Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Tues.’s Devo - Justice and Mercy

Read: Exodus 19:16-21:21; Matthew 23:13-39; Psalm 28:1-9; Proverbs 7:1-5
God descended from heaven in a ball of fire that landed on mount Sinai. He called Moses up to receive his laws. We know the ten but the ones after it can be confusing.
According to Romans 7:14 we know that the law is spiritual so what is God saying to us in the laws about slaves? In Exodus 21:2 it says that if you redeem a Hebrew slave he will serve six years and on the seventh, he will go free.
We are all given the gift of life and we are all slaves to sin when we are born. The world was Satan’s domain but he is a slave to God. If a person decides to serve God, he is like the servant who chooses to stay and serve his master because he loves him and loves his family. He was taken to the door which is Christ and the cross and had his ear pierced on that door. This would mark him for life - eternal life.
God gave many laws to protect the poor and the innocent and to punish the perpetrators. God is a god of justice and mercy.
In Matthew, Jesus condemned the leaders of the synagogues and teachers of the law for not dealing out justice or mercy. They were more concerned about how they looked than what they were on the inside. They said one thing, but did another. They built elaborate tombs for the prophets that they killed. They were bent on killing the Son of God who was the greatest prophet of all. They were bringing down a curse upon their own people that would last until they blessed the ones who came in the name of the Lord.
Lord, help us to see clearly and not miss what you are doing in this hour. Let us not be like the Pharisees who thought they had the answers but were deceived by their own selfish hearts.
May we be just and love mercy.

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