Psalm 85:10 teaches, “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. ”
Here are some definitions from G. Campbell Morgan:
- Mercy — the tenderness which bends over in love.
- Truth — integrity and uprightness, that which is stable and builds
- Righteousness — a straight line without deviation.
- Peace — absolute safety.
Because of man’s sin, a reconciliation becomes necessary. The nature of God’s reconciliation is “unto Himself.” Colossians 1:20
Reconciliation has this meaning: “an exchange; change in relationship; the bringing into fellowship things that have opposed.”
“The reconciliation of things on earth is that of their restoration to the government of God, and the consequent restoration of a perfect order throughout the world, of man, and of all that is beneath him in the scale of being;
- “Healing of the wound.
- Closing of the breach.
- The gathering together into one of all things that have been scattered.”
The reconciliation of things in heaven presumes the finite nature of angels. Angels watch sin, and see Christ’ suffering for it. They do not have complete knowledge of it but are inquiring about it. They seek to understand. “They have an expectation that there would be some explanation of the mystery, (which they recognized as),
a rupture in the nature of God resulting from the presence of sin in the universe.”
Well, what does it all mean?
Morgan answers, “Reconciliation, in order to completeness, must be such that in the Being of God, there shall be possible the continued activity of mercy and truth, of righteousness and peace, so that violence is done to neither.” He is citing Psalm 85:10
all Quotes are form G. Campbell Morgan “The Bible and the Cross.”
So, in spite of sin in the earth, God must continue to hold “tenderness which bends over in love.” Also, “integrity and uprightness, which is stable and builds. ” He must continue in “a straight line without deviation, ” and also restore “absolute safety.”
Through Christ is the reconciliation,
“having made peace through the blood of His cross.” Colossians 1:20
The reconciliation is one of peace, the Greek word meaning “to join.” The blood of the cross brought this joining, of man and His God, of the universe to it’s order. Of angels to understanding, of God Himself to His fallen creation.
So, form the verse in Psalm 85:10 using Morgan’s definitions,
God’s bending tenderness “concurs” with His integrity; a stability and a builder.
My take, “God’s mercy builds and stabilizes. It becomes foundational. ” Proverbs 20:28 teaches “Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.” Mercy precedes all authority.
Next, God’s absolute safety continues in a straight line without deviation.
Ecclesiastes 3:14 states, “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
If we set aside the theology for a moment, we have a beautiful picture of a God reconciling all things to Himself.
First God bent low — Rather than exacting blame as did Adam and Eve, He took the blame.
Second, He made this acceptance of blame central to all stability, the true foundation for life.
Third, He declared eternal-rightness to all of His actions — Then eternal rightness submited willfully to absolute security.
Fourth, His absolute safety submits to His righteousness.
SO, in closing, a lesson in Reconciliation.
- God must be my example here. We must be willing to be at fault as He took our fault. Every action done in our periphery in some way affects us but is also caused by us. Our negligence, lack of love, indifference perhaps encouraged the wrong we see. He accepted our fault without any of His own.
- Truth and integrity, (which now contain mercy), must operate or stability and building stops.
- Right action must support absolute safety at all cost. Bring healing, mend the breach.
- We must see our security in God’s right action. And take it to the world.
Love ya
