The God of Mercy

"Then the Angel of the LORD answered and said, "O LORD of hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You were angry these seventy years?" ¹³ And the LORD answered the angel who talked to me, with good and comforting words."

Zechariah 1:12-13

The LORD is merciful, gracious and compassionate regardless of the circumstances of life we face.  Faith in God according to His word sustains us to endure the most troubling situations.  The children of Israel struggled during 70 years of captivity in Babylon, and even angels wondered how long judgment would be poured out on the people and Jerusalem and Judah for their sins.  The good and comforting answer of God spoke volumes, for He remained merciful even in judgment.

The prophet mused from the belly of the great fish in Jonah 2:8, "Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy."  And they had.  The children of Israel filled their cities with the blood of the innocent whose cries reached to heaven.  Century after century the required Sabbath rest was denied from the land and servants were not released at the allotted time.  God was merciful in His judgment of Israel and continued to regard them as His beloved people, those with whom He had made an everlasting covenant.  Before, during and after the long season in Babylon God remained faithful, and His mercies did not fail.

Jeremiah proclaimed in Lamentations 3:22-24:  "Through the LORD'S mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. ²³ They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ²⁴ "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I hope in Him!"  God is faithful to keep His word because He is ever faithful--even to the faithless.  We aren't told exactly the words God used to answer the angel, but they were good and comforting just like He always is.  The people consumed with idolatry were spared destruction because God is compassionate and faithful.  He is worthy to be praised and hoped in.  Blessed is the one whose hope is in the LORD, whose portion is the infinite God Who does everything with mercy.