Gold Nugget 374 - Justice and Mercy

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       The Bible is pre-eminently an anthropomorphitic book, that is, a book revealing God, not directly in his absolute glory, nor through the affections, thoughts, and conduct of angels, but through man – through man’s emotions, modes of thought, and actions.  It sometimes brings God before us in the character of a Husband, that we may appreciate his fidelity and tenderness; sometimes in the character of a Warrior, that we may appreciate his invincibility and the victories that attend his procedure; sometimes as a Monarch, that we may appreciate his wealth, splendour, and authority; sometimes as a Father, that we may appreciate the reality, depth, and solicitude of his love.

      It is in this last character, the character of a father, that these versus present him to our notice.  No human character, of course, can give a full or perfect revelation of him – all fall infinitely short.  The brightest human representation of him is to his glory less than the dimmest glow-worm to the central fires of the universe.  And yet it is only through man that we can get any clear or impressive idea of him.  It is only through human love, human faithfulness, human justice, that we can gain any conception of the love, faithfulness, and justice of the Eternal. …

      Here, then, in the heart of this great Father is justice and mercy.  What is justice?  It is that sentiment that demands that every one should have his due, that virtue should be rewarded, that vice should be punished.  What is mercy?  A disposition to overlook injuries and to treat beings better than they deserve.  These two must never be regarded as elements essentially distinct; they are branches from the same root, streams from the same fountain.  Both are but modifications of love.  Justice is but love standing up sternly against the wrong; mercy is but love bending in tenderness over the helpless and the suffering. …

      There is a father who has a son, not only disobedient, but unloving and malignantly hostile; he spurns his father’s authority, and pursues a course of conduct antagonistic to his father’s will and interest.  Often has the father reproved him with love and entreated him to reform, but he has grown worse and worse, and has become incorrigible.  The wickedness of the son rouses the sentiment of justice in the heart of the father, and the father says, “I will give you up, I will shut my door against you, I will disown you, and send you as a vagabond on the world; never more shall you cross the threshold of my home, never more will I speak to you.”  This is justice; but then the thought that he is his son rouses the other sentiment, love, and here is the struggle: “How shall I give thee up?”

      Such experience as this is, alas! too common in human life.  Such a struggle between mercy and justice is going on now in the heart of many a father … The passage gives us to understand there is something like this in the heart of the infinite Father.  Justice crying out, “Damn!” mercy crying out, “Save!”  This is wonderful.  I cannot understand it; it transcends my conception; and yet this passage suggests the fact.  … “Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.  I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim.”

      Mercy has triumphed over justice in the perpetuation of the race. … Mercy triumphed.  Mercy has triumphed over justice in the experience of every living man … he lives on because mercy has triumphed.

      Mercy has triumphed over justice in the redemptive mission of Christ.  In relation to the whole family tree, justice said, “Cut it down, for it cumbereth the ground;” but mercy interposed, and said, “Spare it a little longer.”

      How comes it to pass that mercy thus triumphs?  Here is the answer.  “For I am God, and not man.”  Had I been a man it would have been otherwise.  “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.”

 

The Pulpit Commentary, Hosea p. 356-357, Hosea 11:8-9, (D. Thomas)

 

Gold Nugget 374

Justice and Mercy

 

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