INTRODUCTION
• VIDEO CLIP Les Mis.
• SLIDE #1
• We spend a great deal of time in the New Testament, as we should. In the New Testament, we learn a great deal about Jesus.
• In the Old Testament, we can learn a great deal about the character of God as well as gaining a deeper understanding of what God calls us to through Jesus in the New Testament.
• Today we are going to begin a new series entitled 7 Hebrew Words That Every Christian should know. I got the idea from a devotional series I read a few months ago.
• I want us to begin with Hebrew word Hesed (HIGH SAID), THIS WORD IS ONE OF THE WORDS IN THE HEBREW LANGUAGE REPRESENTING LOVE.
• Why is this word important to know?
• The Old Testament reveals a much concerning the character of God, and for us to have a better grasp on God’s character, we need to understand the background and foundation on which what we see played out in the New Testament is built upon.
• This first word is important to understand because it what everything else we need to know about God is constructed.
• We need to understand what this word means so we can have a realistic picture of how God deals with us as we are rebellious and stubborn.
• When one has lived a life far from God, how does God feel about that person, when one is living a life in rebellion towards God, is there any hope for that person?
• What about you? Are you like I once was, struggling to believe that God could possibly love you?
• If we struggle with grasping the full meaning of this word, we will never fully understand the reason Jesus was sent, as well as the reason why we need Him.
• We will also struggle with the concept of God’s forgiveness because we will allow our feelings of unworthiness trump the way that God feels.
• In a nutshell the word HESED is not a only a feeling, it is an actions, HESED moves on the intervene on behalf of loves ones, it moves one to come to the rescue of the one in need.
• Hesed is not a romantic love, is a FAITHFUL love that is reliable.
• Hesed is the type of love that keeps a person praying for a lost loved one for years and years. It is a spouse who lovingly takes care of their spouse whose health has deteriorated to the point the ill one does not even know their husband or wife any longer.
• Hesed represents a love that is completely undeserved kindness and generosity, this word lays the foundation for the type of love described in the New Testament, the Agape love that God has for mankind.
• The context of the passage we will examine in Isaiah 54 deals with Isaiah speaking to the nation, a nation that had backslid to the point that God had allowed them to be in captivity and would do so in the future also.
• Isaiah was speaking to a nation that was rebellious and ungrateful.
• How would God deal with the nation who was stubborn and rebellious, a nation He made a covenant with?
• As we seek to understand the love God showed the nation, this will give us insight as to how God will deal with us when we have been stubborn and rebellious.
• Let’s begin with Isaiah 54:7-8
• SLIDE #2
• Isaiah 54:7–8 (CSB) — 7 “I deserted you for a brief moment, but I will take you back with abundant compassion. 8 In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but I will have compassion on you with everlasting love,” says the Lord your Redeemer.
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
I. Hesed encompasses the idea of compassion.
• One of the issues we need to grasp concerning the word HESED is that this type of love encompasses the idea of compassion.
• Compassion is the one of the foundations on which this word is built.
• The nation had backslid badly, to backslide means to revert to a WORSE condition, to lapse morally or to back away from one’s faith.
• When a Christian backslides, they turn away from the Lord, they neglect their faith, their desire to worship the Lord.
• One who backslides can bring ridicule to the name of Jesus and His church as the outside world views what has happened.
• The nation of Israel was a poor example of following God, they did not show the world how great it was to be led and to be taken care of by God.
• When you think about it, this passage can be a help for those who have turned from God, or have not yet turned to Him, or even those of us who are letting guilt from the past or present keep us from God.
• The word HESED is used about 248 times in the Old Testament. The flavor of the word is hard to catch in the English, this is why it is translated in various ways throughout the Old Testament as translators grasp at ways to unveil the meaning of this beautiful word.
• Depending on the passage the word is translated mercy, kindness, lovingkindness.
• The CSB translates this word as FAITHFUL LOVE, the ESV translates this word as STEADFAST LOVE.
• These both catch a strong sense of what the word means, it denotes a loyal love.
• This love is not fickle, circumstances or events do not change the nature of this kind of love.
• Hesed is an unfailing love. Often used of God's love that is related to the faithfulness to His covenant.
• The nation had turned their backs on God, yet God’s FAITHFUL love, fueled by His compassion kept Him from destroying them as they deserved.
• Notice as Isaiah unfolds this passage he acknowledges the that Lord was not happy with what the people were doing, and that the nation paid a price for their actions, nonetheless, God was STILL faithful to His covenant with the people.
• Verses 7-8 reveals God’s compassionate nature as the foundation for Israel’s restoration.
• The hope of the nation rests on the compassion of the Lord that fuels His everlasting love.
• These things prevail over His anger toward their disobedience which in turn, opens new opportunities for the people.
• When you are in the midst of turning from God, He will not reject you when you come back to Him.
• The New Testament builds on this issue of compassion with the story of the Prodigal Son.
• The father wanted the son back, even though the son was disobedient and wasteful with what the father gave him, he still wanted the son.
• Jesus was full of compassion as He dealt with people.
• Without compassion, it is hard to love others even though they do not deserve your love.
• Hesed is a love that is not earned, it is not deserved, it is given from the foundation of compassion.
• Notice at the end of verse 8, God reminds us He is our redeemer.
• Let’s look at verse 9.
• SLIDE #4
• Isaiah 54:9 (CSB) “For this is like the days of Noah to me: when I swore that the water of Noah would never flood the earth again, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you.
• The opportunity to come to the Lord, and for the nation of Israel to get back on track with God comes also because…
• SLIDE #5
II. Hesed encompasses the idea of forgiving.
• To give one a second chance, one has to have to capacity to forgive.
• Jesus dealt with the issue of forgiveness when He was asked by Peter how many times a person needed to forgive their brother, Jesus responded in Matthew 18:22 by saying not seven as the rabbis taught, but rather seventy time seven!
• WE need to realize that when God created us, He KNEW we were going to fall short, yet He still created us. God knew He was going to have to exercise a great deal of forgiveness toward us.
• When God’s love is tested, when it is rejected, God is willing to forgive. In the New Testament, we talk about GRACE being UNMERITED FAVOR, HESED is unmerited love.
• God loves because of who He is, God forgives because that is a part of His nature.
• I struggled with accepting God’s forgiveness, I would imagine there some here today that are struggling with the same issue.
• Isaiah references the days of Noah. God was so upset with mankind He was to the point of starting over, yet He saw hope in Noah.
• Then God promised to never flood the earth again.
• Then God says that He will not be angry or rebuke the nation again, in context of Isaiah 53-56, He is speaking of the time when Jesus saves us.
• Romans 8:1 tells us there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.
• There will be a day, when Jesus returns that anger and rebuke are over.
• This idea of God’s forgiveness toward Israel is important for us today because is shines the light on how God deals with us today.
• You can be FULLY forgiven when you are baptized into Jesus. Once you are in Jesus, all you need to do is to confess your sins to Jesus and they will be forgiven according to 1 John 1:9!]
• God is saying that he will not allow biblical faith to be brought so near to dissolution again.
• This comes closer to the point of the promise after the flood as well.
• God is gracious and compassionate when his judgments or acts of discipline—no matter how extreme—protect humanity as a whole or his covenant people from self-destruction.
• Let’s look at verse 10
• SLIDE #6
• Isaiah 54:10 (CSB) Though the mountains move and the hills shake, my love will not be removed from you and my covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says your compassionate Lord.
• SLIDE #7
III. Hesed encompasses the idea of faithfulness.
• This is where we need to place our focus.
• The rest of the message punctuates this point. This word boils down to being FAITHFUL.
• This verse reminds us that HESED is a FAITHFUL, LOYAL Love.
• Even when things seem to be falling apart around you, when something as solid as the mountains and hills shake, God’s love will not be removed.
• He loves you because of who He is, that is what He does.
• God’s love and His covenant of peace cannot be shaken, it is on solid ground.
• How many relationships do you have where you can say that the love will not be shaken?
• Especially if you do something to hurt the one who loves you. Even a spouse that loves you deeply can have their love for you shaken if you were to be unfaithful to them.
• God as a track record of folks being unfaithful to Him, yet He still loves them.
• Romans 8:35-39 reminds us that NOTHING can separate us from the love of Christ, NOTHING.
• This does not mean that you can do whatever you want and not face the music one day, but it means that in the midst of your rebellion, God loves you and WANTS you back with Him.
• The door to God is open to you until you leave this life.
• You are never too far from God, His love surrounds you, you cannot run too far to be out of the reach of God’s love.
CONCLUSION
• God’s love is something we have a difficult time comprehending, it is like nothing we will ever see on this earth outside of Jesus.
• Since it is hard to fathom a love that is rooted in compassion and forgiveness and is loyal and faithful, many reject it because of FEAR!
• Many are so intimidated by the thought of someone loving them unconditionally that they will not come to Jesus.
• I want to encourage you, to come to Jesus, do not reject what you are intimated by.
• Many people know John 3:16, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.
• Do you know what verse 17 says?
• SLIDE #8
• John 3:17 (CSB) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
• Do not be afraid, God is not there waiting to condemn you for your present or past, He wants to offer you love and forgiveness so that you can enjoy a glorious future in Him!
