A Passion Story: God’s Heart for the World

God’s love, and prevenient grace operating through the course of our lives is truly awe inspiring and humbling.

The earliest and most ancient book of the Bible , Job, outlines God’s redemptive salvation work for all humanity.

The cry,

Oh, do not deliver the life of your turtledove to the wild beast (to the greedy multitude); forget not the life [of the multitude] of Your poor forever.  Job 74:19

For we know, oh God,

Hatred stirs up contentions, but love covers all transgressions. Proverbs 10:12 AMPC

It is true,

He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love.  1 John 4:8 AMPC

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.  John 3:16 AMPC

Prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.  Many suggest the significance of the donkey being the humility of His passion.  Truly, what better prophetic announcement trumpeting the Messiah than riding in on a beast of burden, for Jesus was born as man to bear the burden of the world’s sin, becoming for us the paramount beast of burden.

…Jesus went on ahead of them, going up to Jerusalem. Telling [them], Go into the village yonder; there, as you go in, you will find a donkey’s colt tied, on which no man has ever yet sat. Loose it and bring [it here]. And they brought it to Jesus; then they threw their garments over the colt and set Jesus upon it. [Zech. 9:9.] And as He rode along, the people kept spreading their garments on the road. [II Kings 9:13.] As He was approaching [the city], at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to rejoice and to praise God [extolling Him exultantly and] loudly for all the mighty miracles and works of power that they had witnessed, crying, Blessed (celebrated with praises) is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven [freedom there from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin] and glory (majesty and splendor) in the highest [heaven]! [Ps. 118:26.]  Luke 19:28, 30, 35-38 AMPC

And yet we cry,

O do not [earnestly] remember against us the iniquities and guilt of our forefathers! Let Your compassion and tender mercy speedily come to meet us, for we are brought very low.         Psalm 79:1-3, 6-8 AMPC

Understand,

We have been granted Peace!  Death has been defeated.  The adversity we face in this life is not meant as judgment to bring death, but the workings of salvation, awakening to life, having our eyes opened as Job’s were, seeing God for the first time.

I had heard of You [only] by the hearing of the ear, but now my [spiritual] eye sees You.  Job 42:5 AMPC

So who will you call upon?  Who is it that has answered you?

CALL NOW–is there any who will answer you? And to which of the holy [angels] will you turn? For affliction comes not forth from the dust, neither does trouble spring forth out of the ground. But man is born to trouble as the sparks and the flames fly upward. As for me, I would seek God and inquire of and require Him, and to God would I commit my cause– Who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number, Who gives rain upon the earth and sends waters upon the fields, So that He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn He lifts to safety. So the poor have hope, and iniquity shuts her mouth. Happy and fortunate is the man whom God reproves; so do not despise or reject the correction of the Almighty [subjecting you to trial and suffering]. For He wounds, but He binds up; He smites, but His hands heal. He will rescue you in six troubles; in seven nothing that is evil [for you] will touch you. At destruction and famine you shall laugh, neither shall you be afraid of the living creatures of the earth. For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. And you shall know that your tent shall be in peace, and you shall visit your fold and your dwelling and miss nothing [from them].  Job 5:1, 6-11, 16-19, 22-24 AMPC

For,

..God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. You crushed the heads of Leviathan (Egypt); You did give him as food for the creatures inhabiting the wilderness. You did cleave open [the rock bringing forth] fountains and streams; You dried up mighty, ever-flowing rivers (the Jordan). [Exod. 17:6; Num. 20:11; Josh. 3:13.]   Psalm 74:12, 14-15, 19 AMPC

Yes,

Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, extend to the skies, and Your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, Your judgments are like the great deep. O Lord, You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! The children of men take refuge and put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They relish and feast on the abundance of Your house; and You cause them to drink of the stream of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light do we see light. [John 4:10, 14.] O continue Your loving-kindness to those who know You, Your righteousness (salvation) to the upright in heart.  Psalm 36:5-10 AMPC