REMEMBERING MERCY

How Do We Handle Bad News?

Remember the Lord is our only hope.

Psalm 44:1 “O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:”

Fear the Lord instead of people or circumstances.

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

Cry out for the Lord’s help and deliverance!

Psalm 50:15 “and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.””

Psalm 22:4–5 “In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.”

Philippians 4:6–7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Let God’s Word Strengthen Your Faith

God’s Word strengthens our faith, sanctifies us, equips us, and empowers us.

Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,”

Anchor your soul and hold on to the hope set before us.

See Hebrews 6:17-20...

Habakkuk 2:4 ““Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.”

Malachi 3:6 ““For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.”

John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.””

Remembering the Exodus (Verses 3-5)

Teman was an Edomite city. Mount Paran was located on the Sinai Peninsula. These places hearken back to the Lord’s saving of His people in the Exodus. His bright light and veiling His power points to Him leading the people with pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. The pestilence and plague remind us of the Lord fighting their battles against Pharaoh. (See Deuteronomy 33:1-2, Exodus 13:21)

Remembering the conquest of Canaan (Verses 6-7)

Verse 6 speaks of the Lord shaking the nations to remove them from Israel’s path and their dwelling place. (See Exodus 15:17, Deuteronomy 33:13-16) Verse 7 reminds us of when the people of Midian allied with Moab to destroy Israel with Balaam’s help. Under Moses’ direction, they were defeated in Numbers 31. In the time of the Judges, Cushan-rishathaim, King of Mesopotamia attacked Israel and the Lord delivered them through Othniel. Midian later oppressed Israel and the Lord delivered them through Gideon.

Remembering the Red Sea and the Jordan River (Verse 8)

Refers to Moses parting the Red Sea in Exodus 14 and Joshua parting the Jordan River in Joshua 3.

Remembering God’s protection and provision (Verse 9)

Verse 9 pictures the Lord as a warrior who was fighting for Israel. It also reminds us of when the Lord caused water to come from the rock for His thirsty people. (Psalm 7:12-13, Psalm 78:15-16).

Remembering Sinai and the destruction of Pharaoh’s army (Verse 10)

Refers to Mount Sinai shaking (Exodus 19) and the Lord using the Red Sea to destroy Pharaoh’s army.

Remembering the sun standing still and the hailstones raining down (Verse 11)

This refers to the Lord causing the sun and moon to stand still and to casting down great hailstones when Joshua fought at Gibeon in Joshua 10. A 5 city coalition had attacked Gibeon, which was an ally of Israel.

Trust in the Lord to fight your battles for you! (Verses 12-15)

Deuteronomy 20:4 “for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’”

Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Let God’s Faithfulness in the Past Give You Hope For the Present

See Psalm 46...

See Isaiah 40:28-31...

Psalm 42:11 “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”