TEXT: I Kings 21:17-29

SUBJECT: A Meditation on God's Mercy

Fifteen years ago I spoke on this passage under the title, Repentance: True or False. From the example of Ahab, I showed how near one may come to repentance without ever repenting. "Ahab--I said--"was shaken by the Word of God; he showed deep remorse, and, for a time, he changed his evil ways". Yet the king, despite his sackcloth and ashes, never truly repented. And was lost forever".

From this, I urged you to be sincere and thorough in your repentance. To not stop at confession or tears or minor adjustments in your life. But to become "a new creature in Christ Jesus".

That's what I said long ago. Was I right in what I said? I think I was. But I missed the point of the Scripture. The paragraph is not about the hypocrisy of Ahab; it's about God! What does it tell us about the LORD?

It tells us how rich He is in mercy. In vv.28-29, we see how God responded to Ahab's partial repentance.

You'd think He would scrutinize it and expose the king's insincerity. But He doesn't. The LORD accepts His outward show of humility and postpones his judgment.

Later? Yes. The house of Ahab must be cut off by Jehu. But that is years away. A delayed judgment is a great mercy.

The passage, then, underscores the greatness of God's mercy. If only Ahab had thought about it! He "riches of [God's] goodness, longsuffering, and forbearance [might have] led him to repentance". Ahab didn't think about that; it's too late for him. But it's not too late for you. You can still think about His mercies. And live accordingly. I pray you will. For Christ's sake. Amen.

Let's meditate on the mercies of God.

THE MERCIES OF GOD TO THE UNSAVED

After the division of God's people, Israel had several kings, all of whom "did evil in the sight of the LORD". But of those evil kings, Ahab was worst--by far. The Inspired Historian describes him

What sort of things did he do? For one thing, he maintained "the sin of Jeroboam". About fifty years before, Jeroboam set up golden calves in Israel and led the people astray. Ahab did nothing to reverse that wicked policy. But this was "a light thing" compared to other sins he committed. He married Jezebel, the princess of Tyre and Sidon, from a cursed people known for their idolatry. He accepted their gods--Baal and Asherah--and set up their images throughout Israel. He also built an obscene "wooden image" which involved religious prostitution.

It is not as though he didn't know better. The LORD had not forsaken His people. Prophets were still in the land, speaking up for JEHOVAH. But Ahab didn't listen to them. No, he murdered them without regret.

And now, as though he hadn't done enough evil, Ahab had an innocent man accused of blasphemy and executed in the name of JEHOVAH. Why? Because the man owned a pretty farm that Ahab wanted for himself.

What a scoundrel! Yet God was merciful to Ahab. Not because the king deserved His mercy, but because "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in mercy" (Psalm 103:8).

Ahab was the worst king Israel ever had. He had a counterpart in Judah. He lived about 200 years later. His name is Manasseh.

This man--more than Ahab, it seems--knew the Word of God. His father was Hezekiah, a very good man. Isaiah was alive in those days; so were many godly priests and others who cared about the LORD.

But not Manasseh. He's described in II Chronicles 33. And it's not a pretty picture. He became king at twelve, and...

His example and policies were so depraved that he made his people worse than the Canaanites! And, if you've read any ancient histories, you know that's not easy to do!

Manasseh, every bit as bad as Ahab. Maybe worse! Was anyone more ripe for eternal judgment than he? Yet he didn't receive it. Late in life, the Assyrians took him captive, and in his cell, Manasseh "humbled himself before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him. And [God] received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to kingdom".

The postscript: "Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God".

Manasseh, the worst king Judah ever had, obtained mercy. Why? He didn't earn it, but freely received it because--and for no other reason--"Gracious is the LORD and righteous; yes, our God is merciful" (Psalm 116:5).

When we come to the New Testament we find another example. His name is Paul. He called himself "A blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man". Was he exaggerating for effect? Striking a humble pose? He wasn't. He "breathed out slaughter against the disciples". And he carried it out, too, "consenting to the death of Stephen" and later, "Making havoc of the church, entering every house, arresting men and women, committing them to prison...and [forcing] them to blaspheme".

Yet this man--blasphemer, persecutor, chief of sinners--"obtained mercy". Why? Because God's "Mercy endures forever".

These are examples. But examples don't prove a rule, for they could be exceptions to it. Is that true of God's mercy? Is the LORD merciful to everyone? To the good to the worst sinner?

Our Lord says He is. Our Lord tells us to "Love your enemies, to bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you". Why should we do that? He tells us: "So that you may be sons of your Father in heaven". In other words, so that you might be like God.

This means: The LORD loves His enemies; He blesses those who curse Him and does good to those who spitefully use Him.

In this life, the worst sinner cannot get away from the mercies of God. Even to him, "they are new every morning". He may say otherwise, but even he knows

"The earth is full of

the goodness of the LORD".

THE MERCIES OF GOD TO THE SAVED

If the LORD is so good to His enemies, will He be hard and stingy with His people?

We know He won't be. We are His children. And we fathers--as evil as we are "know how to give good gifts to our children". And God doesn't? Of course He does!

"Blessed be the LORD

who daily loads us

with benefits; even the

God of our salvation".

The ungodly often enjoy the mercies of God. They have healthy and long lives, good careers, nice families, and more. How we envy them, at times. But we shouldn't. For the poorest, loneliest, sickest believer has "all things which pertain to life and godliness"; he is "Blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ".

"How vast the benefits Divine

which we in Christ possess".

Psalm 33 makes this point quite clearly. It recognizes the general mercy of God--"The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD". But it goes on to argue from the lesser to the greater. "If God is good to all, then...

"Blessed is the nation

whose God is the LORD;

And the people whom

He has chosen for His own

inheritance".

You see, the God who "Causes His sun to rise on the evil and sends rain on the unjust" does all that for us--and more.

"To us a child is born, to us a Son is given". And within that single gift are all the mercies of God. Everything God can give He has given in Jesus Christ. And He has given Jesus Christ to us! To us who believe.

APPLICATION

God is rich in mercy. His mercy ought to affect us. If you don't believe in Christ, His mercy is designed to "lead you to repentance". That's why He's giving it to you. "The longsuffering of our Lord is salvation". God's mercy proves He does not wish for your damnation; that He's not eager to see you destroyed; that He "takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked", but prefers you to "turn and live".

You're living right now on the mercies of God. Mercies that are not deserved. Mercies that are not guaranteed. How can you "despise the riches of His goodness?" How can you be so unthankful?

You remember the "Ten Lepers"? They come to Christ, seeking the cure. He heals them all, and...nine never even bother to say "Thank you". We're shocked at their hardness of heart.

But the fact is, the unbeliever is no better than they were. He's an ingrate. Because God has been so good to you, you ought to thank Him. Not with your words only. But with your life. And that means repenting of your sins and believing in Jesus Christ.

But what about the rest of us? Are we mindful of His mercies? We sing about them, but do we feel them? Do we act upon them?

If we felt them more deeply, we would "Offer to God the sacrifice of praise continually, giving thanks to His name" (Hebrews 13:15).

If we felt them more deeply, we would "Present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service".

If we felt them more deeply, we'd be less proud than we are, I Corinthians 4:7.

If we felt them more deeply, we'd be more compassionate, Ephesians 4:32.

If we felt them more deeply, we'd "Love our enemies, bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who spitefully use us".

If we felt the mercies of God more deeply--who knows?--maybe the world would take notice and be won to Christ.

Thus far, we are "hearers of the Word"--patient, polite, maybe eager "hearers". But that's all we are. Let's go on to become "doers of the Word". Let's go on to Meditate on God's Mercies. And put them into practice. For Christ's sake. Amen.