The Old Testament Reveals Our Problem Is With God's Mercy

Why would a prophet be angry that God forgives? Jonah ran from Nineveh because he knew God is "gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love," and he did not want Nineveh to receive it. If you were in trouble because of your own sin, what would you appeal to? Across the Psalms, Isaiah, Numbers, Micah, and Jonah, God's people appeal to the same thing: Yahweh's character, His hesed and emet toward those who belong to Him. In this episode, we trace that through the Old Testament, and ask what it tells us about the basis of God's forgiveness, why that forgiveness doesn't always remove consequences, and why His mercy is so often where we struggle. In this episode: Psalm 103: forgiveness as a benefit of life with Yahweh Psalm 130: "If you should mark iniquities, who could stand?" and what the psalmist appeals to Isaiah 55: forgiveness "without price," and what "my ways are higher than your ways" is actually answering Numbers 14: forgiven, with consequences, and Moses's appeal to God's honor Micah 7: bearing Yahweh's indignation, and justice that includes mercy Jonah: why he was angry, and God's question that ends the book Where we go next: the New Testament Passages mentioned: Psalm 103; Psalm 130; Isaiah 55; Numbers 14:11-25; Micah 7:8-10, 18-20; Jonah 4; Exodus 34:6-7 Anselm's Statement in Cur Deus Homo Book 1 Chapter 20: "Anselm. What will become of you then? How will you be saved? Boso. Merely looking at your arguments, I see no way of escape. But, turning to my belief, I hope through Christian faith, “which works by love,” that I may be saved, and the more, since we read that if the sinner turns from his iniquity and does what is right, all his transgressions shall be forgotten. Anselm. This is only said of those who either looked for Christ before his coming, or who believe in him since he has appeared. But we set aside Christ and his religion as if they did not exist, when we proposed to inquire whether his coming were necessary to man’s salvation. Boso. We did so. Anselm. Let us then proceed by reason simply." Anselm has his "conversation partner" raise Ezekiel and Isaiah 55 as a hope that perhaps it "works by love". Anselm says this only works if you're looking for Christ, but we're just coming at this without the Bible or Christianity, we're proceeding "by reason simply." ABOUT MADE LIKE HIS BROTHERS Made Like His Brothers is a podcast and YouTube channel exploring Jesus, the true God and true Man, and his rescue of humanity from sin, death, and the devil. It's for anyone who wants to know God better, and who finds tension between the theology they inherited and what they read in Scripture. Expect biblical theology that reads Scripture in its own ancient context, follows the story of the Bible from beginning to end, and centers on Christ and His incarnation. CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro [1:15] Recap [2:19] Psalm 103: forgiveness as a benefit of life with Yahweh [15:16] Psalm 130: if You should mark iniquities [24:30] Isaiah 55: purchase without cost [39:31] Numbers 14: forgiven, with consequences [51:23] Micah 7: justice that includes mercy [57:34] Jonah: the Old Testament summary [1:11:44] Closing Encouragement LISTEN AS A PODCAST: https://rss.com/podcasts/made-like-hi... SUBSCRIBE:    / @nicktmercer   Music: "Royalty Free Music" by NastelBom via Pixabay. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. #BiblicalTheology #forgivenessofsin #atonement