Daniel

Why You Are Still Alive

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2020-01-23

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver expounds Lamentations 3:22-23 to show that the only reason anyone is still alive is God's tender mercies and compassions, which are new every morning. He warns that God can withdraw mercy from individuals and nations, and urges believers to daily thank God for His faithfulness, especially in suffering, rather than taking His blessings for granted.

[John Weaver] Lamentations chapter 3 and I want you to look at verses 22 and 23 Lamentations chapter 3 the title of the message is Why you are still alive Why you are Still alive. Look in Lamentations three, Jeremiah wrote Lamentations right after the book of Jeremiah. Lamentations three, verse 22. It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed because his compassions fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.

[John Weaver] I suppose that many have never really been bothered by their sins. I read a quote many years ago that I've never forgotten. It went like this. Most folks have a peace of mind that comes from their own forgetfulness. That's usually pretty true because we tend to forget and overlook our sins. And unless a sin is particularly huge or horrific, we tend to forget. We even tend to forget and overlook what you and I would call little sins. But have you ever really considered that one sin and one sin alone is enough to condemn us? There's enough sin in our prayers to damn us. There's enough sin in our good deeds to destroy us. And there's enough sin in our own righteousness to devastate us. Moreover, when most people live through their days, they never really think of death, destruction, or God's justice. We never really meditate on that which we really, truly deserve. And when we think of death, and when we think of God's justice, we're disturbed, and rightly so. We know that if we got that which we really and truly deserved, it would not be pleasant.

[John Weaver] So instead of dealing then with what we believe that we might really deserve, instead then we concentrate on our desires, our needs, our hopes, and our blessings. And the interesting thing is this, I have hardly ever found anyone that did not believe that they really and truly deserved to have all their needs met, all their wants met, all their desires met. And the interesting thing is they don't even believe that they deserve to have everything that they wanted met. They believe they deserve to have it right now because they were just simply not going to wait. Hardly anyone follows the example of Jacob. Hardly anyone confesses what he confesses now or what he confessed I should say and hardly anyone believes what he believed and Genesis 32 in verse 10 when he said to God I'm not worthy of the least of thy mercies and of all the truth which thou showed thy servant note what he said I'm not worthy of the least of thy mercies and certainly God had been merciful to him and And the truth is, we take life for granted.

[John Weaver] We take health for granted. We take family for granted. We take food and water for granted. And the truth is, we have been so blessed in so many areas that we really fail to thank God for His multitudinous mercies and blessings. Let me just point it out like this. When is the last time that you thanked God for a hot bath? When you stop and think, a lot of people in other countries bathe in rivers, dirty rivers, I might add. When's the last time you thanked God for a good bed? When is the last time that you thanked God for warm clothes, or cool clothes, or friends? When is the last time that you have really acknowledged before God that the only reason that you are now alive is because of His grace and His mercy?

[John Weaver] Now, I want to make a point early in this message, so I want you to pay close attention. I'm going to repeat this truth later, but I want you to hear it right now. Unhappily, We only begin to acknowledge God's gracious mercies, his loving kindnesses and compassions after that we have suffered greatly. It's only usually after all of our sufferings that we really begin to grasp how merciful, how gracious, how compassionate, how loving and kind God has been unto us.

[John Weaver] Now, the Book of Lamentations was written upon the destruction of Jerusalem. There are five chapters. Actually, each chapter is a poem. So I could say there are five poems on the destruction of Jerusalem. And each of these poems views the destruction from a different perspective. You must remember that Jeremiah was the weeping prophet. Jeremiah was not only alive, Jeremiah witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem. And Jeremiah, of course, had a very difficult ministry, to say the least.

[John Weaver] He suffered greatly at the hands of wicked, ungodly men. He was mocked. He was ridiculed. He was imprisoned. He was threatened. He was resisted. He's rejected. And attempts were made upon his life. And here he was trying to minister to people who hated him, despised him, and would not listen and did not want to listen. Let me show you how Jeremiah describes his ministry and his life.

[John Weaver] If you look in Lamentations chapter 3, let's begin reading there with verse 1. Lamentations 3 and verse 1. He begins by saying, I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

[John Weaver] Now, you have to remember that since Jeremiah was in Judah and Jerusalem, that he suffered along with the people. So he says, I have seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He has led me and brought me into darkness, but not into light. In other words, there's no light at the end of the tunnel. Surely against me he has turned. He turned his hand against me all the day.

[John Weaver] My flesh and my skin hath he made old. He hath broken my bones. He hath built it against me and compassed me with gall and travail. He has set me in dark places as they that be dead of old. He has hedged me about and I cannot get out. He has made my chain heavy. Also, when I cry and shout, he shut it out by prayer. You have to remember in Jeremiah 7 and Jeremiah 11, God told Jeremiah not to pray for these people. When you get to Jeremiah 14, he wanted to pray so much for them. God said, all right, I'm going to let you pray. But you pray that I'm going to destroy them because that's what I'm going to do. So if he tried to pray for the people, God shut him out. Watch verse nine.

[John Weaver] He has enclosed my ways with hewn stone. He had made my paths crooked. He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places. He hath turned aside my ways and pulled me in pieces like that barren lion. He hath made me desolate. He hath bent his bow and set me as a mark for the error. He had caused the errors of his quiver to enter into my reins.

[John Weaver] I was a derision to all my people. And their song all the day. Now, when he says he was their song, they were mocking him. They were making fun of him. Just like in Psalm, I think it is 69, where he's talking about the Messiah, where he said, I was a song of drunkards. In other words, they were ribald songs and mocking songs. And so he says in verse 15, you fill me with bitterness and you've made me drunken with wormwood and wormwood is a very bitter herb. He says in verse 16.

[John Weaver] He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones He had covered me with ashes. I want you to stop and think about this. He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones Would you like to be hit in the mouth? With a bag full of gravel I Want to tell you something when you think about these pictures and They show the grief and the horror and the suffering of Jeremiah.

[John Weaver] Years ago, I was watching a self-defense video, and the man was talking about using bottles for self-defense. If the only thing you could get your hands on was a Coca-Cola bottle or liquor bottle or something like that, And he pointed out most people think that they will take that bottle and hit someone over the head with it and that'll take care of it. He said, no. He said, most of these bottles will break very easily. And he said, you probably would not even stun someone by hitting him over the head. And he said, if you hurt him, it would usually be because of the glue on the sticker on the bottle that held a piece of glass that raked maybe as forward as you hit him.

[John Weaver] No, he says, don't ever do that. He said, if you want to stop him, take the bottle and hit him in the teeth. And when he said that, I just kind of winced. Can you imagine being hit in the teeth with a Coca-Cola bottle at full force? And here, Jeremiah is saying he has broken my teeth with gravel stones. It's like taking a big stone and hitting Jeremiah in the mouth. Look at verse 17. He says, Thou has removed my soul from off from far from peace. I forgot prosperity.

[John Weaver] In other words, there was no light at the end of the tunnel for him. All he was doing was suffering. And he said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. Verse 19, remembering my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. He says, my soul had them still in remembrance and is humbled in me.

[John Weaver] Now watch, if you would, please, everything that Jeremiah has been going through. He says it has caused his soul to be humbled before God.

[John Weaver] Now notice verse 20 again. He said, my soul had them still in remembrance, everything that he suffered and is humbled in me. Then he says this in verse 21, this I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. So there was something that gave him encouragement. There was something that gave him hope. What was it? It was that which he recalled to his mind, which is found in verses 22 and 23.

[John Weaver] It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. Now, while we're on this passage, look, if you would, at the word mercies. The Hebrew word is the word chassid, and it literally is translated as mercies, kindnesses, loving kindness, goodness, and favor. And then he says, it is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions. The word for compassion is our calm. And it speaks of compassion, bowels, pity and tender love. But note, if you would now, he said, it is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed. The word consumed is a very interesting word. It is Tom in the Hebrew, and it means to consume. It means to end.

[John Weaver] to finish, to cease being and to be destroyed. So literally, here's what he's saying. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not absolutely, totally, completely wiped out because his compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.

[John Weaver] Now, in the context, Jeremiah is not only giving hope to himself, but also for the remnant that remain. Please remember that no matter how desperate the situation, God will never leave himself without witness. God will always have a remnant. Matthew Poole made a comment on what was going on in Jeremiah's mind based upon these verses. Here's what he said. Mercy is nothing else but love flowing freely from any to persons in misery and differs from compassion only in the freeness of the emanation. It is not because God had not power enough to utterly to have consumed us. Nor because we had not guilty enough to have been provoked, to have provoked his justice, to put an end to our lives, as well as the lives of many thousands of our countrymen. But it is merely from the Lord's free love and pity to us in our miseries. If God had not a blessing in store for us, how is it that we are captives and not slain as many others were during the stage?

[John Weaver] So listen to what he's saying. If God did not have a purpose, if God did not have tender mercies toward us, why were we not destroyed as others? Why were we not consumed as others? And so Jeremiah said, this is my hope.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you something. The truth of the matter is this. When things go very difficult against us. When we enter into what you and I would call hard things or we enter into suffering, we always tend to think that that is God's judgment upon us. Let me ask you a question. I want you to think, can the hard times, can the suffering, be from God's mercies instead of God's judgments?

[John Weaver] And the answer is yes. Let me give you an illustration. I want you to turn back in your Bibles, whole Lamentations 3, but turn back to Jeremiah 24. Jeremiah 24. As you turn back to Jeremiah 24, may I remind you that Nepianezer, had come against Jerusalem in 605 B.C., captured the king and the princess and a number of the important people, trades and skilled people, and took them into captivity into Babylon.

[John Weaver] And of course, many were left. And so King Zedekiah came then and he had his princess. And of course, you know, Jerusalem was totally destroyed then in 586, 587 BC, right in that area. So here, originally, there have been already a number of people that have been captured by Nebuchadnezzar and have been taken into Babylon into captivity. So I want you to watch this. Look in Jeremiah 24, verse one.

[John Weaver] The Lord showed me and behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the Lord. After that, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had carried away captive Jeconiah, the son of Joachim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah with the carpenters and smiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon. So this is the first deportation. He says, one basket had very good figs, even like the figs that were first ripe, and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten. They were so bad. Then said the Lord unto me, What sayest thou Jeremiah? And I said figs, the good figs, very good. And the evil, very evil that cannot be eaten. They are so evil. Again, the word of the Lord came into me saying, I want you to watch this. Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, like these good figs, So will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive in of Judah whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good and I will set mine eyes upon them for good and I will

[John Weaver] bring them again to this land and I will build them and not pull them down and I will plant them and not pluck them up and I will give them a heart to know me and that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart. And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil, surely thus saith the Lord, so will I give Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt, and I will deliver them to

[John Weaver] be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt. to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse in all the places whether I shall drive them. And I will send the sword, the famine and the pestilence among them till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to stop and think with me. Let's suppose that you were in Jerusalem in 605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar comes with his army. He captures you or your family and takes you into Babylon. And here are another group of people were standing there and they're saying, well, we just did miss that. I'm so thankful we didn't go into captivity. Man, that was close. God must be really having mercy upon us. We didn't go into captivity. Look at those people. They got. Carried into captivity. Did you hear what God said? God said those that I took and sent into Babylon initially.

[John Weaver] I did it for their good. I'm going to give them a heart to know me. They're going to come back into the land and you folks that are left. I left you not for your good, but for your hurt. You will be destroyed. So the point I'm trying to make is probably those folks initially taken into captivity and the Babylon thought, well, this is a judgment of God. No, it was the mercy of God. It was the compassion of God. It was the love of God, because God put them there for their good. Now, God does succor his people. God does protect and provide for his people.

[John Weaver] And he does so even in the worst hour. And when we think we're being destroyed, that is actually when his mercy shine more brightly in sparing our lives and giving us hope.

[John Weaver] Now, it is true that in a very general sense that God's mercy is over all of his works because he causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the just and the unjust alike. And the Bible does teach us that he holds our souls and lives and our times are in his hands. And the Bible says in Psalm 145, verse nine, the Lord is good to all. And his tender mercies are over all of his works. And I was thinking this past week, can you stop and think about all of the unsaved people, all of the wicked reprobates who hate God, who despise the Lord Jesus Christ, who would never ever read the Bible. And yet God feeds them. He clothes them. He gives them families. He gives them friends. He provides for them. He even protects them. And yet, everything that He gives them, they use it and rebel against Him. But His tender mercies are over all of His works. Now, it is true, it is very true that God does bless the just and unjust, but God does have a special sense and a special protection and a special blessing for his own.

[John Weaver] When our comforts fail, his compassions do not fail. They are new every morning.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you what one of the traps into which we fall causes us great consternation. We tend to look at circumstances. We tend to be controlled by our situations. And when we see situations that we deem as not good, we think that's bad. That's God's judgment. Well, let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 77, Psalm 77, because David at one point had problems dwelling on a circumstance or on a situation.

[John Weaver] And we cannot do that. We have to look beyond the situation, look beyond the circumstances. Notice if you would please. David said in verse seven of Psalm 77, will the Lord cast off forever? Will he be favorable no more? Now look at verse eight. Is his mercy clean gone forever? Does this promise fail forevermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? What is David saying? I can't see, I can't perceive, I can't grasp this situation. It looks to me like God has just forgotten to be gracious and in anger he shut up his tender mercies. It looks as if I'm going to be consumed. Ah, watch verse 10.

[John Weaver] Here's how he corrects himself. And I said, this is my infirmity. Here's where I'm failing. Here's where I'm sinning. But I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high. I'll recall that which God has done, what he is, how he's blessed me and helped me. I will remember the works of the Lord. Surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also on all thy work and talk of thy doings. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary. Who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God that doest wonders. Nice declared by stripped among thy people note if you would David said here's my infirmity. Here's where I'm wrong I'm concentrating on the situation I'm looking at circumstances. I ought to be thinking about God and how he's preserved me, how he's protected me, how he's provided for me. I ought to be thinking about all of his wonders works that he's done for me, for my family, for our people in times past.

[John Weaver] May I remind you of something? Listen very carefully if you would, please. Here it is. The truth of the matter is recalling the past gives hope for the present and faith for the future. Any time that you become discouraged, disheartened and disappointed, you need to stop and recall and remember all the blessings of God in your life and how God has been merciful unto you. Now, it is proper. And I should say not only proper, But it's also necessary that we beseech God, that we ask God for his tender mercies for ourselves and for others. Even though we've sinned against God.

[John Weaver] Daniel, in Daniel chapter nine in verse nine, was praying and confessing his sins and the sins of his people. And he says, to the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness. Though we rebelled against him. In other words, our rebellion does not stop his mercy and does not stop his forgiveness. And the truth of the matter is that God is the source of all mercy and the source of all compassion and the source of all comfort. In fact, second Corinthians chapter one in verse three says, blessed be the God and father of the Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and the God of all comfort. So God then is called the father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

[John Weaver] Now, what I want to do very quickly is this. I want to give you some scriptures and ask you to listen to David's prayer requests, where David is praying about God's tender mercies. That's why I'm saying it is proper to ask God to display his tender mercies in our lives. David prayed in Psalm 25 and verse six, remember, Oh Lord, by tender mercies and by loving kindness, for they have been ever of old. Now, when I read that verse. You have to remember that God is immutable, that God is unchangeable. And when David is saying, remember, oh Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindness, for they've been ever of old. In other words, God, you were merciful back then. You had kindness back then. Lord, you do not change. Please have that loving kindness and that mercy even right now. Psalm 40 in verse 11 David prayed withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me O Lord let my loving-kindness and I truth continually preserve me so David saying please don't withhold these tender mercies from me Psalm 119 verse 58 David said I'm treated thy favor with my whole heart be merciful unto me

[John Weaver] According to thy word and so now he's asking God to fulfill his word and give mercy in Psalm 119 verses 76 and 77 David prayed, let I pray thee thy merciful kindness be for my comfort. According to the word of thy servant, let thy tender mercies come unto me that I may live. For thy law is my delight. Let thy tender mercies come unto me that I may live. In Psalm 119 verse 156, great are thy tender mercies, O Lord, quicken thou me according to thy judgments. So God's mercies are indeed over all of his works, but they are especially given to his people. And we need his mercy not just daily, but hourly and really moment by moment.

[John Weaver] And the truth of the matter is this. God's tender mercies, his loving kindnesses and his compassions are clearly taught in scripture over and over. For instance, Psalm 103, verse eight says this. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy. In Psalm 116 in verse five, gracious is the Lord and righteous. Our God is merciful. Now, I have established a truth from scripture that God is a merciful God. I have established the fact that it is only because of his tender mercies and his compassions that you and I are alive right now.

[John Weaver] But let me ask you a question. In fact, I'll ask you several. Is it possible for God to withdraw his mercy from an individual? Is it possible for God to withdraw his mercy from a society, a people, a state, or a nation? Here's another question. If God did withdraw his mercy, his compassions and his loving kindnesses. What would it be like? Well. A short answer would be death and destruction. But let me go back and try to answer these one at the time. First of all, is it possible for God to withdraw his mercy from an individual? And the answer is yes. May I remind you that mercy is that which gives us that which we do not deserve. So God is not obligated to be merciful to anyone.

[John Weaver] The only thing God actually owes anybody is justice. And I can assure you, we don't want that. So we know for a fact God did withdraw his mercy from one individual Because he said he did But there were others as well. So I want you to turn in your Bibles to first Chronicles chapter 17 first Chronicles chapter 17 God is entering into a covenant with David and In this covenant with David God makes a statement. And by the way, what I'm going to show you not only involves Solomon, David's physical son, but it has greater reference to the Lord Jesus Christ, his true spiritual son. Because you remember in the New Testament, our Lord himself said, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. And in Matthew one in verse one, Jesus Christ is designated as the son of David. But notice, if you would, everybody knows that King Saul preceded David. So if you look in first Samuel chapter 17 and let's begin reading there with verse 13. Look what God says to David. In fact, let's let's go back to verse 11.

[John Weaver] Watch verse 11. And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired, that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that is, David's going to die, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons, and I will establish his kingdom.

[John Weaver] Now, he didn't do that for Solomon, but this kingdom is referring, I think, to the greater Solomon. He said in verse 12, he shall build me a house. And certainly Solomon did that. And I will establish his throne forever. Now Solomon's throne is not established forever, but our Lord's is. He says in verse 13, I will be his father and he shall be my son. And I will not take my mercy away from him as I took it from him that was before thee. That is King Saul. But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom forever. And his throne, that would be the greater Solomon, shall be established for evermore. Certainly, God said that he took his mercy away from Saul. That is why Saul turned to witchcraft, to the witch of Endor, because he said, God won't answer me. God won't speak to me. And so he turned to the witch. Now, were there others from whom God withdrew his mercy? And the answer is yes.

[John Weaver] I want you to turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 27. Isaiah 27. And look, if you would please, there at verse 11. Isaiah 27 and verse 11. Isaiah 27 and verse 11. And of course, this is talking about the destruction of the people, but notice verse 11. He says, When the bows thereof are withered, they shall be broken off. The women come and set them on fire. For it is a people of no understanding. So the bows are speaking about the people. It is a people of no understanding.

[John Weaver] Therefore, he that made them will not have mercy on them. And he that formed them will show them no favor. So God says, there's a people that I'm not going to have mercy upon. If you would turn to Jeremiah chapter 13, And look, if you would please, at verse 14, Jeremiah 13 and verse 14. Look what God says. In fact, you can read verse 13 just to see that he's still talking about Judah and Jerusalem. Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne and the priests and the prophets and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with drunkenness. And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord. I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them. So God at one time was merciful. Now he's being merciful no more. And let me just give you the last one.

[John Weaver] You remember Hosea married a woman who was unclean and unfaithful. And even then she ran off and was unfaithful and had children that were not his children. And God says this because her life pictured the life of Israel. And so God said in Hosea 2 and verse 4, And I will not have mercy upon her children, for they be children of whoredoms. God said, I will not have mercy upon them. So, yes, God can not only withdraw his mercy from an individual, but from groups of individuals. But the question has to be asked, will God withdraw his mercy from a society, from a people, from a nation? And again, the answer is yes.

[John Weaver] If you will turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 16, Jeremiah 16, and here's what I want you to do. I want you to pay close attention To what God is saying that he's going to do to these people. I'm going to show you a verse. And I'm going to repeat this verse at the end, but I want you to pay close attention to what is happening. And then I'm going to show you why it's happening. So Jeremiah chapter 16, verse one, the word of the Lord came also unto me saying, thou shalt not take thee a wife.

[John Weaver] Neither shall they have sons or daughters in this place. So, Jeremiah, you're not getting married. You're not having children. Why? For thus saith the Lord concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place and concerning their mothers that bear them and concerning their fathers that begat them in this land, they shall die grievous deaths. They shall not be lamented. Neither shall they be buried.

[John Weaver] But they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth. They shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, and their carcasses shall be meat for the fowls of heaven and for the beasts of the earth. For thus saith the Lord, enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them, watch For I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the Lord, even loving kindness and mercies.

[John Weaver] Both the great and the small shall die in this land. They shall not be buried. Neither shall men lament for them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves ball for them. Neither shall men tear themselves for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead. Neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother. Thou shalt not go also into the house of feasting to sit with them to eat and to drink.

[John Weaver] For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes and in your days. Remember, he's watching the destruction of Jerusalem. the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, and it shall come to pass. When thou shalt show this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, wherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us?

[John Weaver] Or what is our iniquity? Or what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God? Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the Lord, and have walked after other gods and have served them and have worshiped them and have forsaken me and have not kept my law. And you have done worse than your fathers. For behold, you walk everyone after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me. Therefore I will cast you out of this land into a land that you know not Neither yin or your fathers and there shall you serve other gods day and night where I will show you no favor and Remember the word mercy is Translated as favor as well literally said and I will show you no mercy go back to verse 5 and For thus saith the Lord, enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them, for I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the Lord, even loving kindness and mercies.

[John Weaver] Do you remember me saying that oftentimes we have to suffer before we really, truly begin to recognize God's mercies, God's kindness, God's favor. God said, I'm going to remove it. I'm going to take it away. And of course, once it is taken away, there's nothing but death and destruction. May I submit to you that there is a principle that you and I need to learn, and that is this. We need to learn to be more cognizant of his mercies and compassions. We need to be more grateful, more thankful, more appreciative. God has not totally forsaken us yet. We're still alive. We still have family and friends, we still have a society. may not be much of one, but at least it's still existing. We still have a state and a nation. And so we need to learn to praise him daily for his mercies to us.

[John Weaver] You know, there's a wonderful verse in Psalm 92 in verse two that says this, to show forth by loving kindness every morning and by faithfulness every night. God is merciful. Now, There are some people that are going to say, well, God can't be merciful because look at all the wars. Look at all the people that are being killed. Look at all the bad things. Well, those people need to hear the words of Thomas Merton.

[John Weaver] Listen to this simple little quote. Thomas Merton said this. It is only the infinite mercy and love of God that has prevented us from tearing ourselves to pieces and destroying his entire creation long ago. People seem to think that is in some way a proof that no merciful God exists. If we have so many wars on the contrary. Consider how in spite of centuries of sin and greed, lust, cruelty, and hatred, and avarice, and oppression and injustice, spawned and bred by the wills of men, The human race can still recover each time and can still produce men and women who overcome evil with good, hatred with love, greed with charity, lust and cruelty with sanctity. How could all this be possible without the merciful love of God pouring out His grace upon us?

[John Weaver] There is not a seed that falls into the ground and not an ear of wheat that nods on the end of its stalk that does not preach the greatness and the mercy of God to the whole world. There is not an act of sacrifice done or a word of peace and gently spoken that does not sing hymns to God before his throne and the eyes of men. And the very fact that God allows us to rebound And rebuild is an act of his mercy. And just like he said, if God had not been merciful, we would have destroyed ourselves and his creation a long time ago.

[John Weaver] So we need to learn to praise him daily. Now, some people are going to say, well. What am I going to praise him for? There are so many things, but let me give you a starter. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 103. I'm sure that once you read this passage that you can come up with a multitude of things that you could really, really praise God for and be thankful, and especially in light of his tender mercies and loving kindnesses. Note, if you would, Psalm 103, and let's begin reading there with verse one.

[John Weaver] David says, Bless the Lord, oh, my soul and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Bless the Lord oh my soul. Watch and forget not all his benefits.

[John Weaver] Now he's just going to list a few of them. Here they are. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities? That's something to be thankful for. I can assure you. Who eateth all thy diseases? Everyone in this room has been sick and has gotten well innumerable times. Who eateth all thy diseases? Who redeemeth thy life from destruction? How many times have you nearly died and you didn't, or you were almost in a wreck and you didn't even know it? Who redeemeth thy life from destruction?

[John Weaver] Who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies? There's so many of them. Who satisfies thy mouth with good things? Look at that. You get to eat and enjoy your food so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. We can be thankful for that. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

[John Weaver] Now watch, the Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger forever. Here's something we can really be thankful for. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

[John Weaver] As far as the East is from the West, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we're but dust. Wow. There are a multitude of things in this brief passage that we could praise him for and giving us all of these mercies and all of these kindnesses. It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed. The only reason you and I are alive right now is because of his mercies.

[John Weaver] Let me make a couple of applications. The first one is this. God's mercies do not fail, even in his anger against us, even when he chastens us. Because his chastening, according to Hebrews 12, is for our good, that it may produce holiness. So God's mercies. run fully and constantly, but they never, ever run dry. His mercies and his compassions are new toward us every morning. And whatever hard things we suffer, whatever it is, financial reverses, the death of loved ones, sickness, whatever hard things we suffer, we must never have hard thoughts concerning God.

[John Weaver] Because it's only his tender mercy and loving kindness that enable us to keep going. Matthew Henry said this. These streams follow us to the fountain. It is the Lord's mercies here. Mercies are in the plural number. denoting the abundance and variety of those mercies. God is an inexhaustible fountain of mercy, the father of mercies. Note, we all owe it to the sparing mercy of God that we're not consumed. Others have been consumed round about us, and we ourselves have been in the consuming, and yet we're not consumed. We're out of the grave. We're out of hell. Had we been dealt with according to our sins, we should have been consumed long ago. But we have been dealt with according to God's mercies, and we're bound to acknowledge it to his praise.

[John Weaver] Nehemiah kind of summed that up in Nehemiah 9 verse 31. When he says this, nevertheless, for thy great mercy's sake, thou didst not utterly consume them nor forsake them, for thou art a gracious and merciful God. For thy mercy's sake. God did not utterly destroy the people in the wilderness. No, he did not utterly destroy us. So as Christians then, we need to daily thank him for his tender mercies, his loving kindnesses.

[John Weaver] He holds our soul in life and our times are in his hands. Whenever we are awakened to life and health and happiness, we should begin praising him. Here's the next application. Anytime a sinner wakes up this side of hell, it's a good day for him. Sinners may refuse to acknowledge God's mercies and compassions and his loving kindness. Yet one day they will. It may be too late, but they will still acknowledge him.

[John Weaver] And if someone is unsaved, the best thing he can do is run to the Lord Jesus Christ and beg for mercy. For God does not owe mercy to anyone. And there comes a time when God withdraws that mercy. But while you are alive, there is hope. Because God in his mercy has spared you.

[John Weaver] Now, let me mention something else. By sharing this truth with you, I have not said, nor have I implied, and I want you to understand this, that the cessation of God's mercy brings death to a believer. No. Believers are never, never forsaken. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 57. Isaiah 57 and look if you would please at verses 1 & 2 It is true death comes to all But death for the believer does not mean that God's mercies has ceased toward him Look at Isaiah 57 in verse 1 the righteous perisheth and And no man lays it to heart and merciful men are taken away. None considering that the righteous has taken away from the evil to come. He that is the righteous and the merciful man shall enter into peace.

[John Weaver] They shall rest in their beds. Each one walking in his uprightness. And of course, the Bible says, in Psalm 116 in verse 15, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. And you remember what David said in Psalm 23, yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thou art with me. So just because we die as Christians does not mean that the reason we died, that God withdrew his mercy from us as believers. Okay? No. And oftentimes God in his mercy, According to Isaiah 57 verse 1, takes us in order that we would not see the judgment that was to come.

[John Weaver] Here's what I would like to leave with you today. I believe it'd be a good practice and it would be a good start for each of us. I've tried to make this a practice for I don't know how long. But when I open my eyes every morning before I ever get out of bed, I lie there and I quote, it is the Lord's mercies that were not consumed.

[John Weaver] Because I compassion say fail not. They're new every morning. Great is I faithfulness. And I begin to thank him for his tender mercies, his compassions, and his faithfulness. I want you to think about this. His faithfulness is extremely important because if he was merciful and compassionate one day and not the next. We'd still be destroyed. It is only God's faithfulness that he enables us to awaken each morning.

[John Weaver] And when I lie down at night, you know what I do? I quote this passage. It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed because his compassions, they fail. They're new every morning. Great. is thy faithfulness. And I want to thank God for allowing me to live through the day. Every morning, I want to thank Him for allowing me to live through the night. I thank Him for allowing Alice to live.

[John Weaver] I always tell everybody, if the Lord took her, I'd have to marry 40 to take her place. But you understand, once we begin to thank God for those tender mercies, we begin to see them everywhere we look. and every which way we turn. By his grace, through the Lord Jesus Christ, think about this, we will enjoy his mercies for eternity. So we can be thankful that all we're getting on this earth is a good taste of that which is to come, which will be the far better because his tender mercies never cease. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to you this day. We're so thankful, Father, for your tender mercies, for your compassions, for your loving kindnesses. Father, help us to love thee, to live for thee, to praise thee, to acknowledge thee. Lord, help us understand that the only reason we are alive right now is because of those tender mercies. and those compassions and your faithfulness. We thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you for repentance and faith.

[John Weaver] We thank you for drawing us to thyself. We thank you, Heavenly Father, for food and rest. We thank you, Father, for everything that you've given unto us, and we acknowledge, Lord, We are what we are only by your grace and mercy. We have what we have only by your grace and mercy. And Lord, we praise thee and we acknowledge it is by the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed.

[John Weaver] Because thy compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. We thank thee. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, amen.

[John Weaver] so

Why You Are Still Alive

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	hom9nqzg9Gg
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Daniel
Genre	Sermon
Date	2020-01-23
Dictation Name
Book	Book 087: Daniel — Chapter 11
Source Timed Segments	78

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Lamentations chapter 3, and I want you to look at verses 22 and 23. Lamentations chapter 3. The title of the message is "Why You Are Still Alive." Why you are still alive. Look in Lamentations 3. Jeremiah wrote Lamentations right after the book of Jeremiah. Lamentations 3, verse 22:

Scripture Reading — Lamentations 3:22-23

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness."

Introduction: The Unrecognized Danger of Sin

Most people forget their sins and assume they deserve blessings, never considering that one sin is enough to condemn them.

I suppose that many have never really been bothered by their sins. I read a quote many years ago that I've never forgotten. It went like this: "Most folks have a peace of mind that comes from their own forgetfulness." That's usually pretty true, because we tend to forget and overlook our sins. And unless a sin is particularly huge or horrific, we tend to forget. We even tend to forget and overlook what you and I would call little sins. But have you ever really considered that one sin, and one sin alone, is enough to condemn us? There's enough sin in our prayers to damn us. There's enough sin in our good deeds to destroy us. And there's enough sin in our own righteousness to devastate us. Moreover, when most people live through their days, they never really think of death, destruction, or God's justice. We never really meditate on that which we really, truly deserve. And when we think of death, and when we think of God's justice, we're disturbed, and rightly so. We know that if we got that which we really and truly deserved, it would not be pleasant.

So instead of dealing then with what we believe that we might really deserve, instead then we concentrate on our desires, our needs, our hopes, and our blessings. And the interesting thing is this: I have hardly ever found anyone that did not believe that they really and truly deserved to have all their needs met, all their wants met, all their desires met. And the interesting thing is, they don't even believe that they deserve to have everything that they wanted met. They believe they deserve to have it right now, because they were just simply not going to wait. Hardly anyone follows the example of Jacob. Hardly anyone confesses what he confesses now, or what he confessed, I should say, and hardly anyone believes what he believed in Genesis 32, verse 10, when he said to God,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 32:10

"I'm not worthy of the least of thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou showed thy servant."

Note what he said:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 32:10

"I'm not worthy of the least of thy mercies."

And certainly God had been merciful to him. And the truth is, we take life for granted.

Taking God's Mercies for Granted

We fail to thank God for daily blessings like hot baths, good beds, and friends, and only acknowledge His mercy after great suffering.

We take health for granted. We take family for granted. We take food and water for granted. And the truth is, we have been so blessed in so many areas that we really fail to thank God for His multitudinous mercies and blessings. Let me just point it out like this: When is the last time that you thanked God for a hot bath? When you stop and think, a lot of people in other countries bathe in rivers—dirty rivers, I might add. When's the last time you thanked God for a good bed? When is the last time that you thanked God for warm clothes, or cool clothes, or friends? When is the last time that you have really acknowledged before God that the only reason that you are now alive is because of His grace and His mercy?

Now, I want to make a point early in this message, so I want you to pay close attention. I'm going to repeat this truth later, but I want you to hear it right now. Unhappily, we only begin to acknowledge God's gracious mercies, His loving kindnesses and compassions, after that we have suffered greatly. It's only usually after all of our sufferings that we really begin to grasp how merciful, how gracious, how compassionate, how loving and kind God has been unto us.

Jeremiah's Suffering and Hope

Jeremiah describes his intense affliction, yet finds hope by recalling that God's mercies prevent total destruction.

If you look in Lamentations chapter 3, let's begin reading there with verse 1. Lamentations 3 and verse 1. He begins by saying,

Scripture Reading — Lamentations 3:1-20

"I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath."

Now, you have to remember that since Jeremiah was in Judah and Jerusalem, that he suffered along with the people. So he says,

Scripture Reading — Lamentations 3:1-20

"I have seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He has led me and brought me into darkness, but not into light."

In other words, there's no light at the end of the tunnel.

Scripture Reading — Lamentations 3:1-20

"Surely against me he has turned. He turned his hand against me all the day."

"My flesh and my skin hath he made old. He hath broken my bones. He hath built it against me and compassed me with gall and travail. He has set me in dark places as they that be dead of old. He has hedged me about and I cannot get out. He has made my chain heavy. Also, when I cry and shout, he shut it out by prayer." You have to remember in Jeremiah 7 and Jeremiah 11, God told Jeremiah not to pray for these people. When you get to Jeremiah 14, he wanted to pray so much for them. God said, "All right, I'm going to let you pray. But you pray that I'm going to destroy them, because that's what I'm going to do." So if he tried to pray for the people, God shut him out. Watch verse 9.

"He has enclosed my ways with hewn stone. He had made my paths crooked. He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places. He hath turned aside my ways and pulled me in pieces like that barren lion. He hath made me desolate. He hath bent his bow and set me as a mark for the arrow. He had caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins."

"I was a derision to all my people. And their song all the day." Now, when he says he was their song, they were mocking him. They were making fun of him. Just like in Psalm, I think it is 69, where he's talking about the Messiah, where he said, "I was a song of drunkards." In other words, they were ribald songs and mocking songs. And so he says in verse 15, "You fill me with bitterness and you've made me drunken with wormwood"—and wormwood is a very bitter herb. He says in verse 16. "He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones. He had covered me with ashes." I want you to stop and think about this. "He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones." Would you like to be hit in the mouth with a bag full of gravel? I want to tell you something: when you think about these pictures, they show the grief and the horror and the suffering of Jeremiah.

Years ago, I was watching a self-defense video, and the man was talking about using bottles for self-defense. If the only thing you could get your hands on was a Coca-Cola bottle or liquor bottle or something like that, and he pointed out most people think that they will take that bottle and hit someone over the head with it and that'll take care of it. He said, "No." He said, "Most of these bottles will break very easily." And he said, "You probably would not even stun someone by hitting him over the head." And he said, "If you hurt him, it would usually be because of the glue on the sticker on the bottle that held a piece of glass that raked maybe as forward as you hit him." No, he says, "Don't ever do that." He said, "If you want to stop him, take the bottle and hit him in the teeth." And when he said that, I just kind of winced. Can you imagine being hit in the teeth with a Coca-Cola bottle at full force? And here, Jeremiah is saying, "He has broken my teeth with gravel stones." It's like taking a big stone and hitting Jeremiah in the mouth. Look at verse 17. He says, "Thou has removed my soul far from peace. I forgot prosperity."

In other words, there was no light at the end of the tunnel for him. All he was doing was suffering. And he said, "My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord." Verse 19, "Remembering my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall." He says, "My soul had them still in remembrance and is humbled in me." Now watch, if you would, please, everything that Jeremiah has been going through. He says it has caused his soul to be humbled before God.

Now notice verse 20 again. He said, "My soul had them still in remembrance," everything that he suffered, "and is humbled in me." Then he says this in verse 21, "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope." So there was something that gave him encouragement. There was something that gave him hope. What was it? It was that which he recalled to his mind, which is found in verses 22 and 23. "It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness." Now, while we're on this passage, look, if you would, at the word "mercies." The Hebrew word is the word chesed, and it literally is translated as mercies, kindnesses, loving kindness, goodness, and favor. And then he says, "It is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions." The word for compassion is racham. And it speaks of compassion, bowels, pity, and tender love. But note, if you would now, he said, "It is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed." The word "consumed" is a very interesting word. It is tamam in the Hebrew, and it means to consume. It means to end,

The Meaning of 'Mercies' and 'Compassions'

The Hebrew words chesed and racham denote lovingkindness and tender love; 'consumed' means to be completely wiped out.

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness." Now, while we're on this passage, look, if you would, at the word "mercies." The Hebrew word is the word chesed, and it literally is translated as mercies, kindnesses, loving kindness, goodness, and favor. And then he says, "It is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions." The word for compassion is racham. And it speaks of compassion, bowels, pity, and tender love. But note, if you would now, he said, "It is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed." The word "consumed" is a very interesting word. It is tamam in the Hebrew, and it means to consume. It means to end,

to finish, to cease being, and to be destroyed. So literally, here's what he's saying: It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not absolutely, totally, completely wiped out, because his compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.

Suffering Can Be God's Mercy, Not Judgment

Using Jeremiah 24, Weaver illustrates that the captives taken to Babylon were actually recipients of God's mercy for their good, while those left behind were reserved for destruction.

And the answer is yes. Let me give you an illustration. I want you to turn back in your Bibles, hold Lamentations 3, but turn back to Jeremiah 24. Jeremiah 24. As you turn back to Jeremiah 24, may I remind you that Nebuchadnezzar had come against Jerusalem in 605 B.C., captured the king and the princes and a number of the important people, trades and skilled people, and took them into captivity into Babylon. And of course, many were left. And so King Zedekiah came then and he had his princes. And of course, you know, Jerusalem was totally destroyed then in 586, 587 BC, right in that area. So here, originally, there have been already a number of people that have been captured by Nebuchadnezzar and have been taken into Babylon into captivity. So I want you to watch this. Look in Jeremiah 24, verse 1.

"The Lord showed me and behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the Lord. After that, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had carried away captive Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah with the carpenters and smiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon." So this is the first deportation. He says, "One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that were first ripe, and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten. They were so bad. Then said the Lord unto me, 'What sayest thou, Jeremiah?' And I said, 'Figs, the good figs, very good. And the evil, very evil that cannot be eaten. They are so evil.' Again, the word of the Lord came into me saying," I want you to watch this. "Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. And I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will

bring them again to this land, and I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. And I will give them a heart to know me, and that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart. And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil, surely thus saith the Lord, so will I give Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt, and I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse in all the places whither I shall drive them. And I will send the sword, the famine and the pestilence among them till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.'"

Now, I want you to stop and think with me. Let's suppose that you were in Jerusalem in 605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar comes with his army. He captures you or your family and takes you into Babylon. And here are another group of people were standing there and they're saying, "Well, we just did miss that. I'm so thankful we didn't go into captivity. Man, that was close. God must be really having mercy upon us. We didn't go into captivity. Look at those people. They got carried into captivity." Did you hear what God said? God said those that I took and sent into Babylon initially,

I did it for their good. I'm going to give them a heart to know me. They're going to come back into the land. And you folks that are left, I left you not for your good, but for your hurt. You will be destroyed. So the point I'm trying to make is probably those folks initially taken into captivity in Babylon thought, "Well, this is a judgment of God." No, it was the mercy of God. It was the compassion of God. It was the love of God, because God put them there for their good. Now, God does succor his people. God does protect and provide for his people.

And he does so even in the worst hour. And when we think we're being destroyed, that is actually when his mercy shine more brightly in sparing our lives and giving us hope.

Looking Beyond Circumstances

David in Psalm 77 corrected his despair by remembering God's past works instead of focusing on his situation.

And we cannot do that. We have to look beyond the situation, look beyond the circumstances. Notice if you would please. David said in verse 7 of Psalm 77,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 77:7-14

"Will the Lord cast off forever? Will he be favorable no more?"

Now look at verse 8.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 77:7-14

"Is his mercy clean gone forever? Does this promise fail forevermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?"

What is David saying? I can't see, I can't perceive, I can't grasp this situation. It looks to me like God has just forgotten to be gracious and in anger he shut up his tender mercies. It looks as if I'm going to be consumed. Ah, watch verse 10.

Here's how he corrects himself. "And I said, 'This is my infirmity.'" Here's where I'm failing. Here's where I'm sinning. "But I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high. I'll recall that which God has done, what he is, how he's blessed me and helped me. I will remember the works of the Lord. Surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also on all thy work and talk of thy doings. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary. Who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God that doest wonders. Thou hast declared thy strength among thy people." Note if you would, David said, "Here's my infirmity. Here's where I'm wrong. I'm concentrating on the situation. I'm looking at circumstances. I ought to be thinking about God and how he's preserved me, how he's protected me, how he's provided for me. I ought to be thinking about all of his wonders, works that he's done for me, for my family, for our people in times past."

God Can Withdraw Mercy

Scripture shows God removed mercy from Saul, Israel, and Judah; He is not obligated to be merciful and can withdraw it from individuals and nations.

The only thing God actually owes anybody is justice. And I can assure you, we don't want that. So we know for a fact God did withdraw his mercy from one individual, because he said he did. But there were others as well. So I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 17. 1 Chronicles chapter 17. God is entering into a covenant with David. And in this covenant with David, God makes a statement. And by the way, what I'm going to show you not only involves Solomon, David's physical son, but it has greater reference to the Lord Jesus Christ, his true spiritual son. Because you remember in the New Testament, our Lord himself said, "Behold, a greater than Solomon is here." And in Matthew 1, verse 1, Jesus Christ is designated as the son of David. But notice, if you would, everybody knows that King Saul preceded David. So if you look in 1 Chronicles chapter 17, and let's begin reading there with verse 13. Look what God says to David. In fact, let's go back to verse 11.

Watch verse 11. "And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired, that thou must go to be with thy fathers," that is, David's going to die, "that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons, and I will establish his kingdom." Now, he didn't do that for Solomon, but this kingdom is referring, I think, to the greater Solomon. He said in verse 12, "He shall build me a house." And certainly Solomon did that. "And I will establish his throne forever." Now Solomon's throne is not established forever, but our Lord's is. He says in verse 13, "I will be his father and he shall be my son. And I will not take my mercy away from him as I took it from him that was before thee." That is King Saul. "But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom forever. And his throne," that would be the greater Solomon, "shall be established for evermore." Certainly, God said that he took his mercy away from Saul. That is why Saul turned to witchcraft, to the witch of Endor, because he said, "God won't answer me. God won't speak to me." And so he turned to the witch. Now, were there others from whom God withdrew his mercy? And the answer is yes.

I want you to turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 27. Isaiah 27. And look, if you would please, there at verse 11. Isaiah 27 and verse 11. And of course, this is talking about the destruction of the people, but notice verse 11. He says,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 27:11

"When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off. The women come and set them on fire. For it is a people of no understanding."

So the boughs are speaking about the people.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 27:11

"It is a people of no understanding.

Therefore, he that made them will not have mercy on them. And he that formed them will show them no favor." So God says, "There's a people that I'm not going to have mercy upon." If you would turn to Jeremiah chapter 13, and look, if you would please, at verse 14. Jeremiah 13 and verse 14. Look what God says. In fact, you can read verse 13 just to see that he's still talking about Judah and Jerusalem.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 13:13-14

"Then shalt thou say unto them, 'Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne and the priests and the prophets and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with drunkenness. And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord. I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.'"

So God at one time was merciful. Now he's being merciful no more. And let me just give you the last one.

You remember Hosea married a woman who was unclean and unfaithful. And even then she ran off and was unfaithful and had children that were not his children. And God says this because her life pictured the life of Israel. And so God said in Hosea 2, verse 4,

Scripture Reading — Hosea 2:4

"And I will not have mercy upon her children, for they be children of whoredoms."

God said,

Scripture Reading — Hosea 2:4

"I will not have mercy upon them."

So, yes, God can not only withdraw his mercy from an individual, but from groups of individuals. But the question has to be asked: Will God withdraw his mercy from a society, from a people, from a nation? And again, the answer is yes. If you will turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 16. Jeremiah 16, and here's what I want you to do. I want you to pay close attention to what God is saying that he's going to do to these people. I'm going to show you a verse, and I'm going to repeat this verse at the end, but I want you to pay close attention to what is happening. And then I'm going to show you why it's happening. So Jeremiah chapter 16, verse 1: "The word of the Lord came also unto me saying, 'Thou shalt not take thee a wife.'"

"Neither shall they have sons or daughters in this place." So, Jeremiah, you're not getting married. You're not having children. Why? "For thus saith the Lord concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place and concerning their mothers that bear them and concerning their fathers that begat them in this land, they shall die grievous deaths. They shall not be lamented. Neither shall they be buried.

But they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth. They shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, and their carcasses shall be meat for the fowls of heaven and for the beasts of the earth. For thus saith the Lord, 'Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them,'" watch, "'For I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the Lord, even loving kindness and mercies.'" "Both the great and the small shall die in this land. They shall not be buried. Neither shall men lament for them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them. Neither shall men tear themselves for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead. Neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother. Thou shalt not go also into the house of feasting to sit with them to eat and to drink.

For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes and in your days,'" remember, he's watching the destruction of Jerusalem, "'the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.' And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt show this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, 'Wherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us?'" "Or what is our iniquity? Or what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God? Then shalt thou say unto them, 'Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the Lord, and have walked after other gods and have served them and have worshiped them and have forsaken me and have not kept my law. And you have done worse than your fathers. For behold, you walk everyone after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me. Therefore I will cast you out of this land into a land that you know not, neither ye nor your fathers, and there shall you serve other gods day and night, where I will show you no favor.'" And remember the word "mercy" is translated as "favor" as well. Literally said, "And I will show you no mercy." Go back to verse 5: "For thus saith the Lord, 'Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them, for I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the Lord, even loving kindness and mercies.'"

Applications: Daily Thanksgiving for Mercies

Believers should daily praise God for His mercies, quoting Lamentations 3:22-23 morning and night, recognizing that death for the righteous is not a withdrawal of mercy but entrance into peace.

Let me make a couple of applications. The first one is this: God's mercies do not fail, even in his anger against us, even when he chastens us. Because his chastening, according to Hebrews 12, is for our good, that it may produce holiness. So God's mercies run fully and constantly, but they never, ever run dry. His mercies and his compassions are new toward us every morning. And whatever hard things we suffer, whatever it is—financial reverses, the death of loved ones, sickness—whatever hard things we suffer, we must never have hard thoughts concerning God. Because it's only his tender mercy and loving kindness that enable us to keep going. Matthew Henry said this: "These streams follow us to the fountain. It is the Lord's mercies here. Mercies are in the plural number, denoting the abundance and variety of those mercies. God is an inexhaustible fountain of mercy, the Father of mercies. Note, we all owe it to the sparing mercy of God that we're not consumed. Others have been consumed round about us, and we ourselves have been in the consuming, and yet we're not consumed. We're out of the grave. We're out of hell. Had we been dealt with according to our sins, we should have been consumed long ago. But we have been dealt with according to God's mercies, and we're bound to acknowledge it to his praise."

Nehemiah kind of summed that up in Nehemiah 9, verse 31, when he says this: "Nevertheless, for thy great mercy's sake, thou didst not utterly consume them nor forsake them, for thou art a gracious and merciful God." For thy mercy's sake, God did not utterly destroy the people in the wilderness. No, he did not utterly destroy us. So as Christians then, we need to daily thank him for his tender mercies, his loving kindnesses. He holds our soul in life and our times are in his hands. Whenever we are awakened to life and health and happiness, we should begin praising him. Here's the next application: Anytime a sinner wakes up this side of hell, it's a good day for him. Sinners may refuse to acknowledge God's mercies and compassions and his loving kindness. Yet one day they will. It may be too late, but they will still acknowledge him.

And if someone is unsaved, the best thing he can do is run to the Lord Jesus Christ and beg for mercy. For God does not owe mercy to anyone. And there comes a time when God withdraws that mercy. But while you are alive, there is hope. Because God in his mercy has spared you.

Now, let me mention something else. By sharing this truth with you, I have not said, nor have I implied, and I want you to understand this, that the cessation of God's mercy brings death to a believer. No. Believers are never, never forsaken. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 57. Isaiah 57 and look if you would please at verses 1 and 2. It is true death comes to all. But death for the believer does not mean that God's mercies have ceased toward him. Look at Isaiah 57, verse 1: "The righteous perisheth, and no man lays it to heart, and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He that is the righteous and the merciful man shall enter into peace.

They shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness." And of course, the Bible says in Psalm 116, verse 15, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." And you remember what David said in Psalm 23, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thou art with me." So just because we die as Christians does not mean that the reason we died, that God withdrew his mercy from us as believers. Okay? No. And oftentimes God in his mercy, according to Isaiah 57, verse 1, takes us in order that we would not see the judgment that was to come. Here's what I would like to leave with you today. I believe it'd be a good practice and it would be a good start for each of us. I've tried to make this a practice for I don't know how long. But when I open my eyes every morning before I ever get out of bed, I lie there and I quote, "It is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed.

Because his compassions fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness." And I begin to thank him for his tender mercies, his compassions, and his faithfulness. I want you to think about this. His faithfulness is extremely important because if he was merciful and compassionate one day and not the next, we'd still be destroyed. It is only God's faithfulness that he enables us to awaken each morning. And when I lie down at night, you know what I do? I quote this passage. "It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed because his compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness." And I want to thank God for allowing me to live through the day. Every morning, I want to thank Him for allowing me to live through the night. I thank Him for allowing Alice to live.

I always tell everybody, if the Lord took her, I'd have to marry 40 to take her place. But you understand, once we begin to thank God for those tender mercies, we begin to see them everywhere we look and every which way we turn. By his grace, through the Lord Jesus Christ, think about this, we will enjoy his mercies for eternity. So we can be thankful that all we're getting on this earth is a good taste of that which is to come, which will be the far better because his tender mercies never cease. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to you this day. We're so thankful, Father, for your tender mercies, for your compassions, for your loving kindnesses. Father, help us to love thee, to live for thee, to praise thee, to acknowledge thee. Lord, help us understand that the only reason we are alive right now is because of those tender mercies and those compassions and your faithfulness. We thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you for repentance and faith.

We thank you for drawing us to thyself. We thank you, Heavenly Father, for food and rest. We thank you, Father, for everything that you've given unto us, and we acknowledge, Lord, we are what we are only by your grace and mercy. We have what we have only by your grace and mercy. And Lord, we praise thee and we acknowledge it is by the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed. Because thy compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. We thank thee. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

God's Mercies Prevent Destruction

Summary: The sole reason anyone remains alive is God's tender mercies and compassions, which are renewed every morning.

Evidence: Weaver repeatedly emphasizes Lamentations 3:22-23: 'It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They're new every morning.'

Human Forgetfulness of Sin and Ingratitude

Summary: People overlook their sins and take God's daily blessings for granted, rarely thanking Him for basic provisions.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Most folks have a peace of mind that comes from their own forgetfulness' and asks when listeners last thanked God for a hot bath or good bed.

Suffering as a Means to Recognize Mercy

Summary: Often only after great suffering do people begin to grasp how merciful God has been.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Unhappily, we only begin to acknowledge God's gracious mercies... after that we have suffered greatly.'

God's Sovereignty in Withdrawing Mercy

Summary: God is not obligated to show mercy and can withdraw it from individuals and nations, resulting in death and destruction.

Evidence: Weaver cites 1 Chronicles 17:13, Isaiah 27:11, Jeremiah 13:14, and Hosea 2:4 to show God removed mercy from Saul and Israel.

Daily Thanksgiving and Remembrance

Summary: Believers should cultivate a habit of praising God for His mercies every morning and evening, quoting Lamentations 3:22-23.

Evidence: Weaver shares his personal practice of quoting the passage upon waking and before sleep, and urges listeners to do the same.

Key Arguments

One sin is enough to condemn us

Summary: Even small, forgotten sins are sufficient for damnation, yet people rarely meditate on God's justice.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'There's enough sin in our prayers to damn us. There's enough sin in our good deeds to destroy us.'

Suffering may be God's mercy, not judgment

Summary: The Babylonian captives were taken for their good, while those left behind were reserved for destruction, showing that hard circumstances can be merciful.

Evidence: Weaver explains Jeremiah 24, where God calls the captives 'good figs' and says He sent them to Babylon 'for their good.'

Recalling past mercies gives hope

Summary: When discouraged, believers should remember God's past works rather than focus on present troubles.

Evidence: Weaver cites Psalm 77:10-14, where David corrects his despair by remembering God's wonders of old.

God can and does withdraw mercy

Summary: Scripture records instances where God removed mercy from individuals and nations, proving He is not obligated to be merciful.

Evidence: Weaver references 1 Chronicles 17:13 (Saul), Isaiah 27:11, Jeremiah 13:14, and Jeremiah 16:5 to show God taking away mercy.

Death for believers is not a withdrawal of mercy

Summary: The righteous are taken away from evil to come and enter into peace; their death is precious to the Lord.

Evidence: Weaver cites Isaiah 57:1-2 and Psalm 116:15 to show that death for the righteous is an act of mercy, not abandonment.

Scripture References

Lamentations 3:22-23

Context: The central text: God's mercies prevent consumption; His compassions are new every morning.

Genesis 32:10

Context: Jacob's confession of unworthiness of the least of God's mercies.

Lamentations 3:1-20

Context: Jeremiah's description of his intense affliction and suffering.

Jeremiah 24:1-10

Context: The vision of good and bad figs, showing the captives were taken for their good.

Psalm 145:9

Context: The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.

Psalm 77:7-14

Context: David's struggle with despair and his correction by remembering God's past works.

Daniel 9:9

Context: To the Lord belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled.

2 Corinthians 1:3

Context: God is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

Psalm 25:6

Context: David prays for God to remember His tender mercies and lovingkindness.

Psalm 40:11

Context: David asks God not to withhold His tender mercies.

Psalm 119:58, 76-77, 156

Context: David entreats God's favor and tender mercies according to His word.

Psalm 103:8

Context: The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

Psalm 116:5

Context: Gracious is the Lord and righteous; our God is merciful.

1 Chronicles 17:11-14

Context: God promises not to take mercy from David's seed as He did from Saul.

Isaiah 27:11

Context: God will not have mercy on a people of no understanding.

Jeremiah 13:13-14

Context: God declares He will not pity, spare, or have mercy but destroy.

Hosea 2:4

Context: God will not have mercy on the children of whoredoms.

Jeremiah 16:1-13

Context: God removes peace, lovingkindness, and mercies from His people due to their sin.

Psalm 92:2

Context: To show forth lovingkindness every morning and faithfulness every night.

Psalm 103:1-14

Context: A list of benefits to praise God for, including forgiveness, healing, and tender mercies.

Historical References

Destruction of Jerusalem (586/587 BC)

Context: The Book of Lamentations was written upon the destruction of Jerusalem, which Jeremiah witnessed.

Nebuchadnezzar's first deportation (605 BC)

Context: Nebuchadnezzar captured King Jeconiah, princes, and skilled workers and took them to Babylon.

King Saul

Context: God took His mercy away from Saul, who then turned to the witch of Endor.

Thomas Merton (quote)

Context: Weaver quotes Merton on God's mercy preventing humanity from destroying itself despite centuries of sin.

Matthew Poole (commentary)

Context: Poole's comment on Lamentations 3:22-23 regarding mercy as love flowing freely to persons in misery.

Matthew Henry (commentary)

Context: Henry's comment on the plural 'mercies' denoting abundance and God as an inexhaustible fountain of mercy.

Important Quotes

Most folks have a peace of mind that comes from their own forgetfulness.

Significance: Highlights the human tendency to overlook sin and thus fail to appreciate God's mercy.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.

Significance: The central Scripture of the message, repeated throughout as the foundation for hope and daily thanksgiving.

Unhappily, we only begin to acknowledge God's gracious mercies, His loving kindnesses and compassions, after that we have suffered greatly.

Significance: Key observation that suffering often awakens gratitude for God's mercy.

It is only the infinite mercy and love of God that has prevented us from tearing ourselves to pieces and destroying his entire creation long ago.

Significance: Thomas Merton quote used to argue that the existence of wars does not disprove God's mercy.

These streams follow us to the fountain. It is the Lord's mercies here. Mercies are in the plural number, denoting the abundance and variety of those mercies. God is an inexhaustible fountain of mercy, the Father of mercies.

Significance: Matthew Henry quote emphasizing the abundance and inexhaustibility of God's mercies.

I'm not worthy of the least of thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou showed thy servant.

Significance: Jacob's confession in Genesis 32:10, used as a model of humility before God's mercies.

Discussion Questions

Why do we tend to forget our sins and take God's daily blessings for granted?

Context: Weaver notes that most people have a peace of mind from forgetfulness and rarely thank God for basic provisions.

How can suffering be an expression of God's mercy rather than His judgment?

Context: Using Jeremiah 24, Weaver shows that the Babylonian captivity was for the good of those taken.

What does it mean that God can withdraw His mercy, and what are the implications for individuals and nations?

Context: Weaver cites multiple Scriptures where God removed mercy, leading to destruction.

How can recalling God's past mercies give us hope in present trials?

Context: David in Psalm 77 corrected his despair by remembering God's works of old.

What practical habits can help us cultivate daily gratitude for God's mercies?

Context: Weaver shares his practice of quoting Lamentations 3:22-23 morning and night.

How does the death of a believer demonstrate God's mercy rather than its withdrawal?

Context: Isaiah 57:1-2 shows the righteous are taken away from evil to come and enter peace.

Applications

Daily Thanksgiving for Mercies

Summary: Begin each morning by quoting Lamentations 3:22-23 and thanking God for His tender mercies, compassions, and faithfulness.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'When I open my eyes every morning before I ever get out of bed, I lie there and I quote, "It is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed..."'

Evening Reflection on God's Faithfulness

Summary: End each day by quoting the same passage and thanking God for bringing you through the day.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'And when I lie down at night, you know what I do? I quote this passage.'

Praise God for Specific Blessings

Summary: Use Psalm 103 as a model to thank God for forgiveness, healing, redemption, and daily provisions.

Evidence: Weaver reads Psalm 103:1-14 and says, 'There are a multitude of things in this brief passage that we could praise him for.'

Avoid Hard Thoughts of God in Suffering

Summary: Whatever hard things we suffer, we must never have hard thoughts concerning God, because His mercies do not fail even in chastening.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Whatever hard things we suffer... we must never have hard thoughts concerning God.'

Urge the Unsaved to Seek Mercy

Summary: If someone is unsaved, the best thing he can do is run to the Lord Jesus Christ and beg for mercy while there is still hope.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'If someone is unsaved, the best thing he can do is run to the Lord Jesus Christ and beg for mercy.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:31:28Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T08:35:06Z

Clean Transcript

Why You Are Still Alive

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Lamentations chapter 3, and I want you to look at verses 22 and 23. Lamentations chapter 3. The title of the message is "Why You Are Still Alive." Why you are still alive. Look in Lamentations 3. Jeremiah wrote Lamentations right after the book of Jeremiah. Lamentations 3, verse 22: "It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness."
#1 | 0:03 to 0:55 | cleaned
I suppose that many have never really been bothered by their sins. I read a quote many years ago that I've never forgotten. It went like this: "Most folks have a peace of mind that comes from their own forgetfulness." That's usually pretty true, because we tend to forget and overlook our sins. And unless a sin is particularly huge or horrific, we tend to forget. We even tend to forget and overlook what you and I would call little sins. But have you ever really considered that one sin, and one sin alone, is enough to condemn us? There's enough sin in our prayers to damn us. There's enough sin in our good deeds to destroy us. And there's enough sin in our own righteousness to devastate us. Moreover, when most people live through their days, they never really think of death, destruction, or God's justice. We never really meditate on that which we really, truly deserve. And when we think of death, and when we think of God's justice, we're disturbed, and rightly so. We know that if we got that which we really and truly deserved, it would not be pleasant.
#2 | 0:56 to 2:20 | cleaned
So instead of dealing then with what we believe that we might really deserve, instead then we concentrate on our desires, our needs, our hopes, and our blessings. And the interesting thing is this: I have hardly ever found anyone that did not believe that they really and truly deserved to have all their needs met, all their wants met, all their desires met. And the interesting thing is, they don't even believe that they deserve to have everything that they wanted met. They believe they deserve to have it right now, because they were just simply not going to wait. Hardly anyone follows the example of Jacob. Hardly anyone confesses what he confesses now, or what he confessed, I should say, and hardly anyone believes what he believed in Genesis 32, verse 10, when he said to God, "I'm not worthy of the least of thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou showed thy servant." Note what he said: "I'm not worthy of the least of thy mercies." And certainly God had been merciful to him. And the truth is, we take life for granted.
#3 | 2:21 to 3:40 | cleaned
We take health for granted. We take family for granted. We take food and water for granted. And the truth is, we have been so blessed in so many areas that we really fail to thank God for His multitudinous mercies and blessings. Let me just point it out like this: When is the last time that you thanked God for a hot bath? When you stop and think, a lot of people in other countries bathe in rivers—dirty rivers, I might add. When's the last time you thanked God for a good bed? When is the last time that you thanked God for warm clothes, or cool clothes, or friends? When is the last time that you have really acknowledged before God that the only reason that you are now alive is because of His grace and His mercy?
#4 | 3:40 to 4:47 | cleaned
Now, I want to make a point early in this message, so I want you to pay close attention. I'm going to repeat this truth later, but I want you to hear it right now. Unhappily, we only begin to acknowledge God's gracious mercies, His loving kindnesses and compassions, after that we have suffered greatly. It's only usually after all of our sufferings that we really begin to grasp how merciful, how gracious, how compassionate, how loving and kind God has been unto us.
#5 | 4:49 to 5:28 | cleaned
Now, the Book of Lamentations was written upon the destruction of Jerusalem. There are five chapters. Actually, each chapter is a poem. So I could say there are five poems on the destruction of Jerusalem. And each of these poems views the destruction from a different perspective. You must remember that Jeremiah was the weeping prophet. Jeremiah was not only alive, Jeremiah witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem. And Jeremiah, of course, had a very difficult ministry, to say the least.
#6 | 5:30 to 6:10 | cleaned
He suffered greatly at the hands of wicked, ungodly men. He was mocked. He was ridiculed. He was imprisoned. He was threatened. He was resisted. He was rejected. And attempts were made upon his life. And here he was trying to minister to people who hated him, despised him, and would not listen and did not want to listen. Let me show you how Jeremiah describes his ministry and his life.
#7 | 6:12 to 6:46 | cleaned
If you look in Lamentations chapter 3, let's begin reading there with verse 1. Lamentations 3 and verse 1. He begins by saying, "I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath."
#8 | 6:47 to 7:01 | cleaned
Now, you have to remember that since Jeremiah was in Judah and Jerusalem, that he suffered along with the people. So he says, "I have seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He has led me and brought me into darkness, but not into light." In other words, there's no light at the end of the tunnel. "Surely against me he has turned. He turned his hand against me all the day."
#9 | 7:02 to 7:27 | cleaned
"My flesh and my skin hath he made old. He hath broken my bones. He hath built it against me and compassed me with gall and travail. He has set me in dark places as they that be dead of old. He has hedged me about and I cannot get out. He has made my chain heavy. Also, when I cry and shout, he shut it out by prayer." You have to remember in Jeremiah 7 and Jeremiah 11, God told Jeremiah not to pray for these people. When you get to Jeremiah 14, he wanted to pray so much for them. God said, "All right, I'm going to let you pray. But you pray that I'm going to destroy them, because that's what I'm going to do." So if he tried to pray for the people, God shut him out. Watch verse 9.
#10 | 7:29 to 8:23 | cleaned
"He has enclosed my ways with hewn stone. He had made my paths crooked. He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places. He hath turned aside my ways and pulled me in pieces like that barren lion. He hath made me desolate. He hath bent his bow and set me as a mark for the arrow. He had caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins."
#11 | 8:24 to 8:52 | cleaned
"I was a derision to all my people. And their song all the day." Now, when he says he was their song, they were mocking him. They were making fun of him. Just like in Psalm, I think it is 69, where he's talking about the Messiah, where he said, "I was a song of drunkards." In other words, they were ribald songs and mocking songs. And so he says in verse 15, "You fill me with bitterness and you've made me drunken with wormwood"—and wormwood is a very bitter herb. He says in verse 16.
#12 | 8:53 to 9:29 | cleaned
"He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones. He had covered me with ashes." I want you to stop and think about this. "He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones." Would you like to be hit in the mouth with a bag full of gravel? I want to tell you something: when you think about these pictures, they show the grief and the horror and the suffering of Jeremiah.
#13 | 9:29 to 9:59 | cleaned
Years ago, I was watching a self-defense video, and the man was talking about using bottles for self-defense. If the only thing you could get your hands on was a Coca-Cola bottle or liquor bottle or something like that, and he pointed out most people think that they will take that bottle and hit someone over the head with it and that'll take care of it. He said, "No." He said, "Most of these bottles will break very easily." And he said, "You probably would not even stun someone by hitting him over the head." And he said, "If you hurt him, it would usually be because of the glue on the sticker on the bottle that held a piece of glass that raked maybe as forward as you hit him."
#14 | 10:00 to 10:46 | cleaned
No, he says, "Don't ever do that." He said, "If you want to stop him, take the bottle and hit him in the teeth." And when he said that, I just kind of winced. Can you imagine being hit in the teeth with a Coca-Cola bottle at full force? And here, Jeremiah is saying, "He has broken my teeth with gravel stones." It's like taking a big stone and hitting Jeremiah in the mouth. Look at verse 17. He says, "Thou has removed my soul far from peace. I forgot prosperity."
#15 | 10:47 to 11:24 | cleaned
In other words, there was no light at the end of the tunnel for him. All he was doing was suffering. And he said, "My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord." Verse 19, "Remembering my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall." He says, "My soul had them still in remembrance and is humbled in me."
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Now watch, if you would, please, everything that Jeremiah has been going through. He says it has caused his soul to be humbled before God.
#17 | 11:49 to 12:01 | cleaned
Now notice verse 20 again. He said, "My soul had them still in remembrance," everything that he suffered, "and is humbled in me." Then he says this in verse 21, "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope." So there was something that gave him encouragement. There was something that gave him hope. What was it? It was that which he recalled to his mind, which is found in verses 22 and 23.
#18 | 12:01 to 12:27 | cleaned
"It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness." Now, while we're on this passage, look, if you would, at the word "mercies." The Hebrew word is the word chesed, and it literally is translated as mercies, kindnesses, loving kindness, goodness, and favor. And then he says, "It is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions." The word for compassion is racham. And it speaks of compassion, bowels, pity, and tender love. But note, if you would now, he said, "It is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed." The word "consumed" is a very interesting word. It is tamam in the Hebrew, and it means to consume. It means to end,
#19 | 12:28 to 13:23 | cleaned
to finish, to cease being, and to be destroyed. So literally, here's what he's saying: It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not absolutely, totally, completely wiped out, because his compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.
#20 | 13:24 to 13:43 | cleaned
Now, in the context, Jeremiah is not only giving hope to himself, but also for the remnant that remain. Please remember that no matter how desperate the situation, God will never leave himself without witness. God will always have a remnant. Matthew Poole made a comment on what was going on in Jeremiah's mind based upon these verses. Here's what he said: "Mercy is nothing else but love flowing freely from any to persons in misery and differs from compassion only in the freeness of the emanation. It is not because God had not power enough utterly to have consumed us. Nor because we had not guilt enough to have provoked his justice to put an end to our lives, as well as the lives of many thousands of our countrymen. But it is merely from the Lord's free love and pity to us in our miseries. If God had not a blessing in store for us, how is it that we are captives and not slain as many others were during the siege?"
#21 | 13:44 to 15:05 | cleaned
So listen to what he's saying. If God did not have a purpose, if God did not have tender mercies toward us, why were we not destroyed as others? Why were we not consumed as others? And so Jeremiah said, "This is my hope."
#22 | 15:06 to 15:25 | cleaned
Now, let me show you something. The truth of the matter is this: When things go very difficult against us, when we enter into what you and I would call hard things or we enter into suffering, we always tend to think that that is God's judgment upon us. Let me ask you a question. I want you to think: Can the hard times, can the suffering, be from God's mercies instead of God's judgments?
#23 | 15:26 to 16:08 | cleaned
And the answer is yes. Let me give you an illustration. I want you to turn back in your Bibles, hold Lamentations 3, but turn back to Jeremiah 24. Jeremiah 24. As you turn back to Jeremiah 24, may I remind you that Nebuchadnezzar had come against Jerusalem in 605 B.C., captured the king and the princes and a number of the important people, trades and skilled people, and took them into captivity into Babylon.
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And of course, many were left. And so King Zedekiah came then and he had his princes. And of course, you know, Jerusalem was totally destroyed then in 586, 587 BC, right in that area. So here, originally, there have been already a number of people that have been captured by Nebuchadnezzar and have been taken into Babylon into captivity. So I want you to watch this. Look in Jeremiah 24, verse 1.
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"The Lord showed me and behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the Lord. After that, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had carried away captive Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah with the carpenters and smiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon." So this is the first deportation. He says, "One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that were first ripe, and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten. They were so bad. Then said the Lord unto me, 'What sayest thou, Jeremiah?' And I said, 'Figs, the good figs, very good. And the evil, very evil that cannot be eaten. They are so evil.' Again, the word of the Lord came into me saying," I want you to watch this. "Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. And I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will
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bring them again to this land, and I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. And I will give them a heart to know me, and that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart. And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil, surely thus saith the Lord, so will I give Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt, and I will deliver them to
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be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse in all the places whither I shall drive them. And I will send the sword, the famine and the pestilence among them till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.'"
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Now, I want you to stop and think with me. Let's suppose that you were in Jerusalem in 605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar comes with his army. He captures you or your family and takes you into Babylon. And here are another group of people were standing there and they're saying, "Well, we just did miss that. I'm so thankful we didn't go into captivity. Man, that was close. God must be really having mercy upon us. We didn't go into captivity. Look at those people. They got carried into captivity." Did you hear what God said? God said those that I took and sent into Babylon initially,
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I did it for their good. I'm going to give them a heart to know me. They're going to come back into the land. And you folks that are left, I left you not for your good, but for your hurt. You will be destroyed. So the point I'm trying to make is probably those folks initially taken into captivity in Babylon thought, "Well, this is a judgment of God." No, it was the mercy of God. It was the compassion of God. It was the love of God, because God put them there for their good. Now, God does succor his people. God does protect and provide for his people.
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And he does so even in the worst hour. And when we think we're being destroyed, that is actually when his mercy shine more brightly in sparing our lives and giving us hope.
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Now, it is true that in a very general sense that God's mercy is over all of his works, because he causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the just and the unjust alike. And the Bible does teach us that he holds our souls and lives and our times are in his hands. And the Bible says in Psalm 145, verse 9, "The Lord is good to all. And his tender mercies are over all of his works." And I was thinking this past week, can you stop and think about all of the unsaved people, all of the wicked reprobates who hate God, who despise the Lord Jesus Christ, who would never ever read the Bible. And yet God feeds them. He clothes them. He gives them families. He gives them friends. He provides for them. He even protects them. And yet, everything that He gives them, they use it and rebel against Him. But His tender mercies are over all of His works. Now, it is true, it is very true that God does bless the just and unjust, but God does have a special sense and a special protection and a special blessing for his own.
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When our comforts fail, his compassions do not fail. They are new every morning.
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Now, let me tell you what one of the traps into which we fall causes us great consternation. We tend to look at circumstances. We tend to be controlled by our situations. And when we see situations that we deem as not good, we think that's bad. That's God's judgment. Well, let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 77. Psalm 77, because David at one point had problems dwelling on a circumstance or on a situation.
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And we cannot do that. We have to look beyond the situation, look beyond the circumstances. Notice if you would please. David said in verse 7 of Psalm 77, "Will the Lord cast off forever? Will he be favorable no more?" Now look at verse 8. "Is his mercy clean gone forever? Does this promise fail forevermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?" What is David saying? I can't see, I can't perceive, I can't grasp this situation. It looks to me like God has just forgotten to be gracious and in anger he shut up his tender mercies. It looks as if I'm going to be consumed. Ah, watch verse 10.
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Here's how he corrects himself. "And I said, 'This is my infirmity.'" Here's where I'm failing. Here's where I'm sinning. "But I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high. I'll recall that which God has done, what he is, how he's blessed me and helped me. I will remember the works of the Lord. Surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also on all thy work and talk of thy doings. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary. Who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God that doest wonders. Thou hast declared thy strength among thy people." Note if you would, David said, "Here's my infirmity. Here's where I'm wrong. I'm concentrating on the situation. I'm looking at circumstances. I ought to be thinking about God and how he's preserved me, how he's protected me, how he's provided for me. I ought to be thinking about all of his wonders, works that he's done for me, for my family, for our people in times past."
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May I remind you of something? Listen very carefully if you would, please. Here it is. The truth of the matter is, recalling the past gives hope for the present and faith for the future. Any time that you become discouraged, disheartened and disappointed, you need to stop and recall and remember all the blessings of God in your life and how God has been merciful unto you. Now, it is proper—and I should say not only proper, but it's also necessary—that we beseech God, that we ask God for his tender mercies for ourselves and for others. Even though we've sinned against God.
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Daniel, in Daniel chapter 9, verse 9, was praying and confessing his sins and the sins of his people. And he says, "To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we rebelled against him." In other words, our rebellion does not stop his mercy and does not stop his forgiveness. And the truth of the matter is that God is the source of all mercy and the source of all compassion and the source of all comfort. In fact, 2 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 3 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort." So God then is called the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.
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Now, what I want to do very quickly is this: I want to give you some scriptures and ask you to listen to David's prayer requests, where David is praying about God's tender mercies. That's why I'm saying it is proper to ask God to display his tender mercies in our lives. David prayed in Psalm 25, verse 6, "Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindness, for they have been ever of old." Now, when I read that verse, you have to remember that God is immutable, that God is unchangeable. And when David is saying, "Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindness, for they've been ever of old," in other words, God, you were merciful back then. You had kindness back then. Lord, you do not change. Please have that loving kindness and that mercy even right now. Psalm 40, verse 11, David prayed, "Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord. Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me." So David saying, "Please don't withhold these tender mercies from me." Psalm 119, verse 58, David said, "I entreated thy favor with my whole heart. Be merciful unto me
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according to thy word." And so now he's asking God to fulfill his word and give mercy. In Psalm 119, verses 76 and 77, David prayed, "Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to the word of thy servant. Let thy tender mercies come unto me that I may live. For thy law is my delight. Let thy tender mercies come unto me that I may live." In Psalm 119, verse 156, "Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord. Quicken thou me according to thy judgments." So God's mercies are indeed over all of his works, but they are especially given to his people. And we need his mercy not just daily, but hourly and really moment by moment.
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And the truth of the matter is this: God's tender mercies, his loving kindnesses and his compassions are clearly taught in scripture over and over. For instance, Psalm 103, verse 8 says this: "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy." In Psalm 116, verse 5, "Gracious is the Lord and righteous. Our God is merciful." Now, I have established a truth from scripture that God is a merciful God. I have established the fact that it is only because of his tender mercies and his compassions that you and I are alive right now.
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But let me ask you a question. In fact, I'll ask you several. Is it possible for God to withdraw his mercy from an individual? Is it possible for God to withdraw his mercy from a society, a people, a state, or a nation? Here's another question: If God did withdraw his mercy, his compassions and his loving kindnesses, what would it be like? Well, a short answer would be death and destruction. But let me go back and try to answer these one at a time. First of all, is it possible for God to withdraw his mercy from an individual? And the answer is yes. May I remind you that mercy is that which gives us that which we do not deserve. So God is not obligated to be merciful to anyone.
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The only thing God actually owes anybody is justice. And I can assure you, we don't want that. So we know for a fact God did withdraw his mercy from one individual, because he said he did. But there were others as well. So I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 17. 1 Chronicles chapter 17. God is entering into a covenant with David. And in this covenant with David, God makes a statement. And by the way, what I'm going to show you not only involves Solomon, David's physical son, but it has greater reference to the Lord Jesus Christ, his true spiritual son. Because you remember in the New Testament, our Lord himself said, "Behold, a greater than Solomon is here." And in Matthew 1, verse 1, Jesus Christ is designated as the son of David. But notice, if you would, everybody knows that King Saul preceded David. So if you look in 1 Chronicles chapter 17, and let's begin reading there with verse 13. Look what God says to David. In fact, let's go back to verse 11.
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Watch verse 11. "And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired, that thou must go to be with thy fathers," that is, David's going to die, "that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons, and I will establish his kingdom."
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Now, he didn't do that for Solomon, but this kingdom is referring, I think, to the greater Solomon. He said in verse 12, "He shall build me a house." And certainly Solomon did that. "And I will establish his throne forever." Now Solomon's throne is not established forever, but our Lord's is. He says in verse 13, "I will be his father and he shall be my son. And I will not take my mercy away from him as I took it from him that was before thee." That is King Saul. "But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom forever. And his throne," that would be the greater Solomon, "shall be established for evermore." Certainly, God said that he took his mercy away from Saul. That is why Saul turned to witchcraft, to the witch of Endor, because he said, "God won't answer me. God won't speak to me." And so he turned to the witch. Now, were there others from whom God withdrew his mercy? And the answer is yes.
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I want you to turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 27. Isaiah 27. And look, if you would please, there at verse 11. Isaiah 27 and verse 11. And of course, this is talking about the destruction of the people, but notice verse 11. He says, "When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off. The women come and set them on fire. For it is a people of no understanding." So the boughs are speaking about the people. "It is a people of no understanding.
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Therefore, he that made them will not have mercy on them. And he that formed them will show them no favor." So God says, "There's a people that I'm not going to have mercy upon." If you would turn to Jeremiah chapter 13, and look, if you would please, at verse 14. Jeremiah 13 and verse 14. Look what God says. In fact, you can read verse 13 just to see that he's still talking about Judah and Jerusalem. "Then shalt thou say unto them, 'Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne and the priests and the prophets and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with drunkenness. And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord. I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.'" So God at one time was merciful. Now he's being merciful no more. And let me just give you the last one.
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You remember Hosea married a woman who was unclean and unfaithful. And even then she ran off and was unfaithful and had children that were not his children. And God says this because her life pictured the life of Israel. And so God said in Hosea 2, verse 4, "And I will not have mercy upon her children, for they be children of whoredoms." God said, "I will not have mercy upon them." So, yes, God can not only withdraw his mercy from an individual, but from groups of individuals. But the question has to be asked: Will God withdraw his mercy from a society, from a people, from a nation? And again, the answer is yes.
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If you will turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 16. Jeremiah 16, and here's what I want you to do. I want you to pay close attention to what God is saying that he's going to do to these people. I'm going to show you a verse, and I'm going to repeat this verse at the end, but I want you to pay close attention to what is happening. And then I'm going to show you why it's happening. So Jeremiah chapter 16, verse 1: "The word of the Lord came also unto me saying, 'Thou shalt not take thee a wife.'"
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"Neither shall they have sons or daughters in this place." So, Jeremiah, you're not getting married. You're not having children. Why? "For thus saith the Lord concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place and concerning their mothers that bear them and concerning their fathers that begat them in this land, they shall die grievous deaths. They shall not be lamented. Neither shall they be buried.
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But they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth. They shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, and their carcasses shall be meat for the fowls of heaven and for the beasts of the earth. For thus saith the Lord, 'Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them,'" watch, "'For I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the Lord, even loving kindness and mercies.'"
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"Both the great and the small shall die in this land. They shall not be buried. Neither shall men lament for them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them. Neither shall men tear themselves for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead. Neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother. Thou shalt not go also into the house of feasting to sit with them to eat and to drink.
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For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes and in your days,'" remember, he's watching the destruction of Jerusalem, "'the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.' And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt show this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, 'Wherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us?'"
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"Or what is our iniquity? Or what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God? Then shalt thou say unto them, 'Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the Lord, and have walked after other gods and have served them and have worshiped them and have forsaken me and have not kept my law. And you have done worse than your fathers. For behold, you walk everyone after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me. Therefore I will cast you out of this land into a land that you know not, neither ye nor your fathers, and there shall you serve other gods day and night, where I will show you no favor.'" And remember the word "mercy" is translated as "favor" as well. Literally said, "And I will show you no mercy." Go back to verse 5: "For thus saith the Lord, 'Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them, for I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the Lord, even loving kindness and mercies.'"
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Do you remember me saying that oftentimes we have to suffer before we really, truly begin to recognize God's mercies, God's kindness, God's favor? God said, "I'm going to remove it. I'm going to take it away." And of course, once it is taken away, there's nothing but death and destruction. May I submit to you that there is a principle that you and I need to learn, and that is this: We need to learn to be more cognizant of his mercies and compassions. We need to be more grateful, more thankful, more appreciative. God has not totally forsaken us yet. We're still alive. We still have family and friends, we still have a society—may not be much of one, but at least it's still existing. We still have a state and a nation. And so we need to learn to praise him daily for his mercies to us.
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You know, there's a wonderful verse in Psalm 92, verse 2, that says this: "To show forth thy loving kindness every morning and thy faithfulness every night." God is merciful. Now, there are some people that are going to say, "Well, God can't be merciful because look at all the wars. Look at all the people that are being killed. Look at all the bad things." Well, those people need to hear the words of Thomas Merton.
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Listen to this simple little quote. Thomas Merton said this: "It is only the infinite mercy and love of God that has prevented us from tearing ourselves to pieces and destroying his entire creation long ago. People seem to think that is in some way a proof that no merciful God exists. If we have so many wars, on the contrary, consider how in spite of centuries of sin and greed, lust, cruelty, and hatred, and avarice, and oppression and injustice, spawned and bred by the wills of men, the human race can still recover each time and can still produce men and women who overcome evil with good, hatred with love, greed with charity, lust and cruelty with sanctity. How could all this be possible without the merciful love of God pouring out His grace upon us?"
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"There is not a seed that falls into the ground and not an ear of wheat that nods on the end of its stalk that does not preach the greatness and the mercy of God to the whole world. There is not an act of sacrifice done or a word of peace and gently spoken that does not sing hymns to God before his throne and the eyes of men." And the very fact that God allows us to rebound and rebuild is an act of his mercy. And just like he said, if God had not been merciful, we would have destroyed ourselves and his creation a long time ago.
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So we need to learn to praise him daily. Now, some people are going to say, "Well, what am I going to praise him for?" There are so many things, but let me give you a starter. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 103. I'm sure that once you read this passage that you can come up with a multitude of things that you could really, really praise God for and be thankful, and especially in light of his tender mercies and loving kindnesses. Note, if you would, Psalm 103, and let's begin reading there with verse 1.
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David says, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul." Watch, "and forget not all his benefits."
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Now he's just going to list a few of them. Here they are: "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities?" That's something to be thankful for, I can assure you. "Who healeth all thy diseases?" Everyone in this room has been sick and has gotten well innumerable times. "Who healeth all thy diseases? Who redeemeth thy life from destruction?" How many times have you nearly died and you didn't, or you were almost in a wreck and you didn't even know it? "Who redeemeth thy life from destruction?"
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"Who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies?" There's so many of them. "Who satisfies thy mouth with good things?" Look at that. You get to eat and enjoy your food "so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed." We can be thankful for that. "He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel."
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Now watch, "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger forever." Here's something we can really be thankful for: "He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him."
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"As far as the East is from the West, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we're but dust." Wow. There are a multitude of things in this brief passage that we could praise him for and giving us all of these mercies and all of these kindnesses. It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed. The only reason you and I are alive right now is because of his mercies.
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Let me make a couple of applications. The first one is this: God's mercies do not fail, even in his anger against us, even when he chastens us. Because his chastening, according to Hebrews 12, is for our good, that it may produce holiness. So God's mercies run fully and constantly, but they never, ever run dry. His mercies and his compassions are new toward us every morning. And whatever hard things we suffer, whatever it is—financial reverses, the death of loved ones, sickness—whatever hard things we suffer, we must never have hard thoughts concerning God.
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Because it's only his tender mercy and loving kindness that enable us to keep going. Matthew Henry said this: "These streams follow us to the fountain. It is the Lord's mercies here. Mercies are in the plural number, denoting the abundance and variety of those mercies. God is an inexhaustible fountain of mercy, the Father of mercies. Note, we all owe it to the sparing mercy of God that we're not consumed. Others have been consumed round about us, and we ourselves have been in the consuming, and yet we're not consumed. We're out of the grave. We're out of hell. Had we been dealt with according to our sins, we should have been consumed long ago. But we have been dealt with according to God's mercies, and we're bound to acknowledge it to his praise."
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Nehemiah kind of summed that up in Nehemiah 9, verse 31, when he says this: "Nevertheless, for thy great mercy's sake, thou didst not utterly consume them nor forsake them, for thou art a gracious and merciful God." For thy mercy's sake, God did not utterly destroy the people in the wilderness. No, he did not utterly destroy us. So as Christians then, we need to daily thank him for his tender mercies, his loving kindnesses.
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He holds our soul in life and our times are in his hands. Whenever we are awakened to life and health and happiness, we should begin praising him. Here's the next application: Anytime a sinner wakes up this side of hell, it's a good day for him. Sinners may refuse to acknowledge God's mercies and compassions and his loving kindness. Yet one day they will. It may be too late, but they will still acknowledge him.
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And if someone is unsaved, the best thing he can do is run to the Lord Jesus Christ and beg for mercy. For God does not owe mercy to anyone. And there comes a time when God withdraws that mercy. But while you are alive, there is hope. Because God in his mercy has spared you.
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Now, let me mention something else. By sharing this truth with you, I have not said, nor have I implied, and I want you to understand this, that the cessation of God's mercy brings death to a believer. No. Believers are never, never forsaken. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 57. Isaiah 57 and look if you would please at verses 1 and 2. It is true death comes to all. But death for the believer does not mean that God's mercies have ceased toward him. Look at Isaiah 57, verse 1: "The righteous perisheth, and no man lays it to heart, and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He that is the righteous and the merciful man shall enter into peace.
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They shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness." And of course, the Bible says in Psalm 116, verse 15, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." And you remember what David said in Psalm 23, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thou art with me." So just because we die as Christians does not mean that the reason we died, that God withdrew his mercy from us as believers. Okay? No. And oftentimes God in his mercy, according to Isaiah 57, verse 1, takes us in order that we would not see the judgment that was to come.
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Here's what I would like to leave with you today. I believe it'd be a good practice and it would be a good start for each of us. I've tried to make this a practice for I don't know how long. But when I open my eyes every morning before I ever get out of bed, I lie there and I quote, "It is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed.
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Because his compassions fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness." And I begin to thank him for his tender mercies, his compassions, and his faithfulness. I want you to think about this. His faithfulness is extremely important because if he was merciful and compassionate one day and not the next, we'd still be destroyed. It is only God's faithfulness that he enables us to awaken each morning.
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And when I lie down at night, you know what I do? I quote this passage. "It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed because his compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness." And I want to thank God for allowing me to live through the day. Every morning, I want to thank Him for allowing me to live through the night. I thank Him for allowing Alice to live.
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I always tell everybody, if the Lord took her, I'd have to marry 40 to take her place. But you understand, once we begin to thank God for those tender mercies, we begin to see them everywhere we look and every which way we turn. By his grace, through the Lord Jesus Christ, think about this, we will enjoy his mercies for eternity. So we can be thankful that all we're getting on this earth is a good taste of that which is to come, which will be the far better because his tender mercies never cease. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to you this day. We're so thankful, Father, for your tender mercies, for your compassions, for your loving kindnesses. Father, help us to love thee, to live for thee, to praise thee, to acknowledge thee. Lord, help us understand that the only reason we are alive right now is because of those tender mercies and those compassions and your faithfulness. We thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you for repentance and faith.
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We thank you for drawing us to thyself. We thank you, Heavenly Father, for food and rest. We thank you, Father, for everything that you've given unto us, and we acknowledge, Lord, we are what we are only by your grace and mercy. We have what we have only by your grace and mercy. And Lord, we praise thee and we acknowledge it is by the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed.
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Because thy compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. We thank thee. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, amen.
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so
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:31:28Z

Why You Are Still Alive

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver expounds Lamentations 3:22-23 to show that the only reason anyone is still alive is God's tender mercies and compassions, which are new every morning. He warns that God can withdraw mercy from individuals and nations, and urges believers to daily thank God for His faithfulness, especially in suffering, rather than taking His blessings for granted.

Opening

Scripture Reading — Lamentations 3:22-23

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness."

Introduction: The Unrecognized Danger of Sin

Most people forget their sins and assume they deserve blessings, never considering that one sin is enough to condemn them.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 32:10

"I'm not worthy of the least of thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou showed thy servant."

Note what he said:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 32:10

"I'm not worthy of the least of thy mercies."

And certainly God had been merciful to him. And the truth is, we take life for granted.

Taking God's Mercies for Granted

We fail to thank God for daily blessings like hot baths, good beds, and friends, and only acknowledge His mercy after great suffering.

Jeremiah's Suffering and Hope

Jeremiah describes his intense affliction, yet finds hope by recalling that God's mercies prevent total destruction.

If you look in Lamentations chapter 3, let's begin reading there with verse 1. Lamentations 3 and verse 1. He begins by saying,

Scripture Reading — Lamentations 3:1-20

"I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath."

Now, you have to remember that since Jeremiah was in Judah and Jerusalem, that he suffered along with the people. So he says,

Scripture Reading — Lamentations 3:1-20

"I have seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He has led me and brought me into darkness, but not into light."

In other words, there's no light at the end of the tunnel.

Scripture Reading — Lamentations 3:1-20

"Surely against me he has turned. He turned his hand against me all the day."

The Meaning of 'Mercies' and 'Compassions'

The Hebrew words chesed and racham denote lovingkindness and tender love; 'consumed' means to be completely wiped out.

Suffering Can Be God's Mercy, Not Judgment

Using Jeremiah 24, Weaver illustrates that the captives taken to Babylon were actually recipients of God's mercy for their good, while those left behind were reserved for destruction.

And he does so even in the worst hour. And when we think we're being destroyed, that is actually when his mercy shine more brightly in sparing our lives and giving us hope.

Looking Beyond Circumstances

David in Psalm 77 corrected his despair by remembering God's past works instead of focusing on his situation.

And we cannot do that. We have to look beyond the situation, look beyond the circumstances. Notice if you would please. David said in verse 7 of Psalm 77,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 77:7-14

"Will the Lord cast off forever? Will he be favorable no more?"

Now look at verse 8.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 77:7-14

"Is his mercy clean gone forever? Does this promise fail forevermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?"

God Can Withdraw Mercy

Scripture shows God removed mercy from Saul, Israel, and Judah; He is not obligated to be merciful and can withdraw it from individuals and nations.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 27:11

"When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off. The women come and set them on fire. For it is a people of no understanding."

So the boughs are speaking about the people.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 27:11

"It is a people of no understanding.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 13:13-14

"Then shalt thou say unto them, 'Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne and the priests and the prophets and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with drunkenness. And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord. I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.'"

So God at one time was merciful. Now he's being merciful no more. And let me just give you the last one.

Scripture Reading — Hosea 2:4

"And I will not have mercy upon her children, for they be children of whoredoms."

God said,

Scripture Reading — Hosea 2:4

"I will not have mercy upon them."

Applications: Daily Thanksgiving for Mercies

Believers should daily praise God for His mercies, quoting Lamentations 3:22-23 morning and night, recognizing that death for the righteous is not a withdrawal of mercy but entrance into peace.

Why You Are Still Alive

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	hom9nqzg9Gg
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Daniel
Genre	Sermon
Date	2020-01-23
Dictation Name
Book	Book 087: Daniel — Chapter 11
Source Timed Segments	78

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Unrecognized Danger of Sin: Most people forget their sins and assume they deserve blessings, never considering that one sin is enough to condemn them.
Taking God's Mercies for Granted: We fail to thank God for daily blessings like hot baths, good beds, and friends, and only acknowledge His mercy after great suffering.
Jeremiah's Suffering and Hope: Jeremiah describes his intense affliction, yet finds hope by recalling that God's mercies prevent total destruction.
The Meaning of 'Mercies' and 'Compassions': The Hebrew words chesed and racham denote lovingkindness and tender love; 'consumed' means to be completely wiped out.
Suffering Can Be God's Mercy, Not Judgment: Using Jeremiah 24, Weaver illustrates that the captives taken to Babylon were actually recipients of God's mercy for their good, while those left behind were reserved for destruction.
Looking Beyond Circumstances: David in Psalm 77 corrected his despair by remembering God's past works instead of focusing on his situation.
God Can Withdraw Mercy: Scripture shows God removed mercy from Saul, Israel, and Judah; He is not obligated to be merciful and can withdraw it from individuals and nations.
Applications: Daily Thanksgiving for Mercies: Believers should daily praise God for His mercies, quoting Lamentations 3:22-23 morning and night, recognizing that death for the righteous is not a withdrawal of mercy but entrance into peace.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

One sin is enough to condemn us

Even small, forgotten sins are sufficient for damnation, yet people rarely meditate on God's justice.

Weaver says, 'There's enough sin in our prayers to damn us. There's enough sin in our good deeds to destroy us.'

Suffering may be God's mercy, not judgment

The Babylonian captives were taken for their good, while those left behind were reserved for destruction, showing that hard circumstances can be merciful.

Weaver explains Jeremiah 24, where God calls the captives 'good figs' and says He sent them to Babylon 'for their good.'

Recalling past mercies gives hope

When discouraged, believers should remember God's past works rather than focus on present troubles.

Weaver cites Psalm 77:10-14, where David corrects his despair by remembering God's wonders of old.

God can and does withdraw mercy

Scripture records instances where God removed mercy from individuals and nations, proving He is not obligated to be merciful.

Weaver references 1 Chronicles 17:13 (Saul), Isaiah 27:11, Jeremiah 13:14, and Jeremiah 16:5 to show God taking away mercy.

Death for believers is not a withdrawal of mercy

The righteous are taken away from evil to come and enter into peace; their death is precious to the Lord.

Weaver cites Isaiah 57:1-2 and Psalm 116:15 to show that death for the righteous is an act of mercy, not abandonment.

Scripture References

Lamentations 3:22-23: The central text: God's mercies prevent consumption; His compassions are new every morning.
Genesis 32:10: Jacob's confession of unworthiness of the least of God's mercies.
Lamentations 3:1-20: Jeremiah's description of his intense affliction and suffering.
Jeremiah 24:1-10: The vision of good and bad figs, showing the captives were taken for their good.
Psalm 145:9: The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.
Psalm 77:7-14: David's struggle with despair and his correction by remembering God's past works.
Daniel 9:9: To the Lord belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled.
2 Corinthians 1:3: God is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.
Psalm 25:6: David prays for God to remember His tender mercies and lovingkindness.
Psalm 40:11: David asks God not to withhold His tender mercies.
Psalm 119:58, 76-77, 156: David entreats God's favor and tender mercies according to His word.
Psalm 103:8: The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
Psalm 116:5: Gracious is the Lord and righteous; our God is merciful.
1 Chronicles 17:11-14: God promises not to take mercy from David's seed as He did from Saul.
Isaiah 27:11: God will not have mercy on a people of no understanding.
Jeremiah 13:13-14: God declares He will not pity, spare, or have mercy but destroy.
Hosea 2:4: God will not have mercy on the children of whoredoms.
Jeremiah 16:1-13: God removes peace, lovingkindness, and mercies from His people due to their sin.
Psalm 92:2: To show forth lovingkindness every morning and faithfulness every night.
Psalm 103:1-14: A list of benefits to praise God for, including forgiveness, healing, and tender mercies.

Historical References

Destruction of Jerusalem (586/587 BC): The Book of Lamentations was written upon the destruction of Jerusalem, which Jeremiah witnessed.
Nebuchadnezzar's first deportation (605 BC): Nebuchadnezzar captured King Jeconiah, princes, and skilled workers and took them to Babylon.
King Saul: God took His mercy away from Saul, who then turned to the witch of Endor.
Thomas Merton (quote): Weaver quotes Merton on God's mercy preventing humanity from destroying itself despite centuries of sin.
Matthew Poole (commentary): Poole's comment on Lamentations 3:22-23 regarding mercy as love flowing freely to persons in misery.
Matthew Henry (commentary): Henry's comment on the plural 'mercies' denoting abundance and God as an inexhaustible fountain of mercy.

Important Quotes

Most folks have a peace of mind that comes from their own forgetfulness.

Highlights the human tendency to overlook sin and thus fail to appreciate God's mercy.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.

The central Scripture of the message, repeated throughout as the foundation for hope and daily thanksgiving.

Unhappily, we only begin to acknowledge God's gracious mercies, His loving kindnesses and compassions, after that we have suffered greatly.

Key observation that suffering often awakens gratitude for God's mercy.

It is only the infinite mercy and love of God that has prevented us from tearing ourselves to pieces and destroying his entire creation long ago.

Thomas Merton quote used to argue that the existence of wars does not disprove God's mercy.

These streams follow us to the fountain. It is the Lord's mercies here. Mercies are in the plural number, denoting the abundance and variety of those mercies. God is an inexhaustible fountain of mercy, the Father of mercies.

Matthew Henry quote emphasizing the abundance and inexhaustibility of God's mercies.

I'm not worthy of the least of thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou showed thy servant.

Jacob's confession in Genesis 32:10, used as a model of humility before God's mercies.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why do we tend to forget our sins and take God's daily blessings for granted?

[Context]

Weaver notes that most people have a peace of mind from forgetfulness and rarely thank God for basic provisions.

[Question]

How can suffering be an expression of God's mercy rather than His judgment?

[Context]

Using Jeremiah 24, Weaver shows that the Babylonian captivity was for the good of those taken.

[Question]

What does it mean that God can withdraw His mercy, and what are the implications for individuals and nations?

[Context]

Weaver cites multiple Scriptures where God removed mercy, leading to destruction.

[Question]

How can recalling God's past mercies give us hope in present trials?

[Context]

David in Psalm 77 corrected his despair by remembering God's works of old.

[Question]

What practical habits can help us cultivate daily gratitude for God's mercies?

[Context]

Weaver shares his practice of quoting Lamentations 3:22-23 morning and night.

[Question]

How does the death of a believer demonstrate God's mercy rather than its withdrawal?

[Context]

Isaiah 57:1-2 shows the righteous are taken away from evil to come and enter peace.

Applications

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