Today’s Reading: Jer 39:1–41:18, Rom 9:13–29, Prov 24:1–22
Today’s Theme: God who has mercy
Today we look at the way God shows us great mercy when He really doesn’t have to and how we are saved by His mercy shown in love and not by obligation. Thank God today that He has made you a vessel of mercy.
Jeremiah 39:1–41:18
Taken care of by God
“Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you.” (Jeremiah 39:12, ESV)
This is amazing, God’s servant has been taken care of again which reminds us that God will take care of us in His mercy and grace
More than a name
sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard. They entrusted him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he lived among the people. (Jeremiah 39:14, ESV)
Gedaliah’s name means Yahweh is great, however he does not live up to the name as we read later about his lack of faith and gullible nature. Let’s not be Christians in name only but in Spirit and Truth.
Romans 9:13–29
God is just and merciful
What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! (Romans 9:14, ESV)
People always accuse God of being unfair, but the fact is God does not have to have mercy on any and we are blessed that He chooses to show mercy to some.
God is under no obligation to save any of us or to sort out our problems. All that He does is motivated by His love, not some binding obligation, He even establishes covenants in love.
God saves, not man
So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. (Romans 9:16, ESV)
Monogesim which is the belief that conversion is totally accomplished by God is here defined.
No man can boast in his own works or common sense leading to his salvation it is all dependent on God showing personal mercy to the individual. He does not punish them in the way they deserve, instead effecting an interchange between them and Christ and giving them what they do not deserve. He makes them alive from the dead in Christ and literally gives them a new nature by the Holy Spirit.
The whole trinity is involved in the God centred conversion of us as sinners. Think about how God has shown you mercy today and praise Him.
Humble yourself
But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” (Romans 9:20, ESV)
How can we have the audacity to challenge God and say… hey what you have done is unfair… WHAT, He is God!!
One thing we absolutely must do is humble ourselves before God.
God is patient
What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, (Romans 9:22, ESV)
Paul is alluding to the truth that God endures with sinners while desiring and seeking to lead them to repentance by showing them mercy and goodness.
God is patient with man because He desires that man would humble himself and seek the mercy and grace he so desperately needs.
Vessels of mercy
in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—(Romans 9:23, ESV)
Thank you Lord for making us a vessel of mercy. We were vessels of wrath but have been transformed into vessels of mercy and it was not happenstance or any goodness or sense in us because He prepared us beforehand to His own honour and glory.
One new man
even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? (Romans 9:24, ESV)
We are one new man in Christ, This is one of Paul’s most important points in the book of Romans.
Only a remnant
And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, (Romans 9:27, ESV)
Only messianic Jews will be saved, those who believe in Jesus, because He is the only way to salvation. Being Jewish is not enough, we must be born again.
We must also remember that many times when the Old Testament speaks about the salvation of all Israel it is talking about salvation in the military sense. So we all need Jesus.
Proverbs 24:1–22
Don’t desire to be with them
Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, (Proverbs 24:1, ESV)
We must remember this when trying to be a friend and reaching out to those at work etc. Something in the heart rises and makes us want to be with them but that is not God, it is far better to be with God and embrace the world’s rejection.
If they do not resist and reject you to some degree then you should really be worried about your stand.
The homemakers
by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. (Proverbs 24:4, ESV)
Lord we pray you will give mothers and wives the wisdom and knowledge they need to build the home.
God will repay
If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work? (Proverbs 24:12, ESV)
We can not claim ignorance before God, He knows our hearts and has given us a conscience.
What we do is so important because God will repay.
Bounce back
for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity. (Proverbs 24:16, ESV)
This is not about sin but about us bouncing back when wicked men scheme against us.
Be meek
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, (Proverbs 24:17, ESV)
This is the type of outlook, attitude, and temperament God intends us to have.
Fear God
My son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise, (Proverbs 24:21, ESV)
You can not truly be friends with those who hate God.
Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.
Additional resources
The Gospel Coalition on Romans 9