“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7 KJVSD).
“God’s throne is a seat, or throne, of mercy – a mercy seat. ‘Mercy is compassionate treatment of an enemy, with a disposition to forgive,’ says Webster. Whose seat then did the mercy seat represent? The only answer is that it represented the seat, or throne, of Him who is ‘merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.’ Ps. 103:8. ‘The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering . . . keeping mercy for thousands, (to a thousand generations, Deut. 7:9) forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.’ Ex. 34:7; 20:5,6.
“The ark was made expressly to be the innermost shrine of the tables of stone on which were engraved God’s ten-commandment law. The transgression of this fundamental law of the universe is sin, 1 John 3:4, and all have sinned; Rom. 3:23; all are enemies by wicked works. Col. 1:21. But on God’s throne or seat, a seat of mercy, sits our Father, who treats an enemy with compassion and a disposition to forgive.
“‘God’s love for the fallen race is a peculiar manifestation of love – a love born of mercy . . . Mercy implies imperfection of the object toward which it is shown. It is because of sin that mercy was brought into active exercise.’ 7T 264. When all the enemies of righteousness are no more forever, when there are no more sinners, there will be no more opportunity for the ‘active exercise’ of mercy. When sin is done away, God’s eternal love still lives, though it is manifest not in mercy,
for this quality of love can be exercised only toward enemies and sinners. The disposition to forgive and the disposition to show mercy, being qualities of the eternal One, are eternal. These qualities of God belong to the eternal ‘throne of God and the Lamb.’ Were God’s throne anything but a mercy seat, we would be utterly without hope. ‘His throne is upholden by mercy.’ Prov. 20:28.” PTG 129
Thank You, Heavenly Father, for giving me hope. Thank You for extending mercy to me for all the times I have failed You, for all the times I have been in need of Your tender mercies. Please bless me as merciful toward others as You have been toward me. It is in the name of Jesus, I pray, with a grateful heart. Amen
NOTE: These devotionals began as daily texts to encourage my academy roommate and dear friend of nearly 50 years, until she suddenly passed a few weeks ago (Feb 2023). Now I continue to compile and send them to anyone who wants to receive them and to her family in honor of their mom. First, I pray and look for a Bible verse or passage and find a suitable commentary (or vice versa) and add a prayer. Some days, only a Scripture and prayer are ordered. I might even add a song. If you agree to receive them, then this way I not only honor God but the memory of a very dear friend whom I desperately miss. My personal prayer is that God will bless me to find ways to multiply this gift. So please feel free to forward to your loved ones or to anyone, as God leads you. I’m calling them Barb’s Devotionals.