During a night of prayer and praise we enjoyed recently at Calvary Chapel Sydney, we sang the famous hymn "Holy Holy Holy" by Heber and Dykes. A line in the song stood out to me powerfully in a fresh way, affirming God is merciful and mighty. These characteristics are in no way contradictory, but from a worldly perspective the two rarely coincide. To be merciful is not viewed as mighty, and the mighty do not need to be merciful. Yet the mercy and might of the Almighty God is praiseworthy, and I relish this constant reality of God's eternal nature.
Psalm 103:8 says, "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy." God does not only show mercy, but He is merciful. To be merciful is to be compassionate and kind, especially when there is ample justification to be otherwise. The Webster's 1828 edition Dictionary defines "merciful" as, "having or exercising mercy; compassionate; tender; disposed to pity offenders and to forgive their offenses; unwilling to punish for injuries; applied appropriately to the Supreme being." Though God is absolutely just, the psalmist affirmed concerning God in Psalm 103:9-11, "He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him." God's mercy should not be incorrectly interpreted as weakness or indifference. He is full of mercy, but He is also mighty.
Because God is Almighty He is also merciful. There is great power demonstrated in restraint and self-control as well as by the righteous execution of justice. Concerning their enemies, Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 7:21, "Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible." The psalmist Asaph also sang in Psalm 50:1-4: "The Mighty One, God the LORD, has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun to its going down. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth. 3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. 4 He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people." To be "mighty" has the connotation of strength, power, vastness and greatness. God is mighty and nothing He has created has the right even to question Him, even as a clay vessel cannot rightly question the potter who formed it.
God is merciful and mighty, and I love these attributes of God like the countless others revealed through scripture and His wondrous works. One who loves God cannot accept His mercy without affirming His might. His might magnifies His mercy towards sinful men. He has not dealt with us according to our transgressions, though ultimately He will. All who die in their sins without atonement will be judged according to to perfect law, and the wages of sin is death. His might is seen both in restraint and judgment, and is to be greatly feared. His mercy should not overshadow His might, and His might will never trample His mercy. Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty!
Psalm 103:8 says, "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy." God does not only show mercy, but He is merciful. To be merciful is to be compassionate and kind, especially when there is ample justification to be otherwise. The Webster's 1828 edition Dictionary defines "merciful" as, "having or exercising mercy; compassionate; tender; disposed to pity offenders and to forgive their offenses; unwilling to punish for injuries; applied appropriately to the Supreme being." Though God is absolutely just, the psalmist affirmed concerning God in Psalm 103:9-11, "He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him." God's mercy should not be incorrectly interpreted as weakness or indifference. He is full of mercy, but He is also mighty.
Because God is Almighty He is also merciful. There is great power demonstrated in restraint and self-control as well as by the righteous execution of justice. Concerning their enemies, Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 7:21, "Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible." The psalmist Asaph also sang in Psalm 50:1-4: "The Mighty One, God the LORD, has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun to its going down. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth. 3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. 4 He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people." To be "mighty" has the connotation of strength, power, vastness and greatness. God is mighty and nothing He has created has the right even to question Him, even as a clay vessel cannot rightly question the potter who formed it.
God is merciful and mighty, and I love these attributes of God like the countless others revealed through scripture and His wondrous works. One who loves God cannot accept His mercy without affirming His might. His might magnifies His mercy towards sinful men. He has not dealt with us according to our transgressions, though ultimately He will. All who die in their sins without atonement will be judged according to to perfect law, and the wages of sin is death. His might is seen both in restraint and judgment, and is to be greatly feared. His mercy should not overshadow His might, and His might will never trample His mercy. Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty!
Holy Spirit prompted me to search for God is merciful and mighty and that is how I arrived to this post. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAwesome, praise the LORD and to Him be the glory. :)
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