This is a series on the attributes of God.
The Loving Kindness of God in the Old Testament Part 1: Meaning and its nature
Purpose: In this session we shall explore the attribute of the loving-kindness of God as taught in the Old Testament and also draw implication for the Christian life as a result of our study.
What is “loving kindness?”
- This is from a unique word in the Hebrew Old Testament: Hesed
- This is not an easy word to translate.
- The word in non-theological usage
- Nelson Glueck, the first person who wrote the foundational scholarly work on the word, notes “It becomes clear that hesed is received or shown only those among whom a definite relationship exists.”[1]
- Specifically we see this term used in the following relationships[2]:
- Relatives by blood or marriage
- Host and Guest
- Allies and their relatives
- Friends
- Rulers and subject
- Those who have gain merit
- We see even in the Old Testament this term having the idea of loyalty in non-theological usage in the following examples:
- We see this demonstrated also in Genesis 20:13 with Abraham appealing to Sarah to lie because of the basis of loving kindness. Note here this is a Husband and Wife relationship.
- We see this demonstrated in Genesis 47:29 with Jacob appealing to Joseph to bring back his body to be buried in the promise land on the basis of loving kindness. Note here that this is a Father and son relationship.
- Ruth 3:10 is an example of that strong sense of duty with “loving kindness” when Boaz mentioned the example of Ruth. Of course Ruth was faithful to her widowed mother in law after her own husband has passed away.
- Thus this term has a sense of loyalty and duty.[3]
- It “is very closely related to the concept of mercy, but is distinguished from it in that hesed is obligatory.” [4]
- The word in relations to God
- Summarizing definition:
- Many Bible teachers often like to translate this term as God’s covenantal love.
- It is God’s loyal love. That is, it is God’s faithful love.
What does the Bible in the Old Testament teaches about the loving kindness of God?
Does God have “loving kindness?”
Genesis 24:27 is the first instance this word occurs in association with God: “He said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the Lord has guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers.”
- In context these are the words of Abraham’s slave after finding Rebecca as a wife for Isaac.
- This here is a word of praise of God’s loving kindness.
A statement that God is “lovingly kind” can be found in Exodus 34:6: “Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;”
God’s loving kindness is associated with His love: “The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
While it is associated with God’s love, it also is something that can be still distinguished from his love as the verse shows.
God’s loving kindness involves God’s love but it goes deeper than mere love.
God’s loving kindness is covenantal in nature
- Deuteronomy 7:12 association with the covenant.
- Davidic Covenant is tied with loving kindness: 2 Samuel 7:14-15, Psalm 89:29, 89:49, 1 Kings 3:6 (in the last verse Solomon calls Lord’s hesed as great)
Hosea 2:19
- Hosea uses the marriage motif and imagery of God’s marriage to believers being betrothed to God to teach about God’s faithfulness and loving kindness.
- Remember marriage is itself a covenant.
- Remember also marriage is one of the non-theological occurance of loving kindness as well; now God uses this to teach us about the nature of His own loving kindness.
Duration: God’s loving kindness is forever
- Isaiah 54:10 specifically states that God’s lovingkindness will not be removed: “For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” Says the Lord who has compassion on you.”
- A formulaic confession of God’s loving kindness found throughout the Bible is that God has loving kindness: Jeremiah 33:11, Psalm 100:5, 106:1, 107:1, 118:1-4, Psalm 136:1-9.
- Note that in all the verses it mentions God’s goodness and God’s loving kindness.
- Note also all these verses mentions that God’s loving kindness is everlasting.
Appeal to God’s help is made on the basis of His loving kindness
- “Make Your face to shine upon Your servant; Save me in Your lovingkindness.” (Psalm 31:16)
- Verse 15b reveals a little more context of David’s request that “Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.” Thus David is being persecuted and in physical danger when he cried out to God.
- Here David wanted God to save Him by means of God’s “lovingkindness”
- “Rise up, be our help, And redeem us for the sake of Your lovingkindness.” (Psalm 44:26)
- This is a Psalm by the sons of Korah.
- Note here that the writer wants God’s help and appeal that they be redeemed “for the sake of Your lovingkindness.”
- “Help me, O Lord my God; Save me according to Your lovingkindness.” (Psalm 109:26)
- Here we see again that David recognizes that the basis we as God’s people can appeal to God’s help is because of God’s attribute of loving kindness.
God’s lovingkindness is basis for God’s compassion: “In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, But with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you,” Says the Lord your Redeemer.” (Isaiah 54:8)
- The context is about God’s love for Israel despite their sins in which God compares Himself to a husband loving a wife.
- Here we see the basis for God’s anger being turned away is because of God’s “everlasting lovingkindness.” God’s “everlasting lovingkindness” appears before God’s compassion!
God’s lovingkindness is basis for God sustaining us up when we fall: “If the Lord had not been my help, My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence. 18 If I should say, “My foot has slipped,” Your lovingkindness, O Lord, will hold me up.” (Psalm 94:17-18)
God’s lovingkindness is linked to salvation
- “Show us Your lovingkindness, O Lord, And grant us Your salvation.” (Psalm 85:7)
- This is a Psalm by the sons of Korah.
- Notice in this verse the Psalmist’s petition is for God to “grant us Your salvation.”
- This salvation does not seem to be just a physical deliverance in light of this Psalm’s discussion about sin, forgiveness and God’s anger in verses 2-3.
- “May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O LORD, Your salvation according to Your word;” (Psalm 119:41)
- God’s lovingkindness here is parallel with salvation.
- Salvation is according to God’s promises in His Word! Again the loyal love of God is shown here.
God’s lovingkindness is linked to forgiveness of sin (Psalm 130:7-8, Numbers 14:19)
- “O Israel, hope in the Lord; For with the Lord there is lovingkindness, And with Him is abundant redemption. 8 And He will redeem Israel From all his iniquities.” (Psalm 130:7-8, Numbers 14:19)
- The language of salvation is here: Redemption and mention of sin.
- Yet this is associated with God’s lovingkindness.
- “Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.” (Numbers 14:19)
- In the context the Hebrews are in the wilderness having left Egypt but now they decided to rebell in verses 1-10.
- This is the prayer of Moses for the people which is astounding since:
- The people wanted a new leader with a different vision of returning to Egypt (v.4)
- The people wanted to stone Moses and the leadership (v.10)
- Moses requests is that God pardon the people “according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness,” (19a)
- Moses prayer also acknowledges God’s lovingkindness in forgiveness from the past up to the present moment when he said “just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now” (19b)
- God’s lovingkindness is basis for God leading His people after they are redeemed: “In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.” (Exodus 15:13)
Implications
- We need to trust in God’s loving kindness (Psalm 13:5). Even if we are to be kings, if we trust in God’s loving kindness we shall not be shaken (Psalm 21:7).
- We need to worship and give thanks to God for His loving kindness (Psalm 138:2).
- We are to seek and be satisfied with God’s loving kindness every morning (Psalm 90:14).
- We should find comfort in God’s loving kindness (Psalm 119:124).
- We too need to cultivate God’s loving kindness in our lives.
- Hosea 4:1, 6:4, 6:6 are passages that shows God’s requirement for His people to be loyal in “loving kindness” to Him (57).
- It is listed as among the qualities God requires of His followers in Micah 6:8 and Zechariah 7:9.
- Characteristics of a Godly woman as well according to Proverbs 31:26
- Psalm 141:5 shows that it also involves rebuking can be done in loving kindness
[1] Nelson Glueck, Hesed in the Bible (Cincinnati, OH: The Hebrew Union College Press, 1967), 37.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid, 40.
[4] Ibid, 69.
[5] Ibid, 102.
[6] Ibid, 102.
[…] covenantal love that is received or shown only to those among whom a definite relationship exists.https://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2021/11/03/gods-attribute-the-loving-kindness-of-god/More to follow!Thank you Pastor Jim!Worthy is the Lamb! […]
Amen! This is the real thing. “We need to trust in God’s loving kindness “
Thank you for explaining the depth and value of “loving-kindness” for me today! I have read the NASB for many years and been aware of its many uses of this phrase, but never looked at it deeply…until now. It excites me to think of it, to not just be in the love of God but in “His loving-kindness! ” Hallelujah!!
God bless you today brother Jim.
A big amen to this sentence from you Alan: “ It excites me to think of it, to not just be in the love of God but in “His loving-kindness! ” amen!!!! Hope you are able to be warm as the weather gets colder in Scotland!!!
The temp has stopped dropping this week thankfully.
Hello, I’m Fairy Queen and I write to you from Italy. I’m trying to read the Bible again in these days. I feel that so many things are happening and I feel this need to prayer. Serenity and peace to you 🌹💐🌷🌺🌼🌻🌸🙏
You’re in a good place here, Fairy Queen.
Thank you very much 🤗🤗🤩
Wow praying. Feel free to ask questions. I don’t know everything obviously and sometimes I need time to write out an answer (I’m a slow writer!) but I’m touched to hear this. Praying!!!!
I can tell you that I have had the Bible for many, many years. I grew up in a Catholic family. But my parents never read the Bible. I bought it myself years ago. I have read many sacred texts in my life but the Bible is the text that reminds me of my grandmother and every now and then I would take it and maybe I was looking for something. Sometimes I read the Psalms, in moments of discouragement. But I do not consider myself a Catholic, despite my parents having forced me to receive certain sacraments. Then I’m not a perfect person, I’ve made so many mistakes in my life and I don’t know why this God is sending me this call. I pray because I feel that this world is in great danger and I want to give my good energy to the world to save it from darkness.
Good description of “loving kindness” (hesed) as “loyal love” or “covenantal love” implying that a relationship exists which we should be thankful for. I did not realize this relationship aspect of hesed before. Thank you for pointing it out.
Glad to hear that you learned of the relational and covenantal nature of this attribute of God! Have a blessed day today brother!!!
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Jimmy,
What a blessing to read your tracing the rich meaning of “hesed” through the lines of Scripture examples! A multi-faceted word, and the contextual dimension in its use is so important as you point out. I’ve also seen “hesed” described as unmerited favor, as synonymous with “grace,” a NT word for hesed.
pax,
dora
Thanks Dora for reading this! It is indeed a multifaceted word and sounds like you have read up on this before? By the way I listened to the audio you shared last week, that was really insightful of how far we moved from thinking about Christianity and it’s impact on society for today and even how the church or believers view society. That was very insightful from Godfrey! Appreciated it! Do you regularly visit that site and listen to Pastor Gordon?
Just stumbled across it!
Thanks for this outline on God’s loving kindness! I’m so grateful for God’s loving kindness (!!!) and I know He desires that I follow His example and show loving kindness towards others.
Grateful this is an attribute of God! So grateful!!! I worship Him because He is this, and of course other attributes. How is the weather for you all today???
Pretty cool in ROC. High of 45 today. Counting on the cold to start dropping the leaves.
How are things in SoCal?
Hey, brother! Thank you for your work on this! As you mentioned, Psalm 136 is truly a wonderful expression of God’s covenant faithfulness 😜 I am thankful for God’s hesed more and more each day!
So grateful for God’s Hesed! Thanks for you sharing last night as I think that was a big needed clarity! I realized last night when I posted this I should have done a search of how frequent this word appears in the New Testament. Is there any works on Hesed you benefited from? I did read Glueck’s work but its older. Much of it was chasing down the word appearances in the OT. How goes your day???
Hesed is definitely a word that is OT use of OT! I look at hesed in the NT like the Trinity, not expressly stated, but the concept is there! I emailed you and Kique some thoughts on this as well.
FYI thank you for card, I just saw this, wow! You didn’t have to do that so thank you! Do you have any books you recommend?
Thank you, Jim! I don’t think I’ve seen a more thorough study of God’s Loving Kindness!
Aww thanks!! Appreciate you reading this!
As usual, your research is very thorough. God’s love is witnessed throughout the Bible, but there is much to harvest for further study from His loving-kindness.
He is divinely kind in ways we cannot yet comprehend. Thank you, Jesus!
I didn’t realize “lovingkindness” was limited to those within a relationship, but it makes sense. What a privilege to be in a love relationship with the Lord. ❤
A privilege it is indeed! Learning about loving kindness also show He’s not just loving from afar, with no desire for a relationship; He is Covenantal/personal! Doesn’t that make us love God more???
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