My friends, tonight I have two texts on which to preach. That does not mean the sermon will be twice as long as normal. But two texts which are complementary, each to the other. Both are in the Old Testament. Both are from the prophets. But one of these texts, from Isaiah, concerns judgment. And the other, from Micah, concerns mercy. If we turn to the first text, we shall find it in Isaiah 28 and verse 21. And I put this text under the heading, The God of Judgment. And there we read Isaiah 28, 21, for the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim. He shall be rough as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act. the God of Judgment. Now, to fill in a little of the background, bear with me. Dr. De Leitch, a very famous scholar, called chapters 28 to 35 of Isaiah, the book of woes, the book of woes. And it's not without cause, as these chapters contain a series of prophecies, all of which sound a note of doom. Altogether there are some six prophecies within these chapters, and all of them begin, woe, woe, or evil, evil. So chapter 28, woe to the crown of pride. Chapter 29, woe to Ariel, to Ariel the city where David dwelt. And then verse 15, woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord. And then in Isaiah 30 verse 1, woe to the rebellious children. And so we go on, time and time and time again. Indeed, a book of woes. When were these prophecies declared? They were delivered in the reign of Hezekiah, king of Judah. He reigned from the year 715 through to 686 BC. And this one, this chapter, was probably written and declared and then written towards the beginning of Hezekiah's reign. And you'll notice if you look at the whole chapter, chapter 28, that the first six verses are words which are delivered to the Northern Kingdom, the capital of which is Ephraim. And then from verse 7 through to 13 there is a word delivered to the southern kingdom, the capital of which is Jerusalem. The prophet says that judgment will come upon both kingdoms, fearful judgment. And in the midst of all of this he reminds them that their only recourse is to seek that one who is their Saviour God. Mentioned there in verse 16, a mention and prophecy of the Redeemer, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. He that believeth shall not make haste. That is, he won't panic. He won't be thrown into confusion. Nevertheless, The passage goes on to speak of the judgment which is to come until we reach a climax in verse 21. For the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, he shall be wrath as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act. To what is the reference here? what God did in Mount Perizim and what he did in the valley of Gibeon. You will find this described for you in the first book of Chronicles in chapter 4. From verse 11 on to 16, we won't refer to it now but If you do, when you return home tonight, you will find that it was a time when David wrought great destruction upon the Philistine peoples, first on Mount Perazim and then in the valley of Gibeon. And there the Philistines experienced a sudden, awful and complete overthrow. The reason why God alludes to that here is this. He's saying that if I judge Israel and Judah, it will be like I dealt with those Philistines. I'll break forth upon them and there will be woeful consequences. Well, this sounds terrible indeed. But we notice at the end of verse 21 something very significant. He will do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act. Now why will it be strange? Well, some commentators have come up with reasons which I don't accept but I give them to you. Some say it'll be a strange work and a strange act because previously the judgment was to the heathens, the Philistines, but this will be to his own professing people, Israel. That's what makes it strange. And others say no, it's not that, but the reference is to the severity of what is to be done. The allusion to the overthrow of the Philistines is one thing, but it will be far worse than that. It will be the overthrow of kingdoms, first Israel in the north and then Judah in the south. And that's what makes it unheard of, strange. There is a third view which I do accept, and it is this, that when the judgment falls, the heart of God will not be in it, because judgment is foreign to his nature. Judgment or punishment is not something which is natural to him, congenial to him, or pleasant to him. He finds no delight in it at all, and he would rather be blessing people than cursing them, rather giving life than bringing death. It may be that he has to proceed in judgment, but it will be his strange work, and it will be his strange act. If that is the true meaning of the passage, and I believe it is, then it links up with other passages which really teach the same thing, particularly in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 18, for example, and verse 23. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should return from his ways and live? And it's because God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, that if the situation is such that he must inflict death upon the wicked, it's something alien to him, to his nature, foreign to him, to his heart. It is strange work. It's his strange act. In verse 31 of the same chapter, Why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God. Wherefore, turn yourselves, and live ye. You see the meaning. God has a kind disposition. He may find judgment necessary, but he never finds it easy. It is almost that he must be compelled to execute it. constrained to proceed with that. It is his strange work, his strange act. I want to elaborate a little on that. How can we support that from other scriptures? Well, let me remind you of what the Bible does Judgment, I can say in the light of this, is somewhat contrary to his nature. Because he is a God of love, and because the psalmist speaks of his goodness and his tender mercies being over all his works, peoples and individuals are his works. And since a good God created them and brought them into existence and into being, and has since then nurtured them and preserved them, he finds it exceedingly difficult to bring them to perdition. His strange work, His strange act. Secondly, let me say that He doesn't easily leave people to judgment even though they've provoked him and perhaps provoked him sore, but he can't abandon them to their just desserts. And so you have a verse like this in Jeremiah 31.20, Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For since I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still. Therefore my bowels are troubled for him. I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord." And what a revelation is that of what is going on in God when a people sin and sin grievously and God says, I know I spoke against him but I earnestly remember him still, and my heart is troubled for him." God is troubled for the sinner because he doesn't want to destroy, he wants to save. Thirdly, we notice that even if it is ultimately necessary for God to judge a people or to judge a person, he never does it without issuing warnings beforehand. By the word of God, Psalm 1911, is thy servant warned. And there are warnings given in scripture. And ministers have declared those warnings. I think of John the Baptist in Luke chapter 3 warning the crowds that listened to him by Jordan's banks of the wrath to come and moved by God to issue those warnings. You think of it throughout history and it is invariably the case right at the beginning In Genesis 6 and following, we have the world has become so corrupt and wicked that God says the end of all flesh must come. But he sends Noah first, a preacher of righteousness, the Bible says. And he issued warning. And the number of days of warning according to Genesis 6 was 120 years before that deluge came and wrought death and destruction in all the earth. Why was such a warning prolonged and earnest given? Because judgment is his strange and his strange act. You think then of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18 and Genesis 19 and we think of how before that destruction God revealed what he was to do to Abraham and to Lot both of whom spoke to the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities of the plain, and warned them to flee. Why did God bother to do that? Because judgment is His strange work. It is His strange act. Fourthly, let me observe with you the patience of God 2 Peter 3.9 says this, God is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. When we see the wickedness even in our nation at this present time, we may say, it is a wonder that the heavens don't break apart. And it is a wonder that God does not come down and sort this nation out and punish it for its vileness and its wickedness. It is a wonder. And the wonder is the divine restraint of patience and longsuffering, because God is not willing that any should perish. but that all should come to repentance. Why does he hold? Because judgment is his strange work, his strange act. Fifthly, let me observe that God gives the means whereby his wrath may be avoided. Even in the days of which I spoke a minute or two ago, in the days of John the Baptist, who warned of the judgment to come, you remember how God said through that prophet, flee from the wrath to come, and pointed out the Lamb of God to the people through that prophet who takes away the sin of the world. In other words, he caused the gospel of mercy to be preached. And he still does that today, you see. And he raises up men, and he calls them, and he empowers them to do one thing, and that is to preach salvation through Jesus Christ. And you say to me, why does he do that? The world is deserving of judgment and it's moving headlong to perdition. Why does God do that? Why does he give the gospel? And why does he bless the gospel? Because judgment is his strange work. It's his strange act. Sixthly, let me observe with you that He entreats sinners with the most tender of entreaties. When Christ said, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, He meant it! And the invitations were large and extensive. Come unto me, all ye that labour under heavy laden, you that are trying to get right with God, and you that are labouring under a load of guilt. Come unto me and find rest. Lord, why bother? Because judgment is my strange work, my strange act. He pardons sinners. In the Old Testament, sinners like Manasseh, one of the cruelest kings that ever lived, he pardons him. In the New Testament, the thief upon the cross, he pardons him. And he shows when he receives wretched sinners, and there can't be worse, more unlovely or unlovable than Manasseh and the dying thief. And the fact that the Lord showed mercy to them at the eleventh hour shows that his heart is not in destroying them. His heart is in saving sinners. Judgment is His strange work, His strange act. And I want that to correct your view of God, because you may think of God in an unbiblical way, that He is a God of vengeance only, a God who wields the sword perpetually, a God who threatens judgment and brings judgment upon unbelievers. That is your whole view of God. It is false. It is true that God punishes sin, and it's true that God judges sinners. But he doesn't like to do it. And he'll try every way to prevent himself from doing it. And that's why he brings the gospel. And that's why he moves you under the preaching. And that's why he promises you forgiveness if only you'll come and trust in him and receive his Son as your Savior. Because judgment is his strange work, his strange act. And God isn't out to get you, my friends. He isn't determined to send you to hell. He doesn't want to give you grief forevermore. Judgment is my strange work, he says. My stranger. It doesn't come easily to me. I find no joy in it. It is alien to me. I do it because ultimately I have to do it. But it is strange to me, and ever shall be. Now the second verse is in the prophecy of Micah and it is chapter 7. The prophecy of Micah and chapter 7 and verse 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever, here it is, because he delighteth in mercy. Michael was preaching at more or less the same time as Isaiah. In the reign of Hezekiah, some of his prophecies were delivered. He was a very bold prophet. He had severe things to say. If you read the whole of his prophecy, the seven chapters of it, you'll find that there is a great deal concerning God's justice and God's righteousness and the punishment of sin. But at the end of his prophecy. He brings relief when he says, but he delighteth in mercy. He delighteth in mercy. He doesn't delight in judgement. It's his strange work, his strange act. But his nature is to mercy. His heart is for mercy. His whole movement is to mercy. That isn't strange to him. That's natural to him. And God is never happier than when He shows mercy. Is it true? Dear friend, is it true that God delights in mercy? It is true. I'll tell you why. Because He is called the God of mercy. In other words, he is naturally merciful. Scripture speaks of his heart. The biblical word is his bowels being bowels of mercy. That's woven into the texture of his being. And that's why he delights in it. Secondly, in the description of himself given to Moses in Exodus 34, and you remember Moses had said, Lord, show me thy glory. And we read that the Lord passed before him, Exodus 34, 6, and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious and long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth. Now, do you notice that when God describes Himself, the first quality which he says is true of himself, the dominant quality. Yea, the predominant quality is mercy, the Lord, the Lord God. Where shall I begin? Merciful. His mercy is not narrowly restricted. Exodus 20 in verse 6 says he shows mercy to thousands. Why is he so lavish with his mercy? Because he delighteth in mercy. Can I say it reverently that God is never happier than when he is showing mercy. Why do we have this jaundiced, warped view of God that he's all ire and wrath and thunder? He delighteth in mercy. Fourthly, let me remind you that this is true because he planned salvation and brought it to pass. Mercy was built up forever. And in His mercy and pity, He redeemed us. So the plan of redemption and the coming of the Redeemer shows that God isn't obsessed with judgment. Not at all! It's His strange work, His strange act, But he is obsessed with mercy. He delighteth in that. Oh, the love that drew salvation's plan. Oh, the grace that brought it down to man. Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary. mercy there was great and grace was free. Fifthly, he delighteth in mercy because he sends the gospel of salvation to the worst It was sent to Galilee, of which the Scriptures say, Galilee of the Gentiles, they that sit in darkness have seen a great light. The Gospel was brought to Zacchaeus an utterly dishonest man, a robber of widows and orphans. It was sent to Mary Magdalene, a woman possessed of evil and of evil spirits. Why? Why was the gospel sent to such vile sinners? Because God delighteth in mercy. And the gospel proclaims, my friends, fifthly, that though our sins be as scarlet, and though they be red like crimson, they shall be as white as snow, they shall be as white as wool. In short, even in the overtures of the gospel there is mercy coming out. When the gospel says to sinners, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth you from all sin, it is a call to sinners, no matter how much we've sinned, or how greatly we've failed, or how highly we've provoked him, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth for all sin. You can come to this fountain with all your filthiness and all your vileness, and plunge as it were in this fountain trust, in this redeeming blood and you will be pardoned. Why does God make such offers and overtures to men? Because he delighteth in mercy. Indeed my friend Sixley, his promises are to that effect. Listen to this from Isaiah 55 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thought, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." And you know the Hebrew word means, he will multiply pardons. Oh, you say, but Pastor, you don't know How many times I've sinned, how often I've sinned, what a load of sin and sins I carry tonight. True, I don't know, but be they as high as Everest, God will multiply pardons for every grain and every stone of that mountain. He will abundantly pardon. Lastly, let me say this to you. According to the Gospels, the Lord Jesus Christ was grieved when men turned down His call and rejected His invitation. That city which had heard His preaching, to whom the promises had been made, to whom He had repeatedly extended His kindnesses, He wept over that city at the end. Oh, Jerusalem! Jerusalem! If thou hast known the things that belong to thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes." Oh, it grieved him that they'd rejected mercy. and abandoned themselves to judgment. Wherefore did it grieve him? Because he didn't want to judge them. He wanted to show mercy to them. Why didn't he want to judge them? That was his strange work. Why did he want to have mercy upon them? Because he delighteth in mercy. One time Jesus sent out his disciples to preach the gospel, and they preached it with great success. Many were converted. The devil's power was broken, and they returned. And Luke 10 tells us, in that hour, Jesus rejoiced in spirit! I'll tell you this, my friends. He never rejoiced. A judgment brought upon anybody. But he rejoiced when mercy was found. In the well-loved fifteenth chapter of Luke, those three outstanding parables concerning lost things, Christ says, I tell you, I tell you, there is joy among the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. When a man or a woman is converted to Christ There is joy in heaven. He says among the angels, not just by the angels. Who else is there? God is there. He rejoices that a sinner is saved. Why? Because he never wanted to judge them. That was his strange word, his strange act. Why? Because he wanted to show mercy and forgive them. He delighteth in mercy. So why have I preached this tonight? I preached it for this reason, that there may be somebody here who's carrying a very guilty conscience. And the one thing that troubles you is this, I think I deserve judgment, not mercy. I agree with you. I agree with you. You deserve all the judgment God can bring to bear upon you. and you don't deserve any mercy. I agree with you. But God doesn't want to proceed with judgment. It's His strange work, His strange act. He wants to show mercy and forgive you because He delighteth in mercy. It's for this reason, that whatever your state tonight, whatever your fears, you are to believe what the Word of God declares. That God has no interest in judging you. But every interest in showing you mercy. Do not misunderstand him. Do not misrepresent him. Listen. He is more willing to forgive you then you are willing to be forgiven. And if you take nothing from this service tonight, take this judgment. Is my strange work my stranger? I delight in mercy. So, my friend, there is hope for you. There is a way back to God. There is reception. There is the promise of There is life everlasting because judgment is strange to him and his delight is in mercy. What a wonderful thing to preach upon. What a wonderful gospel. to tell to sinners, they can come, all of them, they can come. With all of their sense, they can come. He delighteth.