Isaiah 49 this evening. I'm taking
a title for the message from what is said in verse eight.
Isaiah 49, verse eight. Let's read that one more time.
I love the way it starts. Thus saith the Lord. He says
that three times. In verse seven, he says, thus
saith the Lord. And verse eight, thus saith the
Lord. And then he says up here in verse
one, listen, hearken you people, the Lord hath called. Thus saith
the Lord, in an acceptable time have I heard thee. In the day
of salvation have I helped thee. I will preserve thee and give
thee for a covenant, a covenant of the people to establish the
earth to cause to inherit the desolate heritage. Now, I'm entitling the message
from the words found in verse 8. The Lord Jesus Christ is given
for a covenant. He's a covenant God. The covenant
of the people. He is the surety of the covenant.
He is the servant of the covenant. He is the sacrifice of the covenant. The savior of the covenant. And
this covenant is the everlasting covenant of grace. I think I'm
right when I say this. I looked that word covenant up
and it's used over 250 times in the Word of God. Covenant.
Covenant. God is a covenant God. The Lord
Jesus Christ in Hebrews 7 is called the surety of that covenant. He's a guarantee of it. He's
the guarantee of our salvation. Now, you remember from last week's
message, in this chapter, we were privileged to listen to
the holy conversation between God the Father and God the Son
in the matter of saving God's people. Saving God's people. Notice, he says, verse 5, And
now saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to his servant,
to bring Jacob again to him. that Israel may be gathered together
unto him. Yet shall I be glorious in the
eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength. Again,
he says in verse 6, it is a like thing that thou shouldest be
my servant to raise up tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved
of Israel. I will also give thee for a light
to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation, my salvation,
salvation of the Lord, is it not, originates with Him, accomplished
by Him, applied by Him, my salvation to the end of the earth. He's
the only Savior of sinners. Is there salvation in any other?
know the name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be
saved. The Lord Jesus Christ will bring
all the elect of God among all tribes, kindred, people, nation,
among Jew or Gentile, to full glory, the full glory of salvation
through the faithfulness and obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's through His obedience His
faithfulness. We know by the deeds of the law
shall no flesh be justified. It's by the faithfulness of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Satisfying the law of God for
us, His holy justice for us, in His life and in His death,
that He might be a just God and Savior, that He might be just
and the justifier. That's why the Lord said over
here in Isaiah 45, back a few pages in chapter 45, He said,
look to me. He said, I'm God, beside me there
is no other. Don't look anywhere else. I'm
God, beside me there is no other. Now, he said, look unto me. All
the ends of the earth, I am God, and there is none beside me.
Look unto me, and thou shalt be saved. Our Lord said, my sheep
hear my voice, I know them, and I give unto them eternal life,
and they shall never perish. None for whom the Lord Jesus
Christ can suffer the penalty, or will suffer the penalty of
their sin in themselves. Rather, they will suffer the
penalty of their sin in their substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ. What did we read a moment ago?
God made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him. Isn't that good news?
He, him, and us. He made us the righteousness
of God in Him, because the Lord Jesus Christ completely and eternally
paid our sin debt. You remember from Galatians chapter
3, He redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse
for us, where it's written, curse is everything that hangeth on
the tree. He redeemed us from that curse of the law. The law
says, The guilty must die. That's why the Lord Jesus Christ
died under the guilt of our sin and the law of God had to execute
Him and us in Him as our substitute. Now who says this will be so?
Thus saith the Lord, verse 7, the Redeemer of Israel, His Holy
One, both the Father, God the Father and God the Son are in
complete agreement in this eternal covenant of grace. Complete harmony
in the matter of covenant mercies. Where we read a moment ago, he
said, God was in Christ reconciling his people unto himself. The sure mercies of David, these
are covenant mercies. Turn over a couple of pages to
Isaiah 55. Look there, Isaiah 55. Remember
verse three, Isaiah 55 verse three. Incline your ear and come
unto me here, and your soul shall live. And I'll make an everlasting
covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." Oh, they're
sure. Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.
It's certain and sure, isn't it? Certain and sure in Him. That covenant is ordered in all
things and is sure. Who is this one here in verse
7 where it says, the Holy One, the Holy One. Thus says the Redeemer
of Israel and His Holy One. The Lord Jesus Christ is our
Holy Redeemer, isn't He? He is the Redeemer who really
redeemed from all our sin, and He's the Holy One. You remember
in this same chapter, Isaiah 49, the last verse, verse 26,
He says, all flesh shall know that I, the Lord, am thy savior,
thy redeemer, the mighty one of Jacob. The mighty one of Jacob. Jacob have I loved, Esau have
I hated. Who is this holy one? None other
than our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. He's called in scripture,
the Holy One. I was reading this earlier today,
in Mark chapter one, don't turn, let me see if I can just remember
the story and relate it to you. The Lord was in Capernaum, in
the synagogue, and there was a man there that was demon-possessed. And when the Lord Jesus came
in, in the presence of that man, the demon in that man said, let
us alone. What have we to do with thee,
thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us?
I know thee, who thou art. You're the Holy One of God."
Even the demons know that he's the Holy One of God. When the apostles were preaching
the gospel to those Pharisees, They told those Pharisees that
you denied the Holy One and the Just One, and you killed the
Prince of Life, but God raised Him from the dead. So with no
doubt about it, the Lord Jesus Christ is the Redeemer, and He's
the Holy One. He's the Holy One. In regards
to His deity, He is none other than the Holy One of God, for
He is God, God. Even though in regard to His
humanity, He's a God-man mediator, God and man in one person. But
in his humanity, he's also the Holy One of God. God made him
to be sin for us who knew no sin. He knew no sin, he did no
sin, he had no sin. He was tempted and tested in
all points like as we are, as the God-man, yet the scripture
said he's without sin. Such a high priest became us
who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sin. As God,
he's holy, right? The word was made flesh and dwelt
among us. We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth. So in regard to his
deity, he's a holy one. And he's a redeemer who really
redeems his people with his own blood as our high priest. And
he is the one who came to save his people from their sin. But notice this too, it says
in verse seven, who man despises. Now, here's the Lord who is the
Redeemer. the Savior of sinners, the Holy
One who's come on a mission of mercy to call His name Jesus,
He shall save His people from their sin, whom man despises. Now, that just shows you how
depraved we are. We are, all humanity. Turn to
Isaiah 53, you remember this? despised and rejected of men,
Isaiah 53. Who hath believed our report?
To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed, verse one. For he shall
grow up before him as a tender plant, as a root out of dry ground.
He hath no form, no commonness. When we see him, there's no beauty
that we should desire him. He despised and rejected of men,
a man of sorrow, acquainted with grief. We hid as it were our
faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed
him not. Man by nature has no love for
the Holy Redeemer of God, for the designated Savior. He despised
of men the carnal mind and enmity against God. The natural man
will not receive the things of the Spirit of God. That was just
unto him. It has to be spiritually revealed,
doesn't it? He came into his own nation,
and his own nation said what? He came unto his own, and his
own received him not. When Potiphar brought him before
that nation and presented him as the king, remember? Behold
your king. What did they say? Away with
that man. Crucify that man. We have no
king but Caesar. And then they said, let his blood
be on us and on our children, the guilt of his death. Now,
the Lord Jesus Christ even though he despised a nation abhorred
him, he is God's servant. He is God's servant. Notice,
to a servant of rulers and kings shall see and arise, and princes
also shall worship him, because of the Lord that is faithful
and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. He shall
choose thee. He will be a servant, a righteous
servant of God. He is called the righteous servant
of God. Turn back to Isaiah 53. Remember
this, Isaiah 53 verse 11. He is the righteous servant of
God. righteous servant of God. He shall see of the travail of
his soul, Isaiah 53, and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge
shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their
iniquities. He is the servant to his Father,
accomplishing our salvation. Four times in this chapter, Isaiah
49, he's called the servant of the Lord. the servant of the
Lord. But notice in verse 7 also it
says, a servant of rulers, the Lord of glory in his humiliation
subjected himself to the laws of man and to the laws of God. To the laws of the Jewish rulers
being under the law being born of a woman, made under the law,
the Lord Jesus Christ came to honor the law. And to the Gentile
rulers, even subject to the Jews and to the Gentiles, the rulers,
he was their servant in this sense. Remember one time those
tax collectors came to the Lord's disciples and said, does your
master pay taxes? And Peter said, well, I don't
know. Let me go ask him. And the Lord
of Glory said, Peter, go out there to the lake
and bait a hook and cast the hook and bring out a fish. And in that fish, you'll find
a coin to pay your taxes and mine. Your taxes and mine. You remember that? Matthew 17,
let me see if I can read it to you. And when he came to Capernaum,
they that received the tribute money came to Peter and said,
did not your master pay tribute? Tribute to Rome, tribute to civil
government. And he said, yes. And when he
was coming to the house, Jesus Prevented him saying what thinkest
thou Simon of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute
of their own children or strangers And Peter said to him of strangers
and the Lord said to him then are the children free Yeah, notwithstanding
lest we should offend them Go to the sea Cast a hook take up
the fish that first cometh up and when thou has opened his
mouth thou shalt find a piece of money and that take and give
unto them for me and thee." A servant even to Rome paying taxes. He honored God in every aspect. The powers that be are ordained
of God and he subjected himself to them and to the law of Moses
honoring God's law and justice for us. In his exaltation Kings
and princes shall worship him. Do you see that in verse 7? Kings
shall see and arise and princes also shall worship. God will
have His people to worship Him. Kings and princes, every knee
will bow, every tongue will confess, what? Jesus Christ is Lord. It doesn't matter who the king
is, doesn't matter who the prince is, doesn't matter who the president
is, every knee is going to bow and every tongue is going to
confess that He's Lord. To the glory of God the Father.
They'll worship Him as Lord. They'll acknowledge Him as Lord
in that day. Because of the Lord that is faithful,
and the Holy One of Israel, and He shall choose thee. To reasons
given, why everyone should worship Him, and will, and bow, and acknowledge,
and submit to His Lordship, the Lord Jehovah is faithful, faithful
to His covenant promise. We read in John chapter three,
the father loveth the son and given all things into his hand.
The Holy One of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ is the chosen of
God, sent of God. He's called Isaiah 42, behold
my servant, my elect. He is no unsent savior. His mission
is a mission sent by God to redeem us from our sin and he cannot
fail. The Word of God knows nothing
about a Savior and Redeemer that failed. Everything God gave him
to do, he completed. He said that in his prayer. Father,
I've glorified Thee on the earth. How? How so? I've finished the
work You gave me to do. And then on Calvary 3, some of
his last words were what? It's finished! Well done. How do we know that God Almighty
is satisfied with the work of the Lord Jesus Christ? How do
we know? God raised him from the dead.
His resurrection declares everything he said and everything he did
was absolutely true and successful. He cannot fail. He cannot fail. Now, in verse 8 and following,
Down to verse 13, we have the gracious gospel promises given
unto us by God Almighty to the Lord Jesus Christ, accomplishing
our salvation. Paul said, all the promises of
God in him are yea, and in him, amen, unto the glory of God. Peter calls them exceeding great
and precious promises. Now verse 8, thus saith the Lord,
in an acceptable time, Time accepted, God's time, have I heard thee. In the day of salvation have
I helped thee. I will preserve thee and give
thee for a covenant of thee people to establish the earth to cause
to inherit the desolate heritages. In an acceptable time have I
heard thee. This was the time, God's time,
when Christ was here on the earth. When He became incarnate, God
incarnate, suffered and died for the sin of His people. Remember
in Galatians chapter 4, in the fullness of the time, God sent
forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law. This is the
acceptable time. This is God's time. This is the
appointed time. This is the time when he said,
my hour is now come, that I'd lay down my life for the sheep.
His very sufferings were acceptable to God. His sacrifice was acceptable
to God as a sweet-smelling savor. His righteousness was satisfying
and acceptable to God, well-pleasing in God's sight. This is the good
news of the gospel. is because the sacrifice of the
Lord Jesus Christ is accepted of God and satisfying His law
and justice. And the good news of the Gospel
to us is this, we are accepted in the Beloved in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Doesn't it say that in Scripture?
Ephesians 1 verse 6, we're accepted in the Beloved to the praise
of the glory of His grace. In the day of salvation, He says
there, I've helped thee. Christ as a mighty God, the Holy
One, needed no help, but this is to be considered of the Lord
Jesus Christ and His humanity. Remember from our study over
in Isaiah 50, turn over there, Isaiah 50. In His humanity, He
would help. Remember, many times it says
the angels came and strengthened him. Isaiah 50 verse 5, The Lord
God hath opened my ear, I was not rebellious, neither turned
I away back. I gave my back to the smiters,
and my cheeks to them that plucked off my hair. I hid not my face
from shame and spitting. He willingly laid down his life
for us. For the Lord God will help me,
therefore I shall not be confounded. shall not be ashamed. Therefore
have I set my face like a flint. I know that I shall not be ashamed.
He is near that justifies me. Who will contend with me? Let
us stand together. Who is my adversary? Let him
come near. Behold, the Lord God will help me. Who is he that
condemn me? Lo, they shall all wax old as a garment. The moth
shall eat them up." In the day of salvation, God said, I've
laid help upon one that is mighty. The Lord Jesus Christ couldn't
fail. The God-man mediator could not fail to put away our sin.
And then the third promise he says here in verse 8, I will
preserve thee. You see that? As the Father did
preserve the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember when He was born? When
Herod sought to kill all the infant children, and the Lord
sent a special vision to Mary and Joseph, and they took the
young child down to Egypt, escaping the wrath of Herod, the Lord
preserved him. Even in his infancy as a baby,
he was preserved of God. His father also preserved him
when the Pharisees sought upon many occasions to end his ministry
and to end his life. Remember in his hometown is Nazareth. When he went there, it tells
us about it in Luke chapter 4. When he said, reading from Isaiah
61, he said, now, now is this scripture fulfilled in your ears?
And they got so angry, they got so mad, they tried to cast him
off the hill, headlong, to end his life, to end his ministry,
and what happened? They couldn't lay a hand on him.
He walked right through the midst of them. Even in his crucifixion,
he was preserved of God, wasn't he? He did lay down His life for
us, but He was preserved of God because He was raised from the
dead. He died for our sins according
to Scripture, but He's also raised again according to the Scripture.
He's preserved now, seated in the heavenlies and on the throne
of God. He was delivered from our offenses
and raised again because He justified us. He that liveth and is dead,
behold, I am alive forevermore. He's preserved as the King, as
a mediator of the covenant, one God, one mediator, as our intercessor,
as our advocate. We have an advocate with the
Father. Who is it? Jesus Christ the righteous. Aren't
you glad he's preserved of God? Because He's preserved, we're
preserved in Him. We're saved in Him. Now the Lord
of glory is seated in the heavenlies. His throne, His dominion, His
glory is preserved forever by the sovereign decree of God.
He said, I've set my King upon my holy hill Zion. Here's the fourth thing we see
in verse 8. Christ was given as a shepherd, surety, Savior,
sacrifice of the covenant. I will preserve thee and I'll
give thee for a covenant of the people to establish the earth
to cause to inherit the desolate places. The Lord Jesus Christ
is our shepherd, the shepherd of the covenant. This is the
eternal covenant of grace, of salvation between the father
and the son concerning his covenant people. Turn to Isaiah 54. Isaiah 54. Concerning this covenant, it's
called the everlasting covenant of grace. David said it's ordered
in all things and it's sure. Isaiah 54, look at verse 10.
You remember this verse? For the mountains shall depart,
and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart
from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed,
saith the Lord that hath mercy on me. The God of peace hath
brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus Christ, that great
Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting
covenant. The Lord Jesus Christ in Malachi
3, verse 1, He's called the messenger of the covenant. We know in 1
John chapter 4 verse 10, he's called the sacrifice of the covenant
here in his love, not that we love God, but he loved us. He
sent his son to be the sacrifice for our sin. He is the blessing
of the covenant, is he not? He's made unto us wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption. The inheritance of the Lord's
You know what his portion is? You know what his inheritance
is? It's his people. It talks about
that. He will cause to inherit the
desolate heritage. We're desolate. We are his portion. We are his inheritance. Let me
see if I can find that for you in Psalm 2. Psalm 2. Let me just read it
to you. Our Lord said this, I've set my king upon my holy hill
Zion, Psalm 2 verse 6, I will declare the decree the Lord has
stated to me, thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee,
ask of me and I shall give the heathen for thine inheritance,
the uttermost parts of their for thy possession. Serve the
Lord with fear. Rejoice with trembling. Kiss
the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way when his
wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put
their trust in him." We are his portion. We are his inheritance.
He bought us with his own blood, and he's going to have us. Because
He bought us. God bought the church with His
own blood. We have an inheritance. He's
raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenlies
in Christ Jesus. Now look at verse 9. That thou
mayest say to the prisoners, because of this covenant, because
it's established in the earth, that thou mayest say to these
his people who were prisoners to God's law and justice, go
forth. To them that sit in darkness,
show yourself." And that's what he does. He turns on the light.
You remember he's given for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest
say to the prisoners, go forth. To them that sit in the darkness,
show yourself. They shall feed in the ways,
and their pasture shall be in the high places. Say to the prisoners..."
You remember that Scripture? Turn to Isaiah 61. Isaiah 61.
The Lord quotes this. from Luke chapter four in his
earthly ministry, but he quotes this from when he went to Nazareth
at his hometown synagogue and asked for the book of Isaiah
and he turned and here's what he read. Isaiah 61 verse one,
the spirit of the Lord, God is upon me. Because the Lord hath
anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, he hath sent me
to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim
the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of the vengeance
of our God, to comfort all that mourn, to appoint unto them that
mourn in Zion, They give them beauty for ashes, the oil of
joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness,
that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting
of the Lord, that He may be glorified. Oh, look at verse 9, back in
Isaiah 49, verse 9. Thou mayest say to the prisoners,
He's our liberator, He sets us free. Stand fast in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made us free. Go forth! To them that
sit in the darkness, He's our light. The Lord said, I am the
light of the world. He that follows me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Turn back
to Isaiah 42. Isaiah 42. Turn over there. Talking
about the Lord lightening us and commanding the light to shine.
Isaiah 42, verse 5, Thus saith the Lord, that created the heavens
and stretched them out, he that spread forth the earth, which
cometh out of it, he that giveth bread unto the people upon it,
and the Spirit to them that walk therein, I the Lord have called
thee in righteousness, will hold thy hand, and keep thee, and
give thee for a covenant of the people, For a light of the Gentiles
that opened blind eyes to bring out prisoners from the prison,
and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am
the Lord, that is my name, my glory will I not give to another,
neither my praise to any graven image." The Lord Jesus Christ
is our liberator and He's our light. He commands the light
to shine. And then, Christ is our provider. Look at verse 10. Verse 9 and
verse 10, the last part of verse 9, they shall feed in the ways,
and their pasture shall be in high places. High places, the
Lord Jesus Christ is our provider, our good shepherd, our chief
shepherd, our great shepherd. The sheep of Christ are well
fed on high pastures of his word. Christ is the bread of life,
and we feed upon him. The sheep of Christ have their
thirst quenched and satisfied. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
water of life. He said, ho, everyone that's
thirsty. Where is that? Ho, everyone that's thirsty.
Come to me! Without money, without prize.
Isaiah 55, isn't it? Isaiah 55. Are you thirsty? He
said, come to me and I'll give you water. Buy wine and milk
without money and without price. Oh, everyone that thirsty, come
to the waters, come to Christ. He's the water of life. He's
the bread of life. He's a sustainer. He's our provider. He is our good shepherd who laid
down his life for us. He shall lead them even by the
springs of water. See the last part of verse 10?
They shall not hunger. They shall not thirst. Why? He'll lead them even by the springs
of water, shall he guide them. He's our guide. I will make, I will make all
my mountains a way and a highway, highway shall be exalted. Now
the reference is to Isaiah 35, turn over there. Isaiah 35, turn
over there. Look at verse 8, Isaiah 35 verse
8, and a way shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called
the way of holiness, and the unclean shall not pass over it,
but it shall be for those, the wayfaring men, no fool shall
not err therein, no lion shall be there, no ravenous beast shall
go up on there, Thereon it shall not be found, but the redeemed
of the Lord shall walk thereon. It's the highway of holiness.
And the ransom of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with
songs and everlasting joy upon their heads. They shall obtain
joy and gladness. All in Zion shall flee away. The Lord is the highway of grace. It's a highway. My high ways
shall be exalted. The Lord said, I am the way,
the truth, the life. Verse 12. He says, Behold, these
shall come, they shall come. Remember all that the Father
hath given to me, they shall come to me. He suffered once
just for the unjust that he might bring us unto God. Behold, these
shall come from far. Lo, these from the north, from
the West, and these from the land of sin. They shall come. You know why they come? He brings
us. No man can come to me except
my Father which sent me. What? Draw him. He loved them
with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness does he
draw us to himself. That's good news, is it not? They shall not hunger nor thirst.
Heat shall not smite them. For he that hath mercy on them
shall lead them. He has mercy on his people. That
leads us down to verse 13. In closing, Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! Break forth
and sing, O mountains! For the Lord hath comforted his
people. and will have mercy upon his
afflicted." Break forth in the singing. What are we singing
about? Let's see if we can read one more Scripture. Turn back
to Isaiah 44. I think we've turned to a lot
of Scriptures, haven't we? You don't mind reading the Word
of God, do you? Isaiah 44, sing, O heavens, break
forth into singing, O mountains, for the Lord hath redeemed his
people, comforted his people. Isaiah 44, 21, remember these,
O Jacob. Isaiah 44, 21, and Israel, for
thou art my servant, I have formed thee. Thou art my servant, O
Israel. Thou shalt not be forgotten of me. I have blotted out as
a thick cloud thy transgression and a cloud thy sins. Return
unto me, for I have redeemed thee. Now, He's redeemed us,
delivered us from all our sin, now what should we do? Verse
23, Sing, O heavens, for the Lord, O the Lord, hath done it. Shout, ye lower parts of the
earth, break forth in the singing, ye mountains, O forth, and every
tree therein, for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob and glorified
Himself in Israel. Sing unto the Lord. Oh heavens,
oh earth, break forth and sing, for the Lord has comforted, look
back at the text, Isaiah 49, 13. The Lord has comforted his
people. Now, remember Isaiah 40? Don't
turn, let me read it to you. Comfort you, comfort you, my
people, say it through God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,
crying to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity
is pardoned. For she hath received of the
Lord's hand double for all her sin. Boy, that's comfort, isn't
it? The Lord put away all our sin. That's comfort. The Lord has comforted His people. He comforts us with Christ. And
he will have mercy. You see that? He will have mercy. He will have mercy on his afflicted. You need mercy? Well, I do. I'm a mercy beggar. I'm a mercy beggar. Let's never
graduate above being a mercy beggar. The Lord will have mercy
upon his people. Moses asked the Lord, show me
your glory. Remember, Exodus 33. And he said,
I'll make all my goodness pass before thee. I'll proclaim the
name of the Lord before thee. And I'll be gracious to whom
I will be gracious. I will show mercy on whom I will
show mercy. Paul picks that up in Romans
9 and says, "...not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,
but of God that showeth mercy." You see, part of God's character,
He is holy, He is merciful, He is just. The Lord will have mercy. He will have mercy. Upon whom
He will? Sovereign mercy. But He will
have mercy. Look at verse Let me quote this
verse to you, Micah 7, 18, "...who is a God like unto thee, that
pardoneth iniquity, that passeth by the transgression of his remnant
of his heritage, he retaineth not his anger forever, because
he delights in mercy." He delights in mercy.