Monday, October 11, 2010

Mercy, not vengeance

Key verses
Hebrews 12:28-29 - Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”


Proverbs
29:15 and 17 - Too many people leave their kids to their own devices or expect video games and tv to educate them.  Let's get back to family time and actually imparting personal/social skills and moral values to our kids so that our society doesn't continue to spiral out of control!

Isaiah
The Lord states in Isaiah 59:21 that the words he will impart to his people will not depart from their mouths, or from the mouths of their children forever.  I thought this was kind of strange, because it seemed like that meant that God's word would remain silent forever.  However, depart here doesn't seem to mean that they will not speak, but rather that God's word will always remain with them and when they do speak, it will be God speaking through them.  We have a promise from God, then, that his Spirit will be in us and his words will always be in our mouths, ready to be proclaimed to whomever we meet, forever.
"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." (60:1) Out of the online commentaries I have looked at, only one suggests in passing that this salvation may be from Babylonian rule, but even that theologian concludes, with the others, that this passage is referring to Christ coming to save his people.  Just as in Isaiah 9, where the people walking in darkness saw a great light, Isaiah 60 proclaims the coming salvation and great light of Christ.

Luke
I wonder what it was about the breaking of the bread that made these two men on the road to Emmaus realize that it was Jesus with whom they were talking?

Hebrews
Abel's blood cried out for vengeance against Cain.  Jesus' blood cries out to God for mercy so that we don't have to die.  Let us try to mirror that approach, and extend mercy and grace to our neighbours today, rather than vengeance and annoyance.

No comments:

Post a Comment