Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old. (Micah 7:18-20)
The Third and Fourth Attribute – He Removes Iniquity for the Remnant of His Inheritance
The Third Attribute is closely related to the last, but as we will discover, “He bears sin” is markedly different to “He removes iniquity”.
As we can see, the ESV translates this as “passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance”. What is interesting is that the ESV concludes this sentence with a question mark, referring to the “who is a God like you” question. One wonders whether the use of this punctuation reflects the “misunderstanding” that can be inferred in the English. The Hebrew does not contain these punctuation marks. However, the translators of the Jewish Publication Society have considered the same passage with a different emphasis.
Who is a God like You,
Forgiving iniquity
And remitting transgression;
Who has not maintained His wrath forever
Against the remnant of His own people,
Because He loves graciousness!
This is a much better translation. There is literally “no question” regarding the character of HaShem, rather an exclamation/exhortation of His nature. By way of review to our previous study, in our language lexicon looking at this passage, we recognise that “sin” or “iniquity is “avon”; translated as depravity and wickedness. This explains perhaps why we see what we do in the world today. “Avon” must start in the realm of pre-meditation because of its nature. It is difficult to be depraved or wicked unconsciously, but as one becomes inured to wicked and depraved actions, they become “normal”. This is part of the condition that where actions run unchecked and without boundaries the influence of “avon” seems unstoppable which is one of the reasons we see this increasing in the world around us today. In some circles, whether there is a belief in their untouchability by earthly authorities, or an ignorance that is only informing an animal soul, there is a mindset that any hedonistic desire is acceptable, with wider society accepting also that the diet of depravity it is being fed is normal. But, in a heavenly context, although HaShem “bears with the sin (avon)”, it does not mean that it will go unpunished. At the heart of this principle is the concept of the refiner’s fire burning away the dross to ultimately reveal the pure soul at the centre and that in this world it is its own reward; but in the world to come, it has no merit.
Based on this principle, it can look like Hashem has taken His hands off the steering wheel, but this is where our trusting in His faithfulness becomes paramount and our willingness to emulate Him and to see that even with all the “avon” at the heart of the person who has committed the “avon”, there is a pure soul that can still be fanned in to flame. Perception and faith must walk hand in hand to see beyond what appears to be directly in front of them.
By example, we may use the principle of setting out on a journey using a map. The route is assessed, the distance calculated and the places to stop and rest noted. As much perfection in the journey as possible has been calculated and even visualised in the mind’s eye of the traveller, with even the anticipation of the arrival and the comforts that will come with it. However, the reality does not necessarily bear out the ideal. Things may break down. Diversions and delays may occur. Even, God forbid, encounters with villains and thieves. But if the individual perseveres, they will arrive, and maybe along the way through these hardships, they have been able to assist, inspire or rescue someone who has experienced the same or worse than they have. The soul of that person in their journey has grown more through the difficulties than if they had experienced a journey of ease.
“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.” Matthew 12:18-21
With this principle in place, the question now is whether we can allow the Spirit of GOD to work through us or whether our own concerns, prejudices and preconceptions cause us to operate in a way that is in conflict with the heart of the Father and how we look at others and ourselves.
Remember, this is not excusing “avon”, only allowing it to follow its course to its conclusion.
He removes “pesha”
H6588 פּשׁע – pesha‛
BDB Definition: 1) transgression, rebellion, 1a1) transgression (against individuals), 1a2) transgression (nation against nation), 1a3) transgression (against God) 1a3a) in general, 1a3b) as recognised by sinner, 1a3c) as God deals with it, 1a3d) as God forgives, 1a4) guilt of transgression. 1a5) punishment for transgression 1a6) offering for transgression, Part of Speech: noun masculine Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H6586
The Third and Fourth attribute
The direct translation of “He removes iniquity” is “passing over transgression”. “Pesha” has a cognate relationship with the word “Pesach” – associated with “skipping over”. The heart of the concept is the idea of “misusing the relationship” that one has with someone, but that the one who has been “used” is able to “skip over” the transgression and not only deal with the results by bringing direct repair to the damage caused, but to bring about an even better conclusion than if the one who has caused the transgression could achieve if they were to seek the provision of reparation on behalf of the transgressed.
It is the highest calling, because the “transgressed” one is also the only one who can truly bring the repair. The best scriptural example of this is in Genesis in the context of the repair that is brought through the restoration of the relationship of Joseph and his brothers.
The scene is after the death of their father Jacob. The brothers now fear for their lives because they believe that the only restraint that has been present to stop Joseph from punishing them, Jacob, has now been removed. Joseph has every reason and every capability to now bring retribution fully and swiftly. They are scared.
Here’s the dialogue:
Brothers: Whoa! Dad’s dead – now what are we going to do? Joseph is bound to want to pay us back for what we did to him.
Brothers: Maybe we could send him a note saying something like: Dear Joseph, As I am now no longer with you, I am writing this note to you before I die to ask you to promise to not take revenge on your brothers. I know they deserve it, but God did not bless our family just so that because of a mistake, we would be wiped out. I ask you, for my sake, please forgive them. I know you will do the right thing. Your loving Dad, Jacob
Brothers: Excellent! Ok, who’s going to take it?
Brothers: Don’t worry guys, we’ll get the messenger to take it. We can stay here safely in the meantime.
Brothers: No, that looks really cowardly. Let’s do both, send the message and then we should all go and give ourselves to him after the letter. Perhaps he’ll have greater pity on us if we all go together. After all, we are family.
So the brother’s went to Joseph, who was already in tears, because he had been thinking about what he could do and what he should do. Hashem had already been working on Joseph’s heart. He was so pleased to see his father when he arrived from Canaan, 13 years previously, and to have had these final years with him was more blessing than he could have imagined.
What would revenge bring? Only sadness! OK! so he was viceroy, but he was still a stranger in a stranger land. He’d seen how quickly things could turn with Potiphar’s wife, even though he had done nothing wrong. But look at how HaShem had brought good out of that situation. So much so, that through HaShem he had not only been reunited with his family, but he had also managed to save them through the famine and countless millions of others too. Forgiveness was worth much more than revenge.
“I have more family than I could ever have wished for” thought Joseph. “How blessed am I? How wonderful is HaShem! He saw way beyond mu own tribulations. He is so faithful, there is no way I could seek revenge”.
Joseph’s brothers entered the room. They could see that Joseph had been crying. Now was their moment for pity.
Brothers: We know that we did wrong to you and so did our father. He wrote this note and instructed us to give it to you. Please forgive, we are prepared to be your slaves if you will forgive us and spare our lives.
Joseph: Brother’s, my dear brother’s – do not be afraid. Who am I to act as a judge like HaShem over you? I am not His substitute. Our Heavenly Abba has shown me how He brought all this about. Even though you wanted to harm me, He only saw good and was able to bring about not just our family’s survival but the survival of many people. You have nothing to fear. We are brothers. We are family; all of us including your families. Now that you are here, HaShem has given to us all that we need to be sustained with my position here in Egypt. All is well!
You get the gist.
When we emulate the Creator, despite the bad things that may have happened to us, we can echo the words of Joseph. We can echo the words of the Master “Father forgive them” – we can look to bring repair in a way that the party who did the wounding could never bring repair. We have the skills and abilities to make things better and beyond how they were previously because of the wounding that we have suffered.
The motivation of the transgressor to seek to repair the damage may always be tainted or motivated by fear and concern of retribution, no matter how sincere the transgressed may be in their forgiveness and reconciliation.
The recipient has to believe/trust/act that the forgiveness and reconciliation is real and that any shame they feel from their actions which caused the incident originally will only be as a reminder to them to not repeat the offense. It is no longer hanging over them in condemnation. Their freedom becomes a battle of the mind as well as a battle of the flesh.
If we as the injured party are able to repair the damage they have done without rubbing their faces in the dirt, whether their souls are improved or not, our souls will increase because we have emulated the Creator who passes over transgression, to His Glory.
What, then, are we to say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare even his own Son, but gave him up on behalf of us all — is it possible that, having given us his Son, he would not give us everything else too? So who will bring a charge against God’s chosen people? Certainly not God — he is the one who causes them to be considered righteous! Who punishes them? Certainly not the Messiah Yeshua, who died and — more than that — has been raised, is at the right hand of God and is actually pleading on our behalf! Who will separate us from the love of the Messiah? Trouble? Hardship? Persecution? Hunger? Poverty? Danger? War? As the Tanakh puts it, “For your sake we are being put to death all day long, we are considered sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are superconquerors, through the one who has loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord. Romans 8:31-39
Exercise
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
Q1 How does Paul’s statement help us think about the transgressions that have been committed against us in light of the statement “He removes iniquity”?
Q2 What repair have you or are you able to undertake that “passes over a transgression”?
Q3 Do you believe that there are transgressions in your own life that are unforgivable or that you still feel shame about? Can you trust in the Father’s love enough for you to know that He has passed over your transgression?
Q4 How does you answer to Q3 impact how you are with others?
Q5 If you feel diminished, what do these words of the Master tell you? “a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench”
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