Will God’s Love destroy you or save you?

© 2016 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

Can love destroy?  Consider a father who demonstrates his love for his family by killing an armed intruder to defend them.

Similarly, God’s love can destroy.  Consider Psalm 136, famous for speaking of God’s eternal mercy.  Over and over it says, “His mercy endureth forever.” I seldom hear folks quote the entire Psalm.  It’s more comfortable to stop after quoting only the first 9 verses.  Why?  Because verse 10 continues with a description of God’s dealings with Israel’s enemies.

Here is the portion of Psalm 136 usually quoted.

“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.  O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.  O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.  To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.  To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.  To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.  To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:  The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:  The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 136:1-9).

But here begins the rest of the story.  The rest of the Psalm repeatedly declares God’s mercy to be associated with His destruction of Israel’s enemies.  Listen!

“To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:  And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 136:10-11).

The remaining verses continue this theme, describing God’s destruction of Pharaoh’s forces in the Red Sea, and naming many other kings God also destroyed to protect and show mercy to His beloved people.

In eternity, if you’ve ignored or rejected the blood sacrifice of God the Son, His love will cast you into the lake of fire thereby protecting His holy city, new Jerusalem, from your corruption.  (Revelation 20:14 & 21:8).

 “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27).

Must God’s love destroy you in protecting His beloved?

 

 

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