God Doesn’t Hate You

And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp; And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death. (Leviticus 24:10-16)

 Thought For Today:

I often hear from people who do not understand the Bible and begin to find fault with God for some of the things they read.  For example, A man who had just been released from prison Once said, " I don't see how anybody can serve and believe in anything that hates people."  No one listening could understand what he meant. He said, "I'm gay, and God teaches people to hate us."  he was asked, "Who told you that? God doesn't hate you. God loves you. God hates sin and anything that goes against His word. If I lie, God hates that.  If I steal, God hates that because it goes against His word."  He was told that God hates sin, but He loves the sinner.  If we are not careful, we can believe what others say without searching it out for ourselves.

Under the law God gave to Moses, cursing would fall under the commandment, "Thou shall not take the name of the Lord in vain."  And so when the people heard a young man had blasphemed the name of the LORD and cursed, they brought him unto Moses.  And when Moses ascertained of the Lord what should be done unto him the Lord said, "Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death."

What God was showing us here is this:  Sin must be dealt with in the church and the life of people.  If a church never preaches against sin and never deals with sin, then people from the youngest to the oldest will think it is okay.  God was setting a standard with the children of Israel that sin must be dealt with in every life. Always remember, if you say that you are born again of the water and the spirit, sin should not have dominion over you.  Sin should no longer rein in your life.  Eradicating sin from a life must begin at the earliest age.  God doesn't hate you, God loves you.  He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).