His Character

Its amazing to me the faithfulness, the Mercy in the character of God.

We all know of the 120 years Noah preached.

Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

The men of earth were wicked in God's eyes and He is going to destroy it yet He gives them a grace period of 120 years. That is almost 2 lifetimes today, and God gave them that time to turn around, now we know they did not, but the Character and mercy of God shine through.

The next great event of Mercy and Grace, God is going to destroy Sodom and He allows Abraham to barter and bargain that if there are 10 righteous men in Sodom, God will spare them. You say it was Abraham's kindness that got the bargaining to this point, I will politely disagree, for God had to allow Abraham to have an argument, a seat at the table if you will. God is all powerful, yet He allowed Abraham to get Him to agree to this bargain when Abraham had absolutely no bargaining chip to begin with.

God allowed Abraham to "influence" Him, Abraham had nothing God needed, yet God allowed it, meaning He was predisposed to the bargain before He got to where Abraham was.

Gen 18:31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.

Gen 18:32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

Gen 18:33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

What is the next great Mercy and Grace in the Character of God we are going to look at?

Peter denied Jesus three times. Most of us are done at that point, we could never forgive ourselves, for the very Christ He denied is then crucified, and buried.

Joh 18:25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.

Joh 18:26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?

Joh 18:27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.

What did Jesus do when He saw Peter again after the resurrection? In His kindness and Mercy He allows Peter to confirm his love for Jesus 3 times. Oh the symmetry.

Joh 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

Joh 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Joh 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

What is my point in all of this? The character of God is so evident and it is full of His Mercy, Love and Grace. We often talk of the God of Judgment and wrath, and He is that, but He always gives time for repentance, for a second chance.

He sent Jonah to Nineveh that they might repent.

He sent Nathan to David, to accuse yes, but to also to give him a chance to get right.

He is a God of Patience, Longsuffering, Mercy, Love and Grace. It is in His character.

We should always include profuse thanks for this every time we pray, for how many times has He allowed us to stray and not struck us down?

Thankfully His Character is Far better than ours.