Sometimes I think maybe God is tired of dealing with me. This comes from the enemy of my soul – the Adversary. There are stories in the Old Testament that offer encouragement.
When Moses was in the desert tending sheep, God called him to return to Egypt and deliver the Israelites from the power of Pharaoh. First, he complained, “Oh, Adonai, I’m a terrible speaker. I always have been, and I’m no better now, even after you’ve spoken to your servant!…” (Exodus 4:10, Complete Jewish Bible) Even after God reassured Moses that he would be his mouth, Moses replied, “Please, Lord, send someone else – anyone you want!” (Exodus 4:13, Complete Jewish Bible) This made God angry, although he agreed to have Moses’ brother Aaron speak on his behalf. Aaron accompanied Moses when speaking to the leaders of the Israelites and Pharaoh.
When Moses was on the mountain God told him, “You shall bring forward your brother Aaron, with his sons, from among the Israelites, to serve Me as priests…” “…anoint them, and ordain them and consecrate them to serve Me as priests.” (Exodus 28:1, 41, Tanakh) This was an important position. “Inside the breastpiece of decision you shall place the Urim and Thummim, so that they are over Aaron’s heart when he comes before the Lord. Thus Aaron shall carry the instrument of decision for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord at all times.” (Exodus 28:30, Tanakh)
While Moses was on the mountain talking to God, Aaron, whom God chose to be a priest, succumbed to the complaints of the Israelites and made a gold calf for them to worship (Exodus 32:1-4). He then blamed the people. “…You know that this people is bent on evil. They said to me, ‘Make us a god to lead us; for that man Moses, who brought us from the land of Egypt – we do not know what has happened to him.’ So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, take it off!’ They gave it to me and I hurled it into the fire and out came this calf!” (Exodus 32:22-24, Tanakh)
As humans, this may have led us to rethink our decision to make Aaron a priest, but not with God. He carried through with his plan to make Aaron and his descendants priests before God. God didn’t give up on Aaron or Moses.
Jonah is best known for being swallowed by a whale, although the story of Jonah illustrates God’s patience and unwillingness to give up on those He has chosen. Jonah was told to “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim judgment upon it; for their wickedness has come before Me.” (Jonah 1:2, Tanakh) He didn’t.
Jonah instead boarded a ship headed to Tarshish, was subsequently thrown overboard, swallowed and eventually spit out by a whale. “The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it what I tell you.”” (Jonah 3:1-2, Tanakh)
Jonah finally did as God instructed, but when the people of Nineveh heeded the warning, repented and turned to God, God relented. Jonah was not happy. “This displeased Jonah greatly, and he was grieved. He prayed to the Lord, saying, “O Lord! Isn’t this just what I said when I was still in my own country? This is why I fled beforehand to Tarshish. For I know that You are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, renouncing punishment. Please, Lord, take my life, for I would rather die than live.” The Lord replied, “Are you that deeply grieved?”” (Jonah 4:1-4, Tanakh)
Rather than become angry with Jonah, God explained why he cared about Nineveh (Jonah 4:11). God did not give up on Jonah.
Nebuchadnezzar presents us with another example of God’s reluctance to give up on someone. Even though Nebuchadnezzar was not an Israelite, I believe God loved him as evidenced by his multiple miracles to reach Nebuchadnezzar. The first occasion in which God proved to Nebuchadnezzar that he alone is God came when he had a dream about the future. In order to know that the interpretation was accurate, Nebuchadnezzar required the resident magicians to tell him both the dream and the interpretation. When they failed, he ordered all the sages, astrologers and magicians put to death. When Daniel was told, he requested time to seek God, and was able to tell the king his dream and interpretation (Daniel 2). Following the accurate interpretation, Nebuchadnezzar said, “…“Truly your God must be the God of gods and Lord of kings and the revealer of mysteries to have enabled you to reveal this mystery.”” (Daniel 2:47, Tanakh)
Next, Nebuchadnezzar had a statue made and required everyone to bow when they heard instruments play. The penalty for not bowing was being thrown into the blazing hot furnace. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refused to bow they were thrown into the blazing hot furnace. After seeing four men walking around unharmed in the furnace, Nebuchadnezzar had the three Israelites brought to him and proclaimed, “…Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who sent His angel to save His servants who, trusting in Him, flouted the king’s decree at the risk of their lives rather than serve or worship any god but their own God.” (Daniel 3:28, Tanakh) God was making himself known to Nebuchadnezzar in amazing ways, although while Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged his power, he still did not turn to God.
Finally, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, which Daniel interpreted, that predicted Nebuchadnezzar would cease to be human for a time “…until you come to know that the Most High is sovereign over the realm of man, and He gives it to whom He wishes.” (Daniel 4:22, Tanakh) Twelve months later, “the king exclaimed, “There is great Babylon, which I have built by my vast power to be a royal residence for the glory of my majesty!”” (Daniel 4:27, Tanakh) God declared, “You are being driven away from men, and your habitation is to be with the beasts of the field…and seven seasons will pass over you until you come to know that the Most High is sovereign over the realm of man and He gives it to whom He wishes.” (Daniel 4:29, Tanakh)
“When the time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason was restored to me. I blessed the Most High, and praised and glorified the Ever-Living One…” (Daniel 4:31, Tanakh) It appears Nebuchadnezzar finally accepted the Lordship of God. “So now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of Heaven, all of whose works are just and whose ways are right, and who is able to humble those who behave arrogantly.” (Daniel 4:34, Tanakh) These were the last recorded words of Nebuchadnezzar. God did not give up on him.
God’s tenacious pursuit may not be easily understood, although Paul gives us a glimpse of his ways. “Now what if God, even though he was quite willing to demonstrate his anger and make known his power, patiently put up with people who deserved punishment and were ripe for destruction? What if he did this in order to make known the riches of his glory to those who are the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory – that is, to us, whom he called not only from among the Jews but also from among the Gentiles?” (Romans 9:22-24, Complete Jewish Bible)
This post is deeply personal as God did not give up on me. And He won’t give up on you!