Compassion – Word for the Soul

‘“Should I hide my plan from Abraham?’ the LORD asked. ‘For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him.’” Genesis 18:17-18 NLT

So far in our study of Abraham we have seen several characteristics of faith, patience, obedience, loyalty, generosity, among others. This week several more come into focus as Abraham intercedes for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah on the eve of their destruction. Abraham was visited by the Lord and two angels as he was told Sarah would have a baby the following year. Sarah laughed to herself considering both her and her husband’s age, but the Lord said, ‘Is anything too hard for the LORD?’ The answer is no. God’s promise to Abraham is about to be fulfilled. He and Sarah will have a male child and will name him Issac.

Abraham continued to show the customary hospitality of accompanying his guests as they made way to leave. As they were on their way, the LORD asked, “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” (Gen.18:17 nlt) God valued Abraham through the promises given to him and here He reveals His plans for Sodom and Gomorrah. The nation promised to Abraham’s descendants will need an understanding of justice and mercy. The Lord is about to provide a demonstration of that for Abraham to pass down to future generations. “I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.” (Gen.18:19 nlt) Abraham is then moved to intercede on behalf of the people; today we call this intercessory prayer.

And so it begins, “… the LORD told Abraham, ‘I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant.’” (Gen.18:20 nlt) This outcry was a cry of righteous indignation. It is the same cry that went out when Cain murdered his brother Abel. “But the LORD said, ‘What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground!’” (Gen.4:10 nlt) These two cities have reached the point of no return. Their sins were grievous and they had not repented. Excessive displays of sexual depravity was rapid, particularly homosexually. Arrogance and abuse of the poor was commonplace and there was no hospitality to be found among them.

The Lord said, “I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.” (Gen.18:21 nlt) Of course the Lord did not need to go down and see for Himself, he knew. The thought here is this; God’s judgment comes only with true knowledge of the facts. God is showing us His character of accurate judgement. He will go down in judgment.

The two angels leave and head towards Sodom. Notice the Lord did not need to go down. Notice also Abraham is by His side. Abraham had a special place with the Lord. This passage is the basis for Abraham being known as ‘a friend of God.’ Additional characteristics of this man of faith are now revealed through Abraham’s intercessory petitions. These include his sympathy, sensitivity, concern for righteousness and his knowledge of God’s holy nature.

Abraham asked the Lord, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked?” (Gen.18:23 nlt) Abraham knew of God’s mercy towards the righteous. Abraham was asking in behalf of both the righteous and indirectly for the wicked. It was evident to Abraham that no one would survive this coming judgment. So, Abraham continued to speak, “Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” (Gen.18:24-25 nlt) Abraham knew that God was true to His character and would judge righteously. God would only do what was good. The Lord replied He would not destroy the city for their sake.

Abraham started with fifty and then the countdown began with the same question all the way down to ten. “And the LORD replied, ‘Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.’” (Gen.18:32 nlt) God’s mercy is evident. He would not destroy the city if there were at least ten righteous people there. Abraham perhaps stopped at ten knowing that his nephew Lot and his family would have numbered around ten.

Ancient Mesopotamian city with fortified walls, river, marketplace, and surrounding farmland.

The underlying message here is Abraham’s intercessory prayer. It reveals his heart and compassion towards people, praying for mercy for the just and the unjust. He was persistent in his petitions knowing that God would do what is right. The Lord revealed to Abraham what He was about to do to bring him to this point. The father soon to be of many nations, the man of faith is now a man of prayer.

Next week the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah………

“The Compassion of the Savior” The Gospel of Jesus Christ” the book of Mark

May 18, 2025May 15, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Mark 7:31-8:10 NLT – Jesus Heals a Deaf Man – Jesus left – Bible Gateway

“I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.” Mark 8:2 NIV

Photo BLB STUDY RESOURCES :: CHARTS AND OUTLINES

Jesus, the healer and miracle worker, continues His ministry departing Tyre in the Phoenician region, and heading back to the Sea of Galilee. Jesus and His disciples traveled 20 miles north passing through Sidon, then traveled southeast to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee to the area of the Decapolis. As always, when Jesus arrives, a crowd forms and the sick are quickly brought to Him.

“A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him.” (Mk.7:32 nlt) Jesus wanted some privacy with the man and led him away so they could be alone. Mark records Jesus put His fingers into the man’s ears. The reason for this is not given, but a good indication maybe He was letting the man know he would soon be able to hear. The next sequence seems strange to us for our times as Jesus spits and touches the man’s tongue and, “Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, ‘Ephphatha,’ which means, ‘Be opened!’” (Mk.7:34 nlt) The man was healed instantly. He could hear and speak plainly. Mark adds that Jesus sighed while performing this miracle, perhaps a display of His compassion for the man and what he has gone through. We would be careful to note that Jesus’ physical actions played no part in the healing, it was His miraculous power that opened the man’s ears and loosened his tongue.

Again, Jesus tries to maintain a low profile during this phase of His ministry, but it isn’t possible as the news of this healing begins to spread. The people once again responded in amazement of one who could heal a man who was deaf and mute. Isaiah, in his writings, prophesied about the coming Messiah and what He will do. “And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!” (Is.35:5-6 nlt) The people were witnessing the unveiling of Isaiah’s prophesies.

Soon another large crowd develops, grows, and begins to follow Jesus for three days seeking healing and desiring to hear His teaching. After three days whatever food everyone had was now depleted and they were far from home. Notice Jesus’ compassion for the people as he speaks with His disciples. “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a long distance.” (Mk.8:2-3 nlt) When Jesus looked upon the crowd at the feeding of the 5,000, we looked at a few weeks ago, He stress His compassion for them as sheep wandering around without a shepherd. This time Jesus is stressing His concern for this crowd’s basic need of food, nourishment to sustain them physically. This a lesson all Christians and the church need to heed. Yes, we need to preach the gospel to them, but it goes a lot better when the people are fed and are not hungry.

The disciples, sensing Jesus’ compassion, respond in a manner of concern but failed to remember His previous miracle of feeding the 5,000 plus women and children. They were slow to learn, but so are we at times. Jesus doesn’t criticize them for their lack of faith at this moment, but He will address it later with them. For now, He simply ask them what they were able to find, knowing what He could do with what they brought Him. The disciples had seven loaves of bread and Jesus went to work. Jesus had the people sit down. He then took the loaves, gave thanks to God, started breaking the bread into pieces giving them to the disciples who distributed it to the crowd. Jesus was given a few small fish, but a few small fish is plenty in the Master’s hands. The disciples gave these out with the bread and the Bible says, “They ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food.” (Mk.8:8 nlt)

Jesus met their physical need of nourishment for the way home, and most likely sent the leftovers with them. This crowd could have been close to 16,000 people when including the women and children. No one went home hungry that day. Jesus’ compassion for them is the same He has for us. It covers our whole being, body, soul, and spirit. He cares about our physical needs, our basic needs of food, clothing and shelter, and most of all our spiritual needs in providing the way of salvation through His shed blood on the cross at calvary. We have a compassionate savior. Have you met Him yet or are you still searching for Him? He’s not hard to find, just follow the crowd.

Devotionals

Compassion of Christ

March 26, 2024March 25, 2024 Loring Schultz

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35 NIV

The shortest verse in the Bible speaks volumes of the compassion of Jesus. At the gravesite of His beloved friend Lazarus, scripture records that “Jesus wept.” The Greek word that is used here indicates a quiet weeping, the shedding of tears, a solemn approach to the grief He felt. Grief is undeniable to those who lost loved ones and friends in death. Individuals grieve in different ways, cope with it in different ways, and each one is on their own timetable in the various stages of grieving. But there is one commonality with them all, Jesus grieves with each one of them.

Jesus’s compassion for the grieving is rooted in the realization that death occurs to each of us due to our sin nature. We are born with a sinful nature. David writes in Psalm 51:5, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” (niv) The separation and sorrow cause by death is the direct result of sin in our lives; for this Jesus wept. There is no escaping physical death in this world, but the good news is that we can escape the judgement of the spiritual second death. Hebrews 9:27 says, “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” (niv) Jesus’s compassion for each of us is such that He willingly laid down His life to redeem us from the eternal judgment of the second death, eternal separation from Him and the heavenly Father.

As Easter, Resurrection Sunday, is fast approaching, we are reminded of Jesus’s words to Martha, Lazarus’s sister, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (Jn. 11:25-26 niv) If we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, we will never face the second death, but will live eternally with Him.

What compassion Jesus has for us in our grief. What compassion He has for our eternal souls in sacrificing His life to save us who trust in Him for eternal life. Jesus absolutely rose from the grave that first Easter morning and is alive today to bring us continuing comfort and peace in our season of grieving.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (Jn.14:27 niv)

FYI, Jesus did raise Lazarus from the dead.

Read the story: John 11:17-44 NIV – Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus – Bible Gateway

A Christian Perspective

God’s Justice, Mercy, Compassion, and Social Justice

September 16, 2023September 15, 2023 Loring Schultz

“This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’” Zechariah 7:9-10 NIV

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 NIV

Are you an advocate for the administering of true justice with mercy and compassion? Where do you find the source for true justice, mercy, and compassion? There can only be one source, the Word of God. The prophet Micah confirms this by saying ‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.’ (Mic. 6:8a) Therefore by following the principles and guidelines found in Scripture we have a solid foundation to build upon in administering justice with mercy and compassion.

Every Christian is to be outspoken with the injustices committed in our society. Whether it is the neglect of the poor and homeless, or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, or religion, Christians should be out front not only with calls for justice, but with the actions to back it up. The New Testament book of 1 John tells us, “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (3:17, 18)

The key word in in I John 3:18 is ‘truth.’ Our advocacy must be based on truth. The truth of God’s Word. There is a problem today for many Christians and it has made its way into many Christian churches. God’s justice (Biblical justice) is being intermingled with the world’s term of ‘social justice.’ They are not one and the same. It is true caring for the poor, the homeless, and standing in the face of discrimination are some tenets of ‘social justice’, but not all the tenets of ‘social justice’ are tenets of ‘God’s justice.’

As Christians we are to be wise and discerning in what constitutes ‘social justice’ of our day. The cries of each injustice are to be examined in the light of Scripture to test and prove it is a Biblical principle that has been violated. It is to be understood that it also does not contradict any other of God’s principles in Scripture. If it passes the test then we are to be an advocate for the injustice by following Micah’s exhortation, “And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (6:8b)

Tag: Compassion

“Abraham’s Intercessory Prayer” – The Story of Abraham

“The Compassion of the Savior” The Gospel of Jesus Christ” the book of Mark

Compassion of Christ