Lesson 9

Introduction 

1. This lesson will focus on "The Patience Of God."

• Far less has been written upon this subject than the other excellencies of God.

• Many who have written and spoken much about some of the attributes of God have passed over or had little comment about the patience of God.

• It is not easy to suggest a reason for this, for surely the longsuffering of God is as much one of the Divine perfections as is His wisdom, power, holiness, or faithfulness.

2. Some reasons why "The Patience Of God" is so often overlooked or neglected.

• One reason might be because the actual term is not often found in the Bible.

• We are inclined to believe frequency means something is more important.

• Frequency of references does not make something more important.

• A truth revealed one time, two times, ten times, or a thousand times has the same importance.

• Most probably the principal reason why so many writers or speakers have failed to address this subject more is from the failure to distinguish this attribute from the Divine mercy and goodness of God.

• God's longsuffering is mentioned in conjunction with His grace and mercy again and again. (Exod. 34:6; Num. 14:18; Psa. 86:15; 103:8,9; 145:8; Rom. 2:4;15:5).

• That the "patience" or "longsuffering" of God is a manifestation of God's mercy and grace cannot be denied.

• It is not always easy to discriminate between God's mercy and patience, but these qualities of God are not exactly the same.

3. Patience differs in some respects from mercy.

• Mercy is willing to help the one who is suffering or in need.

• Mercy or pity is usually extended to those who are who have not harmed us.

• It is usually extended to those in a helpless or miserable condition without cause to hate or retaliate against them.

• Patience or longsuffering is willing to bear with the person who is suffering or in need even if the person is hateful, rebellious, and unremorseful toward God.

• Divine patience is the power of control which God exercises over Himself, causing Him to bear with the wicked and forbear so long in punishing them.

• In Nahum 1:3 we read, "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power."

• Powerful men are often very impatience towards those who speak against them, and fail to cooperate with them.

• God is unlimited in His power, and He has power over Himself.

• He is not anxious to punish and destroy His enemies, but is willing to sustain great injuries without immediately avenging Himself.

• He has the power of patience as well as the power of justice.

1. God manifested His immense patience in the days of Noah.

• The Bible states the wickedness of man was great. (Gen. 6:1-6).

• Man was created "in the image and likeness of God." but had become wicked beyond words. (Gen. 1:26, 27; 6:5).

• One could hardly blame God if He instantly destroyed mankind.

• God exercised great patience.

• He gave the antediluvians 120 years to repent. (Gen. 6:3; 1 Pet. 3:20).

• Noah, "a preacher of righteousness," called upon man to repent, but did not make a single convert outside his family. (2 Pet. 2:5; 1 Pet. 3:20; Gen. 7:13).

2. God manifested His great patience in the days of Sodom of and Gomorrah.

• These cities were exceedingly wicked. (Gen. 18:20).

• God's patience had become thin. (Gen. 18:21).

• Abraham began to intercede for Sodom. (Gen. 18:22-33).

• God was willing to spare Sodom even if 10 righteous persons could be found in that abominable city. (Gen. 18:32).

• Sadly, there were not 10 righteous people in Sodom and the city was destroyed along with Gomorrah. (Gen. 19:23-25).

1. God revealed His patience at the crossing of the Red Sea.

• God sent 10 plagues on the wicked Egyptians and led His people out of bondage by the hand of Moses.

• The people constantly murmured.

2. God exhibited His patience at Mount Sinai.

• Moses led the Israelites to Mount Sinai and ascended on the Mount to receive the law.

• What did the Israelites to while Moses was on the mountain.

• They persuaded Aaron, the brother of Moses, to make a golden calf. (Exod. 32:1-4).

• They commenced to worship the golden calf and became immoral. (Exod. 32:6; 1 Cor. 10:7).

• Why didn't God destroy the Israelites?

• God's longsuffering kept Him from totally destroying Israel.

3. What about the Gentiles in the patriarchal age and Mosaic age?

• The Gentiles worshipped the creature rather than the Creator, and committed the vilest abominations. (Rom. 1:19-26).

• God did not exterminate the wicked rebels, but "suffered all nations to walk in their own ways" and gave them "rain from heaven and fruitful seasons." (Acts 14:16,17).

1. God's patience is not limited to the patriarchal age, or Mosaical Age, but is constantly manifested in the Christian dispensation.

2. How wondrous is God's patience with the world today!

• On every side people are sinning with a high hand.

• God's sacred name and His Divine law are trampled under foot by the vast, vast majority of the world.

• It is truly amazing that He does not instantly strike dead those who so brazenly defy Him.

• Why does He not suddenly destroy the haughty infidel, and others who rebel against Him?

• Why does He not cause the earth to swallow up those who despise Him?

• Why does He not destroy such with fire and end their abominations?

• The answer is the longsuffering of God.

 3. What about us?

• Many of us once lived in sin.

• Many of us once lived to gratify ourselves and were not concerned about God's glory.

• Even the best of us have sinned over and over and over again.

• How patiently God bore with our vile conduct!

• If it were not for the longsuffering of God, none of us could have been saved.

• He gave each us time to repent.

1. It is sad so many have misunderstood God's longsuffering.

• Many mistake God's patience for weakness and forgetfulness and think God is unable to come or has forgotten His promise to send Jesus again. (2 Pet. 3:9).

• Peter assures us the delay of the Lord is not due to His weakness or forgetfulness, but is due to His "longsuffering."

2. May each of us mediate upon God's patience and thank God for this marvelous, wonderful attribute.

• May each of us express gratitude to God for His patience which enabled our hearts and consciences to become soften by Jesus and His precious words of life.

• May each of us seek grace to emulate this Divine excellency.

3. Next week we will study "The Wrath of God" and the following week we will study "The Love of God."