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Transcript/ notes from Session 6, “Hesed, a Matter of the Heart”

Introduction, James 5:11

Welcome to the Benefits of the Cross, Session 6. This session is entitled, “Hesed, a Matter of the Heart.”

Psalm 103:1-4 – Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness [hesed] and tender mercies,.. [raham – literally “womb.” Meaning the tender mercies of a good parent]

You’ll recall that in Session 4, I shared about God redeeming Job from the pit of destruction. God crowned him with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Why? Because that’s who God is!

That’s why we, too, persevere through trials. That’s why we never give in to the devil and never give up on God – because we know who God is!

James 5:11, NIV – As you know, we count as blessed [makarizō – happy because of the divine favor on their lives] those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. [Do you remember what the Lord finally brought about? Go restored to Job twice as much as Job had had before! Why did God do that?] The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

That is who God is! James, who was a Hebrew was writing in the Hebrew mindset repeating God’s self-definition from Exodus 34 and from David’s words from Psalm 103:4 that I just read. 

The Hebrew word raham in Psalm 103:4 (tender mercies) corresponds with this Greek word for compassion in James 5:11. And the Hebrew word hesed in Psalm 103:4 (lovingkindness) corresponds to this Greek word for mercy.

So let’s first look at the Greek word in James 5:11 for “compassion.” God is full of compassion – tender mercies [raham] in Psalm 103:4.  It’s the Greek word polysplagchnos. 

It means full of pity, very kind, tender-hearted. It is a compound word from polys (much more, many) and splagchnon – which literally means “bowels, inward parts, entrails.” Figuratively, the inward parts, the bowels, were regarded by the Hebrews as the seat of the tenderer affections, esp. kindness, benevolence, compassion; hence it’s speaking of the heart. The term polysplagchnos evokes the idea of a person who is filled to the core with compassion, one who shows tender mercy to all.

The only place that specific word is used in the Bible is in James 5:11 – in the context of the restoration of Job – “The Lord is full of compassion” – polysplagchnos. – corresponding to the Hebrew word raham –  Compassion is a matter of the heart – God’s own heart. That’s why He restored Job.

As I mentioned, the Greek word for mercy in James 5:11 – corresponds to the Hebrew word hesed – God is full of compassion and mercy” – it’s oiktirmōn.

Oiktirmōn conveys a heartfelt empathy and a readiness to alleviate suffering. It is God experiencing deep pity for people who look to Him for help in their difficult situations.

So hesed also conveys empathy. God is empathetic and wants to alleviate suffering because He is so merciful.

“You have heard about what the Lord FINALLY brought about” for Job. Ellicott wrote in his commentary about this word “finally”: “The reference is at once past and future: consider, what God wrought in the end of the trial. Learn from it how great a deliverance He will also work for you.”

Why? Because hesed is God’s own heart! He is full of hesed and raham.

Hesed first, then benefits

Today I’m going to focus again on hesed coupled with raham. I mentioned in the last message that I would go into the aspect of hesed as the basis of the covenants – which will actually be in a later message. Did you know that God was faithful to the Abrahamic Covenant because of hesed? We’ll look at the oath He made to Abraham based on hesed.

As I mentioned last time, hesed is a covenantal word. Covenants are relational, not transactional. And all the benefits and blessings of every covenant find their source in God’s hesed.

Hesed is His character. Hesed is the basis by which we receive all of His benefits. Hesed is who He is. 

I have more to say about the covenants in a later message, but I felt led today to continue to meditate more on hesed as the defining attribute of God’s character.

Meditating on His character builds our faith and assurance that whatever promises God has made in any covenant, they are ours in Jesus, who is the embodiment of hesed and truth, the manifestation of grace and the reality of who God is.

2 Corinthians 1:19-20, TPT – [Jesus] has never been both a “yes” and a “no.”  He has always been and always will be for us a resounding “YES!” [Jesus Himself is our YES!! Why? Because Jesus is the manifestation of God’s hesed – His faithful love, His covenant loyalty, His lovingkindness, goodness, mercy, etc, etc!] 20 For all of God’s promises find their “yes” of fulfillment in him. [Jesus] And as his “yes” and our “amen” ascend to God, we bring him glory! 

We talked about “amen” in Beholding Jesus in His Amazing Grace, Session 13, “Jesus, Our Yes!” And when we say “In Jesus’s name, Amen,” we are saying we agree with God that Jesus is our “Yes” from Him for all of His promises.

John 12:14 – [Jesus said] “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” [Amen!]

Psalm 138:2-3, NLT – I praise your name [His name is who He is. I praise You, Lord, FOR WHO YOU ARE. I praise you -] for your unfailing love [hesed] and faithfulness; [emet – remember the coupling of hesed va emet? That’s speaking of Jesus!! Jesus is grace and truth – hesed va emet. Jesus is called Faithful and True hesed va emet!] for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. [The honor of who You are] 3 As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.

Hesed is the basis for our hope

So I want to talk about motive for a minute. What is God’s motive for offering us all His benefits? We’ve talked about the justice of God, but God’s motive lavishing us with His grace is not justice. It is true that because of the cross of Jesus, the justice of God is satisfied. 

God demonstrates His justice in that Jesus took the blows, the punishment in our place. Justice has been served, and now we are “as Jesus is.” We are righteous in the sight of God.

But justice did not send Jesus to the cross, and justice is not what we put our hope in. Hesed (mercy/ lovingkindness/ His heart of unfailing love) sent Jesus to the cross, so hesed is what we put our hope in.

We receive all the benefits of the cross on the basis of the truth that Jesus loves us so much that He laid down His life for us. And God loves us so much that He sent His own Son for us. That’s our focus. If God didn’t – 

Romans 8:32- He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, [on a cross] how shall He not with [Jesus] Him also freely give us all things?

So our hope is in hesed. Our hope is in the character of God. You’ve got to know Someone well to know their character, and God wants us to know Him! 

You’ll recall from last time, that in God’s own self-definition He said, 

Exodus 34:6 – “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful [adjective form of raḥam in Psalm 103:4 – “tender mercies” – the compassion of a father] and gracious [extending grace and always responding to our needs] longsuffering, [slow to anger] and abounding in goodness [abounding in hesed! “Steadfast love”, “Unfailing love”] and truth [emet – trustworthiness, reliability, sureness, firmness, stability, integrity. He’s true to His word. He’s abounding in hesed va emet.], 7 keeping mercy for thousands, [mercy is the word hesed again!] forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,…” 

A healthy state of mind

With that in mind, let’s jump back to Psalm 103 – just a couple of verses later in that Psalm, David continued the theme of hesed and raham, lovingkindness and the tender mercies of a father. David literally repeated God’s own definition of Himself from Exodus 34 (just as he also did in Psalm 86, which we read last time) – 

Psalm 103:8-13 – The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. [hesed. He’s not rich in wrath. He’s abounding in hesed] 9 He will not always strive with us, [NLT – “He will not constantly accuse us”] nor will He keep [or reserve, hang on to] His anger forever. [Why? Because His own beloved Son would incur the wrath of God against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. The accusing finger of the law (ministry of condemnation) would be pointed at Jesus Himself, our Redeemer and Savior. At the cross, the wrath of was poured out on the Son of Man who stood in our place. And all who put their hope in Jesus will never have to fear judgment. We will have boldness in the day of judgment!] 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. [Even under the Old Covenant, He was a God of grace and hesed, providing the the tabernacle, the High Priest, and the atoning sacrifices.] 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy [hesed] toward those who fear Him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. [That word “pities” is actually the verb form of raham – tender mercies in Psalm 103:4. NASB says, “Just as a father has COMPASSION on his children…”]

Verse 13 says He has raham for those who fear Him. What does it mean to “fear the Lord?” 

The Hebrew word translated fear there is yare’ [yaw-ray’]. It means having a sense of awe and respect, having a recognition of God’s authority and holiness. It’s more about respect and honor than about being afraid. 

So I want to share with you one of the best illustrations in the New Testament of being crowned, of being surrounded by hesed va raham – lovingkindness and the tender mercies of a good father. It’s the story of the prodigal son returning home.

What did it take for the prodigal son to find himself being encircled and surrounded and crowned by the lovingkindness and tender mercies of his father and lavished with grace and all the benefits of being a son – even after squandering everything? Jesus told us:

Luke 15:17-20 – But when he [the prodigal] came to himself, [NASB says he “came to his senses.” Thayer’s concordance says – “when he returned to a healthy state of mind.”] he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son [What kind of words are those? They are words of honor and respect. Words of humility. Regardless of the fact that the son was motivated to go home because of so low a motive as hunger, he had a healthy state of mind: he respected his father – even though it was a newfound respect. He planned to say – ]. Make me like one of your hired servants.’ [So he’s going to throw himself at the mercy of his father. His hope was in hesed, but a much smaller view of his father’s hesed than he ever knew.] 20 And he arose and came to his father. But when he [the son] was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, [raham is the Hebrew parallel] and ran and fell on his neck [epipiptō] and kissed him.

The father ran. That was considered very undignified and shameful because he would have to pull up his robe to run. A dignified man, the owner of large estate, would never show his legs.

Did you know that this son should have been stoned under the law? Did you know that under normal circumstances the whole town would have been involved in his punishment and in condemning him? But the father would have none of that! Why? Because he was full of hesed va raham – lovingkindness and the tender mercies of a good father.

The father was waiting and watching and couldn’t hold himself back when he saw the tiny outline of his son on the horizon. He would outrun those who would condemn his beloved son.

When he reached his son, he cut off his son’s  prepared speech – he stopped the son from saying “Let me be like one of your hired servants.” He would have none of that! “Bring out the best robe and put it on him…” The robe of righteousness.

He “epipiptō”d” him! Do you remember “epipiptō” from Beholding Jesus in His Amazing in Grace, “Jesus, Our Relentless Savior”? The father “fell” on his neck. Epipiptō – “to fall into one’s embrace.” We see the same word in Acts 10 when Peter preached in Cornelius’ house, and the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were present.

Acts 10:43-44 – “whoever believes in Him [Jesus] will receive remission of sins.” 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon [“epipiptō’d”] all those who heard the word. 

The Holy Spirit gave the people a big bear hug when they heard that their sins were forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Just like the embrace of the Holy Spirit, the father fell on his son’s neck and forgave the son of all his sins. There was not a word about his rebellion.

The father longed to be gracious to his son. Every day that son was gone, his father longed to epipiptō him – to “crown him with lovingkindness and tender mercies.”

And there was immeasurably more hesed and raham than the son could have asked or imagined. His father was abounding in hesed, rich in mercy. the Son had a right to expect nothing, but was given everything!

What does it take to fear the Lord? Just come to the place where you realize in and of yourself – apart from Jesus – you have a right to expect nothing. That’s a healthy state of mind.

The fatted calf

The father of the prodigal embraced his son with extravagance – the hug, the kisses, the robe of righteousness, the sandals on his feet – signifying that he had a right to be in his father’s presence, the signet ring giving him a right to his father’s estate as a cherished son – “Son, it’s as if you never left!” grace upon grace upon grace!

But we must not overlook the most important part of the story – the fatted calf.

Luke 15:23-24 – “And [the father said – ] bring the fatted calf here [where my son can see the price of his redemption] and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” And they began to be merry.

The fatted calf is symbolic of Jesus, our sacrificial Lamb of God. He was born to die, fattened for the slaughter. His blood was shed to wash away our sins as if they had never been committed. 

In Exodus 34:7 God says that He “keeps mercy [hesed] for thousands.” How? By “forgiving Iniquity and transgression and sin.”

“Forgiving” is the Hebrew word nāśā’. “Nāśā’” means to bear and lift away. Under the Old Covenant the sacrificial lamb would bear and take away the sin of the offerer. The offerer would bring the lamb to the priest.

The priest would inspect the lamb, not the man. If the lamb was spotless, the sinner would lay his hands on the offering, and his sin would be transferred to the lamb, and innocence of the lamb would be transferred to him. 

The offerer would then have to kill the lamb and shed the blood of the lamb because of the sin imputed to it. “The soul that sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20)

Isaiah 53:6 – All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him [Jesus, our Lamb of God, our Substitute] the iniquity of us all.

John 1:29 – “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Isaiah 53:12 – He [Jesus] bore [nāśā’ – same words as “forgiving” in Exodus 34:7] the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

He bore and lifted away the load of our sin and rebellion and the burden of our guilt.

The hesed of God leads us to repentance

Back to Exodus 34:7 – 

Exodus 34:7 – [Yahweh is ] keeping mercy [hesed] for thousands, forgiving [nāśā’] iniquity and transgression and sin, [and God goes on to say that He would ] by no means clearing the guilty…” 

You will see this throughout the Old Testament: the tension between God’s hesed and His righteousness. God could not let the guilty go unpunished and maintain His righteousness. So Jesus became the guilty on our behalf. Through Jesus, God was completely merciful and completely just.

The cross was an act of perfect hesed. The tension of mercy and justice was relieved and now we have peace with God. The cross was the kindest act ever committed.

That’s why we must present the cross to the lost and wandering. We don’t have to constantly accuse people and tell them that God doesn’t approve of their behavior. All we need to do is tell them that Jesus loves them so much that He bore their sin in His own body on the cross. Everyone who doesn’t know Jesus is bearing a load of guilt for their sin.

The Gospel is not just mere words. The gospel is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes! 

Jesus gave Himself so that we might be overwhelmed with the kindness of God. And seeing that kindness leads us to change our minds about God.

Romans 2:4, NASB – Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

The Greek word for kindness here is chrēstotēs – it is yet another corresponding Greek word to the Hebrew word is hesed.

It means “goodness, lovingkindness, covenant loyalty, divine kindness which meets needs without harshness or cruelty. It’s an active kindness filled with empathy that wants to alleviate suffering. Like the word hesed (which I described as inexpressible with one English word), one commentator wrote of the Greek word chrēstotēs “We have no term that quite carries this notion of kind and good.”

The hesed of God – the chrēstotēs of God – leads us to repentance. Repentance is the Greek word metanoia – “meta” means change, “noia” means mind. Repentance means to change your mind. The inexpressible kindness of God leads us to change our minds about God!

Open our eyes Lord

He wants us to know Him! That’s why we pray for awakening for the lost. That’s also why we ask for more revelation for ourselves. Sometimes we use the word “epiphany.”

We ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes. Remember that old song, “Open our eyes, Lord. We want to see Jesus. To reach out and touch Him, and say that we love Him. Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen. Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.” Hesed. Help us to see hesed!

It’s the best prayer we can pray, not only for ourselves but for the lost, the deceived, the wandering, the sick, the depressed. All we need is eyes to see and ears to hear.

Proverbs 20:12, NLT – Ears to hear and eyes to see—both are gifts from the Lord.

Titus 3:4-7, NLT – When God our Savior revealed his kindness [His chrēstotēs; Hebrew hesed] and love, 5 [that’s when] he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. [eleos – another Greek word for hesed] He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

“When God our Savior revealed His kindness and love…” The word “revealed” is the Greek word epiphainō, from which we get our word epiphany. When God our Savior gave us the epiphany of His hesed, His inexpressible kindness, that’s when we’re saved. – sozo’d. Epiphainō, means to show, to bring light, to manifest God’s grace and presence, to become clearly known though divine intervention or revelation. That’s why we pray for epiphany!

Ephesians 2, once again – 

Ephesians 2:4-7 – But God, who is rich in mercy, [God is rich in hesed!! This is a Hebraism – a Hebrew phrase that appears in the New Testament.] because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness [His grace comes through His chrēstotēs – through His hesed] toward us in Christ Jesus.

The riches of God’s grace comes from His heart of kindness! He lavishes us with grace because He is kind to the core. He perches us in heavenly places to we can get the heavenly perspective of His kindness! [His hesed] He’s rich in kindness. [hesed] He’s not rich in wrath.

So many people think that all God cares about is sin, punishing for sin, changing behavior, and shame. But Jesus embodied God’s desire: “‘I desire mercy, [hesed] not sacrifice.” What was the focus of sacrifice? Payment for sin. But what is it that delights God? Not sacrifice, but hesed! That’s why Jesus came to be the once for all sacrifice!

Micah 7:18-19, NASB – Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love. [Hesed. He delights in hesed! He does not delight in wrath! He does not delight in punishment!] 19 He will again have compassion on us; [raham again – fatherly tender mercies!!] He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, [Lord] You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. [And He has done that through Jesus.]

If we are truly ambassadors for Christ, this is the message we will share. And when the light – that epiphany – of God’s hesed shines through,  it will make doubt disappear, and hearts will say, “I knew it! I knew God was this good!”

That’s why our #1 prayer for the lost and wandering is for them to have a kairos moment of awakening to the lovingkindness of God and to be drawn to Him with His unfailing love.

Jeremiah 31:3, 9, 13, 15-17, NLT – [Yahweh, the unchanging God says, speaking of the New Covenant – ] “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love [with hesed] I have drawn you to myself… [hesed – kindness – unfailing love – draws us to God!  In Verse 9, think of the prodigals -] 9 Tears of joy will stream down their faces, and I will lead them home with great care. They will walk beside quiet streams and on smooth paths where they will not stumble.… 13 I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing [I read that 65% of GenZ have reported a mental health issue in the last two years. 60% are on some sort of medication for their mental health. 1 in 5  have a false identity] … [And here’s a word to every parent of a prodigal – God’s will – God’s plan -] 15 “Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted—for her children are gone.” [Rachel was not actually weeping when Jeremiah wrote this. he wrote its 1300 years after Rachel died. And she actually died in childbirth when she was birthing Benjamin, Jacob’s youngest son. She named him “Benoni” (son of my sorrow), but Jacob changed his name to Benjamin (son of the right hand). I believe that Benjamin represents the younger generations. There’s alot of pain because we have a generation who doesn’t know who they are. But God is going to turn it around and they will be called, “son of My right hand,” with their identity in Jesus who is seated at the right hand of God having finished with work for their redemption.] 16 But now this is what the Lord says: “Do not weep any longer, for I will reward you,” says the Lord. “Your children will come back to you from the distant land of the enemy. 17 There is hope for your future,” says the Lord. “Your children will come again to their own land…” [They are going to come back to their homes, to their parents. All who are praying for revival, declare the heart of God for this generation! He is full of lovingkindness and tender mercies. Drive past the houses in your neighborhood and pray for God to draw them with His unfailing love – hesed. Declare that their children are coming home!]

The “get to,” not the “have to”

God does not have to be gracious to us. He longs to be gracious to us. 

Isaiah 30:18-19, NASB – Therefore the Lord longs [with eager expectation] to be gracious to you, [Like the father on the front porch holding his binoculars to see his son coming over the horizon] and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. [Raham again!] For the Lord is a God of justice; [Justice is the Hebrew word mishpat – it means to set things right! God wants to set things right! When things aren’t as they should be, it’s not ok with God. When we see a generation of kids indoctrinated and deceived, depressed and anxious, when we see families broken, it’s not ok with God!] how blessed are all those who long for Him. 19 O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you.

Job thought God had done all that evil to him, when in reality God longed to be gracious to him. Right before Job was restored, he saw the Lord. He saw Him for who He really is.

Job 42:5 – “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.”

It’s so important to see God for who He truly is. That is why we behold Jesus in His amazing grace.   Jesus said – 

John 14:9  – “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”

Jesus is the Incarnation of hesed.

• See hesed as Jesus defended the woman with the alabaster box. He knew why she poured her love out on Him. She had experienced hesed. She who was forgiven much, loved much. She had a right to expect nothing, but was given everything!

• See hesed as Jesus reveals to the woman at the well that He knows everything about her and loved her anyway. She saw hesed, and she became an evangelist. She had a right to expect nothing, but was given everything!

• See hesed as Jesus covered the sin of the woman caught in adultery. He was preoccupied with her freedom from CONDEMNATION, not her SIN! She had a right to expect nothing, but was given everything!

• See hesed when Jesus wept and groaned within Himself, empathizing with Mary and Martha – indignant and angry at the devil’s work of death.

• See hesed when Jesus raised the son of the widow of Nain because of His compassion. 

• See hesed when Jesus looked at the people who were sheep without a shepherd, all those who were tired, weary, and burned out on religion, all the bruised reeds and smoking flaxes. Jesus was full of mercy [hesed] and compassion [raham] for them! And that’s why He went to the cross and set things right.

All our hope is in Jesus, God’s hesed. Hesed is the reason we can expect our prayers to be answered. Hesed is God’s covenant love. He will not break His promises to us because of He is the God of hesed and raham.

Psalm 103:2, 4 – Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: [He] crowns you with lovingkindness [hesed] and tender mercies,.. [raham]

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