Loyal Love The attributes of God

“I shall make mention of the lovingkindness of the Lord…” Isaiah 63:7a “I shall make mention of the lovingkindness of the Lord…” Isaiah 63:7a

חםד Hesed Lovingkindness

 Enduring loving loyalty to a covenantal relationship  Loyal love; Devoted love  “Unchanging Love” in a covenant/deal/relationship  Enduring loving loyalty to a covenantal relationship  Loyal love; Devoted love  “Unchanging Love” in a covenant/deal/relationship

Lovingkindness The glue that bonds a relationship together

Hesed Covenants in the Bible Abrahamic Mosaic Palestinian Davidic New Financial Friendship Marriage Covenants in the Bible Abrahamic Mosaic Palestinian Davidic New Financial Friendship Marriage

Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation…”

Case Study in Hesed Who’s Who in Samuel? Saul – king of Israel Jonathan – Saul’s oldest son & apparent heir to throne Mephibosheth – Jonathan’s son; crippled from age 5 David – anointed king; friend of Jonathan Who’s Who in Samuel? Saul – king of Israel Jonathan – Saul’s oldest son & apparent heir to throne Mephibosheth – Jonathan’s son; crippled from age 5 David – anointed king; friend of Jonathan

1 Sam. 20:14-15 And if I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the LORD, that I may not die? And you shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth. So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David…

2 Samuel 9:1-13 Then David said, “Is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” … Mephibosheth…here is your servant! And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan…you shall eat at my table regularly.”

2 Samuel 19:24-30  Mephibosheth, at great personal risk, remains loyal to David during Absalom’s rebellion.  Mephibosheth loyally accepts David’s (seemingly) unfair distribution of Mephibosheth’s land.  Mephibosheth, at great personal risk, remains loyal to David during Absalom’s rebellion.  Mephibosheth loyally accepts David’s (seemingly) unfair distribution of Mephibosheth’s land.

2 Samuel 21:1-9 Now there was a famine in the days of David for 3 years…And the LORD said, “It is for Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death”…

Joshua 9  Joshua – “kill all in the land”  Gibeonites act craftily  Gibeonites act like foreigners & asked for a peace covenant  Joshua did not seek the Lord  Joshua swears YHWH’s name (hesed) & makes a covenant w/them  Gibeonites become servants to the Jews even until Saul’s reign 400 years later  Joshua – “kill all in the land”  Gibeonites act craftily  Gibeonites act like foreigners & asked for a peace covenant  Joshua did not seek the Lord  Joshua swears YHWH’s name (hesed) & makes a covenant w/them  Gibeonites become servants to the Jews even until Saul’s reign 400 years later

2 Samuel 21:1-9 Now there was a famine in the days of David for 3 years…And the LORD said, “It is for Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death”… But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the oath of the LORD which was between them, between David and Jonathan.

Good & Bad Hesed

Hosea 6:4-5 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim … O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning cloud, and like the dew which goes away early. Therefore I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And the judgments on you are like the light that goes forth. Bad Hesed What shall I do with you, O Ephraim … O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning cloud, and like the dew which goes away early. Therefore I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And the judgments on you are like the light that goes forth. Bad Hesed

Lamentations Background:  Jeremiah writes of the 3 rd (final) attack of Jerusalem by Babylonia in 586 B.C.  He witnesses utter despair: starvation, death, cannibalism  His witness the destruction and overthrow of his nation Background:  Jeremiah writes of the 3 rd (final) attack of Jerusalem by Babylonia in 586 B.C.  He witnesses utter despair: starvation, death, cannibalism  His witness the destruction and overthrow of his nation

Lamentations 3:20-24 This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD's loving- kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, says my soul, Therefore I have hope in Him. Good Hesed Good Hesed This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD's loving- kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, says my soul, Therefore I have hope in Him. Good Hesed Good Hesed

Main Teaching Point of the Book of Lamentations “For the Lord will not reject forever, for if He causes grief, then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness. For He does not afflict willingly, or grieve the sons of men.” (3:31-33) The Heart of Lamentation’s Chiasm God’s Hesed = Source of Strength “For the Lord will not reject forever, for if He causes grief, then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness. For He does not afflict willingly, or grieve the sons of men.” (3:31-33) The Heart of Lamentation’s Chiasm God’s Hesed = Source of Strength

Does it really matter? It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-13 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-13

Hesed Implications  Theologically  Personally –Family –Friends –Work –Church  Theologically  Personally –Family –Friends –Work –Church Hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is lovingkindness, and with Him is abundant redemption. (Psalm 130:7)

Surely goodness & lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6