He pardoned, but He also inflicted punishment, and in both He loves
equally. The worst, that is the spiritual, consequences (which are the
punishments) of sin, namely separation and alienation from God, He
removes in the very act of forgiveness, but His pardon does not affect
the natural consequences. 'Thou wast a God that forgavest them and
tookest vengeance of their inventions,' says a psalmist in reference to
this very incident. Thank God that He loves us too wisely and well not
to let us by experience 'know that it is a bitter thing to forsake the
Lord.'
It is a blessing that He does so, and a sign that we are pardoned, if
we rightly use it.