“A righteous God and a Savior,” God calls himself in Isaiah 45:21. And that is exactly the mystery, the conundrum, the fascinating divine puzzle that the prophets and the angels (even the fallen ones and Satan) were trying to figure out.
- How would God be a righteous Savior? How could God save people without violating his righteousness?
- How could God show mercy yet maintain his justice?
- How could God act in grace towards his creatures without bending the truth, even just a little bit?
It seemed impossible! And yet God promises through the prophets to accomplish just this. The prophets wondered with great curiosity and anticipation just how God would pull this off.
Satan may well have thought he had God over a barrel, so to speak, on this issue.
No one (except God, of course) could have anticipated the answer: the cross. On the cross we see clearly and dramatically both God’s justice and his saving grace. God satisfied his righteous wrath against our sin and rebellion by placing our punishment on Jesus. And in that same act of holy justice, he also shows His infinite love and grace and mercy to us. He forgives and saves us.
What a great God! Let’s show our awe, gratitude, and thanks to Him by choosing to obey Him today.
Kip
