Knowing God

As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die? [Ezekiel 33.11]

If we are paying attention, we can see an extremely important characteristic of God here. This, coupled with a discussion a few days ago, God Doesn't Change, makes for solid "knowledge of God" or "knowing God" as mentioned in Paul's writings:

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient. [2 Corinthians 10.3-6]

If we are lacking in our knowledge of God, we are doomed to human reasoning. Let's look at that same 2 Corinthians passage in the New King James Version:

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. [2 Corinthians 10.3-6 NKJV]

God's punishment is something He takes NO pleasure in. It is however necessary to convince us to turn from our sin (repentance) SO THE PUNISHMENT MIGHT END. Death, and all the sicknesses and diseases, hardships and trials that lead to it, is designed for one purpose by a loving Father: to bring wayward children to repentance. 

Punishment is indicative of the presence of sin and should be understood without contestation. However, if, in the midst of suffering all the curses described in Deuteronomy 28, we, in proud denial, fail to repent, we have entirely missed the calling of God in those trials. Even if we thank and praise God in and for the hardships, without repentance, we have grossly ignored God's plan and purpose - we have entirely missed God's will. Our human reasoning is a stronghold that binds us to punishment and can only be overcome by the knowledge of God (knowing God).

Think about it: we experience no pleasure in death and its companions: sickness, disease, and disasters. Since we are made in the image of God, we can conclude, even without Ezekiel's documentation above, that God takes no pleasure in these things either! Ezekiel 33.11 only confirms what we should already know about God.

Father, forgive me for refusing to repent and repent often. Forgive my willful misunderstanding  of Your Word because of my proud refusal to admit my own guilt. Forgive me, even with Jesus' work on my behalf freeing me from the responsibility of sacrifices, for remaining arrogantly unrepentant, and thus counting the blood of Jesus as nothing... May I be found repentant and humble before You at all times.