Past Curt Crist, www.welcometograce.com
Even before the law contract was ever handed down to the nation Israel, God responded to sin in ways that people could readily observe.
Prior to Adam's rebellion, the ground was not cursed, the animal creation was not cursed, and man did not have to toil and sweat to reap his sustenance. Thorns and thistles were an unknown entity at that time. Death and aging was an unknown thing. Of course, the tree of life was in the garden.
God did indeed judge sin in an obvious manner to those looking on. They could tell that God was unhappy with what was going on. God's judgments against sin are seen from the outset of human history even though the law contract would not be established with a nation called Israel for some 2500 years or so of human history. You didn't need a law contract to see God judge sin openly. God made His attitude, His indignation toward sin, obvious before the law was ever handed down to the nation Israel.
God made Cain a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth for the coming short of rightness that Cain committed concerning his brother Abel.
The great flood of Noah's day was an obvious judgment of God for mankind's coming short of rightness in the days of Noah. It was obvious enough to the folks who were trying to swim for their lives or climb in an attempt to escape the advancing waters.
God's grace was also shown in an obvious way all through that time. Both judgment against sin and grace were obvious at that time in human history. The end of all flesh except for eight individuals is a pretty obvious judgment against sin. The ark was a provision of grace. Man rejected it! It wasn't that they were being judged for this issue that they had on a Monday, and a different issue on a Friday. They were coming short of God's rightness at that time and the provision was there, and they rejected the provision, and drowning was the obvious result.
God's judgment against sin was obvious when it came to Ham's short-coming concerning his father's drunken nakedness after the flood. Ham understood that he was judged.
God's judgment against sin was conducted in an obvious manner when He rained fire and brimstone down upon Sodom and Gomorrah. And again, when Lot's wife looked back against instructions not to do so, and was instantly turned into a pillar of salt.
God's judgment when it came to coming short of the right thing to do was obvious to the people of Egypt when God brought the plagues upon their land. The people of Egypt could actually see God's judgment when they lost their firstborn sons, as it was equally obvious to Pharaoh when he lost his own son.
God's judgment against coming short of the right thing to do was obvious to Moses when he was refused entrance to the land God had promised to Israel. And on and on it went, folks even before the law was ever passed down to Israel on Mt. Sinai.
God caused the earth to open up and swallow men alive and then close up again. He caused fire to come down and consume men and women alike and everything they owned in Numbers chapter 16. Just read through what is commonly called the Old Testament scriptures, and you'll see that God's judgment against those who refused to do the right thing was open and visible throughout the dispensations. God allowed men to see and know that judgment was coming from God against sin!
It's Amos chapter 7 see if this doesn't sound like a visible judgment from God in light of Israel's disobedience to the law.
God did promise Israel horrific judgments in Leviticus chapter 26
Verse 17 "I will set my face against you,"
Verse 24 "I will walk contrary to you and punish you,"
Verse 28 "I will walk contrary to you in fury,"
Verse 30 "My soul shall abhor you."
Can you imagine God saying to any of us, "My soul shall abhor you?" Talk about no fear of God; that should be enough to give you a fear of God. Famines, pestilences, such as armies of insects, enemy attacks, climate catastrophes, and captivity were all obvious judgments from the LORD. The contract itself called for God to bring these judgments upon the nation for disobedience to the law contract. He gave them an opportunity to demonstrate their rightness, and they didn't have any. Through these judgments, God was proving to them: "You can't earn your righteousness before me through your performance." So, God made His judgments against sin visible to those being judged and the people around them.
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The City of Refuge Storyby christchurchorl10 views
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