The Song of Solomon : and the Lamentations of Jeremiah

142
THE LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMIAH
compelled to regard in its present operation as nothing
short of Divine antagonism. It may remind us that
the motives lying behind the most inimical action on
God's part may be merciful and kind in their aims.
Still, for the time being, the opposition is a reality, and
a reality which to all intents and purposes is one of
enmity, since it resists, frustrates, hurts.
Nor is this all. We have no reason to deny that
God can have real anger. Is it not right and just
that He should be " angry with the wicked every
day " ? ^ Would He not be imperfect in holiness,
would He not be less than God if He could behold
vile deeds springing from vile hearts with placid indifference
? We must believe that Jesus Christ was
as truly revealing the Father when He was moved
with indignation as when He was moved with compassion.
His life shows quite clearly that He was
the enemy of oppressors and hypocrites, and He
plainly declared that He came to bring a sword.^ His
mission was a war against all evil, and therefore,
though not waged with carnal weapons, a war against
evil men. The Jewish authorities were perfectly right
in perceiving this fact. They persecuted Him as their
enemy ; and He was their enemy. This statement is
no contradiction to the gracious truth that He desired
to save all men, and therefore even these men. If
God's enmity to any soul were eternal it would conflict
with His love. It cannot be that He wishes the
ultimate ruin of one of His own children. But if He
is at the present time actively opposing a man, and if
He is doing this in anger, in the wrath of righteousness
against sin, it is only quibbling with words to deny that
' Psalm vii. ii, - Matt. x. 34.