| "Blessed are the merciful for they will obtain mercy" Again we must ask the question, who are the merciful? They are those who have obtained mercy from the King and received pardon and salvation. Jesus is described in Romans as being our "mercy seat" Romans 3:25 talks of Jesus Christ who God put forward as an expiation by His blood. The word for expiation is "hilasterion". In the Lxx which is the Greek Old testament for the Jews living amongst greek speaking people, this is the word used of the mercy seat in the holy of holies. Leviticus 16:3 says the High priest sprinkles the blood before it and upon it. The mercy seat is the place of expiation. This is where people found mercy from God. So in Jesus Christ being the mercy seat it is in him that we find mercy from God. This is where heaven and earth meet. This is the point where reconciliation takes place between sinful man and an angry God. In this way those who believe the message and come this way receive mercy. The merciful are people of the Kingdom, who show mercy because they have received mercy. Mercy is caught up in the concept of doing Justice. Hosea 6:6 " For I have desired mercy and not sacrifice" The people who call themselves the people of God are robbing people and offering sacrifice, thinking God is bought off. Hosea 12;6 says "hold fast to mercy and Justice as you wait for God. Micah 6:8 "he has showed you oh man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. This summed up in another way as being a summary of the law and prophets is to love your neighbor as yourself. Many examples are given us. Use proper weights, scales in business. Sell things for what they are worth. Don't deceive people by thinking they are getting a good deal when in deed you are ripping them off. A grocer was selling potatoes of a certain weight for ?. They were caught out when someone actually weighed the bags and found them a few pounds in weight less. Again in Deuteronomy if a poor man owed you, but could not pay you. You were not to go and take whatever he owned to repay the debt. Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a King who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to Him who owed Him 10 000 talents. When he could not pay his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, that payment be made. So the servant fell on his knees imploring Him "lord have patience with me and I will pay you everything. So out of pity for him, the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant when he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 denari. Seizing him by the throat he told the servant pay what you owe. So the servant fell down and besought him, have patience with me and I will pay you. He refused and had him put in prison till he should pay his debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed and went and reported to their Lord all that had taken place. You wicked servant I forgave you all your debt because you besought me, should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had on you? In anger the lord delivered him to the jailers, till he could pay all his debt So also my heavenly father will do to everyone of you if you do not forgive your brother from the heart. |
