Patience of God

Patience Of God.

Thus may be considered the divine long-suffering or forbearance with sinners. The Lord is called the God of patience, not only because he is the author and object of the grace of patience, but because he is patient or long-suffering in himself, and towards his creatures. It is not, however, to be considered as a quality, accident, passion, or affection in God, as in creatures, but belongs to the very nature and essence of God, and springs from his goodness and mercy (Ro 2:4). It is said to be exercised towards his chosen people (Isa 30:18; Ro 3:25; 2Pe 3:9). The end of his forbearance to the wicked is that they may be without excuse, to make his power and goodness visible (Ge 18:32; 2Pe 3:9). His patience is manifested by giving warnings of judgments before he executes them (Ho 6:5; Am 1:1; 2Pe 2:5); in long delaying his judgments (Ec 8:11); in often mixing mercy with them. There are many instances of this patience recorded in the Scriptures, as with the old world (Ge 6:3); the inhabitants of Sodom (Genesis 18); with Pharaoh (Exodus 5); with the people of Israel in the wilderness (Ac 13:18); with the Gentile world (Ac 17:30); with fruitless professors (Lu 13:6,9); with Antichrist (Re 2:21).