Mercy, Judgment and Wait on Him Continually



For a moment they stood looking at each
other the barefoot beggar girl in her rags
and the King in his jewelled crown

Hosea 12:6 "Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment and wait on thy God continually"

The Lord speaking to backsliden Israel gives them specific advice on how to find grace and mercy in their current state. He says it is now your turn to seek the Lord for a mighty transformation as did your father Jacob; you have character flaws and sins that can be removed. Here He gives them very specific advice; I have always found Gods specific advice is relevant to the ones standing before Him, It is not just a general piece of information for us to consider, it is the very advice we need. So what does God tell them to do in order to impress God of their seriousness with Him?

Keep mercy - this is pointing directly towards their fellow man; we never show mercy to God because He is not in need of it. You show mercy to someone who has offended and God is not beholden to anyone for doing anything worthy of being called and an offense. Men do offend, either intentionally or unintentionally but offenses come from our fellow man not from God. When an offense comes we are left with a choice, will I hold them to the technicality of the law and make them pay the uttermost farthing or will I show mercy and let them go free. God is saying where it is in your power to do so then consider letting them go free, especially if the offense was unintentional. There are instances where the merciful thing to do is to allow justice to run its course (for instance, if parties have been intentionally harmed and it is in your power to do something about it to make sure things are put right, Consider Job 29 where Job saved the oppressed) but it all boils down to the heart attitude, if it is your power to how mercy then consider it.

Keep judgment - this is not the sense of passing judgment on your fellow man but rather the thought of doing what is right, judging righteousness judgment (without regard for your own selfish interests). We again bring in Job 29 which is a beautiful summation of how God desires us to be. Lets look at a portion for example: Job 29:11-17 KJV "When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth." This is the kingdom God is looking for, it is a kingdom where people are engaged in righteous activities not in self serving self centered judgment.

Wait on God continually - this is not the sense of a servant waiting on His Master (although that is appropriate) but rather the expectation of a beggar waiting at a gate looking expectantly at passers by for some kindness or offering.Wwaiting for Him, look to Him expectantly for His benevolence, for His look into your direction. In order to illustrate this we might refer to blind Bartimaeus, let's read the account because it implies the need, the humility in waiting realizing you are at the mercy of another: Mar 10:46-49 KJV "And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee."

Therefore, this is the advice of God to the backslidden Israel and it is very telling, firstly because it highlights their breakdown (which was not just idolatry against the One True God but also a breakdown of their treatment of their fellow man). God gives them specific advice that will bring them back into His good graces, They, of course, dismiss this advice and will continue on their wilful sinful ways; never the less God would be true to His promises if they would only accept His counsels...sadly history betrays the ending, they did not heed His counsel.

What about us, will we consider the things He has said in this verse? The secret to finding His grace and favor are in these verses, can we see clearly enough to benefit from this advice? Why not come before the Lord and ask Him to work these characteristics out in our own lives so we might enjoy unbroken fellowship with Him and with His people.