Tag Archives: mercy

LUKE’S GOSPEL…THE SIGN OF JONAH – 29c

Bible Study, ,

“As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation…The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭29‬-‭30‬, ‭32‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We cannot leave Jonah without examining some of the lessons he might have learned through this harrowing experience. What did he reflect on when he was back home in his safe space? Had he known what he had learned from his encounter with God, would he have thought and done things differently? 

One thing is clear. Despite being a prophet of God, Jonah did not share God’s attitude towards ungodly unbelievers. Whatever God thought about the Assyrians, the Jews hated them because they were vicious, cruel, ruthless, and powerful. However, the fact that he, Jonah, was to preach judgment against them was no comfort to him because he also knew that God was merciful. What if they repented and God forgave them?

With this thought in the back of his mind, Jonah had tried to escape God’s command but failed. His worst fears were confirmed when, after preaching judgment, the whole city of Nineveh repented even when he thundered against them. 

“Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.”

‭‭Jonah‬ ‭3‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jonah was angry and rebellious. Why did he not share God’s compassion for a city under judgment? Jonah viewed the Assyrians, not as people to be pitied because they had no idea what judgment meant, but as a threat to his own people’s existence. In other words, his view of the Assyrians was “enemy” to be exterminated, not sinners under judgment to be pitied. 

God’s view, by contrast, was “people”, created in His image, who needed to be rescued because they were precious to Him. God’s plan was, from the beginning, to have a human family, created in His image, with whom He could have fellowship and share His love. The fact that humans changed sides and rebelled against God did not change His plan. He revealed the extent of His love by sending His own Son to take the judgment intended for humans. He judged them, not by what they had done but by what they had done because they had refused to believe and obey Him. 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God does not love to judge. He yearns to save.  Through Ezekiel, He spoke to His own people…

“Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’”

‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭33‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God’s mercy overrides judgment when people repent and turn to Him, but He also comes down hard on those who, having received His mercy, refuse to treat others with mercy. 

“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

‭‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The end of Jonah’s story is telling. God used an object lesson to confront Jonah with his terrible attitude…Jonah was angry because a worm destroyed his shelter and because caged forgave the Ninevites.  He judged people by what they did, not by who they were, people created in God’s image regardless of what they did. 

“But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?””

‭‭Jonah‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Did Jonah learn the lesson? We don’t know. 

So, God reached out to the worst of sinners then, and He still does…He wants us, His children, to do the same.  We are to treat others as He has treated us. This is the crux of real faith in Jesus…hearts so full of gratitude for God’s mercy that we, in turn, reach out in mercy towards others. 

To be continued…

THINGS THAT DAVID SAID – 16

Devotion, ,

THE HOUND OF HEAVEN!

Psalms 23:6 NLT
[6] “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”

Back to Psalm 23! Some of David’s most wonderfully comforting words are clustered together in one psalm, like for example, Psalm 23, Psalm 103, and Psalm 139.

Don’t we love David’s concluding words in Psalm 23? They conjure up a mental picture of two supernatural “angels”, named “Goodness” and “Mercy”, like twe pet dogs, that follow us faithfully wherever we go. They refuse to leave us no matter what our situation or circumstances. They are always there to comfort, strengthen, and provide for all our needs. They are God’s messengers, not God Himself but…

Hebrews 1:14 NLT
[14] “Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.”

Apart from these ministering angels, who provide protection in every situation…

God’s own presence is always with us…

Psalms 139:7-10 NLT
[7] “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! [8] If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. [9] If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, [10] even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.”

…never to spy on us, as some people think, but to strengthen, support and bless us.

Have you ever considered that God has provided us with a bodyguard more powerfully efficient than the best-trained humans can ever be? His powerful ministering angels take care of our safety and provide everything we need, and His own presence guards and protects us from the perils of lies and deception that our enemy tries to impress on us?

2 Thessalonians 3:3 NIV
[3] “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”

Not only do we have God Himself all around us, but we also have His Word as a powerful set of armour, defensive and offensive weapons to take care of all the fiery darts hurled at us. Like the Israelis’ “iron dome”, we are shielded on all sides from the enemy’s missiles.

Psalms 91:9-12 NLT
[9] “If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, [10] no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. [11] For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. [12] They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.”

God has also provided a full set of armour, like the armour of an ancient Roman soldier, that covers us from head to foot and that enables us to ward off every temptation and every accusation the enemybl hurls at us to throw us off course.

Ephesians 6:11-13 NIV
[11] “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. [12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [13] Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Our spiritual armour is defensive since Jesus has already conquered Satan for us. Our role is only to stand our ground on the truth and never give way to his assault on our minds and hearts.

As much as “goodness” and “mercy”, accompany us on our journey, watching our backs and keeping the enemy at bay, so also are they the very presence of God to lavish His grace and favour on us simply because we are His children.

Romans 8:32 NIV
[32] “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

Through Jesus, our Saviour, High Priest, and Mediator, we have everything we need and more through the Father’s “great and precious promises” guaranteed by the Son Himself.

2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV
[20] “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”

All we need to do to trigger their fulfilment is to say a hearty “Amen!”

God’s children are neither orphans nor paupers. In Christ Jesus, we are fully supplied, carefully guarded, deeply loved, and highly favoured.

So, let’s live as His beloved sons and daughters in the abundance of His goodness and mercy.

FOUNDATION STONES – 4

Christian Life, ,

FEAR THE LORD

Proverbs 9:10 NLT
[10] “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.”

Here’s a huge, solid stone on which to build a life. From cover to cover, the Bible teaches us to fear the Lord, the key to every other blessing in this life and the life to come.

Just as “a-b-c” is the foundation of all language, and language is the most important part of communication, so the fear of the Lord is the essence and source of all the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding that we can acquire only through Him.

No child will ever learn to read and write without knowing the alphabet. No child of God will ever learn to know and trust God without the fear of the Lord.

What is the fear of the Lord?

My definition of the fear of the Lord is basic and simple…to fear the Lord is to take Him seriously because of who He is.

Although there is much more to the fear of the Lord than my simple definition, my definition helps me to keep the fear of the Lord in focus when I interact with Him.

Isaiah 33:5-6 NIV
[5] “The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. [6] He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”

How easy it is to ignore or dismiss God, who He is and what He says, in a secular environment where we are driven and directed by our senses and our selfish nature. Most of the world does this…treats the Lord as though He doesn’t exist. Their neglect lies at the base of the world’s wickedness. The Apostle Paul concludes that the whole human race is guilty of gross sin…

Romans 3:10-18 NIV
[10] “As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; [11] there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. [12] All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” [13] “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” [14] “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” [15] “Their feet are swift to shed blood; [16] ruin and misery mark their ways, [17] and the way of peace they do not know.”

And diagnoses the cause…

[18] “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

When we fear the Lord, when we hold Him in highest reverence, awe, and honour, when we listen to Him and take Him seriously, the door swings wide open to a multiplicity of blessings and benefits. God’s promises, built on His unfailing faithfulness, provide the hope that steadies and steers us through all the ups and downs of a turbulent life on this fallen planet until we reach the safe haven of His eternal presence.

The fear of the Lord exposes us, first, to God’s mercy without which we are doomed from birth.

Before we can ever connect with a heavenly Father, we need mercy. God’s mercy, is His “chesed”, an untranslatable Hebrew word that encompasses the vast, indescribable, covenant love of God. He saw our lost condition. He planned and executed a just solution at His own expense. He sacrificed His own Son to a cruel and humiliating death, and He welcomes us back into His favour because of His “chesed”.

How immeasurable is His mercy?

Psalms 103:9-12 NIV
[9] “He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; [10] he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. [11] For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love (chesed) for those WHO FEAR HIM; [12] as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

Who are the ones who receive this mercy?

“… so great is his love FOR THOSE WHO FEAR HIM… “

God’s mercy, reserved for those who fear Him, opens the door to everything we receive from Him in this great salvation.

Second, the fear of the Lord calls us to respond in faith and obedience. Once we have received God’s mercy and, since He is holy, He requires us to hate and distance ourselves from sin as much as He does.

Proverbs 8:10-13 NLT
[10] “Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. [11] For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it. [12] “I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. [13] All who FEAR THE LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.”

Listen to David’s wise counsel…

Psalms 34:11-14 NLT
[11]”Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord. [12] Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? [13] Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! [14] Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.”

In essence, we show our fear of the Lord by the way we speak and act.

The Bible has much more to say about the fear of the Lord that brings us into close contact with Him, opens us to His mercy and favour for ourselves and our descendants, and guides us through the maze of tests and temptations to our desired eternal destiny.

Without the fear of the Lord, we have no solid foundation on which to build our lives, and no support for the superstructure of thoughts, decisions, and actions that we build on our foundation. However, guided by a commitment to take God seriously because we honour Him for who He is, we can be absolutely sure that He will honour that commitment by His utter faithfulness to Himself and His Word.

Proverbs 3:5-8 NLT
[5] “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. [6] Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. [7] Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. [8] Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.”

MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGMENT

Christian Life, ,

We have been talking about our tendency to judge others when we don’t like them or what they say or do. We attach names to them like, “liar”, “coward”, “hypocrite”, “adulterer”, or whatever sin they have committed that describes, to us, who they are.

We stand apart from them, wagging a finger, thinking, if not saying, that we are not like them.

Jesus personalised our attitude in a story.

Luke 18:9-14 NLT
[9] “Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: [10] “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. [11] The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! [12] I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ [13] “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ [14] I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Does this story not mirror our hearts every time we pass judgment on another? Let’s not relegate the attitude of the Pharisee to…well, someone else, not us!

Our judgment can be spoken or unspoken but the attitude is the same. Contempt is what we feel for someone who has said or done something WE WOULD NEVER DO!

What is Jesus’ perspective on this practice?

Jesus took a dim view of those who gloated over the misfortune of others. He sounded a severe warning to those who reported on the violent death of some Galilean worshippers at Pilate’s hands.

Luke 13:1-5 NIV
[1] “Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. [2] Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? [3] I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. [4] Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? [5] I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

His words are blunt and to the point.

Matthew 7:1-2 NLT
[1] “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. [2] For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”

First, a warning. Don’t judge because you will be judged by your own standards.

Second, a prescription. Before you label someone else, look at yourself first. That should bring us down to earth if nothing else does. We may not be guilty of the sin we judge in others but we are guilty of so much else…hypocrisy, to start with.

Matthew 7:3-5 NIV
[3] “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? [4] How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Jesus hated hypocrisy because hyposricy is lying….living behind a mask of holiness when the person behind the mask is as guilty as the one he judges.

Third, come clean with God. When you tell the world around you what you think of another person, you inadvertently compound your own guilt. When you tell God what you think, you hand the person and his doings over to God.

It’s like putting the person in a box, sealing the box and labelling it with the name and your opinion of the person inside. You give the box to God, take your hands off and let Him take responsibility for him or her.

Let me tell you a story.

I had a friend who regularly failed to keep arrangements with me. How frustrated I became when I waited in vain for her to arrive. At that point in my life, I felt insecure and needed her friendship to affirm me. He failure to keep appointments kept telling me I was unimportant to her.

One Saturday afternoon, once again she neither came nor apologised for her non-arrival. I was so angry that I fell on my knees at my bedside and poured out my resentment, bitterness, disappointment, call it what you like, to God. I told Him what I thought of her, using all the worst words I could think of. I called her a coward and a hypocrite and ended my prayer with, “God, I hate her!”

There! Now I had done it! I thought I had blown it with God.

Turns out, it was the best thing I could have ever done. I took that box with her inside, and labelled it on the outside with the worst possible judgment I could think up, and gave it to God.

As far as I know, it didn’t change her but my action changed me! From that moment on, my animosity towards her was gone. I could look her in the face and feel nothing. Not only did God change my attitude towards her but He also broke my feelings of insecurity and the need for acceptance and affirmation. From that moment in, I was free from the co-dependence on another for security. From then on, the Holy Spirit began to teach me to love Jesus and be loved by Him.

“Spilling your guts,” I call it. While judging others is sure to call down God’s judgment on us, telling others our verdict makes our guilt even more sure. When we parcel up our offender and give it, together with our ever-so-false verdict, to God, we free ourselves of a responsibility that belongs to God alone.

You see, Jesus, Son of God, could forgive because He knew the whole story. He had every right to judge His killers but, instead, He forgave because He knew that they had no idea of the consequences of what they were doing.

For us, the bottom line is, there’s a story behind every person’s behaviour and way of life, of which we are totally ignorant. For us to judge is to think we know it all.

Yet, despite everything God knows about every person, He still shows mercy.

James 2:12-13 NLT
[12] “So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. [13] There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.”

As the NIV translates

[12]”Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, [13] because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

Mercy triumphs over judgment! That’s God’s way and He wants us to make it ours.

THE MYSTERY OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

Bible Study, ,

John 13:18, 21 NLT
[18]“I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’…
[21] Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!”

This scene plays out in fulfillment of God’s purposes decreed from before time and prophesied centuries before the event.

John 17:12 NLT
[12] “During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.”

Paul encouraged Timothy to stay away from sin, implying that he, Timothy, was a vessel created for godly purposes.

2 Timothy 2:20, 21 NLT
[20] “In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use.”
[21] “If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.”

It seems, then, that God has created some people to reflect His glory by holy lives and others to reveal His glory by His power in judgment of their ungodliness.

Romans 9:14-18 NLT
[14] Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! [15] For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” [16] So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. [17] For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” [18] So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.

Romans 9:19-21 NLT
[19] “Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?” [20] No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” [21] When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?”

Another huge subject…the sovereignty of God!

We attempt to understand God’s sovereignty against the backdrop of human reason and logic. We make no sense of God’s ways and accuse Him of being unfair. How can He save some from, and judge others for being who He created them to be?

From our viewpoint, we consider such actions unjust. Should God not treat all people alike?

Is it right that God should deliberately create people for judgment? What about Pharaoh? What about Judas Iscariot? How does human choice and accountability connect with God’s purposes?

At this point, our perspective and God’s perfect wisdom part company.

We have great difficulty understanding how God works and why He works the way He does, since His ways and thoughts are far above our own. However, the Apostle Paul elevates our understanding above our perception of justice and fairness to the nature of God.

God is under no obligation to show mercy to anyone. Paul has argued and concluded that the entire human race is guilty of rebellion and the objects of God’s wrath. He created people for a purpose, to be His human family, but we have all been born rebels, having inherited Adam’s nature. All are under His judgment.

God is, therefore, just in condemning all people to eternal destruction. However, God’s mercy desires to redeem those whom He has chosen to fulfill His purpose. He has not abandoned His original plan for a human family created in His image.

Jesus was the Father’s plan to redeem people from the ravages of sin. He “put all His eggs in one basket” by entrusting to Jesus the role of perfect Son and perfect sacrifice.

As a reward for His obedience, the Father gave to the Son a family of redeemed people.

Isaiah 53:10-12 NLT
[10] “But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. [11] When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. [12] I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.”

Jesus insisted that the Father had given Him many people, that all that the Father had given to Him would come to Him, and that He would save and protect them from judgment.

John 6:37-40 NLT
[37]”However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. [38] For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. [39] And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. [40] For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

John 17:11-12 NLT
[11]”Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. [12] During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.”

We are to recognise, then, that God, in His sovereign choices, is not about justice or fairness but about mercy and purpose. His justice is vindicated by judgment and His purposes fulfilled through His mercy.

He is not obliged to do anything about the sinful human race because we brought His judgment in ourselves by confirming Adam’s rebellion. However, because He is who He is, He chose to show mercy to some, and justice to others, revealing through His mercy to godly and ungodly alike that He is God. No one has the right or reason to complain.

Most of all, God’s glory, revealed through His words and actions, gives all humanity every reason to trust Him, though the majority do not. He is completely vindicated in all He says and does.

Romans 3:25-26 NIV
[25] “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— [26] he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

So, Jesus is God’s answer to all our foolish and futile accusations. Like His response to Job, God is not obligated to answer us, but He does…. Jesus!

Colossians 2:1-3 NLT
[1] I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally.
[2] “I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. [3] In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

God wants us to see His glory so that we worship Him alone, so that we have no other gods because He alone can be to us all we need. He made us. We belong to Him. He is jealous for our love and loyalty. Only in Him can we ever be complete.

So, God reveals to us what we can only ever know through His plan of redemption, that attribute that is heaviest, most important if all, His chesed, His many-faceted, covenant love, His mercy.