Mercy

In the Beginning
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Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.—2 Chronicles 20:21

Perhaps no aspect of God's glorious character has provided greater blessing to his human family than that of God’s mercy. Based on his great love and compassion, mercy led the heavenly Father to offer his only begotten son to atone for Adam’s sin, and provide for man’s recovery from the penalty of death. God’s mercy helped frame a plan of salvation that would give mankind a learning experience with sin, before determining whether they are worthy to receive everlasting life or death.

God’s mercy toward the Israelites, the descendants of his friend Abraham, led him to deal patiently with them despite their hard-hearted and stubborn ways. His mercy continued to watch over them, even though he punished them for rejecting his son Jesus as their Messiah. God’s mercy toward the followers of Jesus is critical to their acceptance in the beloved and their success in being faithful to their covenant of sacrifice. Finally, God's mercy will be in full view of all when Christ’s earthly kingdom is established and all the effects of sin and death are eliminated through that kingdom. When the human family is brought back from the grave and receives the wonderful blessings of that kingdom, an arrangement prompted by God’s great mercy, the human family will exclaim, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isaiah 25:9).

We begin with the article What is Mercy? God’s Mercy Toward Israel describes how God has and will yet show his mercy to the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God’s Mercy Toward the Church explains how God’s mercy has benefitted the foot-step followers of Jesus. God’s Mercy Toward Mankind reveals God’s mercy for his human family, both in the past and in the future. Jesus, a Model of Mercy shows the great example of mercy that Jesus demonstrated at his first advent. Blessed Are the Merciful explains how the members of the church must exhibit mercy in their Christian walk. This issue closes with Merciful and Gracious, a verse-by-verse study of Psalm 103 which describes some of the characteristics of God’s mercy.