Did you know that even God repents? He does not repent in the same manner as we do, because He is sinless, blameless, pure and Holy, but he repents when he has to chastise us for our sinfulness. 1 Chronicles 21 records the incident of how David was enticed by satan to do the evil of numbering his people, which was an expression of his own abilities, and not his dependence on God. So God sent forth an angel and seventy thousand men were killed. God’s disciplining arm was actually an expression of his justice. But when God’s judgment fell on his people for the sin of David, God said, “It is Enough”, which was an expression of his forgiveness and love. In this account we see the just and loving nature of God.
Points to ponder:
God prefers our repentance over his retribution; our confession over his chastisement. The chastisement that brought peace to mankind from the wrath of God was on Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:5) and Jesus finished the work of redeeming and reconciling mankind to God, by paying with his life. When God sees the sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ, he can say, “It is Enough” because Jesus said, “It is Finished.”
Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high priest whose name is Love, who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on his hands, My name is written in his heart
and while I know in heaven, he stands, no tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look, and see him there, who made an end of all my sin.
Because a sinless savior died, my guilty soul is counted free
for God the just is satisfied, to look on Jesus and pardon me.
1 Chronicles 21:15 (KJV)
15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
