Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: Ezra 8-10
Ezra 9:13
And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;
If ever there is a Bible definition for mercy it is found in today’s verse. …our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve… Please read the surrounding verses, they are astounding. In the Bible the words mercy, merciful, and mercies are used in 342 verses. If one were minded to do so, it would take 23 days short of a year to write a devotion a day on the topic of God’s great mercy toward fallen sinners.
Think about Ephesians 2:4-7, But 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;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Wow! Talk about mercy!! This is it!!!
Like Israel and Judah, much has come upon us for our evil deeds (sin), but nothing has come upon us like it should come upon us. Those who He hath quickened (made alive) were dead, that is why they needed to be made alive. They were dead in sins but were/are saved by grace. How? God’s mercy. Not only has the Lord God saved us from the death that our sins demand, He has also raised us up together. The God of the Bible is the only God that promises to raise His people up. All others put them down. Remember what Jesus said in John 6:40. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Not only has God our Father saved us, but He also promises to raise us up, and show the exceeding riches of His grace toward us throughout the ages to come. No one really knows all that these mean, but we do know this, it’s better than death, eternal death. He has punished us less than our iniquities deserve. Amen, Praise the Lord, Hallelujah, and pass the biscuits! God’s mercy is upon His children today. Just as it was in the days of Ezra’s time.
Notice those first few words of Ephesians 2:4 But God who is rich in mercy… Some are rich in money, some are rich in lands, some in intelligence, some in talent, God is rich in mercy. I’m not. Are you? There is an end to my mercy, there shouldn’t be, but there is. A person in this life may display a great amount of mercy for a while, but ultimately that mercy will run out. Perhaps it is when they run out of money to help, or patience to wait, or grace to endure the poor behavior of others. Whatever the reason, mercy has an end for humans.
But not with God. He is rich in mercy. Jeremiah said this of God’s mercy It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. Lamentations 3:22 God is rich in mercy through His compassions. That is a thought to think about for a while, is it not?
Ezra, the priest, said it years ago, but it is still true today; God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve… This is God’s mercy in action.
Dr. William T. Howe
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