God’s Pattern & God’s Mercy

Numbers 28; Psalm 72; Isaiah 19–20; 2 Peter 1

Symbolism is interesting even though it can be highly subjective. The words are often abstract and can mean different things to different people. Even so, the story of God delivering His people from bondage in Egypt, an actual event, also illustrates God delivering His people from a life of bondage to sin.

Sometime I can see some OT prophecies with an actual fulfilment as well as a future spiritual fulfilment. Images and activities that happened long before Christ came point to His coming to fulfill God’s promise for a Messiah, a Savior from the bondage of sin. While I’ve not studied prophecy very much, sometimes I’m startled by it. Today’s reading in Isaiah surprised me, not the references to Egypt, but the predictions concerning Assyria.

This passage indicates that those released from the bondage of sin will be feared by those who remain in that place, yet even there the Lord God will establish people who are delivered and saved. I read this with the symbolism in mind. It said that the Egyptians would be fearful of God’s people yet eventually “swear allegiance to the Lord of hosts.” This happened many centuries later and even though Christian has declined there, it did happen.

The more startling reference added that “In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria will come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.” (Isaiah 19:16–25)

Reference to Assyria is surprising so I did a little digging and found out that Assyria was eventually defeated and historically responded to the Christian gospel. In fact, my search says that Assyrian people still live in northern Iraq, Iran, Syria, Palestine (specially Jerusalem) Jordan, Australia, and the US. They speak Aramaic language and “most of them are Christians.” How interesting!

Another passage startled me too, this one with practical implications. I tend to separate justice and mercy thinking that justice is God giving to us what we deserve (His wrath on sin) and mercy is the opposite — withholding from sinners the punishment that is deserved. I’ve often wondered why God is merciful to some and not to others. Could this passage be a clue to that question?

Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice! Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor! (Psalm 72:1–4)

God does not separate judgment and mercy like I tend to do. Instead these words describe making judgments righteously as God does. He is holy and hates sin yet merciful and loves sinners. In the example given by the psalmist, He makes a distinction between those who oppress and needy people. Both are sinners and yet justice is offered to the poor. In the heart of God they are not to be judged concerning their sin.

On the other hand, their oppressors, who are also sinful but they do not experience mercy. Could it be that these people were also needy but instead of crying out to God or simply suffering in their need, they struck out in heartless ways to meet that need? Could it be that they were trying to gain by hurting others? And this is the reason for God’s anger against them? Does He reach out to those who ‘need’ Him and turn away from those determined to ‘do it myself’?

In the NT, Jesus said I am to “judge by right judgment” a judgment is based on the heart rather than appearances . . . “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (John 7:24) But since I cannot know another person’s heart, I need to rely on wisdom from the Holy Spirit to make such decisions. In the case of oppressors of the poor, it seems obvious, but maybe not in other situations.

APPLY: I realize from what the psalmist says that I must be wary of making judgment calls based on “all are sinners” because it could interfere with being compassionate toward the downtrodden. Instead, I must let the idea of right judgment affect my thoughts and actions. It is not as simple as wrath vs. mercy but must include a deeper understanding of what is going on in human hearts, an understanding that comes through listening to the Spirit of God. Also, it has been said that if I’m not sure whether to rebuke or show mercy, it is better to err on the side of mercy.

Why get dunked?

Books have been written about the practice of Christian baptism. Some say it applies only to those who believe in Jesus. Others see it as including infants in the new covenant. Many consider it as a ritual for joining a church. Most can find New Testament verses that support their views, yet ‘proof-texting’ is unreliable without considering all that the Bible says about a topic such as this one.

This morning I discovered something I’d not thought of before. Prior to Christ, the Israelites practiced baptism to accept proselytes who had repented and been circumcised. Some also used it to remove ceremonial impurities. However, I see basically three different descriptions of baptism in the NT.

1)       The baptism of repentance depicting another baptism to come:

“Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:4–12)

2)       The baptism of Jesus as an example to us as fulfilling righteousness:

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:13–17)

3)       The baptism of believers to indicate faith and repentance from sin:

“And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.’ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation.’ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:38–41)

This baptism also symbolizes death to sin and being raised to new life:

“And you . . . having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12)

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:3)

And this baptism also indicates the filling of the Holy Spirit who has changed us from the inside out, and continues to fill us because He is our life:

“John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:5)

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1–4)

“And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31)

^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, this is another point of theology where I refuse to argue, not because I’m totally certain that my views on baptism are perfect, but that I trust You to change my thinking as needed as I study Your Word. I do know for certain that when I believed in You, You wanted me to be baptized and this happened many years ago. I also know for certain that You thrill me to tears every time someone else is baptized. Thank You for the privilege of being part of Your family and of being able to witness new believers as they declare their faith in You.