MEANING OF MERCY - Part 1

WEDNESDAY, 2ND NOVEMBER, 2022.

Topic: MEANING OF MERCY – Part 1

MEMORIZE: “And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God." Hosea 2:23.

SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 12:6-8.

“Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. "But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. "For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."”

EXPOSITION:

"Mercy" is a distinctive Bible word characterizing God as revealed to men. Mercy is defined as

(a) an essential quality of God ( Exodus 34:6 , Exodus 34:7; Deuteronomy 4:31; Psalms 62:12 , etc.):

i. Mercy is God’s delight (Micah 7:18 , Micah 7:20; Psalms 52:8 ); 

ii. God is "the Father of mercies" (2 Corinthians 1:3 ), 

iii. God is "rich in mercy" (Ephesians 2:4 ), 

iv. God is "full of pity, and merciful" (James 5:11 ); 

(b ) it is associated with forgiveness (Exodus 34:7; Numbers 14:18; 1 Timothy 1:13 , 1 Timothy 1:16 ); 

(c) with His forbearance (Psalms 145:8 , "Yahweh is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great lovingkindness"; compare Roman Psalms 2:4; Psalms 11:1-7 :32); 

(d) with His covenant (1 Kings 8:23; Nehemiah 1:5 ), with His justice (Psalms 101:1), with His faithfulness (Psalms 89:24 ), with His truth (Psalms 108:4 ); mercy and truth are united in Proverbs 3:3; Proverbs 14:22 , etc. (in Psalms 85:10 we have "Mercy and truth are met together"); 

(e) it goes forth to all (Psalms 145:9, "Yahweh is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works"; compare Psalms 145:16, "Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing," the Revised Version margin "satisfiest every living thing with favor");

(f ) it shows itself in pitying help (Exodus 3:7; Ezra 9:9 f), supremely in Christ and His salvation ( Luke 1:50; Luke 1:54; Luke 1:58; Ephesians 2:4); 

(g) it is abundant, practically infinite (Psalms 86:5 , Psalms 86:15; Psalms 119:64 ); 

(h) it is everlasting (1 Chronicles 16:34 , 1 Chronicles 16:41; Ezra 3:11; Psalms 100:5; 136 repeatedly). 

(2) "Mercy" is used of man as well as of God, and is required on man's part toward man and beast (Deuteronomy 25:4; Psalms 37:21; Psalms 109:16; Proverbs 12:10; Daniel 4:27; Micah 6:8; Matthew 5:7 , "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy"; 25:31-46; Luke 6:36, "Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful"; Luke 10:30f, the Good Samaritan; Luke 14:12-16; James 3:17 ). 

PRAYER POINT: 

Lord, let your mercy speak for me even when I don’t know what to do or ask for in Jesus name.

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DAILY BIBLE READING IN A YEAR –  Luke 22-24.