"Because He Delighteth in Mercy..."
Micah 7:18-20

by: Don Fortner

Not only is it true that our great and glorious God delights in mercy, but he is rich, infinitely rich, in mercy, too! "God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)." Here are three things promised by the Holy Spirit, written upon the pages of Inspiration. These three things we can and should be assured of, because God, who is rich in mercy, delights in mercy.

"Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." This is a prophecy of and a promise. Here God’s prophet declares that when Christ has finished his work of redemption, the sins of God’s elect for whom he would endure all the wrath of God, would be so thoroughly put away that they would be cast into the sea of divine forgetfulness, never to be seen or remembered again.

Though our God sees our acts of sin as a loving Father and faithfully chastens his children for their sins, to correct them, He does not behold our sins as a judge to punish them. He does not see them with the eye of avenging justice. Justice, being satisfied, has expunged our sins from its record (Jer. 50:20). That is what justice does when it is satisfied. As Pharaoh and the armies of Egypt were drowned in the Red Sea, never to rise up against Israel again, so our sins have been forever drowned in the red sea of Christ’s precious blood, never to rise against us again!

John Gill wrote, "All the sins of God's people have been removed from them to Christ, and by him carried away into the land of oblivion; so that they are no more to be seen on them, who are through his blood and righteousness without fault, spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; and, being out of sight, they are out of mind, never remembered any more, and like things cast into the sea, destroyed and lost."

"Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham." All the gracious promises made to Jacob and his great predecessor, springing from God’s mercy, love and grace, those promises regarding all spiritual things to Abraham’s seed (Gal. 3:13-14), God will perform. His faithfulness and truth secure them (Luke 1:68,72,73). That eternal life which God promised to chosen sinners (Abraham’s seed) in Christ before the world began, he will perform.

"Which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old." Because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself that he would perform all his word and purpose of grace to all his elect. The oath was given to his own dear Son, as our Surety in the covenant of grace before the world began; and it shall be performed (John 6:37-45). Because the Lord Jesus Christ has obeyed all the stipulations of the covenant as our great Surety, --because he brought in everlasting righteousness for us, --because he obtained eternal redemption for us with his own blood, --because he intercedes for us in heave, --because he reigns as sovereign King and Monarch over the universe, we know that our God shall, for Christ’s sake, perform his covenant oath for his elect, to the saving of our souls for the glory of his own great name. "And so, all Israel shall be saved." "Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation," BECAUSE HE DELIGHTETH IN MERCY!"

AMEN.