Blessings are benefits received from God.

God showers blessings on everyone: “For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).

Yet, God gives exceptional blessings to those who please Him and do His will. In the Beatitudes, Jesus mentions specific blessings that various kinds of people receive.

The merciful receive mercy.

Who are “the merciful”?

The merciful are people who show empathy, understanding and forgiveness rather than judgment.

What is mercy?

Mercy is showing leniency and forgiveness to offenders, setting aside the deserved punishment.

Everyone needs the mercy of God.

Mercy is needed because of sin. We “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). So we all need mercy.

God is merciful.

“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy” (Psalm 103:8).

God's mercy is conditional.

“With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful” (2 Samuel 22:26). “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7).

God wants mercy, not sacrifice.

In Hosea 6:6, God tells His unfaithful people: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.”

When Jesus was criticized for eating with sinners, He replied: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Matthew 9:12, 13).

When the disciples were condemned for plucking grain on the Sabbath, Jesus gave two Old Testament examples showing that ritual regulations can sometimes be overshadowed by compelling needs or obligations. Then He said, “If you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless” (Matthew 12:7).

A sin offering is a sacrifice to make atonement for sin. David refused to offer a sacrifice that cost him nothing (2 Samuel 24:24). Yet, no sacrifice can pay the price for sin, except the perfect sacrifice of Christ.

God commanded animal sacrifices to foreshadow the true sacrifice for sin by the Lamb of God. But the sacrifice, in itself, is not what God wanted, but a repentant heart that offered the sacrifice as a plea to God for mercy.

The publican's prayer was heard: “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” (Luke 18:13).

Jesus called sinners to repentance. True repentance will make any amends it can, but repentance does not require making everything right, which is impossible. Rather, repentance is a determined change of heart, a turning away from sin and turning to God, in the realization that the mercy of God is the only solution for sin. Through the sacrifice of His Son, God offers mercy to those who repent and dedicate their lives to serving Him.

God wants us to be merciful in gratitude for the mercy we receive from Him. God wants to extend mercy, and He wants His children to be merciful.

Only the merciful obtain mercy.

We must be merciful if we wish to receive the mercy of God. “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13).

Jesus taught us to pray: “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us” (Luke 11:4).

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant teaches that we must be merciful to obtain the mercy of God.

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents” (Matthew 18:23, 24).

Ten thousand talents of silver would be worth two hundred million dollars today! We are not told how this servant incurred such a tremendous debt! In the application of the parable, however, this huge debt represents what we owe because of our sins!

“But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made” (Matthew 18:25).

The servant was completely at the mercy of his master!

“The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all'” (Matthew 18:26).

This was a ridiculous plea. How could he ever pay such a huge sum?

“Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt” (Matthew 18:27).

We would expect the servant to be extremely thankful!

“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt” (Matthew 18:28-30).

One denarius was the daily wage of a workman (Matthew 20:2). So the amount owed would be equivalent to about five thousand dollars today, a significant amount, but very little compared to the debt the servant himself had been forgiven!

“So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses” (Matthew 18:31-35).

This powerful parable shows why we ought to be merciful. And, that we may expect no mercy from God, but the consequences of His wrath, if we are unmerciful!

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). Amen.
Roy Davison