“Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?” Micah 7:18
If it were not for the awfulness of sin, and our conscience because of it, and if we had pure hearts and clean hands as we approach God in truth, there would not be the hesitancy, or shying away from Christ, for there is in Him one who is perfectly desireable, and wonderful. There is, and never has been any person that has lived on tthe face of the earth, that comes close to this One who is our Maker and Redeemer. Only by the Holy Spirit, according to the blessed truths of Scripture, do we begin to catch a glimpse of Him in reality. Throughout the Scriptures the prophets and teachers of old, and the disciples who were in the presence of Christ both before the resurrection and afterwards, had not the words to express what they saw in God, in Christ. Only God could provide the words of describing Himself to believing, fallen men, not only revealing the depthless wonder of Himself, but teaching blind and dead men, blinded by sin, dead in trespasses and sins, the things in and of Himself that He desires and wills to be to them. Hence, the message of salvation, sanctification, and glorification is one that is given uniquely by God, by His grace and mercy, stretching forth His hand to lift up helpless and hopeless men, to know true Life, and all that that means. It is a knowledge that He gives that is not just by an acquisition of the truth as it is in Christ, but also, by the experiential power of an indestructible life, the very Life of Christ by the Spirit, living in the believer’s heart. What then is God like, and how can we grasp something of the ineffable wonder, glory, and love of this One who has created us, and who saves us eternally?
In the book of Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah, we find a man confronted with many of the things that Isaiah faced. The context of their ministry was both of dire spiritual need of the people and lack of the experiential knowledge of God, but also, one of a period of great revelations of God by the prophets. The indescrible need of the people who had turned from the living God to worship that which they had conceived in their minds, was overwhelming. Their sinful imaginations and speculations of God, and adherance to practices of worship that stemmed from such a knowledge of devilish sources, plunged them deeper and deeper, farther and farthe,r away from the God who is perfectly good and holy. They, by themselves, could in no wise find the way back, nor the power to come. They were in a spiral of spiritual darkness and deprivation, which would result in destruction. This in spite of the fact that God had reached out to them, from morning to evening, to give them a knowledge of the “way,” but also, of the “power” that was available to them to be saved. So, what do we learn about God, especailly at the end of Micah’s book?
We fnd first that there is nothing and no one with whom we can compare God. He is incomparable to all. Thus, one must begin with Him as He is, and as He reveals Himself. Micah tells us that God is first and foremost one that pardons sin, not only removing the guilt of it, but the “stench” and effects of it. Sin is iniquity, that terrible word that speaks of its wretchedness in the sight of God. Micah goes on to reveal that God can of His own choice and desire, turn away his wrath, replacing it with the revelation of His mercy. He delights in mercy, and compassion, dealing with sins and iniquities, conquering them, and casting them ALL into the depths of the sea. He has promised to reveal His truth and mercy to all who will turn to Him.
Dear Father, Show forth Thy compassion. In Jesus’ name, Amen.