2. 7. Righteousness & Sin
Deuteronomy 9:1-22
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3. Grace & Wrath All Saints’ Day (Nov 1st) Embracing God for who He is
A single righteous person can change the world
Embracing God for who He is
Most struggle, not with His anger, but His grace
It is what offended the Pharisees about Jesus

4. 1. Whose Character Matters?
Israel will drive out the nations in Canaan
Two false narratives they can tell:
We did this. We are smarter, more powerful, …
God did this. We are pleasing, righteous, …
Focus on who THEY are.

5. 1. Whose Character Matters? …
Both are wrong:
All their abilities & prosperity are a gift (Dt 8:17-18)
They are a stubborn rebellious people (v 6-29)
Why is God helping them? (v 5)
Because of the wickedness of the nations
Because of His faithfulness to His covenant

6. 1. Whose Character Matters? …
Israel is used to bring judgment.
They were truly evil and cruel
(Israel is also God’s instrument of salvation)
God is faithful to his covenant promise
What mattered is who God is.
He judges sin, but also works out salvation.

7. 2. Righteous Anger The mention of wrath evokes indignation
How dare God be angry with us sinners!
Consider grace a basic human right.
It is dishonest and one-sided.
It matters that sin is acknowledged & punished
Righteous anger has a place in the functioning of our world.

8. 2. Righteous Anger … It seems that Moses has to cool God down.
Mistreatment of the righteous a valid reason for anger
Justice demands a response
It seems that Moses has to cool God down.
The story requires “good cop, bad cop” to work
The relational dynamic between Moses & God.

9. 2. Righteous Anger …
God does not change his mind (Num 29:13, Jas 1:17)
Moses engages with God according to His expressed will
God could have raised up a nation through Moses.
Moses offers himself instead of the nation (like Christ)
Having expressed his righteous anger against sin, God relents according to His will.

10. 3. Made in the Image of God
God uses Israel as his Instrument of Judgment
God also works through individuals.
The Story of the Bible is God working through human beings.
The same is true of the history of the church.

11. 3. Made in the Image of God …
We are God’s co-regents
The earth is our domain
We can rule wisely or harshly
It is our mandate (Gen 1:28)
Fill the earth, subdue it, have dominion over it.
It is why saints are still so significant today

12. – Living It – God’s Agents in the World
The Character of God:
Our walk based not on who we are, but who God is
Righteous Anger
Is part of God’s goodness and holiness
Breezily writing off evil would offend us deeply

13. – Living It – God’s Agents in the World
Made in the Image of God
We are His co-regents
We are to rule it in submission to him
We live to see it redeemed & restored
We are instruments of grace.