Mercy is often something that is misinterpreted. Mercy can be misunderstood as indulgence. It is a deadly error to think that God will not ultimately bring judgment upon sin. Peter made a wonderful statement about God’s mercy:
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
God is presently withholding judgment from this world in His great mercy, giving men opportunity to repent and be saved. It is not that He has changed His mind about judgment or His attitude toward sin. The day is coming when a line will be drawn on history and God will make Himself known in the greatest and most difficult times this earth has ever known. In the book of Zechariah there is an interesting statement about the mind of God as we come upon this time of judgment:
Zechariah 1:15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease…
What a clear picture regarding a time that is about to fall upon our land. The godless and wicked are at ease. They have denied any truthful form or measure of morality and instituted man as the judge and arbiter of what is moral or right. They have shaken off the bondage of Bible morality to live in indulgence and liberty. This is the picture of the days when Jesus will return.
There is an interesting dichotomy going on at this time. The world is happily throwing off the shackles of morality and the believers are seeing in this wickedness a hopeful sign of Christ’s soon return. Both groups are hopeful and eager. One group will be very sadly disappointed.
