PrintCan God's seeming lack of activity in the face of human defiance be considered as God turning the other cheek? There are many people, I suspect, who will find this question somewhat offensive.
However, if Jesus is the perfect reflection of His Father, why not consider the question? After all, God through Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek. i.e. to absorb the attacks - verbal or otherwise - into our selves rather than retaliate and pursue the path of revenge.
38 "You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'If an eye is injured, injure the eye of the person who did it. If a tooth gets knocked out, knock out the tooth of the person who did it. '39 But I say, don't resist an evil person! If you are slapped on the right cheek, turn the other, too. (Matt 5:38-40 NLT)
In terms of the description set out in Psalm 74, is God practising what He preaches (so to speak)? Consider this description of God set out in Exodus.
5 Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and called out his own name, "the LORD," as Moses stood there in his presence. 6 He passed in front of Moses and said, "I am the LORD, I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness. 7 I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. Even so I do not leave sin unpunished, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations." (Ex 34:5-7 NLT)
Well, it is a clear claim in the Scriptures that God is compassionate, merciful, gracious, slow to anger. Yet He does not ignore sin and leave it unpunished. Certainly we believe that God withholds judgment to allow time for people to come to repentance.
8 But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment.2 (Peter 3:8-10 NLT)
I followed Asaph into Psalm 75 and heard God say this to him
2 God says, "At the time I have planned, I will bring justice against the wicked. (Ps 75:2 NLT)
So, there is a plan! God is not ignorant of the behaviour of the 'wicked' (i.e. those who exclude God from their lives and become a law unto themselves). He is not indifferent or badly informed about conditions here on planet earth. There is a master plan and it includes the eternal, unchangeable vindication of the righteous and the final irreversible judgment of the wicked.
About this time in my thinking, the OT prophet, Habakkuk, pushed his way in to my thoughts..again!
2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help? But you do not listen! "Violence!" I cry, but you do not come to save. 3 Must I forever see this sin and misery all around me? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. 4 The law has become paralyzed and useless, and there is no justice given in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, and justice is perverted with bribes and trickery. (Hab 1:2-4 NLT)
There can be no doubt; Habakkuk is a kindred spirit with Asaph....and myself. The three of us are asking the same questions. I'm convinced that there are many, many others who are asking these questions or have asked them in times gone by. I find re-assurance in the fact that God does know what is going on and that there is a plan to reverse the injustices once and for all.
