THE GOD OF MERCY AND TNE MERCY OF GOD

THE GOD OF MERCY.

Exodus 34:6-8; 2Kings 20:1-6; 1 Kings 21:1-7, 17-29;

Mercy is the character of God. It is his quality, His attribute. The mercy of God is not something temporary. Mercy is God’s nature. Everywhere you look in the Bible you are confronted with the mercy and the grace of God. God’s grace and mercy are among the most prominent attributes of God. He revealed these attributes when Israel sinned in the matter of the golden calf (Exod.32:7-14). God reveals these attributes in Precepts, in Preservation and in Pardon.

1.    God’s Mercy Revealed In Precepts

Consider the lesson that Jewish Rabbis teach concerning that passage in Exodus 34:6-8.

(i)            The Lord! God is merciful before a person sins! Even though aware that future evil lies dormant within him.

(ii)           The Lord! God is merciful after the sinner has gone astray.

(iii)          God (El): --a name that denotes power as ruler over nature and humankind, indicating that God's mercy sometimes surpasses even the degree indicated by this name.

(iv)          Compassionate: --God is filled with loving sympathy for human frailty; does not put people into situations of extreme temptation, and eases the punishment of the guilty.

(v)           Gracious: --God shows mercy even to those who do not deserve it consoling the afflicted and raising up the oppressed.

(vi)          Slow to anger: --God gives the sinner ample time to reflect, improve, and repent.

(vii)         Abundant in Kindness: --God is kind toward those who lack personal merits, providing more gifts and blessings than they deserve; if one's personal behavior is evenly balanced between virtue and sin, God tips the scales of justice toward the good.

(viii)        Truth:--God never reneges on His word to reward those who serve Him.

(ix)          Preserver of kindness for thousands of generations. God remembers the deeds of the righteous for the benefit of their less virtuous generations of offspring (thus we constantly invoke the merit of the Patriarchs).

(x)           Forgiver of iniquity:--God forgives intentional sin resulting from an evil disposition, as long as the sinner repents.

(xi)          Forgiver of willful sin: --God allows even those who commit a sin with the malicious intent of rebelling against and angering Him the opportunity to repent.

(xii)         Forgiver of error:--God forgives a sin committed out of carelessness, thoughtlessness, or apathy.

(xiii)        Who cleanses:--God is merciful, gracious, and forgiving, wiping away the sins of those who truly repent; however, if one does not repent, God does not cleanse.

Great intercessors base their prayers on the mercy. Abraham made his powerful intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah based on God’s mercy (Gen.19:17-33). Moses made his powerful intercession for idolatrous Israel based on God’s mercy (Exo.32:7-14). God delights in mercy (Jer.3:12-15). He will not keep His anger forever. The Psalmists of Israel sang of God’s mercy and grace (Psalm 103:1-18). This psalm repeats the attributes found in Exodus 34. If the Lord should judge us according to our sins, none of us will survive. But He commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30-31). God will eventually judge all unrighteousness of men by Jesus Christ. All those who refuse to repent will face the fury of God’s wrath in His judgement.

2.    God’s Mercy Revealed In Preservation (Exod. 34:6-7; 2Kings 20:1-6; Luke 7:12-15

Our God is a God of compassion. He has more compassion than anyone of us. Even when His decree has gone out from Him against anyone; even when the sentence of death has been passed on anyone; even when the finality of death has swept in, God’s mercy can still overturn everything! The mercy of God swung into action when Lazarus of Bethany died and the family was grieved. Jesus went to the graveside and caused the mercy of God to penetrate the grave and bring Lazarus back to life.

Anything that is dead in your life, any virtue that is dead in your life, any gift that is dead and buried in your life; any blessing that is dead and buried in your life; I command it by the word of the Lord, “Rise up in Jesus name!” 

When our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, saw the burial procession of the only son of the widow of Nain, He was filled with compassion for her. He said to her, “Weep not”. Weep not (Luke 7:12-15). I am the resurrection and the life (John 5:25-29; 11:25-26). Weep not. Your son shall be raised back to life. And He touched the bier and commanded the young man to arise. And the young man came alive again! I declare unto you this morning the word of God, the word of your maker and Redeemer. I have seen your weeping. Weep not. I will help you. Weep not. I will redeem you. Weep not. I will heal you. Weep not. I will recover you. Weep not I will supply your need. Weep not. I will provide for you! The mercy of God is from everlasting to everlasting. The mercy of God reaches out to you this morning.

3.    God’s Mercy Revealed In Pardon (Exod.34:6-8; 32:7-14; Jer.3:12-15; Acts 17:30-31; 1Kings 21:1-7, 17-21)

Nowhere is the mercy of God more profuse than in forgiveness and pardoning of iniquity and sin and transgression.

God’s mercy makes it possible for the repentant sinner to receive pardon and restoration to fellowship with God. In (Exodus 32:7-14), because of the idolatry of Israel, God vowed to wipe them off the face of the earth and make a great nation with Moses. But Moses knew the mercy of God and powerfully pleaded for the children of Israel. God pardoned them out of His mercy. God is always calling the sinner and backslider to repentance (Jer.3:12-15; Ezek.14:6; 18:30; Mat.3:1-2; 4:17; Acts 17:30-31). Why because of His mercy. Sin and iniquity have the power to ruin people in this life and banish them to hell fire. But if people repent, God forgives them and saves them.

God can still pardon even when a person has willfully gone against the will of God. King Ahab was one man who went against the will of God motivated by his wicked wife Jezebel. In fact it is written that there was none like Ahab who sold himself to wickedness and sin against the Lord (1Kings 21:25-26). He and his wife schemed and killed an innocent man, Naboth and took his inheritance. The God pronounced His sentence against him and his posterity. And then, we see the wonder of God’s forgiveness in action (1Kings 21:27-29). Ahab was struck with God’s judgement and he humbled himself and repented before the Lord. God changed his judgement! He spared Ahab from the severity of that judgement. He still brought it upon the family of Ahab, but God made him not to suffer it because of that moment of repentance!

Let me ask you this question. Have you repented truly of your sins? God is merciful but God also is a consuming fire. No matter what you have done, if you can truly repent, the Bible assures you that God’s forgiveness is waiting for you!

God’s mercy is great. If there is sin in your life. Today is the end of it. Come to Jesus and receive mercy and pardon. If God forgave wicked Ahab, God will forgive you if you repent. If you are facing satanic oppression today is the end of it. Come to God and plead His mercy and you will be delivered. If you are facing any challenges spiritual or social, bring them to God this morning. Today is the end of all those challenges. If you lack anything, come with faith to God this morning and plead His mercy. Today is the end of those lack in your life! God’s mercy is abundant and will cover all your needs.