Things God “Blots Out”

 

Introduction.  I recently saw a program on the history channel that pointed out that in the days of the former Soviet Union, Stalin killed millions of his own people whom he determined were political enemies.  Those who once were considered friends and allies, when they crossed Stalin, not only were killed but he systematically attempted to blot out their name, image and memory from history.  Modern research has uncovered examples of photographs of people who had been killed, which were then touched up by artists and photographers to look as if the person had never been in the photograph to begin with.  There is one famous picture of Lenin giving a speech, which originally showed Trotsky standing by the side of the platform.  When Trotsky became alienated from Stalin, he too was eliminated.  Researchers have found “before and after” pictures, which show the edges of the platform and the background (where Trotsky stood) painted back in as if he had never been there at all.  

            While God does not compare to a cruel, ungodly man like Stalin, the Bible does talk about some things that God chooses to “blot out” which are much more significant and eternal in nature than Stalin’s actions.  This morning I’d like for us to consider together some things which God “blots out.”

 

I.  The Wicked Before the Flood (Genesis 6:5-7; 7:4, 23).  When God decided to destroy the world before the flood, He decided that He would “destroy” man “from the face of the earth.”  The Hebrew word used in three passages to describes this destruction, machah means literally “to wipe out.”

 

II.  Israel Because of the Golden Calf  (Deuteronomy 9:12-14).  When the Israelites sinned with the golden calf, God was ready to blot them out and raise us a nation from Moses. 

A. Moses pleaded with God (Exodus 32:31-33).  Note:

1.  God has a book.  New Testament calls it 8 times “book of Life.”  Malachi 3:13-18 “Book of remembrance”

2.  Those who sin are “blotted out” of it. 

 

III.  The Amalekites.  Because the Amalekites fought against Israel when they wandered in the wilderness, God determined to “utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” (Exodus 17:14; Deuteronomy 25:19).

 

IV.  The House of Jerboam.  Jereboam’s sin became the reason for the house of Jereboam to be blotted out (I Kings 13:33-34).  There would be no heirs of Jereboam to whom any messianic prophecy and ancestry would be linked.  His house would perish.

 

V.  God Can “Blot Out” the Sin of the Repentant.

A.  David’s sin with Bethsheba.  (Psalm 51:1; Psalm 51:9).

B.  God’s Compassion on His people. (Isaiah 43:25; 44:22).

 

VI.  He will not “Blot Out” the Sin of His Enemies.

A.  Nehemiah prays that those who worked to tear down what they were trying to build should not have their sin “blotted out from before” God (Nehemiah 4:5) and that his good deeds not be wiped out (Nehemiah 13:14).

B.  The one who would contemplate adultery is warned that his reproach will not be wiped away (Proverbs 6:33).

C.  Concerning those who persecuted Jeremiah, as brought them God’s word - “Provide no atonement for their iniquity, Nor blot out their sin from Your sight; But let them be overthrown before You. Deal [thus] with them In the time of Your anger” (Jeremiah 18:23).

 

VII.  One Who Obeys the Gospel Can Have Sin “Blotted Out” (Acts 3:13-20).  When a person is obedient to the gospel, sins can be blotted out.

 

VIII.  Christ’s Death “Wiped Out” The Old Law (Colossians 2:11-14).  The death of Christ “wiped out the handwriting of requirements” of the Old Law and nailed to to the cross.

 

IX.  God will Not “Blot Out” of the Book of Life those Who Overcome.  

A.  If we overcome God “will not blot out” our “name from the Book of Life; but I will confess” our name before God the Father and before His angels. (Revelation 3:5).

B.  We overcome by the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:11).

 

X.  In Heaven God Will “Blot Out” all Tears.  In heaven God will “blot out” (same word) the tears from our eyes (Revelation 7:14-17; 21:1-4)