Exemplary Long-Suffering Toward Israel

Jehovah's long-suffering toward Israel lasted much longer than 120 years. Throughout the more than 1,500 years of their history as God's chosen people, there were comparatively few periods when the Israelites did not try God's long-suffering to the limit. Only weeks after their miraculous deliverance from Egypt, they turned to idol worship, showing gross disrespect for their Savior. (Exodus 32:4; Psalm 106:21) During the succeeding decades, the Israelites complained about the food Jehovah miraculously supplied in the desert, murmured against Moses and Aaron, spoke against Jehovah, and committed fornication with pagans, even sharing in Baal worship. (Numbers 11:4-6; 14:2-4; 21:5; 25:1-3; 1Corinthians 10:6-11) Jehovah could Justifiably have exterminated his people, but instead he exercised long-suffering. - Numbers 14:11-21.

During the time of the Judges, the Israelites repeatedly fell away to Idolatry. When they did so, Jehovah abandoned them to their enemies. But when they repented and called on him for help, he exercised long-suffering and raised up judges to deliver them. (Judges 2:17,18) During the long period of the monarchy, few kings showed exclusive devotion to Jehovah. And even under the faithful kings, the people often mixed true worship with false. When Jehovah raised up prophets to warn against unfaithfulness, the priests usually preferred to listen to corrupt priests and false prophets. (Jeremiah 5:31; 25:4-7) Indeed, the Israelites persecuted Jehovah's faithful prophets and even killed some of them. (2 Chronicles 24:20, 21; Acts 7:51, 52 ) Nonetheless, Jehovah continued to show long-suffering.- 2Chronicles 36:15.

Next time: Jehovah's Long-Suffering Not Lost