The Comforting and Troubling Truth About God: 2 Kings #27
The Comforting and Troubling Truth About God is an exposition of 2 Kings 22:1-23:30. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, February 12, 2017.
Intro:
Everyone is a theologian. The word “theology” simply means a word about God. Everyone says things about God. Everyone has some notion about God or has drawn some conclusion about God’s nature. We are all theologians. We have a theology and that theology impacts how we act, think and live. All of that to say, “Your theology matters.” At the heart of everyone’s theology is their doctrine of God. Who is God? What is He like? What does He require? It is critical that we have a biblical understanding of God. Biblically, the doctrine of God is complicated in that He is infinite and we are finite. He is without limit while we are very limited. You will never fully comprehend the nature of God now or in eternity! But there are things we can truly know about God. Things revealed to us in Scripture. What we know is both comforting and troubling. That’s what we are reminded of in our text this evening.
Text: 2 Kings 22:1-23:30
God is holy, righteous and wrathful. He is a consuming fire. Yet He is loving, merciful and full of grace. He cannot tolerate sin yet He lovingly chose to save sinners. He comes in terrifying judgment yet gives grace to the humble. A biblical doctrine of God is, in some respects simple, yet not simplistic. It is straightforward and propositional yet nuanced and not cliched. While the truth is black and white it is not cut and dried and easily stacked away. It is not my intention tonight to lay out for you a thorough biblical doctrine of God but rather to note some significant truths reflected in this passage.
As we work through these two chapters we will note that…
Thesis: The story of Judah’s king Josiah is both comforting and troubling as it demonstrates God’s mercy, His severity and the absolute certainty of His Word.
- First, we see the mercy of God in the midst of judgment. (22:1-20)
- We note the severity of God despite heart-felt repentance and genuine obedience. (23:1-27)
- Finally, note the absolute certainty of God’s Word. (23:15-20)
Conclusion of The Comforting and Troubling Truth About God:
I said this truth is both comforting and troubling. It is comforting when considering a word or promise of blessing. It is troubling when considering the word of judgment. One is just as certain as the other.
A biblical doctrine of God just will not allow you to get too comfortable when you take into account God’s mercy, His severity and the absolute certainty of His Word.