GOD'S COVENANT OF MERCY BEST EXPLAINS THE BRAIN CHANGES

I.    Why God Introduced Common Mercy 

When Adam and his spouse, Eve, sinned in Eden, everything in the cosmos changed except God, the Creator. The world suddenly became a dangerous place to live. We have seen above,

Scripture teaches that we are totally depraved—tainted with sin in every aspect of our being (Rom. 3:10–18). People who doubt this doctrine often ask, “How can people who are supposedly totally depraved enjoy beauty, have a sense of right and wrong, know the pangs of a wounded conscience, or produce great works of art and literature? Aren’t these accomplishments of humanity proof that the human race is essentially good? Don’t these things testify to the basic goodness of human nature?”

And the answer is no. Human nature is utterly corrupt. “There is none righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:10). “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick” (Jer. 17:9). Unregenerate men and women are “dead in … trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). All people are by nature “foolish … disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending [their lives] in malice” (Titus 3:3). This is true of all alike, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).”

This means, the underlying cause for God’s common mercy is discovered in the defiled hearts of men—in your heart and mine. If you’ve seen any of the newsreels about the start up to World War I, you understood once war was declared, there was a visible excitement on among the German, French, and British soldiers and populace. These combatants couldn’t want to acquit themselves on the battlefield. The national leadership viewed war as a way of settling old grudges and gaining once lost territories, like France’s Alsace Lorraine region. I felt that same patriotic enthusiasm in high school so many young men before me experienced. I wanted to fight in Vietnam. Many of you who read this know what I am describing. 

Before man fell from his estate of innocence, the noun “fight” didn’t appear in his Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary. But once Adam rebelled, the urge to display aggression became overpowering. Every generation of untried males needs to test its metal against the dangers and deprivations of armed conflict. Young men usually don’t have to wait that long before some national or international crusade presents itself. 

A.     The First War?

How long has man been at war with himself? The answer to that question for current researchers is discovered in how one defines war itself. Two UK professors, Martin Smith and John Stewart, have stated, “To an extent, this question has been resolved by several examples of mass killing, where whole communities were massacred and buried together at a number of European sites dating to the Neolithic period (about 12,000 to 6,000 years ago, when agriculture first emerged).” (emphasis theirs) The problem now becomes how to define war. Is war murder? Is it justice? “However, in such societies acts of warfare also commonly involve a single individual being ambushed and killed by a coordinated group.” How would an outsider view such proceedings? 

Smith and Stewart wonder whether Neanderthals who committed violent acts “were capable of conceptualizing ‘war’ in the way it is understood by modern human cultures,” believing it debatable. What Smith and Stewart believe “On the bigger question of whether modern humans were responsible for the extinction of Neanderthals, it’s worth noting that Neanderthals in many parts of Europe seem to have gone extinct before our species had arrived. This suggests modern humans can’t be completely to blame, whether through war or competition.

“However, what was present throughout the period was dramatic and persistent climate change that appears to have decreased the Neanderthals’ preferred woodland habitats.” (emphasis theirs) Their conclusion is stated in the subjunctive mood, “we can’t say this behaviour was responsible or even necessary for the disappearance of Neanderthals. They may have simply been the victims of the natural evolution of our planet.” Answering the question as to why men kill each other is hardly ever addressed, as in this article. God forbid that anyone from the field of science should suggest war begins in the heart because man is a sinner. How unscientific! 

Jonathan Strickland answers the question about the date of the first war, “(T)he earliest conflicts likely began 10,000 years ago in the late Paleolithic or early Neolithic periods, but we have no records from that time.”

The website wonderopolis.com asked this question, “How Long Have There Been Wars?” Their findings reveal, “At a site known as Cemetery 117, archeologists have uncovered a large group of bodies with arrowheads lodged in their bones, which leads experts to believe they were the victims of a large battle. The remains have been dated to the Mesolithic era, over 13,000 years ago.” Furthermore, Washington’sblo.com informs us that “America Has Been At War 93% of the Time – 222 Out of 239 Years – Since 1776.”

Few of these sources agreed statistically. Here are the numbers and dates so you can decide. According to Barnes, pacifism was taught from “the period of time right after the beginning of the church up to about the end of the second century.” Another source testifies to a battle that occurred between 4,000 to 3,500 B.C., in what is now north-eastern Syria. The Uruks attacked the city of Hamoukar and the city-state surrounding it in southern Mesopotamia. We have seen that India fought wars and suffered the effects of 5,000 years before Christ.

John Keegan, a distinguished British military historian, stated in War and Civilization, “War is an activity probably about 5,000 years old in man's life on earth.” Keegan missed the memo on Cemetery 117. According to one website, the first war ever recorded in history was in Sumer (modern Iraq) and Elam, currently part of southern Iraq and ancient Mesopotamia. This war occurred ca. 2700 B.C. However, well-intentioned military historians rely on their intellect and “recorded” history to arrive at some form of the truth about general combat.

Of the three writing systems, only the earliest, the Mesopotamian cuneiform script, was invented in Sumer, present-day Iraq, c. 3200 B.C. This script can be traced without any discontinuity for 10,000 years, from a prehistoric antecedent to its present-day alphabet. Scientists have divided the evolution of writing into four recording phases: (a) clay tokens represented units of goods used for accounting (8000–3500 BC); (b) the three-dimensional tokens were transformed into two-dimensional pictographic signs, and like the former tokens, the pictographic script served exclusively for accounting (3500–3000 BC); (c) phonetic signs, introduced to transcribe the name of individuals, marked the turning point when writing started emulating spoken language, and, as a result, became applicable to all fields of human experience (3000–1500 BC); (d) with two dozen letters, each standing for a single sound of the voice, the alphabet perfected the rendition of speech. After ideography, logography, and syllabaries, the alphabet represents a further segmentation of meaning.

Written battlefield records may have existed since the invention of language. In some form or another, this would place writing to the time of man’s creation. According to the Canadian Army Journal, a former president of the Norwegian Academy of Sciences, aided by historians from England, Egypt, Germany, and India, came up with some fascinating figures and early discoveries written about war.

The Norwegian Academy discovered that since 3600 B.C., the world had known only 292 years of peace. For over 5,600 years, armed conflict, it is believed, has occurred somewhere in the world. Of the approximate 14,500 recorded wars, large and small, a staggering 3,640,000,000 people have died as a result. The economic value of the destruction of those wars would pay for a solid gold belt around the world 25,000 miles around, almost 100 miles wide, and about 33 feet thick.

Individuals, states, or political factions have gained sovereignty over regions through war throughout history. The history of one of the earliest civilizations globally, Mesopotamia, chronicled nearly constant strife. Even after Sargon the Great of Akkad (2334-2279 B.C.) unified the region under the Akkadian Empire, that nation waged war by putting down rebellions or fending off invaders. The Early Dynastic Period of Egypt (3150-2686 B.C.) rose from war when the Pharaoh Manes (or Menes) of southern Egypt conquered the northern region of Egypt (though scholars dispute this claim). In China, the Zhou Dynasty gained ascendancy through battle in 1046 B.C. The conflict of the Warring States Period (476-221 B.C.) reached a resolution when the State of Qin defeated the other contending states in battle, unifying China under the rule of emperor Shi Huang-ti. 

This same violent pattern has held for other nations throughout time. Historians cite the success of Scipio Africanus (236-183 B.C.) in his defeat of Carthage (and so the ascendancy of Rome) or Philip II of Macedon (382-336 B.C.), who united the city-states of Greece. Opposing nations have historically settled political disputes on the battlefield. The Bible is historically accurate and makes explicit that man has been at war since Cain killed his brother, Abel. 

B.     God’s Response to a Fallen, Dangerous World

1.    Defining God’s Common Mercy/Grace1

Ligonier Ministries defines Common grace or mercy as “the biblical teaching about the universal and undeserved goodness of God toward sinners. By common grace, God restrains sin, evil, misery, and wrath in this fallen world, while conferring general, nonredemptive blessings on all mankind. As distinguished from special (saving) grace, common grace is a necessary aspect of the continuance of life in this fallen world. It restrains evil and confers goodness on mankind as a whole, reflecting God’s attributes of goodness, mercy, and justice. God confers common grace on mankind to encourage sinners to repent and trust in Christ. On judgment day, the common grace experienced by the unrepentant and their failure to thank God for it will factor into their punishment.” 

Mt. 5:45 for God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

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1 During my seminary years, the phrase “common grace” was accepted and most of us understood its meaning. It had nothing to do with saving men from the effects of their sin. My dissertation committee did not like the phrase, so I altered it to “common mercy” and that satisfied them. This is way I use it in this work. God reveals His mercy commonly to all men, but has chosen for His own good and just purposes not to save all. 

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2.     The Biblical Principle of Common Mercy

The God who is there is a God of mercy as well as righteousness and wrath. The prophet Ezekiel proclaimed of God twice, ‘I take no pleasure at all in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then should you die, house of Israel?’ (18:23; 33:11). Psalm 145:9 reminds us, “The Lord is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works.” James 5:11 underscores this divine truth, “We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”

God protected you on the battlefield as He did me. Even if we were wounded, we deserved much worse as rebels and law breakers. You can chalk your survival up to your skill or blind luck, but the Bible declares those responses had nothing to do with your survival, nothing. 

No matter what you do, even the next breath you take is a gift of divine mercy. Notice what the Apostle says, 16 “for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1). 

A paycheck, gained honestly or even dishonestly, is God’s sun shining on an individual, even though God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap (Gal. 6:7). Even the air we all breathe, is a gift of God’s mercy. He is giving us time to repent. Good health, family, and pleasure, you name it, and so much more are all due to His mercy. 

Now, let’s move this providential understanding into the arena into combat. Why does one soldier, Marine, Corpsman or medic, pilot or mechanic experience severe traumatic stress and the man next to him in a fighting hole carry on with his life with little traumatic effect? You survived the war because that pleased Him for you to do so. Why?

3.    Scriptural Examples of Common Mercy

a.    Cain (Gen. 4)

Adam's oldest son, Cain, refused to listen to his father's teaching about a promised coming Redeemer (Gen. 3:15). Abel, Cain's brother, exhorted Cain to submit to offering a blood sacrifice to atone for his sins. Instead, Cain introduced the first world religion, growing a garden and bringing the best of his produce to the Lord. Rather than heeding God's warning, Cain rose and killed Abel. Instead of judging Cain immediately, God put a mark on Adam's firstborn so that no one would kill him. Thus Cain became a vagrant, unable to till the ground he loved. God allowed Cain to marry, have children and grandchildren. Cain deserved justice, but God was merciful to him and became a lesson for Israel to heed. Without the shedding of blood, there would be no forgiveness (Heb. 9:22).

b.    Noah

We only learn about Noah centuries after the great Flood. Sometime between Israel leaving Egypt and arriving at the Plains of Moab (Num. 36:13; Josh. 1), God revealed to Moses the story of Noah and the ark he built to save him and his family from the floodwaters. After the waters receded and dry ground appeared, God maintained the Adamic covenant (Gen. 3:15) with the “second Adam,” Noah, telling him as He did Eden’s Adam.  In Genesis 9:1, God reminded Israel on their way to Canaan, His purposes in light of sin remained constant, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. . . 7 As for you, be fruitful and multiply; Populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it.” 

With Noah, God added,  8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, 9 “Now behold, I Myself am establishing My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you; 10 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you; of all that comes out of the ark, every animal of the earth. 11 I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be eliminated by the waters of a flood, nor shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.. . . 16 When the rainbow is in the cloud, then I will look at it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth” (Gen. 8:21-9:1, 7-11, 16; emphasis added). 

In effect, God established this common Covenant of mercy so that redemption would have a world stage, season after season, upon which to bring the Good News to all humanity. If you survived those firefights, this covenant had you in mind. If you are sitting at home after your tour/s, God has been faithful to His common Covenant to you personally, whether you know Him by faith or not. But, the reason you made it home and others didn’t is so that you would listen closely to God’s message of grace and believe it. Remember, God has written His law on each man’s heart, on yours as well, so that all men are moral beings. As moral and yet sinfully rebellious, all mankind is without excuse before God (See Romans. 1:18-23).

c.    Nimrod (Gen. 10) 

Nimrod was a mighty man and hunter before the Lord. Rather than performing deeds to glorify God, his Maker, Nimrod, promoted himself and looked after his welfare. T. D. Alexander understands verse 8 to mean, "He was a mighty hunter against the LORD." God did not punish the man immediately as he deserved but showed mercy on Nimrod by causing him to prosper. Whatever we do, we must do it for God's glory. And that applied in Nimrod's day as well.

d.    Babel (Gen. 11)

After Moses listed Noah's genealogy, he tells us all the nations that spoke one language headed east from Eden. They gathered at Shinar and dwelled there. But instead of obeying God by spreading His image throughout the world, all the people built a city, tower, and a name for their own glory. The tower would reach into the heavens. 

Instead of bringing justice to these disobedient people, God divided their language, dispersing them. The many languages spoken worldwide give verbal testimony to the Covenant curse. God should have destroyed them immediately, but He showed them mercy by forcing them to obey His Word to Adam, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue it and rule over it," and Noah (Gen. 1:28; 9:1, 7).

e.    Hagar (Genesis 16)

Abraham had an Egyptian slave girl, Hagar. Sarai was barren and unable to conceive. The ANE allowed servant girls to sleep with their master to raise children in his name. Barren Sarai, Abram's wife, suggested he have children through her handmaid (Gen. 16). Once Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, the woman mocked her mistress, Sarai. Sarai became jealous and sent Hagar and her son packing. Hagar ran out of water in the wilderness, so she put her son under a shade tree and waited to die with her son. But God showed great mercy on this pagan slave woman. God provided water and a lineage for Ishmael. 

f.    Judas Iscariot (Gospels)

Jesus chose twelve disciples, one of whom was Judas Iscariot. Judas carried the money bag and pilfered it. He complained that a harlot woman brought an expensive perfume to anoint Jesus's feet for burial. He suggested she might have sold the bottle and given the money to the poor instead. Judas also betrayed the Lord. Jesus knew Judas was a thief, yet He kept Judas among the twelve rather than bringing judgment on him for the years he followed Jesus. He deserved to die for betraying the Son of Man. 

g.    You, the reader

If you can honestly say that you are either indifferent or antagonistic toward the things of God, then every moment you breathe, every bite of food you take, every paycheck you cash, every embrace from your wife and children, you are a recipient of God's mercy. You live in the Christian world, the world that truly is, but you prefer to live and believe contrary to what God says, as I once did.

Isa. 45:7–9 I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things. “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the LORD have created it. Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’?

Do you refuse to thank God for any of His gifts such as breath, money, health, marriage, children, leisure, etc.? All these and so much more come from His good hand. At Thanksgiving, do you tell everyone how thankful you are but refuse to thank God openly from whom all blessings flow? There is a day of reckoning coming that will reveal your lack of giving God glory. On that day and at the name of Jesus, you will bow your knee and confess “Jesus is Lord” to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:10-11). And then God’s angels will cast you into Hell, an eternal fate too incomprehensibly horrible to describe. Please don’t foolishly refuse God’s offer of grace in the Gospel.

4.    Jesus’s Teaching on the Heart

Mt. 15:10-20 After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand! 11 It is not what enters the mouth that defiles the person, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles the person.”

12 Then the disciples came and *said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?” 13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 14 Leave them alone; they are blind guides of blind people. And if a person who is blind guides another who is blind, both will fall into a pit.”

15 Peter said to Him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 Jesus said, “Are you also still lacking in understanding? 17 Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and those things defile the person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and slanderous statements. 20 These are the things that defile the person; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the person.