“Wonderful, Merciful
Savior”
(Pastor Terry L. Reese; Valley GBC, Armagh, PA; 4/18/21)
Intro: “The Quality
of Mercy…”
Shakespeare speaks of a quality that becomes a King
far greater than such emblems of authority as his crown or his scepter—namely,
a Divine quality:
The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from
heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice
blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him
that takes:
'T is mightiest in the mightiest; it
becomes
The throned monarch better than his
crown:
His sceptre shows the force of
temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of
kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthronèd in the hearts of
kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show
likest God's
When mercy seasons justice.
―William Shakespeare, The Merchant of
Venice, Act IV, Scene 1
I. A wonderful
truth: God is Merciful!
A
communicable attribute of God (i.e., one that we can share-in
& express). It is demanded that we also be merciful unto
others!
Luke 6:36: "Be
merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
James
2:13a: “For judgment will be
merciless to one who has shown no mercy”
II. Various Biblical
Terminologies.
A. Old Testament
Hebrew terms:
1. râcham: to love deeply; to
have a disposition of mercy, tender affection, and compassion (Ps. 116:5).
2. chêsêd: goodness, loving-kindness, pity (Ps. 18:25).
3. chânan: to bend or stoop in
kindness, as to an inferior (Job 9:15).
B. New Testament
Greek terms:
1. eleos:
associated
with the idea of feeling compassion, pity, and
sympathy for a sufferer—and thus, taking action
upon his behalf.
2. oiktirmōn: having empathy &
compassion for the ills of others.
III. Definitions of
Mercy from various authorities.
Richards, Expository Dictionary of Bible
Words:
“Even though different Hebrew words may be found where the English
versions read ‘mercy,’ the underlining concept shines through. Mercy is
condescending love, reaching out to meet a need without considering the merit
of the person who receives the aid…” “In both Testaments, mercy is compassion
expressed to meet human need. The focus in both is on God’s mercy to human
beings. In the final analysis, God is the only one truly able to meet our
needs. He is the one on whom we must depend.”
Buswell, A Systematic Theology of the
Christian Religion:
“…the goodness or love of God shown to those who are in misery or
distress, irrespective of their deserts.”
Tim Challies description of Divine Mercy:
“God acting patient. It is God extending patience to those who
deserve to be punished…” “Mercy is not something God owes to us—by definition
mercy cannot be owed—but is something God extends in kindness and grace to
those who do not deserve it.”
Jonathan Edwards:*
“God is pleased to show mercy to His enemies, according to His own
sovereign pleasure. Though He is infinitely above all, and stands in no need of
creatures; yet He is graciously pleased to take a merciful notice of poor worms
in the dust.”
*Note: In light of Edwards’ above comments,
observe in Eph. 2:1-7 the stark contrast between the Mercy shown unto the Elect
(vv. 4-7) and the wrathful Justice poured out upon Reprobate.—TLR
A. The relationship
between Love & Mercy.
God’s Mercy is an active expression of
His Love (which is innate to His character). Because He loves, He shows
mercy; Mercy is thus a relative attribute (i.e., what God is in relation
to others).
B. The distinction
between Love & Mercy.
While strongly associated, the two ideas are not
synonymous.
Love is a broader & more general concept
than Mercy. God’s Love, while always present, is not always expressed in
the form of Mercy. Sometimes, in fact, Love is expressed in Judgment &
Discipline (Prov.13:24, Heb. 12:4-11)!
Every act of God can be described in the
ultimate sense, as an act of Love—but not every act of God is an act of Mercy.
C. The fine
distinction between Grace & Mercy.
Both ideas involve God doing some good unto
those who have not merited it. Thus, there is definitely an overlap between the
two concepts… and yet, there is perhaps an important shade of distinction,
as well…
Grace (God’s unmerited favor unto sinners)
involves, among other things, concern for Man’s guilt…
Mercy involves Divine concern over Man’s misery…
Hence: Grace is extended towards the rebel,
and Mercy towards the distressed.
Millard Erickson, Christian Theology:
“God’s mercy is His tenderhearted, loving compassion for His
people. It is His tenderness of heart toward the needy. If grace contemplates
humans as sinful, guilty and condemned, mercy sees them as miserable and
needy.”
III. The Greatness of
Divine Mercy.
A. David’s wise
choice (1 Chon. 21:13).
1 Chron. 21
1:
Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.
7-10: But God was displeased with this thing, and he
struck Israel. And David said to God, "I have sinned greatly in that I
have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant,
for I have acted very foolishly." And the LORD spoke to Gad, David's seer,
saying, "Go and say to David, 'Thus says the LORD, Three things I offer
you; choose one of them, that I may do it to you.'"
1 Chron. 21:11-15:
So Gad came to David and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, 'Take for
yourself either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before
your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of
the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the LORD
destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.' Now, therefore, consider
what answer I shall return to Him who sent me." 13David said to
Gad, "I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hand of the
LORD, for His mercies are very great. But do not let me fall into the
hand of man." So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel; 70,000 men of
Israel fell. And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was
about to destroy it, the LORD saw and was sorry over the calamity, and said to
the destroying angel, "It is enough; now relax your hand."
1. “Thus says the LORD, Three
things I offer you; choose one of them, that I may do it to you.”
When a guilty David is offered a choice of
punishments, David chooses to be delivered into the Hand of God—whose mercy
is great—rather than into the hand of man, who is often merciless:
"I am in great
distress; please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are
very great. But do not let me fall into the hand of man."
2. David a man well acquainted
with the “very great” mercies of God…
Ps. 57:10: For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth
unto the clouds.
[Of
David, when he fled from Saul.]
Ps. 86:5: For thou, Lord, art
good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon
thee. [A prayer of David, for mercy.]
Ps. 108:4: For Your mercy is great above the heavens, and Your
truth reaches to the clouds. [of David]
Ps. 89:2-4: For I have said, Mercy shall be built
up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens. I have
made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, thy seed
will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations.
[Ethan the Ezrahite, in ref. to the Davidic Covenant of
2 Sam. 7; a covenant ultimately realized in the Kingdom Age with the exaltation of the
Throne of David.]
Psalm
103: Praise for the LORD's
Mercies A Psalm of David.
1Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His
holy name! 2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His
benefits: 3Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your
diseases, 4Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you
with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5Who satisfies your
mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6The
LORD executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7He
made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. 8The
LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9He
will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. 10He
has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our
iniquities. 11For as the heavens are high above the earth, so
great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12As far as the east
is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13As
a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him. 14For
He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. 15As for man, his
days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16For
the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. 17But
the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children's children, 18To such as keep His
covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them.
B. This phrase is repeated
in Psalm 136 no less than twenty-six times—and
still not too much!
Ps.
136:1: “O give thanks unto
the LORD; for he is good: for His mercy endureth forever.”
