Compelling Love

John 1 declares that the Son of God was with the Father before anything was created,  as the living Word of God who later became flesh as Jesus Christ.  Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ, through whom the Father is declared.

John 1
The Eternal Word
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

The Word Becomes Flesh
¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
¹⁵ John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”
¹⁶ And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

The wonder of God’s grace and love is further revealed in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  Through believing in Him we can know God and have eternal life.  This is the fulfillment of many Biblical prophecies about God’s people receiving salvation and redemption by His grace and goodness, His lovingkindness.

The Hebrew word “chesed” (Strong’s #2617), translated “lovingkindness”, also  means “goodness”, “grace” and, “faithfulness”.  Dr. Frank T. Seekins in his book, “Hebrew Word Pictures”, states that the roots of this word picture a  “door of mercy and protection” (chas + dalet) or “refuge and foundation” (chasa + sada).   From this word comes the word, “cha-sid”, “saint” (Strong’s #2623) denoting “the people of God’s affection, grace, kindness, love and mercy who turn around and become people of mercy to others.”  This loving redemption is a work of God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

In Psalm 63, David extols God’s grace declaring, “Your lovingkindness is better than life”.  God’s presence is like water poured out on dry ground.

Psalm 63 (NKJV)
¹ O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
² So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.
³ Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
⁴ Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.

In Jeremiah 9, the prophet describes a judgment that was coming to Israel due to idolatry and lawlessness. The key to enduring such tumultuous times is to seek to know and understand the Lord as He exercises “lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth.”

Jeremiah 9
²³ Thus says the Lord:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
²⁴ But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the Lord.

Isaiah 63 describes God’s continual lovingkindness and mercy toward Israel even in times of affliction.  In spite of their stumbling, He continues to lead them, to make Himself a glorious name (verse 14).

Isaiah 63
God’s Mercy Remembered
⁷ I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord
And the praises of the Lord,
According to all that the Lord has bestowed on us,
And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies,
According to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses.

In Jeremiah 31, the Lord promises to be the God of all the families of Israel, drawing them with His lovingkindness, establishing a new covenant by putting His law in their minds, and writing it on their hearts (v. 33).

Jeremiah 31
31 “At the same time,” says the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”
² Thus says the Lord:
“The people who survived the sword
Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when I went to give him rest.”
³ The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

In Hosea 2, God promises to betroth the remnant of Israel who have returned to Him; they will be His people and He will be their God.

Hosea 2
¹⁹ “I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me
In righteousness and justice,
In lovingkindness and mercy;
²⁰ I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,
And you shall know the Lord.

By God’s grace, believing in Jesus Christ, we are His betrothed and have eternal life.  He declares in John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”  In Yeshua, Jesus, God’s lovingkindness is fulfilled.

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, https://compellinglove.net/