mercy

HOPE IN HIS MERCY

The love God has for us and the promises he has given to us are the result of his great mercy. In the Taurat he began to reveal the plan for his mercy. In the law he gave to Moses (Musa) and his followers (Bani Israel), he gave instructions for the tabernacle. In it was the mercy seat. The mercy seat was very precious and made of gold. It was the cover of the box which contained the Law of Moses. (Taurat, Exodus 25:21) It was there that God’s glory would rest (Taurat, Leviticus 16:2) and where he would commune with Aaron, (Haroon) the high priest. (Taurat, Exodus 25:22) It was on this mercy seat that the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled. (Taurat, Leviticus 16:15) From that mercy seat came the voice of God to Moses. (Taurat, Numbers 7:89)

It is comforting to know that his mercy is great toward us. Yet his mercy was not given without careful preparation. It came through God’s personal care for mankind and contact with the high priest over all men. His mercy has always come as a result of a sacrifice in which a life is given for a life. In time past it was the life of an animal. In fact it was always the life of an animal until God sent his precious Messiah (Al-mesih) to be the final sacrifice.

So what is hope? Is hope crossing our fingers and "hoping" that what we want will actually come true. That’s the way "hope" is used most times today. But this is not the hope of the Holy Bible. Hope is a quiet confidence and expectancy that is based on a promise. It is not based on the one who hopes, but on the one who has made the promise. His character and power guarantee the reality of the hope coming true. The result is calmness and joy.

What has God promised us? Do his promises cause us to love? Do they cause us to have a faith that really trusts in God? Do we have a genuine hope in his mercy? These are the questions that we as humans must know or find the answers to.

The Apostle Paul reminds us of God’s plan for us,

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we have become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Injil, Titus 3:4-7)

To some this may sound quite conceited but the Apostle Paul was not a conceited man. He was simply a man who believed God. He called himself the "worst of sinners" because of his previous life. Since he had experienced the love of God, he saw the difference between "showing faith in God" and "having faith in God." He was experiencing a sure hope based on God and his promises, and was able to testify,

". . . I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life." (Injil, 1 Timothy 1:16)

The Apostle Peter also testifies about God’s mercy,

"In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ . . . ." (Injil, 1 Peter 1:3)

Eternal life is available to all who share in these confessions. "The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." (Injil, James 5:11b)

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NIV®

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