The Steadfast Love of God

Introduction

Good afternoon. Today we are going to spend some time and meditate on the steadfast love of God. This is different and more specific than the love of God in general. For example, John brought out the love of God very clearly in his letter of 1 John. But, the steadfast love of God is something more specific and in many ways more special.

We know that God’s love is exhibited towards all of creation.

John 3:16 ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

God’s steadfast love is directed specially to those who are His. That is, those who are children of God and those He has set aside for Himself.

When Moses asked for God to show him His glory, God granted this, in part. And he proclaimed His nature to Moses, his servant, which would be extended to his chosen people, the nation of Israel.

Exodus 33:18–19 “Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”

This happened after the Israelites disobeyed God and made for themselves an idol of a calf. After this, Moses has gone back up Mount Sinai to make new tablets of the Law.

Exodus 34:5–7 “The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.””

If we were to study God’s love, in general, we would also have observe what we observe here. God is indeed love and He indeed does show steadfast love to His people. But, that is not the whole picture of who God is. It would be both incomplete and wrong to not see that God is also just and exhibits wrath towards the sinner. It is this “negative” aspect of God’s character that helps us to fully appreciate the “positive” aspect that we are looking at today. We will see more of this later on.

Notice also there is no time limit or number limit to whom and how long God shows his steadfast love. Whereas, God’s wrath is shown to be limited to a few generations and with some bounded number of people. We can say then that God’s desire is to show his steadfast love to His people.

Jeremiah 9:23–24 “Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.””

Terminology

The Hebrew: Chesed (חֶ֫סֶד)

I have been using the phrase “steadfast love” to translate the one word that it is in the original Hebrew: chesed. Throughout history it has been hard to pin down a precise meaning of the word. Most translators look through the context of its use and have given a word or phrase to best capture its meaning.

Several English translations that try to capture the depth of its meaning are:

Loving-kindness

Loyal Love

Faithful love

In several verses in many translations, you will also see the following simpler words being used:

Goodness, Kindness, Mercy

Scripture not only speaks of God’s steadfast love, but there are some cases of man’s steadfast love as well. Although I am focusing on God’s steadfast love toward us, man’s steadfast love is an ideal that we attain to as we attain to conform ourselves to image of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Meanings

Besides the single words and phrases that are used to translate chesed to English, theologians have tried to give meanings to it as well. Again, these meanings are based upon the context of the Scriptures that it has been used. We can say that:

It contains the idea of devotion, loyalty, and covenant faithfulness.

It is loyalty that exhibits itself in actions rather than words or sentiment.

It is the Divine Love condescending to His creatures, more especially to sinners, in unmerited kindness.

There is a sense, then, that steadfast love is very relational and personal.

Usage in Scripture

Now, let’s look at more scripture that speaks of God’s steadfast love.

Numbers 14:18–19 “‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.””

Here, Moses is interceding for the people of Israel who have just rebelled by refusing to enter the Promised Land, the first time. Moses reminds God, of how He revealed Himself to him at Sinai.

Psalm 17:7 “Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.”

David is praying to God, seeking protection from Him against his enemies. Indeed, it is because God’s steadfast love that we can ask and receive protection from Him, according to His will.

Psalm 31:7–8 “I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.”

We see again, God’s steadfast love for His people to protect them.

Psalm 103 is a powerful psalm that shows God’s steadfast love given to us and how it works in our lives.

Psalm 103:1–5 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Psalm 103:8 “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”

Psalm 103:10–12 “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”

Psalm 25:6–10 “Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.”

Because of God’s steadfast love he will forgive our sins. Again, God’s steadfast love is for His people. How do we become one of His? Only through His Son, Jesus Christ!

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

If we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we now are in a special relationship with God. All our past sins are forgiven, and through God’s steadfast love that we can now enjoy, if we repent and ask for forgiveness, God is just to forgive our sins today. He cleanses us of our unrighteousness.

When Mans Shows the Opposite of Steadfast Love

It is possible for people to show steadfast love towards one another. Of course, this only comes through the Holy Spirit who is continually renewing our minds and conforming to the image of God’s Son, Jesus. But, in contrast, what does it look like for someone to be the opposite? We see a description of this in Psalm 109.

Psalm 109:1–5 “Be not silent, O God of my praise! For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause. In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer. So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.”

David prays to God for justice and further describes his enemies.

Psalm 109:16–18 “For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted, to put them to death. He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him! He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones!”

Pray that we would never be like that!

God’s Steadfast Love Through Christ

Although we do not directly have scripture from the New Testament about God’s steadfast love, we see it in other ways. And, given that it is only the special relationship we can have with God to enjoy His steadfast love, that special relationship comes only through Jesus Christ. In the following verses, the words “kindness” and “kind” is given that can have a similar meaning to “steadfast love”.

Ephesians 2:4–7 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

And we have the ability to show steadfast love ourselves!

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

I think we even see Paul echoing God from Exodus in his letter to the Romans as he describe Gentiles being grafted into the vine of His people.

Romans 11:22 “Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.”

Final

Finally, I would like to end be reciting Psalm 136. If you will, please say out loud, “for his steadfast love endures forever” when you see it.

Psalm 136:1–26 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who alone does great wonders,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who by understanding made the heavens,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who spread out the earth above the waters,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who made the great lights,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

the sun to rule over the day,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

the moon and stars to rule over the night,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and brought Israel out from among them,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who divided the Red Sea in two,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and made Israel pass through the midst of it,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who led his people through the wilderness,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who struck down great kings,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and killed mighty kings,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

Sihon, king of the Amorites,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and Og, king of Bashan,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and gave their land as a heritage,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

a heritage to Israel his servant,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

It is he who remembered us in our low estate,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and rescued us from our foes,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

he who gives food to all flesh,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of heaven,

for his steadfast love endures forever.