Long-suffering: Righteous anger is slow
to be kindled.
Old
Testament: “The Hebrew
'erekh 'appayim, translated longsuffering, mean literally, "long of
nose" (or "breathing"), and, as anger was indicated by rapid,
violent breathing through the nostrils, "long of anger," or
"slow to wrath." (Orr,
James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Definition for 'LONGSUFFERING'".
"International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". bible-history.com - ISBE;
1915)
The adjective
long-suffering is applied to God and is part of His
character.
"And he passed in front of Moses,
proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to
anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to
thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave
the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin
of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.” (Ex 34:6,7)
‘The
Lord
is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression;
but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the
fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation. (Numbers 14:18)
But You, O Lord,
are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth. Psalms 86:15
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth. Psalms 86:15
New Testament: Greek word rendered
"longsuffering," makrothumia (once makrothumeo, "to be
longsuffering"), which is the rendering of 'erekh 'appayim in the
Septuagint, is literally, "long of mind or soul" (regarded as the
seat of the emotions), opposed to shortness of mind or soul, irascibility,
impatience, intolerance. It is attributed to God (Rom 2:4; 9:22; 2 Pet 3:9), of
His bearing long with sinners and slowness to execute judgment on them. It is,
therefore, one of "the fruits of the Spirit" in man (Gal 5:22) which Christians
are frequently exhorted to cherish and show one toward the other (Eph 4:2; Col
1:11; 3:12, etc.); it belongs, Paul says, to the love, without which all else
is nothing: "Love suffereth long (makrothumei), and is kind" (1 Cor
13:4);
·
Salvation, the
object of
“…and consider that
the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother
Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, (2 Peter 3:15)
·
Should lead to
repentance.
Or do you
despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing
that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:4)
The Lord is not
slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is
longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that
all should come to repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9)
·
An encouragement
to repent.
So rend your
heart, and not your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm. (Joel 2:13)
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm. (Joel 2:13)
·
Exhibited in
forgiving sins.
Whom God set
forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His
righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that
were previously committed, (Romans 3:25)
·
Exercised toward
- His people.
Therefore the Lord will wait, that
He may be gracious to you;
And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
Blessed are all those who wait for Him. (Isaiah 30:18)
And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
Blessed are all those who wait for Him. (Isaiah 30:18)
Nevertheless My
eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the
wilderness.(Ezekiel
20:17)
o
The wicked.
What
if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured
with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, (Romans 9:22)
Who formerly
were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark
was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through
water. (1 Peter 3:20)
o
Plead in prayer.
O
Lord,
You know;
Remember me and visit me,
And take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
In Your enduring patience, do not take me away.
Know that for Your sake I have suffered rebuke. (Jeremiah 15:15)
Remember me and visit me,
And take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
In Your enduring patience, do not take me away.
Know that for Your sake I have suffered rebuke. (Jeremiah 15:15)
o
Israel
But He, being
full of compassion, forgave their iniquity,
And did not destroy them.
Yes, many a time He turned His anger away,
And did not stir up all His wrath; (Psalms 78:38)
And did not destroy them.
Yes, many a time He turned His anger away,
And did not stir up all His wrath; (Psalms 78:38)
“For My name’s sake I will defer My anger,
And for My praise I will restrain it from you,
So that I do not cut you off. (Isaiah 48:9)
And for My praise I will restrain it from you,
So that I do not cut you off. (Isaiah 48:9)
o
Jerusalem
“O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!
How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her
chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! (Matthew 23:37)
o
Paul
However,
for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering,
as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. (1 Timothy 1:16)
Howbeit for this cause I obtained
mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a
pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
From
Torrey’s Topical Index http://bible.somd.com/torrey/index.shtml
God Will Make A Way by Don Moen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zo3fJYtS-o
1 comment:
I write and maintain a spiritual blog which I have titled “AccordingtotheBook” and I’d like to invite you to follow it.
Post a Comment