Friday, July 3, 2020

#ReflectingOnHisWord - MERCY (7.3.20)


The word "MERCY" is mentioned over 250 times in the Bible (Source: NKJV); and we know that when it comes to Mercy, God's Word focuses on 2 types of Mercy - Corporal & Spiritual.



But before we explore the 2 Biblical types - and then what God's Word mentions about Mercy - the word mercy is defined in a few core ways:

  • mer·cy  - /ˈmərsē/
    • Middle English: from Old French merci ‘pity’ or ‘thanks’, from Latin merces, merced- ‘reward’, in Christian Latin ‘pity, favor, heavenly reward’.
    • noun: mercy; plural noun: mercies - compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.  
    • exclamation: archaic - used in expressions of surprise or fear.
    • an event to be grateful for, especially because its occurrence prevents something unpleasant or provides relief from suffering.
    • (especially of a journey or mission) performed out of a desire to relieve suffering; motivated by compassion. 
    • Mercy is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social, and legal contexts. The concept of a merciful God appears in various religions, including Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. (Wikipedia)
    • In the social and legal context, mercy may refer both to compassionate behavior on the part of those in power (e.g. mercy shown by a judge toward a convict), or on the part of a humanitarian third party, e.g., a mission of mercy aiming to treat war victims. (Wikipedia)
  • Jesus tells us in the 5th Beatitude - Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
  • The Holy Spirit is the fountain of mercy; the love & mercy of God personified.     
  • And over and over again, God shows His Mercy in countless Biblical accounts, lessons & testimonies.
    • God's Word shares 2 types of Mercy - Corporal & Spiritual
    • Corporal
      • Feed the hungry. 
      • Give drink to the thirsty 
      • Clothe the naked.
      • Shelter the homeless. 
      • Visit the sick.
      • Visit the imprisioned.
      • Bury the dead
    • Spiritual
      • Counsel the doubtful. 
      • Instruct the ignorant.
      • Admonish the sinner.
      • Comfort the sorrowful.
      • Forgive injuries.
      • Bear wrongs patiently.
      • Pray for the living and the dead.

Today & in the days to come, we will reflect on single words that are mentioned multiple times in God's Word.  We invite you reflect on, meditate on & to exude that Word.  And of course, we continue to invite you to go to your own Bible, read the selected scriptures for yourself.  Chew on it, ingest it, let it permeate every facet of your being, your organs, your soul.  Look up other scriptures that may not be mentioned here.  Delve into Our Father's Word and let His Word - His Messages of Mercy - engulf, carry, sustain and lift you.

Below are just a few of the Bible verses that mention Mercy.  In the NKJV Bible there are a handful of Chapters that DO NOT mention Mercy: Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Kings, Esther, Ecclesiastics, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Zephaniah, Haggai, Malachi, John, Acts of the Apostles, Colossians, 1 Thessolonians, 2 Thessolonians, Philemon, 2 Peter, 1 John, 3 John, & Revelations; and the Book of Psalms has the most mentions of Mercy - 100 times.

First Love.  And now Mercy.  #SoGrateful for God's Mercy. 






Matthew 5:1-12 (NKJV)

The Beatitudes
And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.




Genesis 19:19 - Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die.

Genesis 24:27 - And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”

Genesis 39:21 - But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

Genesis 43:14 - And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!”

Exodus 15:13 - You in Your mercy have led forth The people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength To Your holy habitation.

Exodus 20:6 - but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Exodus 25:17 - “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half cubits shall be its length and a cubit and a half its width.

Exodus 25:18 - And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat.

Exodus 25:19 - Make one cherub at one end, and the other cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim at the two ends of it of one piece with the mercy seat.

Exodus 25:20 - And the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.

Exodus 25:21 - You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you.

Exodus 25:22 - And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.

Exodus 26:34 - You shall put the mercy seat upon the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy.

Exodus 30:6 - And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you.

Exodus 31:7 - the tabernacle of meeting, the ark of the Testimony and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furniture of the tabernacle—
Exodus 34:7 - keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

Exodus 35:12
- the ark and its poles, with the mercy seat, and the veil of the covering;

Exodus 37:6
- He also made the mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half cubits was its length and a cubit and a half its width.

Exodus 37:7
- He made two cherubim of beaten gold; he made them of one piece at the two ends of the mercy seat:

Exodus 37:8
- one cherub at one end on this side, and the other cherub at the other end on that side. He made the cherubim at the two ends of one piece with the mercy seat.

Exodus 37:9
- The cherubim spread out their wings above, and covered the mercy seat with their wings. They faced one another; the faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.

Exodus 39:35
- the ark of the Testimony with its poles, and the mercy seat;

Exodus 40:20
- He took the Testimony and put it into the ark, inserted the poles through the rings of the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark.

Leviticus 16:2
- and the Lord said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.


Leviticus 16:13
- And he shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the Testimony, lest he die.






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