IN WRATH, REMEMBER MERCY! (5)

“O LORD, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy” (Hab 3:2). Habakkuk lives in a time of national corruption and looming judgment. He knows God must punish sin. He does not deny God’s justice. Yet, he appeals to God’s heart of compassion who has repeatedly saved His rebellious people. This short prayer for revival balances two divine attributes that never clash: God’s righteous wrath and His steadfast mercy. Ultimately, God’s mercy would be displayed in the salvation He provides through Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord!

Mercy is defined as showing kindness, compassion, or forgiveness to your enemy when it is within your power to punish him. Compassion means helping those who are suffering, the poor, or the vulnerable. In Hebrew, the word mercy (compassion) is “rahamim”. It means tender feelings from the deepest part, like a mother’s womb stirred for her child. “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely, they may forget, Yet I will not forget you” (Isa 49:15). There is difference between Mercy and Grace. Mercy is not getting the punishment that you actually deserve. Grace is receiving a good gift or blessings that you did not earn or deserve. Sin is real. God’s mercy is equally real and freely given. Grace is associated with men in their sins. Mercy is especially associated with men in their misery. Grace sees the sins. Mercy sees the whole, including the consequences of sins. Mercy has compassion, pity, on the suffering sinner but it is not just a feeling, it is active help. Mercy is power. Only a person in a position of authority (Like a judge or a king) can exercise mercy. Selah! Why is God’s Mercy certain? Because it is grounded on God’s nature and not on human merit. God is indeed merciful! Mercy is promised to all who truly repent of their sins and turn to God. God’s wrath and mercy coexist in perfect harmony, and they met at the Cross! Jesus died so that God’s mercy flows to sinners (Tit3:4,5)

THE THRONE OF MERCY AND GRACE

“We [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. 16 Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]” (Heb 4:14-16; AMP)

Because Jesus the Son of God has passed through the heavens and sympathizes with human weakness, as believers, we have direct access to God. The throne once associated with overwhelming holiness and judgment, as in Isaiah’s vision, is now the throne of Grace for those united to Christ. Confidence to go to meet with God on His throne rests not in human merit but in the finished atonement work and eternal priestly ministry of Jesus. God welcomes repentant sinners with compassion, forgiveness and love. What the high priest sought by sacrifices on the Day of Atonement, Christ has secured permanently through His own blood. Mercy meets believers in their weakness, guilt, and failure. God also supplies grace, as undeserved favour and sustaining strength for faithful obedience. Grace not only saves; it teaches, strengthens, and preserves God’s people as they follow Christ. The help God provides is timely and sufficient for every temptation, trial, suffering, and burden. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Ps 46:1). Amen!

The Throne of Grace is a literal throne in heaven where God rules and dispenses grace and mercy to believers. It is God’s presence and authority, the meeting place between perfect holiness and our real-world neediness. It is accessible at any moment because Jesus opened the way by His Blood. The throne is where God gives Grace for today’s challenges, mercy for yesterday’s sins, and strength for tomorrow’s work. This is an ongoing provision. Why is it possible for us to come boldly? Because Jesus is our sympathetic High Priest is there. He “was tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin” and He continually intercedes for us (Heb 4:15, 7:25). His blood grants permanent, unapologetic access. We are called to live in dependence on God’s grace and mercy, knowing that human strength is not sufficient for Life’s challenges. Approaching the throne of grace is invitation to prayer and worship.

What Kind of Help does God Supply? Guilt and Shame replaced with mercy (Ps 103:11-13). Weakness is replaced with strength (Isa 40:29). Fear is replaced with protective peace (Phil 4:6,7). Confusion is replaced with wisdom (Jam 1:5). During Evil attacks God promised His armour and victory (Eph 6:13). In sickness, God gives healing (Exo 15:26). In poverty, God provides our needs (Matt 6:31-33). In Temptation to sin God promised a way of escape (1 Cor 10:13). These are Common Barriers to prayers and see how Truth breaks them: *Guilt: Answer with “There is now no condemnation…” (Rom 8:1) *Doubt: Answer with “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Nu 23:19) *Unworthiness, inferiority complex: Answer with “He made us righteous in Christ” (2Cor 5:21) *Fear: Answer with “Perfect love drives out fear” (1Jn 4:18).

The Invitation to come and meet with God on His Throne remains open, day and night. It never closes. The One seated there never gets tired of welcoming His children. Step in confidently, often, and expectantly; He loves to meet you there. When praying… Remember who you’re talking to on the throne: God’s sovereign power coupled with His Fatherly welcome. Confess your sins quickly to remove barriers to prayer. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive” (1Jn 1:9). Ask specifically. Receive gratefully. After your petition, pause a little; then believe you have received (Mk 11:24), and thank God. Apply what you have received from God in daily life. Glory to God!

JUDGEMENT AND MERCY – JACOB BECAME ISRAEL

“The Lord also brings a charge against Judah and will punish Jacob according to his ways; According to his deeds He will recompense him. 3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength, he struggled with God. 4 Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; He wept and sought favour from Him. He found Him in Bethel, and there He spoke to us— 5 That is, the Lord God of hosts. The Lord is His memorable name. 6 So you, by the help of your God, return; Observe mercy and justice and wait on your God continually.” (Hos 12:2-6)

Hosea’s ministry addressed the northern kingdom of Israel, yet Judah was not exempt from God’s eyes. Jerusalem’s temple and Davidic heritage could not protect a people who tolerated idolatry, injustice, and covenant disobedience. The Lord stands as the righteous Judge and covenant King, holding His people accountable for the obligations they had received. God’s judgment would correspond to the nation’s persistent rebellion rather than arise from arbitrary anger. Israel would soon fall under Assyrian invasion, and Judah would later face Babylonian exile because neither kingdom remained faithful to the Lord. Sin brings real consequences, yet the call to return remains open.

Jacob’s birth alongside Esau fulfilled God’s word that the older would serve the younger (Gen 25:23–26). Jacob’s grasp of Esau’s heel symbolized a life marked by striving for the birthright and paternal blessings. Jacob’s name means “he grasps the heel” or “supplanter,”. A supplanter, or a displacer, is a covetous person who intentionally takes the place of another, often through force or deception. Yet, God would later transform this supplanter into Israel, the father of the covenant nation. Jacob was a man who depended upon God’s promise, not merely human advantage. He wrestled through the night at Peniel (meaning “Face of God”) as he prepared to meet Esau. The divine opponent, the Angel of God, wounded Jacob’s hip yet blessed him and gave him the new name Israel, meaning “a prince with God; one who struggled with God and prevailed.” Jacob’s strength was not displayed in self-reliance but in refusing to let go of God until he received His blessing. The encounter humbled him, redirected his life, and revealed that covenant blessing comes through dependence on God.

Jacob’s life illustrates that spiritual growth, seeking a deeper understanding of God, often involves a struggle that transforms. Jacob’s transformation into Israel signifies the new identity believers receive in Christ. Jacob spent a lifetime striving in his own strength. He wrestled with the Angel of the LORD and was renamed Israel. This shows faith, perseverance, determination and grace. Though the Angel touched Jacob’s hip and left him weakened, Jacob would not release Him without the blessing. Jacob’s prevailing came not through physical strength but through clinging faith in weakness. During Jacob’s struggle we see him weeping begging for the favour of the Angel. His tears expressed repentance and an urgent need for God’s mercy as he faced the consequences of his former deceit. God changed his name from Jacob to Israel. From now on, Jacob is a changed man who would live by faith in God’s strength rather than manipulation. 

Bethel, meaning “House of God,” was the place where God first appeared to Jacob as he fled from Esau, reaffirming the Abrahamic covenant and promising His presence. Jacob later returned there in obedience, put away all foreign gods from his household, and worshiped the Lord who had sustained him through exile and danger (Gen 28:1-19; 35:1–7). The House of God testified that the Lord remained faithful despite Jacob’s failures. God who spoke at Bethel is the Lord of hosts, unchanging in holiness, mercy, and covenant faithfulness. Bethel represents a place of divine encounter, reminding believers to seek and cherish moments of closeness with God.

This is the story: Read Genesis 32:1-32. After spending 20 years in the house of Laban, his uncle and father-in-law, God tells Jacob to go back to the land of his father, Isaac. God has prospered Jacob. He has wives, children, servants and flocks. He knows that he must meet his twin brother Esau, whom he has cheated two times in the past, by taking his birthright and their father’s blessing as the senior son. In the past, Esau vowed to kill Jacob. The danger was real. Jacob gathered his wives, children, and servants during the night as Esau approached with 400 men. He acted as the responsible head of his household, seeking the safety of those entrusted to him while resting ultimately on the God who had commanded him to return to Canaan. This action is a combination of fear and faith. Jacob needed mercy with God and with Esau. After sending his family ahead, stripped of every human resource he might rely upon, Jacob remained alone. Jacob was ready for a deeper encounter with God, to receive a new identity and the blessing God would give him. The wrestling match begins only after Jacob is alone. All distractions are gone. It is nighttime. Jacob has total faith in God, who promised him: “I will be with you!” (Gen 31:3). Jacob acts as if this promise is enough for him. He changes his desire for control with Faith in God. Jacob vulnerability is an act of worship, of total surrender to God, similar with what Abraham did when God told him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice (Gen 22:1-14). Lessons: Face your fears with Faith! God’s presence is the greatest shelter during trials!

What can we learn from Jacob’s Persistent Prayer that Clings for Blessing? “I will not let You go unless You bless me.” (Gen 32:26). Jacob’s grip shows a desperate and not a casual request. At the end of the wrestling, Jacob walked with a limp. This limp protected him from pride. It reminded Jacob that His strength is in God and not in himself. Until he died, Jacob remembered that God alone is worthy of his worship. “By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff” (Heb 11:21). Jacob’s weakness became his testimony. Lessons: We need to build a spiritual muscle to exercise that faith grip. For example: Set a time for prayer (ex. 30 minutes) and stay there until the time is over. Expect answers, testimonies, changes in your character before God changes your circumstances. Walk with humble confidence. Boast in Christ and not in your strength. Use past wounds to encourage others. Repeat Jacob’s pattern: obey in uncertainty, seek solitude, persist in prayer, embrace weakness, and bless others! This is true faith! A life that trusts God can mentor future generations. Selah!

“There a man wrestled with him until daybreak”. The mysterious man was more than human, for Jacob later identified the encounter as having seen God face to face, while Hosea calls Him the Angel. God met Jacob in bodily form and confronted the self-reliant deceiver who had spent his life striving for blessing through his own strength. Jacob endured through the night. In the morning, he emerged wounded, changed, and blessed. Jacob’s name is now Israel, meaning “prince with God”. He learned that God’s blessing comes not by manipulation, but by clinging to God in faith. Despite Jacob’s past deceit, God chooses to engage with him, showing His sovereignty and grace. God’s plans and purposes prevail despite human flaws. Encounters with God transform our identity leading to profound spiritual growth. Selah!

What blessing did Jacob want from God?

*Mercy, Deliverance, Protection and God’s Favor. He needed God to spare his life and his family from Esau’s vengeance.

*Covenant Confirmation of God’s original promise to his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac (fruitfulness, land, a blessed lineage).

*Transformation of Identity: Instead of relying on his own deceitful schemes, surrendered to God, he now received a new name, Israel!

LESSONS FROM JACOB BECOMING ISRAEL:

*God’s purposes start before birth. His elective plan is sure. Your life, family and ministry are intentional, not accidental. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations” (Jer 1:5)

*God meets us personally. God initiated the contact. God engages physically. This is no vision or dream but a real wrestling match, showing that God’s presence can invade the material world. God humbles Himself for our sake, choosing a form Jacob can grasp with his hands!!!

*Seek and pursue God’s Blessing persistently. Do not give up on God. Jacob’s grip on Esau’s heel announced his refusal to release the Angel. *Resist Complacency (being satisfied with your present achievements, you stop trying to improve yourself, failing to see potential dangers).

*God honours spiritual hunger. “Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied” (Matt 5:6; AMP).

*Wrestling produces spiritual Growth, Transformation and a new Identity. Jacob entered the night as a self-sufficient independent man and exited as a limping worshipper. God disciplines us for our own good. God transforms deceitful covetous men into overcomers for His glory!

*Embrace weakness as the doorway to divine strength. Jacob’s strength was at its highest when all he could do was just to cling to God. Say with Apostle Paul: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10). Embrace Your Limp. Past scars remind you of God’s faithfulness. Testimonies born from hardship encourage others. Paul said: “I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (Gal 6:17). Authentic encounters with God change us outwardly and inwardly, to be a blessing to others!

*Persistent wrestling Prayer Prevails. Jacob grip is total. Even wounded, he does not let go. He is ready for the long run. Clinging faith is stronger than pain, tiredness, and troubles you face. “The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) is able to accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power]” (Jam 5:16; AMP).

*God exposes true identity. God forces Jacob to admit his name—“supplanter”—then renames him Israel, “he struggles with God”. Live in the New Identity God has given to you! Your identity now rests in God’s declaration, not past failures. As Jacob became Isreal, let go of old labels. You are now a saint, a child of God, a Prince with God, a royal priest unto God and an ambassador for Christ! Selah!

*By God’s mercy, Jacob’s hip is injured. Brokenness comes before blessing! Weakness forces dependence on God. Weeping is a sign of humility and godly sorrow. “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble” (Jam 4:6). The blessing of Grace follows total surrender!

*Go back to your first Love. Jacob “found Him at Bethel”. He revisits the place where God’s Word was clear and personal. Spiritual life is strengthened by recalling God’s faithfulness. Bethel becomes a continual call to re-surrender, worship and obedience!

*God’s presence turns night into day. The match lasts “until daybreak,” a symbol of hope and new beginnings. “For His anger is but for a moment, His favour is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Ps 30:5). Halleluiah! Worship the Lord!