Thursday, July 12, 2012

THE INCOMPARABLE GOD

 Who is a God like You, removing iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of His inheritance?  He does not hold on to His anger forever, because He delights in faithful love.” (Micah 7:18 HCSB)


The name, Micah, means, “Who is like God?”  From the moment, Micah, as a baby was named, throughout his days on earth, each time his name was called, this rhetorical question was pondered over and again.  The answer, of course, is that there is none like God—He is incomparable! 

How fitting that this man should grow up to be one of God’s spokesmen, and have the incredible privilege of proclaiming this incomparable Person.  It is the theme of his prophecy and this main point is driven home in the closing verses, “Who is a God like You?” (7:18a)

We are reminded of GOD’S INCOMPARABLE CHARACTER.

Who is a God like You, removing iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of His inheritance?  He does not hold on to His anger forever, because He delights in faithful love.” (Micah 7:18 HCSB)

We have all met men of good character.  They are rare, but we know them.  Hopefully, we are striving to be one.  But, that goodness is relative compared with other frail, failing human beings.  Not so the character of God!  It is incomparable.  He is flawless.  God is incapable of considering or committing wrong.  There is no standard we can compare Him to, for He is the standard of all that is good.

Just look at the greatness of the goodness of God that Micah presents in this text.  The prophet is overwhelmed that this infinitely holy God will remove iniquity.  He can reach down to a sinner and clean him or her up, without being contaminated by that sin Himself. 

God can be fully just and yet still justify those who ought to be condemned for their rebellion against Him.  Indeed, He reconciles the rebel unto Himself and establishes peace with God.  God takes His foes and turns them to friends.

The righteous indignation that erupts against evil is expressed, but then set aside.  His character demands that sin be punished, but God’s character is such that He also delights in saving sinners.

How can this incomparable God do such a work of amazing grace?  It is wrought in the incomparable work of the Son of God.  Jesus Christ our Lord took upon Himself the likeness of sinful flesh, yet was unpolluted by the human form He dwelt in and the sinful environment He live in.  Satan could tempt Him, but not triumph over Him.  Because Jesus bore our sin on Calvary, He paid the price the Righteous One demanded, even though He was undeserving of that punishment.  The fury of God’s wrath was poured out on His Son that we might become the objects of God’s delight.

God is not only incomparable in His character, but we see GOD’S INCOMPARABLE COMPASSION.

“He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities.  You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19 HCSB)

One of the fundamental tenets of theology, so concisely expressed in words, yet so profoundly inexhaustible in wonder is this: “God is love.”  (1 John 4:8)  To speak of the vastness of God’s compassion is to acknowledge the inadequacy of human vocabulary and will require all eternity to contemplate and celebrate this awe-inspiring love.

God “vanquishes our iniquities”!  He covers our sin, to be sure, but more—He conquers our sinfulness.  That which would bar us from heaven, is dealt with once and for all!

Think of the beauty of this—God takes our sin and casts it into the ocean depths of His mercy.  Someone has well-said that He then puts up a sign, “No Fishing!”

An old Gospel song puts the incomparable compassion of God in these terms:

“Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.”

Micah declares God’s incomparable character and compassion, and more—GOD’S INCOMPARABLE COMMITMENT.

“You will show loyalty to Jacob and faithful love to Abraham, as You swore to our fathers from days long ago.” (Micah 7:20 HCSB)

It is not possible for God to lie.  Not one of His commitments will ever be forgotten or forsaken.  No promise will fall to the ground as a fluttering sparrow with a broken wing. 

There would be times that it would seem the covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would be abrogated by.  Their sins would be so great, and the sentence upon them for their sins would be so grave, that it would appear hopeless.  As we read some passages in Micah, we find the corruption of Israel apparently incurable and their judgment seemingly irreversible.  As a result, I have begun to strike you severely, bringing desolation because of your sins.” (Micah 6:13 HCSB)

But as great as their unfaithfulness to God’s covenant was, God’s faithfulness to His promise was—and is—greater still!  Listen to this testimony:

“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will stand up; though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.  Because I have sinned against Him, I must endure the Lord's rage until He argues my case and establishes justice for me. He will bring me into the light; I will see His salvation.” (Micah 7:8-9 HCSB)

This is our hope!  This is our confidence!  Blessed assurance!

There is none like God!

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