Deuteronomy 5:8,9,10 - "Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments."
Deuteronomy 5 is so amazing. Most of us get so hung up on studying the commandments ...trying to count to ten... that we can't see the bigger picture of what God is doing with His people. Step back a moment and take a breath and see... for this pattern is yours if you love Him:
1. He took them out of Egypt, the land of entrenchment and siege, by providing a personal Rescue.
2. He brought them into Horeb, a wilderness wasteland, to Train their hearts to see Him.
3. He showed them His power and His glory; and they did not Die ... Proof of His choice for them.
4. He made them a moveable city, defended by Him ... Equipping them with a purpose and a lasting vision.
5. And then He caused them to Desire More of Him.
They saw Him and they did not die -- this was God "showing" - "fashioning" Mercy.
As we unlock the word "showing" we find:
God Acting and Enacting mercy in behalf of His people.
Within His attending to the movement of Mercy,
He was making the way straight for mercy...
He was working the details of Mercy ...
He dealing the equity of Mercy...
He was producing the substance of Mercy...
He preparing the stability of Mercy ...
He was making an offering of Mercy ...
while observing,
acquiring,
appointing,
spending,
ordaining,
passing,
utilizing
and
Celebrating...
MERCY!
Checed (kheh'-sed) - There are two sides to Mercy.
1. It is wonderful that One such as God (in all of His Holiness)would show such loving kindness and tender favor to the "undeserving" such as us. Let this sink deep into your soul ...
2. that the "One offering Mercy" also bears the shame, reproach, and disgrace of the object of His mercy.
His choice to fashion Mercy... will disturb the fake piety of the self righteous, but bring celebration and courage to the multitudes of the "fallen" who are still in need of His great rescue.
Get the picture of the thief on the cross near Jesus, who stopped his cursing and mockery long enough to realized that... this was no ordinary man, and this was no ordinary day;
it was His "Now",
it was His accepted time...
The Thief cried out, "Remember me when You come into Your kingdom."
and without hesitation Jesus replied from Mercy's fashioning, "Today thou shalt be with Me in Paradise."
Come on people of God be courageous in His Song of Mercy over you!
HLFA,
Jeff