God's Mercy Toward Mankind

The Mercy of God to Mankind

Book of Isaiah Chapter 55

Mercy can be described as showing compassion to those who live in misery. The Lord Jesus Christ is God's act of mercy to all who have lived in this world!

When the Jews sought forgiveness of their sin, the High Priest then approached the "Mercy Seat" of God.

We should understand if we do not seek God at the "Mercy Seat" we will certainly face God at the "White Throne of Judgement"!

This should be a simple matter of choice for everyone, yet most of the world rejects this truth.

The High Priest of Judaism could not go to the "Mercy Seat" without the blood.

No one can approach God without the blood, so He has washed every believer in the blood of His Dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Heb_9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

For thousands of years people have sought for peace and it has been thought that it would take one mighty nation to bring that peace by fear of reprisal.

It is obvious that we have never seen true peace in our world and it cannot ever happen by the works of mankind.

Jehovah God has from the beginning offered true peace but His message has been rejected!

God says if the entire world will accept His message and trust in His Word and then apply His message to their lives, then our world can be a world of true peace.

In a world that has tried every other way available, why would we not give God an opportunity to prove His truth?

The real problem is, that the super-rich of our world do not ever want peace because there is no profit in peace! The gift of salvation is "free"!

The Lord Jesus Christ died so that we can be at peace with God. The only God, the God of creation!

It is sin that separates us from a Holy God and only through the Lord Jesus Christ can this separation be eliminated and "eliminated forever"!

God says we can begin to know these things if we would just become more "Spiritually minded" and not be so "worldly minded"!

So, God freely extends His invitation to all the world:

*****Isa 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

As this world approaches the day of the Lord and the "Rapture" of the righteous (the true Church), we as Christians must keep in mind our work is not complete until we die a physical death or God calls the Church home.

For every soul that is saved 10 more find their way to Hell!

We know this world is more evil now than it has ever been and most people will remain sinful and carnally minded, but there are always some who hunger and thirst for righteousness and need help getting there.

Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Until each of these precious souls come to the Lord, the Lord will not return!

We should not be confused with the wine and the milk.

No one would serve spoiled milk! Milk would be as new milk in its freshest state. That being true we can also expect that wine to be the freshest of fresh squeezed grape juice and not some alcoholic drink which serves no purpose as a gift of God!

Some say "yayin" is related to fermented and it is in some cases but the term "yayin" can also refer the action of pressing out the juice of the grape (to tread out), hence the juice of the grape that is trodden out and that first pressing is the freshest of the grape juice.

There is no place for "wine" in the life of the Christian!

Our righteous God is not in the business of giving us anything that would "alter our mind", except the Holy Ghost!

It is in our best interest to get even more busy in whatever ministry the Lord has given to each of us, while the "Day of the Lord", gets even closer with every day that passes.

Most every true Jew is looking forward to the Messianic Kingdom of the Lord and this Scripture describes the peace and righteousness in the day the Lord sets up His Kingdom here on this earth.

Isa 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Isa 54:14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.

We see that these things are for every human being that is taught of the Lord!

What did Jesus say to the woman at the well?

Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

We can see that the Lord our God, offers something that this world does not have the ability to offer!

Even if we are worthless and wicked, God still makes this offer. All that is required is a thirst for righteousness and that thirst can be and will be quenched!

Isa 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Isa 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

If the truth is known, water was such a valuable resource in these times of Isaiah that many a stranger had to actually pay for the water they received from private wells.

It's important that we see that the gifts of God come without cost!

We can just imagine the friction that was caused with the buyers and sellers of that day, as Isaiah cried out with this message of God.

In fact, in our world today, most people just believe that nothing of value can be free yet God still makes His gifts to be free!

What is the truth of the weary traveler in this world today? Until that thirst is quenched the mind will never be at rest!

The salvation of the Lord still remains a free gift:

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Then God adds, why would we ever want to spend our money on things that can never satisfy us.

*****Isa 55:2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

What God is saying is, while Christianity is life eternal without spending, life in this carnal world is of continual spending and has no lasting profit and no lasting satisfaction!

God has never had His hand in those who seek the riches of this world, this is Satan's tool of destruction!

1Ti_6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

This would include all the things that money can buy!

We eat what is good when we absorb the Word of God and the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

The Bible speaks of the "bread of sorrows":

Psa 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

The Bread of tears:

Psa 80:5 Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.

The bread of wickedness:

Pro 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

Notice in this Scripture we see the "yayin", the fermented wine of violence! (God would never endorse such a thing)

The bread of deceit:

Pro 20:17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

The Lord Jesus Christ said He was the true "bread of life"!

Joh_6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Joh_6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Joh_6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

God says to listen diligently. "Listen" with care and not carelessly nor neglect nor reject what is said!

The spiritual blessings of the Lord are richer than anything this world has to offer!

The "soul" that delights in the gifts of God will certainly be "satisfied"!

Psa 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

The word "come" is used more than 600 times in the Scriptures. God says to listen to what He has to say with an open mind and then "come" so you can accept His free gift of eternal life!

*****Isa 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Submission to the Lord is His greatest requirement! We must yield our own will so we can conform to the will of God! This submission must come from the heart and the guiding principle must be "love"!

It is also obvious that we can see that the Lord is seeking a personal relationship with all those that come to Him!

One by one, God will take each one of us separately by Himself and reason and counsel with Him.

The Lord is saying that my sin and His redemption are much too important to Him to discuss in a crowd.

To sacred, to be discussed around the noise and distraction of this world.

In fact, as we take one step toward to Lord He will take two steps toward us!

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Joh 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

This issue of coming to the Lord is the most important decision we will ever make in our life time! This issue involves eternal life in glory or eternal life in damnation!

When we come to the Lord and listen diligently to His Words we will understand that everlasting covenant, that the Lord will present to us, again, freely.

What are the sure mercies of David?

Psa 89:35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.

Psa 89:36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

Psa 89:37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

Of course, the seed of David in His human form was the Lord Jesus Christ and since every believer will be adopted into the family of God, then we are part of that seed that will endure forever!

And "Selah" means pause and think about this for a moment. All God's creatures should pause and think about what God is saying!

The mercies of David are all about the "Grace" of God!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ that was freely given for this world. (John 3:16)

*****Isa 55:4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

God gave us the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

A witness is one who gives evidence and sometimes at the expense of his life.

A witness must be an eyewitness of the things he has seen to be a true witness.

What did the Messiah say? Joh_16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

The Messiah could not be a witness if there was no Holy Trinity!

1) The Father sets Him forth as His gift to sinners. “Behold I have given Him.”

2) The Son declares, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.

Joh_18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

3) He was anointed with the Holy Ghost, and with power for this particular work.

Luk_4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

There could be no other witness to all people other than the Messiah given to us from God, the Lord Jesus Christ!

The Lord Jesus Christ was His Fathers witness of the truth of a Holy God!

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Jesus Christ came because the entire world was in darkness!

Joh_12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

The Messiah came to restore the true knowledge of God because the truth of God was no longer being given to the people!

*****Isa 55:5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

Most people do not realize that the prophet Isaiah was murdered for such statements as he made in verse 5.

Isaiah died by being sawn into while he was still alive. (this is the hate of those who hate the truth)

The Jews would not accept that the Messiah would come to save the Gentiles!

Even while these Jews were in captivity by Babylon they could only see the Messiah bringing vengeance to all the Gentile nations.

It was only the nation of Israel that had knowledge of the Holy One of Israel, all other nations worshipped idols of one sort or another and were sitting in darkness. Some Gentiles in all these nations will certainly one day run to the Lord having gained the knowledge of the Lord.

Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Since the day that Jesus arose from that borrowed tomb, He has been witnessing to all this world!

This prophecy is carried out every day in some nation other than Israel!

We must be among the "called of God" to be saved!

Notice that once knowing the truth, those that are called will not walk but they will run to meet the Lord!

BUT, the truth is, there is only a certain time allowed in all the ages!

In the time of Noah, God allowed Noah to preach for 120 years while he built the Ark.

In the Church Age, God will allow the time of the "fulness of the Gentiles"

In the time of the 7 years of Tribulation, God will allow that time.

During the Millennial Kingdom, God will allow 1000 years.

So, the truth is then, we must all seek the Lord while He can be found in our own age!

*****Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

The agent of salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ. Regardless how this world responds to this truth, it is not meant to be inflammatory, it is only meant to guide those who are lost, to reality.

Those that disagree make themselves heard because they have rejected the Word of God and have chosen to die in damnation!

It does not say to seek peace, or to seek joy, or to seek happiness but it says to seek the Lord!

When we accept the Lord as our Savior, we are filled with the Holy Spirit and it then we will find all these other things.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

If we have the Holy Spirit abiding within us we will have the fruit of the Spirit!

To seek is to look and search for, inquire, investigate, to pursue.

It is only those who know they have a need who will actively seek the Lord.

God knows we all have a need for salvation and a personal relationship with our Creator and He has provided that means for us.

The next step is ours to take!

There is no need for us to cling to helplessness, nor hopelessness, nor unhappiness when we have another option, and that option is the Lord Jesus Christ!

Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

We must know that the Lord is as near as a sincere heart!

Included in seeking the Lord is to forsake the path we now travel.

Also included in seeking the Lord is changing the way we think.

Both of these things are bound up in repentance!

Repentance is a complete change of mind.

Repentance is a complete change of purpose.

Repentance is a complete change of direction.

These things mean we have become aware of our own guilt and our own sinfulness!

These things mean that we have become aware of God's mercy through the Lord Jesus Christ.

These things mean we have begun to hate sin and want no part in it ever again!

These things mean that we realize that by the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ we can be "justified" (just as if I had never done these things).

Pardoned means forgiven as if we were never guilty!

Most all of us feel that urgent need for forgiveness and that forgiveness can only come by Jesus Christ!

We may ask ourselves why Islam has so many followers or why Confucius has so many followers and all so called religions?

This is easily answered, to be a follower or disciple of these things, there is no requirement to give up sin!

Even the Atheist cling so hard to their own sin, they reject all authority other than their own! They give their own selves full authority over all religion! They are more wrong than all others!

So why is Jehovah God teaching us all these things?

*****Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

When we are lost to the ways of the Lord, we just don’t think right!

When we are lost to the ways of the Lord, our way, the path we travel is always wrong!

God created mankind to be the most intelligent of His creations but if we cannot think in the ways of the Lord how can we have a personal relationship?

Amo_3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

My own thoughts and my own way of thinking will still leave me here on earth till I die!

My thoughts cannot reach into Heaven but the thoughts of the Jehovah God can reach me where ever I am, at any time!

Until we think as the Lord thinks we will never know salvation! We cannot think in the way of God until we are filled with His Holy Spirit!

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

When the Holy Ghost begins to deal with us when we are lost and brings conviction in the way we think then sin grows to be a heavy burden that we want to get rid of.

If you have ever suffered through cancer or some other disease, then you certainly wanted to get rid of it as quick as you could.

Once we become aware of the tragedies of sin, it will be no different, we will want to be rid of any sin we know we have!

Many think this impossible but our Savior does the impossible!

No way of thinking that we can have, can come close to the thoughts of God.

Once we come to know the Lord as our Savior, then God simply blots out all our sins and they no longer exist in the mind of God and there is no record of them in Heaven!

The truth remains, that until we believe in the greatness of God shown in the Genesis record of creation, we will never understand the Bible.

2Ti_3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

We may be slow to think the way that God thinks but Jehovah God is never slow to forgive when we seek forgiveness!

God gave us His words, bound together with His love and the Word of God will accomplish what God sent it to do because it is all true!

*****Isa 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

The Word of God is our contact between a loving God and each believer!

Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Psa 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

It is our God who chose to make Himself aware to His creation!

Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Psa 19:2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

Psa 19:3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

Psa 19:4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

Psa 19:5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

Psa 19:6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

The Word of God has been given to us in figure and symbol, in prophecy and song, in history and science, and at last in the Person of Jesus Christ and since He has come we have the explanation of all the plan of God!

It is only the Word of God that can bring God's creation to fulfillment of purpose.

Mankind can only realize the possibilities of their own lifetime!

The Word of God has purpose.

The Word of God is spoken.

The Word of God is written.

The Word of God is "lived"!

The Word of is Powerful!

The Word of God is TRUE!

The Word of God is prosperous and it will accomplish what God intended for it to do!

Col_3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

The Word of God cannot fail!

*****Isa 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Isa 55:13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

The Christian life must be an extension of the life of Christ Jesus!

It is because the Word of God is like seed, that the work of the Husbandman can be accomplished.

It is the job of the Church to be that sower of the seed, (the Word of God). In reality, this is our greatest purpose after we know the truth of God and have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior!

Once we have been pardoned, we can serve the Lord with joy!

Once we have been pardoned, we can be led forth with peace!

Even all of God's creation will benefit and therefore break forth in a joyful demonstration!

It is a fact that when Israel was removed from their land the land became a desert that no one wanted.

It is also a fact that since Israel is returning to the land given to them by the Lord, that land has blossomed and now every nation is seeking to have a part in a land that is no bigger than the State of South Carolina, where I live!

To the Jew in the day of Isaiah that 70 years may have seemed like an eternity but the Lord never forgot His people and no doubt these great words given to Isaiah should have brought great comfort to them, if they only trusted in the Word of God!

There was no power on earth that was going to keep these Jews in Babylon for more than those 70 years!

Hear in this chapter of the Book of Isaiah, we see God revealing man's necessity and God's answer to those needs, while inviting all of us to take part of it.

God says these things are free, they require no money!

God says just open your ears and at least listen to what He has to say before you continue down a path that leads to eternal death.

God will turn a life lived in the deserts of sin to a life lived in the garden of salvation!

God is not picky, God will take whosoever will call upon His name.

It is the LORD, Jehovah who is that sign of everlasting peace, mercy and grace that can come from nowhere else!

God will never hide His face from the believer!

God purposes fulfill themselves and the results are certain!

It is certain that God will have a people to live with Him throughout all eternity, we are a foolish person if we do not want to be a part of His family!

How do we begin this new life?

We seek the Lord while He can be found!

Questions?

Let's Pray!