Nahum 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked… Slowness to anger, or admirable patience, is the property of the Divine nature. This patience is seen in His providential works in the world. Consider — I. THE NATURE OF THIS PATIENCE. 1. It is a part of the Divine goodness and mercy, yet differs from both. It differs from mercy in the formal consideration of the object. Mercy respects the creature as miserable, patience respects the creature as criminal. Mercy is one end of patience. It differs in regard of the object. The object of goodness is every creature. The object of patience is primarily man. 2. Since it is a part of goodness and mercy, it is not an insensible patience. 3. It is not a constrained or half-hearted patience. 4. Since it is not for want of power over the creature, it is from a fulness of power over Himself. 5. The exercise of this patience is founded in the death of Christ. The natural ness of God's veracity and holiness, and the strictness of His justice, are no bars to the exercise of His patience. II. HOW THIS PATIENCE, OR SLOWNESS TO ANGER, IS MANIFESTED. 1. To our first parents. 2. To the Gentiles. 3. To the Israelites. In particular, this patience is manifest — (1) In His giving warning of judgments before He orders them to go forth. He speaks before He strikes, and speaks that He may not strike. (2)In long delaying His threatened judgments, though He finds no repentance in the rebels. (3) In His unwillingness to execute His judg merits, when He can delay no longer. (4) In moderating His judgments, even when He sends them. (5) In giving great mercies after provocations. (6) All this is more manifest if we consider the provocations He hath. III. WHY DOTH GOD EXERCISE SO MUCH PATIENCE? 1. To show Himself appeasable. 2. To wait for men's repentance. 3. For the propagation of mankind. 4. For the continuance of the Church. 5. To manifest the equity of His future justice on righteous and wicked.For instruction — 1. How do men abuse this patience? 2. The second use is for comfort. 3. For exhortation. Meditate often on the patience of God, (C. Charnocke.) Parallel Verses KJV: The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. |
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