1 Kings 11

1Ki 11:39
'And I will afflict the descendants of David because of this, but not forever.'

How beautiful this sentence is to me! God's love is ever so exceedingly abundant. He always provide a way out, amid the disaster we have created. He never seek to destroy us completely. It is His will and desire that all man may come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved.

When Soloman sinned against God by following after false gods, God had to chasten him. But at the same time, we see God's mercies and love in this.

"I will chasten him with the rod of men, but my mercy shall not depart from him (2 Sam 7:14-15)."

We saw that the punishment was not immediate; his kingdom will only be taken away from the hands of Soloman's son. Although this was on account of David, it was also a gracious act towards Soloman.

Sometimes, when we have sinned, the punishment from God does not come immediately as well. It is not that God is not watching, or that we don't deserve the punishment. God is justice. Surely, we will be chastened. I think the non-immediacy of the punishment is a grace to us, that we may learn to appreciate God's love and mercy.

Also, we saw that the punishment was not a complete one.

1Ki 11:13
"However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen."

God's bountiful mercy left a back road (后路) for the house of David. And we know that our Messiah, Jesus, came forth from the house of David. God always leave a way for us to return back to Him. He is not heartless. God's punishment to His people has always been for one reason: It is to call us back to repentance, and back to God. So, He will definitely leave behind a trail for us to go back to Him.

When we are chastised today, do we bother to look for that trail leading back to God? Or do we remain in our murmuring and refuse to move anywhere?

This also reminded me of how temptations are never beyond what we can bear and how He will definitely provide a way out of it (1 Cor 10:13).

Remember also that we do not at all deserve such grace. Do you feel that Soloman deserve that one tribe which God had so mercifully left for the house of David after all that He had done against God? I do not think so. Yet, for His chosen race, for all mankind, for His great plan of salvation, because of His abundant love and mercies, He has showered grace upon grace on us. Do we even realise this? Or have we been receiving His grace in vain?

God will afflict us when we have done wrong, but it is not forever. He will not take away everything from us, leaving us naked and hopeless. Just like how the Israelites could wander in the wilderness for 40years without any tear in their sandals. I cannot believe that God loves us so much that in the midst of afflictions due to our sins, He is actually still preparing the way for our deliverance. God will always prepare a way of hope, and in 1 Kings 11, this hope lies in the descendant of David, our Lord Jesus.