hadcorrupted his (Gods) way upon the earth.

13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth isfilled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

Violence and wicked imagination have corrupted mankinds purpose on earth. Yet, in the

book of John (3:16) we can see that God loves and is concerned for the world andhumankind.

Genesis 15:12-16 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram;

and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land

that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they

come out with great substance.15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again:for the iniquity of theAmorites is not yet full.

This is an interesting scripture because it shows us the long patience God has with

mankind. The Amorites were doing bad, but the evil had not yet climaxed to the point theLORD deemed it worthy of judgment. We can see this also in the example of Sodom and

Gomorrah.

Genesis 13:13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORDexceedingly.

The LORD informs Abraham that he is going to investigate if Sodom and Gomorrahs sin

had arisen to the point that judgment was necessary.

Genesis 18:20-21 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great,and because their sin is very grievous;

21I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cryof it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

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The LORD sees fit to allow the wicked to dwell with the good.There is a thought in among the Hebrew sages, that if evil did not dwell among us we

would not be able to choose between right and wrong or be given the opportunity toexercise our free will.

Psalms 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,slow to anger, and plenteous inmercy.

Nahum 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit thewicked:

2 Peter 3:9 The Lordis not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;

but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all shouldcome to repentance.

The LORD wants everyone to be saved.

James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming ofthe Lord. Behold, the

husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it,until he receive the early and latter rain.

The LORD has long patience and is waiting for the precious fruit of the earth (those who

He will save). And he wants us to also be patience, even with the evil people.We should not worry ourselves with the question of why evil dwells in the earth.

Everything is right on time. His will, is this very day being fulfilled. Fret Not.

Psalms 37:1 Fret not thyselfbecause of evildoers, neither be thou envious against theworkers of iniquity.

Psalms 37:7Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him:fret not thyselfbecause of

him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Psalms 37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath:fret not thyselfin any wise to do evil.

Proverbs 24:19 Fret not thyselfbecause of evil men, neither be thou envious at thewicked;

2 Thessalonians 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the

patient waiting for Christ.

We are all one, all are the creation of God, learn to love the differences in each other.Dont hate, even people you perceive as evil.

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Matthew 5:44-46 But I say unto you,Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, dogood to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute

you;45 That ye may be the children ofyour Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his

sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicansthe same?

Jesus while hanging on the cross said

Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father,forgive them; for they know not what they do. Andthey parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Copyright 2010 J. Wilder & The Wilder Family Trust dated 2/13/04

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by anymeans, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,

taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the writtenpermission of the author or the estate except in the case of brief quotations

embodied in scholarly or critical articles and reviews. Teaching othersencouraged.

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