#DailyDevotion The Mercy Of The LORD Endures Forever In Christ Jesus
Psalm 136 10He struck down the firstborn of the Egyptians–His mercy endures forever! 11and took Israel out from among them–His mercy endures forever! 12with a strong hand and an outstretched arm–His mercy endures forever! 13He divided the Red Sea–His mercy endures forever! 14and had Israel go through the middle of i–His mercy endures forever! and shook Pharaoh and his army 15into the Red Sea–His mercy endures forever! 16He led His people through the wilderness–His mercy endures forever! 17He struck down great kings–His mercy endures forever! 18and killed mighty kings–His mercy endures forever! 19Sihon, king of the Amorites–His mercy endures forever! 200g, king of Bashan–His mercy endures forever! 21and gave their land as a possession–His mercy endures forever! 22as a possession of His servant Israel–His mercy endures forever!
From the establishing of the universe out of love for His holy people we move on to the establishment of a nation out of love for His holy people. We go from Genesis to Exodus here and then through Numbers. We start verse 10 with the LORD’s conquering of Egypt to deliver His people. Then He takes them through the Red Sea, their baptism, into the wilderness. While going through the wilderness the LORD uses their hands to defeat the great kings along the way who would not show His people hospitality. They kill Sihon, king of the Amorites and Og, king of Bashan. These kings were rulers over the tribes of Canaan. Later, He would continue to be with them in their conquest as they went up the east side of the Jordan. They would cross the Jordan and then take Jerico. The LORD would be with them as they continued to take the land of Canaan because of the great sins of Canaan even after Abraham, Isaac and Jacob prophesied to them during their sojourn there. The curse Noah placed upon these children of Ham through his son Canaan would come to pass.
All this conquering of the Levant was because the mercy of the LORD is forever. It was the chesed love of the LORD to all humanity (though I know it doesn’t seem like it with all the killing) because through this people, in this place, the LORD would bring forth the promised seed of Eve, the seed of Abraham, the seed of David, the seed of Mary, the woman. He would join Himself to this seed and become Jesus of Nazareth the Savior of all mankind. He would defeat our enemies, sin, the fear of death and the one who has the power over death—the devil. This salvation is made avaible to all mankind as Jesus tells us in John 3, 16“God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. 17You see, God didn’t send His Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through Him. 18If you believe in Him, you’re not condemned. But if you don’t believe, you’re already condemned because you don’t believe in the name of God’s only-begotten Son.”
23When we were humbled, He thought of us–His mercy endures forever! 24and snatched us from our enemies–His mercy endures forever! 25He gives food to all living beings–His mercy endures forever! 26Thank the God of heaven–His mercy endures forever!
The Israelites would sin against the LORD by turning to other gods. He would humble them through the people who worshiped those gods. They would cry out and He would think of them and deliver them. The LORD continues to humble us through those things we would turn to rather than Him. When we turn back to Him, He thinks of us and delivers to us His word of forgiveness and love. The general provision of God by His mercy which started the psalm closes it. He gives food to every living creature. He does this in service to His people who follow Christ Jesus. For this we His people should give thanks to the God of Heaven, our LORD Jesus Christ.
Merciful and loving Father, You have directed all of history out of Your great love for mankind to provide them a Savior, Jesus Christ. Give us lips that sing His praise so that through that people may come to faith in Him and be saved. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.