Deuteronomy 4:29-30 AMPC
[29] But if from there you will seek (inquire for and require as necessity) the Lord your God, you will find Him if you [truly] seek Him with all your heart [and mind] and soul and life. [30] When you are in tribulation and all these things come upon you, in the latter days you will turn to the Lord your God and be obedient to His voice.
Jeremiah 29:13 AMPC
[13] Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
Two different verses above; the same warning in both. Two different verses, but there are about 800 -900 years between the events in Deuteronomy, as Israel journeyed to the land of promise, and the ministry of Jeremiah. It is very clear that we deal with a God of absolute knowledge and infinite wisdom. He is called the Omnipotent God for a fact, and as truth, which is not subject to debate; in fact, as the Bible says, all the days that were appointed for me were written down in His book, even before the first day of conception came to be. This tells me that He knows everything about my past, present and future. As the verses in Deuteronomy make clear, God knew that the events in Jeremiah would come to pass. This was as a result of the rebellion of Israel against the instructions of God. Let it be clear that God has no favourites when it comes to sin, and He will punish sin, no matter in whom it is found.
In these verses, there are a few certainties and a few variables. The first two certainties are what we have dealt with above, which are God's supreme knowledge and His hatred for sin. Another one is the fact that He will punish sin. Another one is that nothing can catch Him by surprise, or meet Him unprepared. Another one is His nature of mercy and forgiveness when a sinner returns to Him in true repentance. When you consider all the above, you have to wonder why mortal man struggles with sin, and does not take full advantage of the opportunities that God has provided. He is a God who supplies the help and grace man needs to live in line with the instructions of God. It will not happen by accident, or by deliberate action only, but by a total dependence on God's supply. See how God, even with the certainty of the rebellion of His people, still made provision for repentance, return and restoration.
The people of Israel knew God's command, but still disobeyed. They knew what God loved and hated, but they still pressed on with what was wrong. The lessons are many, but a few will suffice here: God is Omniscient but this does not take away responsibility for my actions. To blame God for my mistakes, claiming that, after all, God knew I would make the mistake, is self- deception. He knows the future, but He also supplies grace for the present and the future. Another lesson is that there is an eternity at stake. At the end, I will not be able to blame people, situations, or circumstances for my eternal reality. When God gives instructions and guidance for life, He wants me to enjoy all of Him within the boundaries He has set. To claim that God is old-fashioned, or old-school because of His standards, only leads to pain and regrets. He wants to bless, heal, and strengthen, but He will not force Himself on anyone, or go against the exercise of my freewill. If I let Him, He can save to the uttermost. Would you let Him work? God's time of favour is here.
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