Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Genesis and Matthew XXIX: Merciful

First published Monday, May 9, 2011

To the reader: This was the last blog post that I made, in the "Reflectionary" series, for almost two years. And it was the last one following the format of reading an Old Testament, and New Testament chapter(s) in parallel, looking for commonalities. In 2013, when I resumed Bible blogging, I began reflections based on the Common Lectionary for each successive calendar day. So, there will be no "Ten Year Reprints" for a very long time. Until then, they will be original, and I am going to try to resume the OT/NT parallel readings. Please let me know how you like the different formats. - GD


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"Now let me go down and see: if they have done according to its cry that has come to me - destruction!

"I want mercy and not sacrifice."
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"Why would God permit so many African children to die of hunger?

"Surely you're not saying the 911 attacks were God's judgment upon American immorality!"

If you apply the world's definition of love to its problems, like hunger, disease, war, natural disasters, and famine, it can get quite easy to become angry with God. Surely, would not a loving God care for His children?

The Old Testament is full of accounts of God solving problems by wiping them out entirely, then starting all over. And so the question is, how can this not be defined as merciful, or loving? When an animal is in great pain and will not recover, we advocate "mercy killing." End the pain and suffering. Sometimes the only way God can relieve people's pain, is to take their lives.

This idea of sacrifice carries with it an understanding of death. If there were no such thing as death, then sacrifice would have no meaning. If you have eternal life, you've got it all! "Sacrifice" is part of the equation that keeps the world in balance until death is destroyed at the Return of Christ. We sacrifice because it is a reminder of our mortal predicament. If we give something up, then we understand that it will help someone else who is suffering, thanks to the curse placed upon the earth since the time of Adam's disobedience.

But God prefers mercy, not sacrifice. Sacrifice is Old Testamental. It is self-focused. It is legalistic.

But mercy, which is understood by the mature believer, is New Testamental. It is outwardly-focused. It is based on freedom in Christ. It is conceived and driven in godly Love.

God heard the cry coming from Sodom and Gomorrah. There were those within its boundaries, in great pain due to its rampant sin. So it is today. God does hear the pain of those suffering in the poorest parts of the planet. He calls on us to serve, to act mercifully.

In the end, if the Church does not show up to help, God may be left with only one merciful option.

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