Lamentations 3:22-23
It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
WEBSTERS Dictionary defines MERCY AS:
MER’CY, n. L. misericordia.
1. That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant. In this sense, there is perhaps no word in our language precisely synonymous with mercy. That which comes nearest to it is grace. It implies benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised only towards offenders. Mercy is a distinguishing attribute of the Supreme Being.
1. That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant. In this sense, there is perhaps no word in our language precisely synonymous with mercy. That which comes nearest to it is grace. It implies benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised only towards offenders. Mercy is a distinguishing attribute of the Supreme Being.
The Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty. Num.14.
2. An act or exercise of mercy or favor. It is a mercy that they escaped.
I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies. Gen.32.
I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies. Gen.32.
3. Pity; compassion manifested towards a person in distress.
And he said, he that showed mercy on him. Luke.10.
And he said, he that showed mercy on him. Luke.10.
4. Clemency and bounty.
Mercy and truth preserve the king; and his throne is upheld by mercy. Prov.28.
Mercy and truth preserve the king; and his throne is upheld by mercy. Prov.28.
5. Charity, or the duties of charity and benevolence.
I will have mercy and not sacrifice. Matt.9.
I will have mercy and not sacrifice. Matt.9.
6. Grace; favor. 1 Cor.7. Jude 2.
7. Eternal life, the fruit of mercy. 2 Tim.1.
8. Pardon.
I cry thee mercy with all my heart.
I cry thee mercy with all my heart.
9. The act of sparing, or the forbearance of a violent act expected. The prisoner cried for mercy.
To be or to lie at the mercy of, to have no means of self-defense, but to be dependent for safety on the mercy or compassion of another, or in the power of that which is irresistible; as, to be at the mercy of a foe, or of the waves.
We ALL need mercy before God……and yet not one of us deserves it. The old saying is that “MERCY is NOT getting what we DO deserve……..GRACE is GETTING what we do NOT deserve.”
For the Old Testament Israelites, the whole tabernacle, the ark of the covenant etc. included a mercy seat.
Exodus 25:17-22
And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
THE MERCY SEAT:
(Exodus 26:34)
And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.
(Exodus 25:22)
And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
Exodus 25:17-22
And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
THE MERCY SEAT:
(Exodus 26:34)
And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.
(Exodus 25:22)
And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
We deserve, for our sin, eternal punishment in hell.
(John 8:24)
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
We deserve nothing good in this life as well, from God. And yet, through His Mercy, we walk, breathe, eat, drink, sleep and exist.
- Pure Gold……Christ’s Righteousness, Glory, Majesty
- This gold was overlaid over shittim wood
- Mercy is where God met the High Priest
- It was above the Ark, perhaps signifying that covenants are one thing….these people more importantly needed mercy to be closer to God, not laws
- The Mercy Seat was to be sprinkled with blood
- No entrance (under penalty of death) was allowed without blood
- This blood never took away their sins……it merely covered them up.
- This sprinkling of blood was done with his finger, seven times….the number of perfection
- This was why it had to be done regularly
- God even spoke to Moses from the Mercy Seat (Numbers 8:1)
(Leviticus 16:14)
And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
GOD CHOOSES TO EXTEND MERCY AT HIS WILL:
And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
GOD CHOOSES TO EXTEND MERCY AT HIS WILL:
(Exodus 33:19)
And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
(Romans 9:15)
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
(Romans 9:15)
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
God wants us to believe in His Son the LORD Jesus Christ and His sacrificial, substitutional and judgment-satisfying (propitiational) shedding of blood for us and our sins.
(Hebrews 9:24)
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Jesus Christ went into the Holy of Holies in Heaven with His own shed Blood, and sprinkled it on the Mercy Seat before the Father, and we know this because this whole tabernacle, tent, ark and mercy seat made by Moses was a shadow of the original Mercy Seat in Heaven:
(Hebrews 8:5)
Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Hebrews 10:26-29
(Hebrews 10:26)
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
(Hebrews 8:5)
Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Hebrews 10:26-29
(Hebrews 10:26)
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
