Last night I slept fitfully. Through the night, the Spirit roused me several times asking the same question: “What is between the cherubim?” At least four or five times I was roused with the same question being put into my mind: “What is between the cherubim?” And each time I would answer, “The presence of God…” and fall back into unconsciousness. The last time I was roused by the Spirit asking “What is between the cherubim?”, I woke up completely as I realized something else, and I said, “Mercy….it’s the mercy seat…mercy is between the cherubim.”
Because our very existence and relationship with God is only because of His mercy, and because we were created to bear His image, He requires us to be merciful as well. This was why Jesus pronounced judgment upon the Pharisees at Matthew 23:13-36. When reading this passage, the rules of interpretation apply, most importantly the rule of literary genre. The Gospels are narrative, and narrative is description not prescription. Narrative describes events, and our job is to determine what the spiritual principles are in the text and how to apply them. Sometimes there is nothing for us to apply, there is only information given to us for understanding. Therefore in this particular passage, we are reading a description of Jesus passing His final sentence upon the Pharisees, He is formally declaring heavenly judgment here, rather than us being given a prescription for a behavior model. Only God can pass a sentence like this, not us.
In this passage of Jesus’ pronouncement of judgment, He tells them at verse 23, “Woe to you…for you tithe mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness…these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.” The Pharisees judged according to the flesh, rather than according to the Spirit and their judgment was merciless (John 8:15,16). At Matthew 9:13, when the Pharisees condemn Jesus for eating with sinners and tax collectors, Jesus tells them, “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” And again at Matthew 12:7, when the Pharisees condemn Jesus’ followers for breaking the Sabbath Jesus tells them, “But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”
When Jesus repeats Himself, we need to listen. Jesus is quoting Hosea 6:6 in these passages, where God says, “I delight in mercy rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Again, God says at Micah 6:8, “He has told you, O man, what is good: And what does the Lord require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” This is God’s word to us right now, to me, to you, to all those who call themselves by His name. To all those who bring their brother or sister before the throne of God and levy charges against them, calling out their sin. What God want us to understand is that we must tread humbly here. We must be careful not to trespass into a place that is only reserved for God.
Jesus instructs us that our judgement must be without hypocrisy, which means we must first allow our own hearts to be searched and sifted before we attempt to remove the speck from someone else’s eye (Matthew 7:3-5). He also warns us that the standard of measure we use, will be the standard of measure used upon us (Matt 7:2). Therefore, we are warned by James that we must “speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (Ja’s 2:13).
Brothers and sisters, I tremble as I write this because Jesus is coming back to judge this earth and none of us will escape His judgment seat (2 Cor 5:10). And we see at Matthew 25:31-46, when Jesus returns for judgment and divides the sheep from the goats, His standard of measurement is those who showed mercy. So the Spirit asks, “What is between the cherubim?” And what He wants us to understand is that mercy…...mercy is between the cherubim. The place where we meet God is a place of mercy, and thus, that should be a reflection of how we meet with everyone else.
(Matt 6:14,15) For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
(Matt 5:7-9) Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
(Luke 6:35-37) But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
(John 7:24) Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.
(2 Cor 10:6) You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.
(1 Cor 4:3-5) I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord Who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
No comments:
Post a Comment