God’s mercy is great. Not only does it last forever, but
it is holy. This is true because love, the source of mercy
and compassion, is the basis of holiness. Every time we
remember how holy God is, we are to give thanks and
praise because “His mercy endureth forever.”

Psalm 30:4-5 says: “Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of
his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is
life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in
the morning.”

Understand that although God, in being holy, sets up
a standard against sin, it is not to prevent us from having
a good time. Mercy is the motivating factor. God wants
us to experience His joy by living and walking after His
example. In His mercy, He is trying to keep us from sin
which has the power to kill us. We are to rejoice in the
protective mercy He has for us and worship Him because
His holiness is an expression of His love. First Chronicles
16:25-33 instructs us to worship the Lord “in the beauty of
holiness.” It says:

For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised:
he also is to be feared above all gods. For all the
gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made
the heavens. Glory and honour are in his presence;
strength and gladness are in his place. Give unto
the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the
Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the
glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and
come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty
of holiness. Fear before him, all the earth: the world
also shall be stable, that it be not moved. Let the
heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let
men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth. Let
the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields
rejoice, and all that is therein. Then shall the trees
of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord,
because he cometh to judge the earth.

Gloria Copeland

Mercy is the reason we worship God. It motivates us to
walk holy before Him and gives us confidence that we can
come before Him without fear. We can rest in knowing that
the mercy of God is greater and stronger than anything
else. It has unlimited endurance. Psalm 136 declares this:

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his
mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the
God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give
thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth
for ever. To him who alone doeth great wonders:
for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that by
wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth
for ever. To him that stretched out the earth above
the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him
that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for
ever: the sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth
for ever: the moon and stars to rule by night: for his
mercy endureth for ever. To him that smote Egypt
in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
and brought out Israel from among them: for his
mercy endureth for ever: with a strong hand, and
with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for
ever. To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for
his mercy endureth for ever: and made Israel to pass
through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for
ever: but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red
sea: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him which
led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy
endureth for ever. To him which smote great kings:
for his mercy endureth for ever: and slew famous
kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: Sihon king
of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
and Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth
for ever: and gave their land for an heritage: for his
mercy endureth for ever: even an heritage unto
Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever:
who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy
endureth for ever: and hath redeemed us from our
enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever. Who
giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for
ever. O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his
mercy endureth for ever.

Looking at this you can see that each work of God is
covered by His mercy. And, among the things that the
mercy of God put into operation are wonders, wisdom and
His creative power.

Gloria Copeland

Jesus experienced the same compassion that causes a
mother or a father to overcome the fear of personal harm
for the sake of their child. A father will take on all the
forces of hell and wade into odds far greater than himself
when his family is threatened. His mercy and compassion
is far greater than any danger he sees with his eyes and
hears with his ears.

I will never forget one time when my daughter Kellie
came and sat down on my lap. She was only 3 years old. I
was looking at something else when she placed her two
index fingers, one on each of my cheeks, and turned my
face toward hers, which was right up in mine. As she pulled
me closer she said, “Mommy, I love you.” At that moment in
time, if I owned the moon, I would have given it to her!

God will respond to His children when they express
their love for Him, just as naturally as a parent will respond
to his child who says, “I love you.” The Word says that we
get the similarity of our parenthood from God. Our role
as parents is a model of the relationship we have with our
heavenly Father.

We are never going to get anywhere shaking our fists
in God’s face. But when we get before Him and say, “I love
You, You are the King of my life, and I will go anywhere
You tell me to go, and do anything You tell me to do,” God
will respond to us compassionately.

When we take our place as His children, He will always
take His place as our Father. God Almighty is the biggest
love pushover in the whole world. He is fully aware of our
every sin. He sent Jesus to the cross rather than condemn
us, and He hasn’t changed. He is still looking for
opportunities to show His mercy.

In 2 Chronicles 5, He directed the children of Israel to put
singers out in front of the army. They sang, “God is good.
His mercy endureth forever.” They were really
saying to the enemy, “God loves us anyhow
and you had better keep your hands off us!” In response,
God moved on the enemy army before the Israelites got to
them because they declared His mercy.

Notice also, that when the children of Israel began
to shout about God’s mercy, the place where they were
gathered filled up with the glory of God. The presence of
God was so powerful that the priests could not stand on
their feet to minister. Verses 13-14 say:

It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers
were as one, to make one sound to be heard
in praising and thanking the Lord; and when
they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and
cymbals and instruments of music, and praised
the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy
endureth for ever: that then the house was filled
with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; so that
the priests could not stand to minister by reason
of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the
house of God.

Gloria Copeland

Today, we are no longer restricted from the presence of
God’s glory. The New Covenant tells us very plainly that
the God who shined out of darkness has “shined in our
hearts, to give [us] the light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6-7).
God put His glory in us because His mercy endures forever.
His mercy was greater than all the sin in the whole world.

When Jesus, God’s Son said, “Let this cup pass from Me”
(Matthew 26:39), the Father could have done so. God could
have said, “I will not bring all the sin of fallen humanity on
the One righteous person who has walked the earth since
the Garden of Eden.” However, His mercy and enduring
compassion was greater than what was about to happen
to His Son.

Mercy overcame.

Jesus followed the example of His Father. He was
always moved and led by compassion. He never acted
on His own motives and ideas. Compassion and mercy
dictated to His mind even when His body was suffering.
It welled up within Him and produced joy—the joy that
caused Him to endure the cross, despising the shame
(Hebrews 12:2).

Gloria Copeland

Since the Garden of Eden, God has had to deal with man at
arm’s length because of the glory surrounding His being. It would
overwhelm man if God appeared to him in the full manifestation
of His power. He once revealed to Moses that no man could look
into His face and live and then only allowed him a glimpse of
Himself from behind. He said, “I will put you in the shadow and
cleft of a rock. I will hold My hand over your face as I allow My
goodness to pass before you.” (See Exodus 33:19-23.)

Mercifully, God protected Moses from the intense
power that radiated from His face, knowing that even the
shadow of His presence would be too much for him.

However, this distance between man and Himself
was not in God’s original plan. He had created Adam and
clothed him in His own light and glory. Adam did not
know he was naked.

Before Adam sinned, all he knew was the fire of God’s
glory around his body. However, after the Fall of Man,
Adam lost that fire and could no longer fellowship with
God in His presence as he had before. If he had, the glory
of God which consumes all, sin would have consumed him
as well.

God wanted to restore our relationship with Him so
He could walk and talk with us like
He did with Adam. His desire is to
have fellowship with us. He sent Jesus
to the earth to pay the price for man’s
sin. Through Jesus, the glory of God
came wrapped in human flesh so that
once again man and his Creator could
have contact.

Jesus was born of a virgin, without sin. The Holy Spirit
hovered over Mary and there was conceived in her a holy.
thing (Luke 1:35). Jesus was born not of a natural man, but
God Himself caused life to come into Mary’s womb. God’s
life flowed into His human body.

The glory of God did not consume Jesus as it would
a sinful man. Instead, it became a flowing stream of
healing that radiated from the person of Jesus. A vivid
illustration of this is the account of Jesus on the Mount of
Transfiguration, when His clothes and face literally shone
with the glory of God.

Gloria Copeland

Matthew 21:14
KJV—And the blind and the lame came to
him in the temple; and he healed them.

Amp—And the blind and the lame came
to Him in the porches and courts of the
temple, and He cured them.

Moffatt—Blind and lame people came up to
him in the temple, and he healed them.

NEB—In the temple blind men and cripples
came to him, and he healed them.

Mark 1:40-42
KJV—And there came a leper to him, beseeching
him, and kneeling down to him,
and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst
make me clean. And Jesus, moved with
compassion, put forth his hand, and touched
him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
And, as soon as he had spoken, immediately
the leprosy departed from him, and
he was cleansed.

Amp—And a leper came to Him, begging
Him on his knees and saying to Him, If You
will, You are able to make me clean. And
being moved with pity and sympathy, Jesus
reached out His hand and touched him, and
said to him, I will; be made clean! And at
once the leprosy [completely] left him, and
he was made clean (by being healed).

Moffatt—A leper came to him, beseeching
him on bended knee, saying, “If you
only choose, you can cleanse me”; so he
stretched his hand out in pity and touched
him saying, “I do choose, be cleansed.” As he
spoke, the leprosy at once left the man, and
he was cleansed.

NEB—Once he was approached by a
leper, who knelt before him begging his
help. ‘If only you will,’ said the man, ‘you
can cleanse me.’ In warm indignation
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him,
and said, ‘Indeed I will; be clean again.’
The leprosy left him immediately, and he
was clean.

Gloria Copeland

Matthew 20:29-34
KJV—And as they departed from Jericho,
a great multitude followed him. And,
behold, two blind men sitting by the way
side, when they heard that Jesus passed
by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O
Lord, thou Son of David. And the multitude
rebuked them, because they should hold
their peace: but they cried the more, saying,
Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son
of David. And Jesus stood still, and called
them, and said, What will ye that I shall do
unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that
our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had
compassion on them, and touched their
eyes: and immediately their eyes received
sight, and they followed him.

Amp—And as they were going out of
Jericho, a great throng accompanied Him.
And behold, two blind men were sitting
by the roadside, and when they heard
that Jesus was passing by, they cried out,
Lord, have pity and mercy on us, [You] Son
of David! The crowds reproved them and
told them to keep still; but they cried out
the more, Lord, have pity and mercy on us,
[You] Son of David! And Jesus stopped and
called them, and asked, What do you want
Me to do for you? They answered Him,
Lord, we want our eyes to be opened!
And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and
they received their sight and followed Him.

Moffatt—As they were leaving Jericho, a
crowd followed him, and when two blind
men who were sitting beside the road heard
Jesus was passing, they shouted, “O Lord,
Son of David, have pity on us!” The crowd
checked them and told them to be quiet,
but they shouted all the louder, “O Lord, Son
of David, have pity on us!” So Jesus stopped
and called them. He said, “What do you
want me to do for you?” “Lord,” they said,
“we want our eyes opened.” Then Jesus in
pity touched their eyes, and they regained
their sight at once and followed him.

NEB—As they were leaving Jericho he was
followed by a great crowd of people. At
the roadside sat two blind men. When they
heard it said that Jesus was passing they
shouted, ‘Have pity on us, Son of David.’
The people told them sharply to be quiet.
But they shouted all the more, ‘Sir, have
pity on us, have pity on us; Son of David.’
Jesus stopped and called the men. ‘What
do you want me to do for you?’ he asked.
‘Sir,’ they answered, ‘we want our sight.’ Jesus
was deeply moved, and touched their eyes.
At once their sight came back, and they
followed him.

Gloria Copeland

1 Corinthians 11:23-26
KJV—For I have received of the Lord
that which also I delivered unto you,
That the Lord Jesus the same night in which
he was betrayed took bread: And when
he had given thanks, he brake it, and said,
Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken
for you: this do in remembrance of me.

After the same manner also he took the
cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup
is the new testament (or covenant) in my
blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in
remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat
this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show
the Lord’s death till he come.

Amp—For I received from the Lord Himself
that which I passed on to you—it was given
to me personally; that the Lord Jesus on the
night when He was treacherously delivered
up and while His betrayal was in progress
took bread, And when He had given thanks,
He broke [it], and said, Take, eat. This is My
body which is broken for you. Do this to call
Me [affectionately] to remembrance.

Similarly when supper was ended, he
took the cup also, saying, This cup is the
new covenant [ratified and established] in
My blood. Do this, as often as you drink [it],
to call Me [affectionately] to remembrance.
For every time you eat this bread and drink
this cup, you are representing and signifying
and proclaiming the fact of the Lord’s death
until He comes [again].

Moffatt—I passed on to you what I received
from the Lord himself, namely, that on the
night he was betrayed the Lord Jesus took
a loaf, and after thanking God he broke it,
saying, ‘This means my body broken for
you; do this in memory of me.’

In the same way he took the cup after
supper, saying, ‘This cup means the new
covenant ratified by my blood; as often as
you drink it, do it in memory of me.’ For
as often as you eat this loaf and drink this
cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until
he comes.

NEB—For the tradition which I handed
on to you came to me from the Lord himself:
that the Lord Jesus, on the night of his
arrest, took bread and, after giving thanks
to God, broke it and said: ‘This is my body,
which is for you; do this as a memorial
of me.’

In the same way, he took the cup after
supper, and said: ‘This cup is the new covenant
sealed by my blood. Whenever you
drink it, do this as a memorial of me.’ For
every time you eat this bread and drink the
cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord,
until he comes.

Gloria Copeland

God gave a foreshadowing of our
New Covenant Communion through the
Old Covenant Passover. It delivered God’s healing
power to those first Israelites who partook of it.

Exodus 12:3, 5-7
KJV—Speak ye unto all the congregation of
Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month
they shall take to them every man a lamb,
according to the house of their fathers,
a lamb for an house:

Your lamb shall be without blemish, a
male of the first year: ye shall take it out
from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye
shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of
the same month: and the whole assembly
of the congregation of Israel shall kill it
in the evening. And they shall take of the
blood, and strike it on the two side posts
and on the upper door post of the houses,
wherein they shall eat it.

Amp—Tell all the congregation of Israel, On
the tenth day of this month they shall take
every man a lamb or kid, according to [the
size of] the family of which he is the father,
a lamb or kid for a house.

Your lamb or kid shall be without blemish,
a male of the first year; you shall take it from
the sheep or the goats. And you shall keep it
until the fourteenth day of the same month;
and the whole assembly of the congregation
of Israel shall [each] kill [his] lamb in the evening.
They shall take of the blood, and put it
on the two sideposts and on the lintel [above
the door space] of the houses in which they
shall eat [the passover lamb].

Moffatt—Tell all the community of Israel
that on the tenth day of this month they
are each to take a lamb or kid, one lamb for
every household.

The Lamb must be a male yearling, unblemished;
it may be a lamb or a kid, but you
must keep it till the fourteenth day of the
month, when every member of the community
of Israel shall kill it between sunset and
dark. Then they must take some of the blood
and smear it on the two door-posts and on
the lintel of the house where it is eaten.
NEB—Speak to the whole community of
Israel and say to them: On the tenth day of
this month let each man take a lamb or a
kid for his family, one for each household.

Your lamb or kid must be without blemish,
a yearling male. You may take equally
a sheep or a goat. You must have it in safe
keeping until the fourteenth day of this
month, and then all the assembled community
of Israel shall slaughter the victim
between dusk and dark. They must take
some of the blood and smear it on the two
door-posts and on the lintel of every house
in which they eat the lamb.

Gloria Copeland

Hebrews 7:24-25
KJV—But this (Jesus), because he continueth
ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Wherefore he is able also to save them to
the uttermost that come unto God by him,
seeing he ever liveth to make intercession
for them.

Amp—But He holds His priesthood unchangeably
because He lives on forever.
Therefore He is able also to save to the
uttermost—completely, perfectly, finally
and for all time and eternity—those who
come to God through Him, since He is
always living to make petition to God
and intercede with Him and intervene
for them.

Moffatt—He holds his priesthood without
any successor, since he continues for ever.
Hence for all time he is able to save those
who approach God through him, since he is
always living to intercede on their behalf.

NEB—But the priesthood which Jesus holds
is perpetual, because he remains for ever.
That is why he is also able to save absolutely
those who approach God through him;
he is always living to plead on their behalf.

Hebrews 8:6, 10-12
KJV—But now hath he obtained a more excellent
ministry, by how much also he is the
mediator of a better covenant, which was
established upon better promises.

For this is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those days, saith
the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind,
and write them in their hearts: and I will be to
them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
And they shall not teach every man his
neighbour, and every man his brother, saying,
Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from
the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful
to their unrighteousness, and their sins and
their iniquities will I remember no more.

Amp—But as it now is, He [Christ] has acquired
a [priestly] ministry which is as much
superior and more excellent [than the old]
as the covenant—the agreement—of which
He is the Mediator (the Arbiter, Agent) is
superior and more excellent; [because] it is
enacted and rests upon more important
(sublimer, higher and nobler) promises.

For this is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those days,
says the Lord: I will imprint My laws upon
their minds, even upon their innermost
thoughts and understanding, and engrave
them upon their hearts, and I will be their
God, and they shall be My people. And it
will nevermore be necessary for every one
to teach his neighbor and his fellow citizen
or every one his brother, saying, Know—
[that is,] perceive, have knowledge of and
get acquainted by experience with—the
Lord; for all will know Me, from the smallest
to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful
and gracious toward their sins and I will
remember their deeds of unrighteousness
no more.

Moffatt—As it is, however, the divine service
he has obtained is superior, owing to the
fact that he mediates a superior covenant,
enacted with superior promises.

This is the covenant I will make with the
house of Israel when that day comes, saith
the Lord; I will set my laws within their mind,
inscribing them upon their hearts; I will be a
God to them, and they shall be a People
to me; one citizen will no longer teach his
fellow, one man will no longer teach his
brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all are
to know me, low and high together. I will be
merciful to their iniquities, and remember
their sins no more.

NEB—But in fact the ministry which has
fallen to Jesus is as far superior to theirs
as are the covenant he mediates and the
promises upon which it is legally secured.

‘For the covenant I will make with the
house of Israel after those days, says the
Lord, is this: I will set my laws in their understanding
and write them on their hearts;
and I will be their God, and they shall be
my people. And they shall not teach one
another, saying to brother and fellow-citizen,
“Know the Lord!” For all of them, high and
low, shall know me; I will be merciful to their
wicked deeds, and I will remember their sins
no more.’

Gloria Copeland