Neh 9:26-31 ESV

26 “Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies. 27 Therefore you gave them into the hand of their enemies, who made them suffer. And in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to your great mercies you gave them saviors who saved them from the hand of their enemies. 28 But after they had rest they did evil again before you, and you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them. Yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many times you delivered them according to your mercies. 29 And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which if a person does them, he shall live by them, and they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey. 30 Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31 Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

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26 “Gayunma'y naging masuwayin sila at naghimagsik laban sa iyo, at tinalikuran ang iyong kautusan at pinatay ang iyong mga propeta na nagbabala sa kanila upang mapanumbalik sa iyo, at sila'y gumawa ng mabibigat na paglapastangan. 27 Kaya't ibinigay mo sila sa kamay ng kanilang mga kaaway, na siyang nagpahirap sa kanila. At sa panahon ng kanilang paghihirap ay dumaing sila sa iyo, at dininig mo sila mula sa langit; at ayon sa iyong dakilang kaawaan ay binigyan mo sila ng mga tagapagligtas na nagligtas sa kanila sa kamay ng kanilang mga kaaway. 28 Ngunit pagkatapos na sila'y magkaroon ng kapahingahan, muli silang gumawa ng kasamaan sa harapan mo at iniwan mo sila sa kamay ng kanilang mga kaaway. Kaya't sila'y nagkaroon ng kapamahalaan sa kanila; ngunit nang sila'y manumbalik at dumaing sa iyo, iyong dininig mula sa langit at maraming ulit na iyong iniligtas sila ayon sa iyong mga kaawaan. 29 At iyong binalaan sila upang maibalik sila sa iyong kautusan. Ngunit kumilos silang may kapangahasan, at hindi tinupad ang iyong mga utos, kundi nagkasala laban sa iyong mga batas, na kung tutuparin ito ng isang tao, siya'y mabubuhay, at iniurong ang balikat at pinatigas ang kanilang leeg at hindi sumunod. 30 Maraming taon mo silang tiniis, at nagbabala sa kanila ang iyong Espiritu sa pamamagitan ng iyong mga propeta, gayunma'y ayaw nilang makinig. Kaya't ibinigay mo sila sa kamay ng mga tao ng mga lupain. 31 Gayunma'y sa iyong dakilang mga kaawaan ay hindi mo sila winakasan o tinalikuran man sila; sapagkat ikaw ay mapagpala at maawaing Diyos.


CHASTISEMENT

It’s tragic that during the time of comfort and abundance, Gods' people turn against Him. Man is more vulnerable in times of abundance than in times of lack, isn’t it? Thus, for their rebellion and blasphemies, God gave them over to their enemies, who made them to suffer. Simply said, their suffering was a chastisement from God.

Certainly, this was a consequence to their sins. The writer of Hebrews says;
“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?[Heb 12:7-9]

God’s love isn’t pampering but purifying love. His love doesn’t rejoice in evil. God brings chastisement as a "wake-up call" to His people. As a result, God's people then turn back to Him. Having been forgiven, blessed and satisfied by God, they again turn from Him, and the cycle continued. This ‘blessing -rebellion – chastisement-repentance -blessing’ cycle seemed endless. Yet, in these cycles, God doesn’t change.

Are we different than these feeble Jews? Do we feel as if God has gotten tired of us? That we couldn't ask him to forgive us anymore for a sin that beset us? But, God never gets tired of us, and never turns away the repentant heart. Thankfully, His patience never runs out. After all, He knows our frame that we are made of dust.

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