Justice and Mercy

March 21, 2015

Justice and mercy

Nahum 1:1-9 Amplified Bible (AMP)

1 The burden or oracle (the thing to be lifted up) concerning Nineveh [the capital of Assyria]. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.

2 The Lord is a jealous God and avenging; the Lord avenges and He is full of wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries and reserves wrath for His enemies.

3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will by no means clear the guilty. The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.

4 He rebukes and threatens the sea and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan [on the east] and Mount Carmel [on the west] wither, and [in the north] the blossom of Lebanon fades.

5 The mountains tremble and quake before Him and the hills melt away, and the earth is upheaved at His presence—yes, the world and all that dwell in it.

6 Who can stand before His indignation? And who can stand up and endure the fierceness of His anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken asunder by Him.

7 The Lord is good, a Strength and Stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows (recognizes, has knowledge of, and understands) those who take refuge and trust in Him.

8 But with an [b]overrunning flood He will make a full end of [Nineveh’s very] site and pursue His enemies into darkness.

9 What do you devise and [how mad is your attempt to] plot against the Lord? He will make a full end [of Nineveh]; affliction [which My people shall suffer from Assyria] shall not rise up the second time.

Justice and Mercy combined  (Our Daily Bread, March 21, 2015)

When a defendant stands before a judge, he or she is at the mercy of the court. If the defendant is innocent, the court should be a refuge. But if the defendant is guilty, we expect the court to exact punishment.

In Nahum, we see God as both a refuge and a judge. It says, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble” (1:7 niv). But it also says, “He will make an end of Nineveh; he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness” (v.8 niv). Over 100 years earlier, Nineveh had repented after Jonah preached God’s forgiveness, and the land was safe (Jonah 3:10). But during Nahum’s day, Nineveh was plotting “evil against the Lord” (Nah. 1:11). In chapter 3, Nahum details Nineveh’s destruction.

Many people know only one side of God’s dealings with the human race but not the other. They think that He is holy and wants only to punish us, or that He is merciful and wants only to show kindness. In truth, He is judge and refuge. Peter writes that Jesus “committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). As a result, He “bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness” (v.24). The whole truth about God is good news! He is judge, but because of Jesus, we can go to Him as our refuge.

Lord, never let us underestimate You by seeing only one side of Your role in our lives. Help us to enjoy Your love and kindness while recognizing how much You hate sin.

God’s justice and mercy intersect at the cross.

Commentary:

Nineveh was wicked and evil in the sight of God.  And God was about to destroy that land.  However, when Jonah came to them and gave the message that they will be destroyed because of their wickedness, they  took heed and repented.  They put on sackcloth and fasted.  As a result, God saw their change of heart and spared their lives.  

Our God is a just God who hates sin.  He will never compromise with  sin nor condone it.  He will always rebuke the  sinner and judge the sin.  But He is also a merciful God.  He will have mercy on those who have a repentant heart.  He is not a God who is ever ready to punish us the moment we sin.  He gives grace and allows time for repentance.  If a person refuses to repent, then judgement will come.  But if he repents, God would show mercy and forgiveness.   Just as the article in Our daily bread today stated, our God is both judge and refuge.

Trust that God is good.  He is a place of safety, and faithful to care for the believers.  Believe that God is willing and able to deliver us from any bondage.  He will stop any attacks upon us.  Hear and believe the good news that God can and will deliver our souls in Jesus Christ.

Romans 16:17-18  Amplified Bible (AMP)

17 I appeal to you, brethren, to be on your guard concerning those who create dissensions and difficulties and cause divisions, in opposition to the doctrine (the teaching) which you have been taught. [I warn you to turn aside from them, to] avoid them.

18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites and base desires, and by ingratiating and flattering speech, they beguile the hearts of the unsuspecting and simpleminded [people].

The brethren, the believers in Christ, make a note of those who cause division.  Avoid and separate from them.   For those who are such, they do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly by smooth words and flattering speech….deceiving the hearts of the simple-minded.  

There are people who profess to be believers, but their actions and behaviors do not match.  They are rebellious and self-righteous.  They are oppressed or connected to the spirit of anti-christ, where they have become like lucifer, who thinks that he can be just like God, or better.  Lucifer was God’s right hand angel.  And he said God in rebellion “I will just like you and better.”  These people are covetous, malicious, full of envy, strife, deceit.  They are back biters and they distort the perception of truth.

The fruit of their spirit is contention, jealousy, outburst, selfish ambitions, heresy, and hypocrisy.  You will see their fruit and their tree is not planted by the rivers of waters.  What comes out of their mouth is rubbish.  They have a reprobate mind, corrupted by the enemy of our soul.  The Lord hates pride.

Proverbs 6:16-19 points out the things that God hates.  

16 These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him:

17 A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

18 A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,

19 A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren.

They cannot and will not acknowledge the anointing of God.  They are quick to make judgement without discernment.  Unable to be quiet and still, they are overly aggressive, with no self control.  They are like thieves that come to steal, kill and destroy.  They will undermine, circumvent, like a snake.  They will speak of high things, of big things.

The sheep who belong to Christ will hear the voice of the Holy Spirit.  But the thief will come through the backdoor with a different voice, a voice of temptation and false promise.  He will say things like “bow and submit to me and I will give you such and such….”  Beware of this voice of deceit.  

Summary conclusion / the big picture:

God is a just God because He hates sin.  He will punish sin and rebellion.  However, God is also a merciful God who will forgive those who have a repentant heart.  

Therefore, the wisdom is to stay close to Jesus, be separated from the world and darkness, and maintain a repentant heart.  So watch out and beware of the double-edge sword.  

Work cited

“Justice and Mercy Combine.”  Our Daily Bread (March 21, 2015).  www.odb.org

Spirit filled Life Bible NKJV, Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991.

Miyagi’s Commentary, The Body of Christ Jesus Fellowship, Makaha, HI 2002

Unwelcome Visitors

James 1:2-12 AMP

2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.

3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.

4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of [a]the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.

6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.

7 For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord,

8 [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].

9 Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation [as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God],

10 And the rich [person ought to glory] in being humbled [by being shown his human frailty], because like the flower of the grass he will pass away.

11 For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits.

12 Blessed (happy, [b]to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

Unwelcome Visitors (Our Daily Bread, March 17, 2015)

Recently my wife, Marlene, and I received a panicky phone call from our son and his wife. The night before, they had found two bats in their house. I know bats are an important part of the ecosystem, but they are not my favorite among God’s creatures, especially when they are flying around inside.

Yet Marlene and I were thankful we could go over to our kids’ house and help. We helped them to plug the holes that might have been used by these unwelcome visitors to enter their house.

Another unwelcome visitor that often intrudes into our lives is suffering. When trials come, we can easily panic or lose heart. But these difficult circumstances can become the instruments our loving heavenly Father uses to make us more like Christ. That’s why James wrote, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work” (James 1:2-4).

We are not expected to enjoy trials or to celebrate suffering. But when these unwelcome visitors arrive, we can look for God’s hand in them and trust that He can use them to make us more like His Son.

Thank You, Father, that You give to us each day what You know is best. We’re thankful that we can trust Your heart, which is kind beyond all measure.

Trials may visit us, but our God is always with us.

Commentary:

Trials are never welcomed or sought after, but yet it is often a blessing in disguise.  This is so because trials teach us patience and perseverance.  It causes us to wait on God and to seek him.  Trials are used to draw us nearer to God.  So though it is not a very pleasant thing to endure, its after effects are beneficial.  Trials also keep us humble.  When all is well and carefree, one can become prideful and arrogant.  But when one goes through hard times, he will need to take time out to ponder on the situation, seek God’s word for wisdom and thereby grow in his walk with Christ.  Trials, like dental work, is never pleasant, but after it is over, we are always thankful for the results.   The only time that trials are bad for us is when we refuse to learn from them, but instead allow them to crush us.... by letting trials discourage us or make us negative.   May we use the trials in our lives to make us better and not let them break us.  (Miyagi)

James doesn’t say IF we face trials, but WHEN we face them.  He is saying that we will have trials and it is possible to profit from them.  We are not required to pretend to be happy when we face pain, but to have a positive outlook because of the results trials will bring.  James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning.  Rough times can teach us patience. (Life application Bible)

We cannot really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. It is easy to be kind to others when all is going well, but can we still be kind when others are treating us unfairly?  God wants to make us mature and complete, not to keep us from all pain.  Instead of complaining about our struggles, we should see them as opportunity for growth.  Thank God for promising to be with you in tough times.  Ask him to help you solve your problems or give you the strength to endure them.  Then be patient.  God will not leave you alone with your problems.  He will stay close and help you grow.  (Life application Bible)  

What is the crown of life?  

The crown of life is eternal life, godly wisdom to live on earth and supernatural strength to endure tough times, so that we can witness and testify of the glory of God in our lives. (Miyagi)

In every situation that we face, if we ask God to help us to persevere, our faith will grow.  If we run from our trials and refuse to face them, we will never grow and the trials we are facing will end up crushing us.  The benefits of trials are patience, perseverance, humility and wisdom.   If we don’t go through them and learn from them, we will never reap the benefits.  (Miyagi)

In conclusion, welcome your trials because they are here to help.

Work Cited

Life application study bible, Wheaton: Tyndall house publishers. . 2004   

The King James study Bible, Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988

“Unwelcome Visitors.”  Our Daily Bread.  RBC ministries, 2015

Miyagi’s commentary, The Body of Christ Jesus Fellowship, Makaha, HI USA