“Because He Delighteth In Mercy…”
Micah
7:19-20
Not only is it true that our
great and glorious God delights in mercy, but he is rich, infinitely rich, in
mercy, too! “God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath
quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).” Here are three
things promised by the Holy Spirit, written upon the pages of Inspiration.
These three things we can and should be assured of, because God, who is rich in
mercy, delights in mercy.
“Thou
wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” – This is a
prophecy of and a promise. Here God’s prophet declares that when Christ has
finished his work of redemption, the
sins of God’s elect for whom he would endure all the wrath of God, would be so
thoroughly put away that they would be cast into the sea of divine
forgetfulness, never to be seen or remembered again.
Though our God sees our acts
of sin as a loving Father and faithfully chastens his children for their sins,
to correct them, he does not behold our sins a a judge to punish them. He does
not see them with the eye of avenging justice. Justice, being satisfied, has
expunged our sins from its record (Jer. 50:20). That is what justice does when
it is satisfied. As Pharaoh and the armies of Egypt were drowned in the Red
Sea, never to rise up against Israel again, so our sins have been forever
drowned in the red sea of Christ’s precious blood, never to rise against us
again!
John Gill wrote, “All the
sins of God's people have been removed from them to Christ, and by him carried
away into the land of oblivion; so that they are no more to be seen on them,
who are through his blood and righteousness without fault, spot, or wrinkle, or
any such thing; and, being out of sight, they are out of mind, never remembered
any more, and like things cast into the sea, destroyed and lost.”
“Thou wilt perform the truth
to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham.” - All the gracious promises made to Jacob and his
great predecessor, springing from God’s mercy, love and grace, those promises
regarding all spiritual things to Abraham’s seed (Gal. 3:13-14), God will
perform. His faithfulness and truth secure them (Luke 1:68,72,73). That eternal
life which God promised to chosen sinners (Abraham’s seed) in Christ before the
world began, he will perform.
“Which thou hast sworn unto
our fathers from the days of old.” – Because he could swear by no greater, he swore by
himself that he would perform all his word and purpose of grace to all his
elect. The oath was given to his own dear Son, as our Surety in the covenant of
grace before the world began; and it shall be performed (John 6:37-45). Because
the Lord Jesus Christ has obeyed all the stipulations of the covenant as our
great Surety, --because he brought in everlasting righteousness for us,
--because he obtained eternal redemption for us with his own blood, --because
he intercedes for us in heave, --because he reigns as sovereign King and
Monarch over the universe, we know that our God shall, for Christ’s sake,
perform his covenant oath for his elect, to the saving of our souls for the
glory of his own great name. “And so, all
Israel shall be saved.” “Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation,” BECAUSE HE DELIGHTETH IN MERCY!”
AMEN.
Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For
Today Radio Message #670
2734 Old Stanford Road -
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S. Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net