Daily Encouragementنموونە

So the light of God’s compassion shines even on this dark page. The sin of his people was very grave. They were idolaters and they had forsaken the Lord. In desperation they turned to him, but it was a fickle repentance, because they would soon backslide again when conditions appeared to improve. How righteously he could have abandoned them completely: “go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!” (Judg. 10:14).

But God is not unmoved by the misery of his people, even when their misery is the inevitable result of their sin. He is no impassive deity detached from the plight of sinful man. The old translation puts it poignantly: “His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.”

This revelation of love is repeated in many other places in the Old Testament: “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? . . . all my compassion is aroused” (Hos. 11:8). It finds its consummation in Calvary’s cross, where “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Here is the antidote to despair for labourers among a backsliding people, for here is the hope of help from heaven.