Elul 3: 13 Attributes of Mercy

We are beginning the 3^rd week of the month of Elul. This week, we are focusing on the 13 Attributes of Mercy, a strong theme during this season of preparation for the LORD’s fall Holy Days. What is mercy (in Hebrew, rachamim/ רַחֲמִים). Generally, rachamim is translated: love tenderly, pity, sympathize with, have compassion on. However, it also includes showing kindness to the undeserving, and forgiving the guilty.

A common theme of Elul are the 13 Attributes of Mercy, based on Exodus 34:6-7 (when Moses ascended Mt Sinai with the 2 stone tablets after the golden calf incident):

“The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness [truth], keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation,” Ex 34:6-7, ESV.

Below are the attributes the LORD lists in the above Scripture:

1. The LORD – His personal, covenant-keeping name (YHWH)
2. The LORD – repetition of The LORD for emphases
3. A God – Almighty, the Creator
4. Merciful– compassionate
5. Gracious– shows grace and favor to the undeserving
6. Slow to anger – patiently awaits our repentance
7. Abounding in steadfast love – directed toward both the righteous and the unrighteous
8. Truth – means firm, stable, reliable, faithful. He is fair and just.
9. Steadfast love for thousands – His generational love is endless
10. Forgiving iniquity – forgives intentional sin
11. Transgression– a strong term for sin; open rebellion
12. Sin– unintentional sin; because of not paying enough attention, carelessness, error
13. Visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the 3rd and 4th generation – He does not allow the guilty to go unpunished

Assignment:

• Jot down the similarities between the attributes of mercy in Exodus 34:6-7 and those listed in the love chapter: 1Cor 13.
• This week, meditate on the ways He shows His mercy to us.

God has a message for us: we need to allow these attributes to become a part of our very lives.

Prayer:·

 “Father, again You show us Your unending love. Your mercy. Help us to be aware of Your constant signs of love, like little billboards along the highway of our lives. Help us to develop these same characteristics. Help us to extend them to those around us. Bless all of our intercessors. You have intervened amazingly during this season of  Elul and in helping us prepare for Your High Holy Days. We pray for emotional, physical, and financial healing for all our intercessors and those on our list. Heal inter-family and inter-personal relations. Turn the hearts of our children and all Americans back to You. Be with our soldiers. We continue to stand against all ills attempting to harass them and their families. Bless our volunteer prayer army. Be with the persecuted church and believers serving You on the field. Be with the Israeli believers. Bless them. Give them favor. Bring Your peace to J’lem. In Your hesed (loving kindness), we pray in Yeshua’s Name.”

IMMEDIATE Prayer Requests:  

1. Pray for Israel!
2. Protection of the persecuted church.
3. Pray for America.
4. Attack on our loved ones to be broken and stopped.
5. Donna: recovery from surgery
6. Tere: healing and wisdom in direction
7. Deb: victory and direction!!!
8. Mandie & others (Dawn’s family): drawing closer to the L-rd
9. Rachel (Pamela’s friend): liver transplant and healing
10. Connie: healing – total healing!
11. Jim: recovery knee replacement surgery, healing. That he will be pain-free.
12. Brother-in-Law (Norman George): healing
13. Cynthia: move to Dallas
14. Shar: overcoming and sense of purpose
15. Carla: continued healing.
16. Prayer for wisdom and favor as we encounter suffering people.
17. REVIVAL IN AMERICA!
18. REVIVAL in Arizona
19. FRIENDS: many of our friends are hurting physically and emotionally.
20. FAMILIES & MARRIAGES: strong, healthy and Christ-centered; spiritual, mental, and emotional healing. God will bring families together. Spirit of division will cease. Family relationships healed! Family members who are far off will return and serve God.
21. PRAYER FOR OUR SOLDIERS: spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally whole!
22. Protection of believers all over the world.

Read all He is doing through prayer!

1. Families are being reunited!
2. Norman got a new job!!!
3. Natan (Les’a and Don’s son): successful, very intense training!
4. Yonah (Les’a and Don’s daughter) & her hubbie were given tickets to Israel to minister for a week!
5. Grandson (Les’a and Don): spared and visited by an angel.
6. Connie is getting stronger everyday … and able to come to Service last week.
7. Norman’s brother-in-law has been moved to a regular hospital room!
8. Maggie (Les’a’s sister in law): She continues to become stronger and stronger. She’s got an amazing attitude, she uses her time in dialysis as an opportunity to bring hope to others. (She is doing amazingly well!! Thank you for your prayers!!! Everyday she is getting strong!!! // 6 wks ago: She has awakened! She has phenomenally improved!!! //She is in rehab. Restoration is happening: her voice is almost back to normal, she has use of her hands, and she can walk a bit with a cane!)
9. Deb got a job!!!