| Christian Life and Doctrine | May 1961 |
“Like As a Father”
THE Scriptures reveal that our Heavenly Father is infinitely wise; that his justice is absolute; that he is all-powerful, and abounding in love. Through the outworking of his plan of the ages we discern that these cardinal attributes of God’s character are in perfect balance with each other. Through their harmonious functioning we behold the glory of our God.
The Scriptures also bring to our attention other facets of the Heavenly Father’s character, details of his personality which help us more fully to appreciate the preciousness of our relationship to him as children. This increases our confidence in him, and leads us to greater diligence in our endeavors to know and to do his will.
James wrote that with God there “is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) This implies dependability. Jesus was a perfect character image of our Heavenly Father, and we read concerning him that having loved his disciples, “he loved them unto the end.” (John 13:1) It is this constancy of love which is also possessed by our Heavenly Father toward his children.
Nor do the divine laws and standards of righteousness ever change. God said to Adam, “In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17) Thousands of years later the Apostle Paul was inspired to write, “The wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23) Willful sinners in the kingdom age will “be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:23) God has not and will not change his mind with respect to the penalty for sin.
God’s love made provision, through Christ, to release the adamic race from the just penalty for sin. Paul wrote, “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23) Concerning this gift we read, “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) The Scriptures assure us that eventually all will be given a full opportunity to believe on Christ and thus to receive life through him. This is God’s promise, and we can depend upon it.
The full meaning of God’s gift of his Son to redeem mankind from death is that eventually death will be destroyed; that “there shall be no more death.” (Rev. 21:4) In an Old Testament prophecy concerning this our Heavenly Father says, “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.”—Hosea 13:14
The word repentance means to change, and here our Father assures us that there is to be no change in his purpose to destroy death—“Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.” What a reassuring promise! And there will be no change as to the blessings which our Heavenly Father has promised to bestow upon “all the families of the earth.”—Gen. 12:3
This is also true with respect to the promises of God which apply to those who are his people prior to the Millennial Age. We see this exemplified in his dealings with his typical people, the Israelites. A very interesting case in point is brought to our attention in Numbers 23:19-21. It pertains to Balaam, who was being urged by Balak to pronounce a curse upon the children of Israel.
Actually, Balaam wanted very much to do the bidding of Balak because of the generous reward which he had been promised. Although Balaam was not a servant of Jehovah, he respected his power and authority, so he requested God’s permission to curse the Israelites. The permission was not granted, and the God of Israel instructed Balaam to explain the reason to Balak. The explanation was:
“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless [not to curse]; and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.”
What a marvelous testimony to God’s faithfulness! We cannot suppose that a diviner could actually inflict an effective curse upon God’s people, yet since he had the good judgment to ask permission of Jehovah, the loving God of Israel took the opportunity of informing the enemies of his people that they would not be permitted to carry out their evil designs against them. We wonder how well the Israelites understood and appreciated this tender and abiding care of their God.
Now Also
GOD’S care of his antitypical people, among whom we rejoice to be numbered, is likewise constant and unwavering. He knows that we also have enemies, but we have his promises to protect us from all their evil designs. Just as God would not permit a curse to be placed upon the Israelites—announcing that to him they had not sinned to the degree to deserve such a curse—so with us, as Paul wrote, “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?”—Rom. 8:33,34
Satan and his cohorts are ever on the alert to condemn and thus to discourage us, that we might give up the good fight of faith. But let us remember the promises made by a faithful and loving Heavenly Father, promises that are ratified by the blood of Christ. As was said to Balak, our God is not a man that he should repent, or change his mind with respect to the protection of his people.
“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” Not only has our merciful Heavenly Father sent his beloved Son to be our Redeemer and Advocate, but, as Paul adds, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things.”—Rom. 8:31,32
Among these “all things” which the Father gives us through his Son are his guidance, spiritual strength, his Holy Spirit, the nourishing “food” of his Word, and the robe of Christ’s righteousness. (Isa. 61:10) These are constantly ours when we apply for them, and are abiding tokens of his love and care.
God Is Humble
ANOTHER aspect of our Heavenly Father’s character is his humility. We read concerning him, “The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high. Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!” (Ps. 112:4-6) Yes, God is high above even the angels and principalities of heaven, hence much higher above his human creatures, yet he humbles himself to commune with his people here on earth, and to shower them with his blessings.
The Lord tells us that he dwells with his people here below. We read, “Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”—Isa. 57:15
Here we are reminded that while Jehovah, our Heavenly Father, is lofty and mighty, and his name hallowed, he is approachable. Indeed, the Scriptures assure us that through Christ we can go in prayer to the throne of heavenly grace at any and all times and be assured of a favorable and understanding hearing; that grace and strength will be given to us in our every time of need.—Heb. 4:16
While it is true that God is not a man, he understands and is sympathetic toward human weaknesses. We read, “Like as a Father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear [reverence] him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” (Ps. 103:13,14) Because the Lord “knoweth our frame,” he deals with us mercifully, not according to what we actually are, but in keeping with what we would like to be; not according to what we accomplish in his service, but from the standpoint of what our hearts yearn to do.
In the Potter’s House
GOD revealed another aspect of his character to the Prophet Jeremiah by having him observe a potter at work. The record of this is in Jeremiah 18:1-10. In watching, Jeremiah noticed that “the vessel he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.”
The Lord then spoke to Jeremiah, applying the principle that Jeremiah observed to his dealing with Israel. The Lord said, “O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? … Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.”
Here the word “repent,” meaning, in such instances, simply to change, is used by the Lord to describe his reaction to the changed attitudes of his people. If he has threatened punishment because of sin, and the people turn to him in obedience and righteousness, he “repents” and does not inflict the threatened punishment. If he has promised good things, and through disobedience the people prove unworthy of them, he “repents” and withholds his blessings.
While it is true that the Lord “is not a man,” the lesson of the potter and the clay reveals that our loving and merciful Heavenly Father is not so inflexible that he cannot change his attitude toward his people, when by a change on their part he is warranted in doing so. What a wonderful assurance this should give us of his understanding, his mercy, and his love!
The Ninevites
THE Scriptures give us examples of Jehovah’s ability to change his plans under appropriate circumstances. One of these is the case of the Ninevites. The city of Nineveh was exceedingly wicked, and God decided to destroy it. He sent Jonah to warn the Ninevites what he proposed to do. Jonah sounded the warning, announcing that in forty days Nineveh would be overthrown.
When the king of the city heard about this warning, he led his people in what turned out to be a general and sincere repentance. The king said, “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?” (Jonah 3:9) We read that “God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”—ch. 3:10
Jonah was not pleased with this. He prayed to God, saying, “O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.”—ch. 4:2
This was an amazing confession for Jonah to make. As we know, when first receiving the divine commission to deliver the message of doom against Nineveh, Jonah endeavored to escape his responsibility by fleeing to Tarshish. Now he explained that his reason for doing this was that he knew of God’s great mercy and kindness, and that if the Ninevites repented they would not be destroyed; and Jonah was not humble enough to face the possibility that his word would be overruled by God.
Great and noble minds are humble and condescending. Our Heavenly Father, the high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity, displayed his greatness by considering the genuine repentance of the Ninevites, and by withdrawing his intention to destroy them. It requires greatness and nobility to deal thus with imperfect humans. It is such true greatness that is possessed by our loving and merciful Heavenly Father; a greatness that expresses itself in pity toward those who display a desire to reverence and obey him.
But Jonah sought to escape what he considered the humiliation which would befall him in the event God did change his intentions. Puny man usually gives more than necessary consideration to the supposed importance of reputation. But our high and lofty Heavenly Father is above this, and in the display of his merciful loving-kindness is quite willing to change his course of action, or “repent,” as the Scriptures state it.
This does not mean that the basic principles of divine law are flexible and can be accommodated to varying circumstances. It does mean that God takes into consideration the heart attitude of people, and the measure of their understanding of his law, and is governed by these in his dealings with them. He said of the Ninevites that they could not discern “between their right hand and their left hand,” and this had an important bearing upon his “repentance” when they indicated their desire to turn from their sin.—ch. 4:11
God remembers that we are “dust,” and in his scales our heart condition outweighs our unwilling imperfections. If we err willfully he chastises us, but is quick to forgive and to reinstate us in the sweet and reassuring embrace of his love when we turn to him in godly sorrow, and with a true heart desire to obey him.
Concerning God’s typical people we read, “Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: and he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies. He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.” (Ps. 106:43-46) Surely, our Heavenly Father deals with us in an equally merciful and understanding manner!
Pleased with Moses
ANOTHER illustration of God’s willingness to “repent” is brought to our attention in his dealings with Moses and the Israelites during the wilderness journey. God was displeased with the rebellious attitude of his people, and he said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people: now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.”—Exodus 32:9,10
This announcement disturbed Moses, not that he was averse to becoming the head of a great nation, but because of the effect the destruction of the Israelites would have upon the great and glorious name of his God. So he pleaded with the Lord not to do this thing which he proposed. Moses’ great concern for the name and glory of his God was revealed in his offer to give his own life in place of the lives of his people. In response to Moses’ request, “the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.”—Exodus 32:14
In his plea to the Lord to change his mind with respect to the destruction of the Israelites, Moses called attention to the fact that to do this would give God’s enemies an opportunity to speak evil of him, to say that he had deceived the people of Israel, that he did not have the ability to keep them alive in the wilderness and to take them into the land of Canaan, as promised.
Certainly Jehovah knew this before Moses told him. It was not because of this information that he “repented” of his proposal to destroy Israel, and to make a great nation of Moses’ descendants. It is more reasonable to conclude that his repentance was induced by his pleasure with Moses’ attitude in the matter. True, there could also, in this case, be a typical reason in that Moses prefigured “that prophet” who, by giving his life, brings about the deliverance of the whole world of mankind from death.—Acts 3:23
But God was pleased with Moses, even as he is pleased with each and everyone of his dedicated and humble people. Since he pities his people “like as a father” pitieth his children, we should not underestimate the measures he may and does take in order that we may experience, ever more fully, his merciful loving-kindness as day by day we follow on to know and to do his will.
Without Repentance
AS WE have noted, our confidence in our Heavenly Father is based in large measure upon our knowledge of his faithfulness in fulfilling his promises and covenants. As Solomon said concerning God’s dealing with ancient Israel, “There hath not failed one word of all His good promises, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.”—I Kings 8:56
The same can be said concerning God’s promises to spiritual Israel, and we are assured that this will also be true with respect to the kingdom promises of God, those many promises which give assurance that there will be “times of restitution of all things.” Paul wrote concerning God’s promise to make a New Covenant with Israel that “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”—Rom. 11:26-29
No, God’s plans do not change. His promises never go unfulfilled. These in every age are “without repentance.” His purpose for the Gospel age has been to take out from the world “a people for his name.” (Acts 15:14) This will not change. We have received the call to joint-heirship with Jesus as a part of this “people for his name”; but, if we are to maintain our standing as a part of that people, we must make our calling and election sure by individual faithfulness.—II Pet. 1:10
God’s promises are fulfilled on behalf of the faithful, and it is in his dealings with us as individuals that he displays his understanding and his tenderness. If unwillingly we stumble and fall, he lifts us up. If we become discouraged, he revives our spirits and gives us strength to continue on in the narrow way of sacrifice.
Only if we willfully turn away from the Lord and from his love, and continue to do so, will his mercy let go its hold, and we lose our place in his plan. But this does not mean the failure of his plan, for another will take our place. And the very fact that the purpose of God to bless all the families of the earth will be carried out, that he will not “repent” of his promises either to the church or to the world, should make us more than ever determined to continue our rejoicing in his loving-kindness, that daily, as individuals, we may feel the glowing warmth of his understanding love.
David, the man after God’s own heart, knew much concerning Jehovah’s love and care. (Acts 13:22) But we can and do experience with even greater depth the meaning of our Heavenly Father’s love as so beautifully expressed by David when he wrote, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”—Ps. 23:6