“Far be it from us that we
should forsake the Lord to serve other god’s” turns out to not be too “far be
it from" them at all. In the future the prophets speaking for God will lament,
“These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me.”
(Isaiah 29:13) I suppose after forty years in the wilderness you’ll say
anything to get some relief in the Promised Land. I’ve read the Old Testament
more times than I can count and far be it from me to find times these people
pledging faithfulness made good on the promise. Oh there are times they listen
to what the Lord is saying (as for me and my house we will serve the Lord) and
experience blessing, but the land promised (albeit taken violently from others)
is ultimately divided between two kingdoms who hate each other more than they
fear their enemies. The truth of the scriptures is that they don’t sugar coat
the story of the people of God who turn out to be just as unfaithful as
everyone else. But in the same way that the scripture speaks the truth about
them (and us) it reveals the unique nature of our God. Every other god
would visit vengeance on promises made but not kept. This God declares
through the crucified and risen Christ, “far be it from me” to forsake you.
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