God's Mercy: From Rebellion to Worship
- Lee Young
- Jun 6
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 12
Psalms 85:10 (NIV)
10 Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
The context of our passage this week comes from the sons of Korah. We may remember Korah as the leader of a rebellion against Moses (Numbers 16). He, with a few others, led 250 men against Moses and Aaron, challenging the authority given to them by God over the entire nation. God’s anger burned, and the earth opened up to swallow the families of the most vocal followers of Korah. And fire came out from the Lord to consume the other 250 men. For the other most prominent men swallowed up by the Earth, even their children died. Yet, even though Korah led the rebellion, Korah’s sons did not die (Numbers 26:11). Korah’s sons became the musicians of the temple. Their family line moves from rebellion to worship.
Those who have seen the most incredible mercy become the most passionate worshipers.
As they write this song and declare the love and faithfulness of God along with His righteousness and peace, they come from a place of receiving great mercy. At that time, often the entire bloodline of a wicked man would be destroyed, but they were spared. This experience has formed their perspective of God. They see that His righteousness or truth, the way He does things, is born out of His love.
We do not always see God's actions through the lens of love. This is especially true when we do not understand why He has allowed this thing to happen or not allowed something else to happen. But everything He does comes out of a heart of love.
The sons of Korah know that, in that period, they too should have been wiped from the face of the Earth. The Bible says the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). This is the law of sin and death established by the Creator and Founder of time and everything within it. We can’t argue the law. God has the authority to set the law as He chooses. This is His world. But this means anyone who has ever sinned should be dead, physically and eternally. Yet, His love precedes His judgment. We are all living in the grace of God. Rather than anger with God over things we don’t understand, our hearts should be overjoyed in worship for the mercy we cannot deny.
Prayer: Lord, how gracious and merciful You have been to me. How many are the gifts You have bestowed on a life that only deserves death? May I never lose sight of your mercy and always sing your praise. Amen.
Comments