The Creator Reveals Himself-To Our Benefit -Conclusion of Heading for Destruction

This brief view of God's actions should help us to recognized Jehovah's concern and just dealings with his nation.  He did not stand back and simply wait to see what the people would do, as if he were indifferent. He actively  tried to help them. You can appreciate why Isaiah said:  "O Jehovah, you are our Father. . . . All of us are the work of your hand."  (Isaiah 64:8) Accordingly, many today refer  to the Creator as "Father," for he responds as would a loving, interested human father.  However, he also recognizes that we must be responsible for our own course and its outcome.

After the nation experienced a 70-year period of captivity in Babylon, Jehovah God fulfilled his  prophecy to restore Jerusalem.  The people were liberated and allowed to return to their homeland to 'rebuild the house of Jehovah, which was in Jerusalem."  (Ezra 1:1-4;p Isaiah 44:24-45:7) A number of Bible books deal with this restoration, the rebuilding of the temple, or the events that followed. One of them, Daniel, is particularly interesting because it prophesied exactly when the Seed, or Messiah, would appear, and it foretold world developments in our period. 

The temple was finally rebuilt, but Jerusalem was in a pitiful condition. Her walls and gates  were in ruins. So God raised up men such as Nehemiah to encourage and organize the Jews. A prayer that we can read in Nehemiah chapter 9 well summarizes Jehovah's dealings with the Israelites. It shows  Jehovah  to be " a God of acts of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness."  The prayer also shows that Jehovah acts on harmony with his perfect standard of justice. Even when he has good reason to exercise his power to execute judgment,  he is ready to temper justice with love.  His doing this in a balanced and admirable way requires wisdom. Clearly, the Creator's dealings with the nation of Israel ought to draw us to him and motivate us to be interested in doing his will. 

As this part of the Bible (the Old Testament) concludes, Judah, with its temple at Jerusalem, was restored but was under pagan rule. So how could God's covenant with David about a "seed" who could rule "forever" be fulfilled?  (Psalm 89:3, 4, 132:11, 12)  The Jews were still looking forward to the appearance of a "Messiah the Leader" who would free God's people and establish a theocratic (God-ruled) kingdom on earth.  (Daniel 9:24, 25)  Was that Jehovah's purpose, though? If not, how would the promised Messiah bring about deliverance? And how does this affect us today?  The next chapter will consider these vital issues.

Next time: Chapter 9 /A Great Teacher Shows Us the Creator More Clearly

From the book: Is There a Creator That Cares About You?