As I Have Done,

So Shall It Be Done

 

 

How have we treated our fellow man?

If God were to requite us for all our past actions, would our verdict be - "Mercy rejoiceth against judgment" ? 

 

James 2:13 says - "For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment." 

 

The Apostle James, in the previous verse, exhorted the believers to be mindful of their words and actions for they certainly would be judged by the law of liberty - "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty"(James 2:12).

 

In Verse 13, he continues his discussion of judgment - only in a different vein. This particular judgment deals with the justice and injustice exemplified in the treatment of our fellow man.
 
In this particular verse, James introduces the "equitable principle" which is found throughout Scriptures. Basically, what this principle circumstantiates is the fact that whoever shows no mercy to his fellow man will receive no mercy at the hand of God.

 

The basis for this principle is found in Matthew 5:7 which says - "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." 

 

It is best illustrated by the following Scriptures -

 

Proverbs 21:13 - "Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard."
Psalm 18:25-26 - "With the merciful Thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man Thou wilt shew Thyself upright; With the pure Thou wilt shew Thyself pure; and with the froward Thou wilt shew Thyself froward."
Matthew 6:15 - "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will Your Father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 7:2 - "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."
       

So we see that our treatment of others - our kindness or good will toward the afflicted with a desire to help them - will rejoice, glory, boast, exult, or gain the victory over our own judgment someday.

 

On the other hand, if we choose to stop our ear at the cry of the poor -

...refuse help to the less fortunate

...turn our back to the cry of our brother for help

...harden our heart to his dilemma

...refuse forgiveness to those who plead for it by holding a grudge and choosing resentment, bitterness, and rejection as our recourse - 

we, too, will cry for help, and no one will hear us...will need help, and no one will help us...will plead for forgiveness and be met with bitterness, resentment, hardness of heart, and rejection.

 

"What goes around, comes around."

 

Galatians 6:7 says - "...Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

 

There are countless examples throughout the Scriptures which depict this reciprocity or "boomerang" effect of our actions.

 

Joseph's brothers lowered him into a pit, and then sold him for a slave. In time, the tables - so to speak -were turned. Read about their anguish as recorded in Genesis 42:21 - "And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us."
       

In Judges 1:6-7, we read about Adoni-bezek, a leader of the Canaanites. Notice the exact rendering for his very own actions. Also take note that God is the One who discharges his judgment - "But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. And Adoni-bezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: As I have done, so God hath requited me..."

 

In 1 Samuel 15:33, when the Prophet Samuel confronted Agag the king of the Amalekites, he said - "...As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal."

 

In the Book of Esther, it is recorded how Haman prepared a gallows to hang Mordecai on for he hated him because he - of all men - would not bow down before him and give him homage. Yet when God got through with Haman, he ended up on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai - "And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.  So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai..."(Esther 7:9-10).
       

Isaiah 3:11 - The Prophet Isaiah prophesied - "Woe unto the wicked! It shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him."
       

There were not many kingdoms that were more wicked and brutal than Babylon. The Prophet Jeremiah prophesied against this mighty kingdom -

Jeremiah 50:15 - "...as she hath done, do unto her."   

Jeremiah 51:3 - "Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow..."
Jeremiah 51:49 - "As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth."
       

On the positive side, the Book of Joshua records how Rahab showed kindness to the spies and expected kindness in return - "...since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house..."(Joshua 2:12).

 

In Psalm 41:1, King David mentions how God rewards the merciful - "Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble."

 

Proverbs 11:17 tells us - "The merciful man doeth good to his own soul..."

Proverbs 12:10 tells us - "...the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."

Therefore it stands to reason that a person who lacks tender mercies and is cruel to his fellow man is wicked.

 

James 2:13 -  The Apostle James said - "For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shown no mercy..." 

Obadiah 1:15 tells us - "...as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee..."

Job 21:31 inquires - "...and who shall repay him what he hath done?"

 

What did Adoni-bezek, the heathen king, say?

 

"As I have done, so God hath requited me..." 

 

The question we need to ask ourselves is - How have we treated our fellow man? If God were to requite us for all our past actions, would our verdict be - "Mercy rejoiceth against judgment"?  

 

Sometimes through ignorance, neglect, or merely total indifference and hardness of heart, we may mistreat others not realizing that "as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee."

 

Proverbs 26:27 tells us - "Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him."

 

Have we dug any pits lately for our brother or sister in Christ? If so, as one preacher used to say - "Be sure to dig two." Did we roll a stone - hoping to bring down our neighbor? Guess who actually is coming down? It won't be our neighbor!

 

In light of this lesson, what adjustments are in order at this time?

What changes must be made in our behavior?

Are we headed for a verdict of judgment or mercy?

It all depends on whether or not we showed mercy to others.

 

Matthew 5:7 - Remember - "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." 

 

It is a sure thing!

Romans 3:4 - "...Yea, let God be true, but every man be a liar..."