What is this word??
Because hesed is such a specific and nuanced word, it is very difficult to define in English. In various Bible translations it is rendered ‘steadfast love’ (ESV), ‘loyal love,’ or ‘covenant love’ (NET), ‘unfailing love’ (NLT), and ‘loving-kindness’ (KJV). It ‘denotes kindness, love, loyalty, mercy’ (Mounce). 'Strength, steadfastness and love’ are three strains of its interacting meanings (Strong). Daniel Block describes it as ‘that quality that moves a person to act for the benefit of another without respect to the advantage it might bring to the one who expresses it.’ He goes on to say that hesed is described mainly through action rather than emotion.
Hesed is more
than kindness and more than love; it speaks of a committed relationship between
two parties – a covenant. One who shows hesed
is being faithful to his part of the covenant. But this word also implies going
above and beyond the legal terms of the covenant, into the realm of generosity,
choosing to show kindness and goodness even when the other party is
undeserving (i.e. grace). Because of this, Strong says that “’devotion’ may be the
closest English word to capturing the nuance of the original.’”
“Hesed
describes the specific relationship God has with his covenant people…The
defining characteristic of God in covenant relationships with his people is
that he shows them hesed.” (Mounce).
“The entire history of Yahweh’s covenant relationship with Israel can be
summarized in” (these terms). The association…with ‘covenant’ keeps it from
being misunderstood as mere providence or love for all creatures. It applies
primarily to God’s particular love for his chosen and covenanted people”
(Strong).
So we see that this one little word
encapsulates and describes God’s gracious choice to be devoted and faithful without fail
to his own chosen, beloved people, and to act on their behalf with loyalty,
kindness, goodness, mercy and grace. It is a special, relational love that
keeps on going, despite our sin, simply because of God’s own choice and
character.
The Church is the New Covenant People of God
God’s ultimate act of loving-kindness
toward Israel was his faithfulness to send Christ to them – his own Son (Acts
10:36; Galatians 4:4). God did just as he promised; he was faithful to his end
of the covenant. Yet Israel’s official response was to reject Christ. Jesus
said that his blood inaugurates the promised new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31; Luke
22:20; 1 Cor 11:25; Hebrews 8:8-13; 9:15; 12:24). Therefore, through faith in
Christ and his death/resurrection, those who believe are among the new covenant
people of God (John 1:11-13; Gal 3:26-29). It was always God’s plan to bless
the Gentiles and show them his covenant love, and this through Israel and their
Messiah (Gen 12:1-3; Psalm 117). We see God’s covenant kindness displayed in
the entire story of the Old Testament in his dealings with Israel. And we see
it demonstrated amazingly at the cross, where Jesus died for his special, new
covenant people, the church (Acts 20:28; Eph 5:25).
We Must Treat Our Brothers/Sisters with the Loving-Kindness We have Received from God
Because we have received hesed, we must show hesed:
“God requires such faithfulness and
kindness” (from us) “because he himself is kind and has shown kindness to his
people” (Mounce). [see Micah 6:8, Hosea 6:6] We show this faithful,
loving-kindness in “response to the covenant” we have with God and as an
outflow of “sanctification within” (Strong).
We reflect God’s loyal, devoted love
to us when we show faithful, sacrificial kindness to one another. This is
demonstrated in the story of Ruth (Ruth to Naomi in 1:8, 15-16; 3:10; Boaz to
Ruth in 2:20; Ruth to Boaz in 3:10) and in the friendship-covenant between
David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:8). It is a sacrificial, selfless giving of
loving mercy and kindness to another…that will not quit! This is best seen in
the New Testament in the fact that Christ gave himself for us in love, and now
we are to give ourselves in love to one another in the church (1 John 3:16). These
kindnesses can be expressed toward strangers, but the 'covenant relationship' aspect of hesed is best demonstrated between committed members of local
congregations toward one another. Members of local churches should learn to walk in love and kindness toward each other
without thought to self, and even feel a sense of loyalty and devotion
(commitment) to one another.
God’s Covenant Love-Kindness in Scripture
A quick word search will provide much blessing as you study hesed in Scripture. Here are a few to get you started:
Genesis 19:19 – Lot was shown hesed as the angels dragged him out of Sodom!
Gen39:21 – towards Joseph in prison
Exodus 15:13; 20:26; 34:6-7
Num 14:19 - in forgiving sin
Deut 7:9
Ruth 2:20
2 Sam 9:3 – David and Mephibosheth
22:51 – to David
1 Kings 8:23 – Solomon’s prayer at Temple
Ezra 3:11 – sang about it
Neh 13:22 – spare me according to it
Job 10:12
Hesed is celebrated in the Psalms:
Ps 5:7 – approach God b/c of it; 13:5
– trust in it; 25:10 – for those who obey; 26:3 – it is before my eyes; 31:7 –
rejoice in it; 33:5 – earth is full of it; 33:18 – hope in it; 40:10 – speak
about it; 42:8 – God commands it over me; 48:9 – thought of it in the temple;
51:1 – forgive me b/c of it; 52:8 – trust in it; 59:16-17 sing of it; 63:3 –
better than life; 66:20 – has not removed it; 89:1 sing of it; 90:14 satisfy us
with it; 92:2 declare it; 94:18 it held me up; 100:5 endures forever; 103:4
among the benefits (see v11); 106:1
give thanks for it; 119:76 comfort; 130:7 – hope, redemption; psalm 136!;
Prov 16:6 – in relation to atonement
Isaiah 16:5- Messiah’s throne
established in it; 54:7-8, 10 – won’t be removed; 63:7 – remember it;Jeremiah 9:24 – know God through it
Lamentations 3:22!
Hosea 4:1 – God confronts Israel for not having it (6:6)
Zech 7:9 – show it to each other
Jonah 4:2 – Jonah mad at God for showing it to Gentiles
Micah 7:18-20 – not anger but love
May we praise God for his unstoppable, unrelenting loyal-loving-kindness toward us, who enjoy these blessings because of the blood of Christ!
And may we show this loyal, covenant love to one another in our local congregations, for the glory of Christ in the church.
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