Michael Card

God's identity cannot be fully expressed in human words, but Scripture uses one particular Hebrew word to describe God's character: hesed. Often translated as lovingkindness, covenant faithfulness, or steadfast love, Michael Card unpacks the many dimensions of hesed, exploring how it is used in the Old Testament to reveal God's character and how its fullness is ultimately embodied in the incarnation of Jesus.

Hesed and the Mystery of God's Lovingkindness

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Roger Cobb

As a visible, living, breathing incarnation of his hesed, God will send his “Righteous Branch.” His name will be “The LORD Is Our Righteousness” (Jer 23:5-6). The Lord will be their righteousness—not their observances, not their meticulous “obediences.” His righteousness will be given as a gift to those who have no right to expect anything from him. He will give them everything, most especially himself. He will do justice by loving and demonstrating hesed. And they and we will look back on all the consequences of our sin and see that his loving allowance of suffering for sin was perhaps the greatest expression of his hesed. Then all the suffering, all the confusion, all the tears will give birth to a new, unheard-of boast in Israel. This new exclamation will not involve the people’s possession of the temple, nor their wisdom, strength, or wealth. 

“But the one who boasts should boast in this: that he understands and knows me— that I am the LORD, showing hesed, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things.” (Jer 9:24)

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