What is Mercy? Part 2
Authority
In all of the verses discussed in the last post, there is one element that hints at how checed (mercy) should be perceived and how it is used. Given that mercy is compassion bestowed upon the undeserving, it makes sense that the people that receive mercy are subordinate to the giver, in the above cases, God. However, people are not just subordinate to God, but also to His angels. Genesis 19:19, the first time checed is used in the Old Testament, Lot says to the visitors or angels, “Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life…” Lot was obviously in a debt of gratitude for the angel’s actions at that very moment was saving his life. Lot was in a subordinate position and knew it. This brings up another interesting point, which is that the object of mercy often recognizes mercy for what it is, compassion for the undeserving. This is especially the case in Psalms, where the use of checed accounts for more than 50 percent of the usage in the Old Testament. As lyrical songs that depict a great array of emotions, David, who wrote the majority of them, knew God’s mercy and power firsthand; for he had felt the full brunt of His wrath, love, anger, and kindness. David sings in Psalm 21:7, “For the king trusts in the LORD, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.” David ‘trusts’ God and therefore can count on His ‘mercy’ to keep him as king. Mercy therefore plays a great role in Psalms in its praise and the realization that the one that bestows it has great authority.
Checed as Kindness
In the Old Testament, the first time God’s attribute of checed is used in direct relation to humanity is in Genesis 24:12 where Abraham’s servant is sent out to find a wife for Isaac. Here, the servant prays, “O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.” Why was kindness used instead of mercy? As stated above, mercy is usually used when the undeserved is shown leniency or compassion. In this case neither Abraham nor the servant had done anything immediately wrong and therefore mercy would be inappropriate. Kindness is also used in Genesis 21:23 where Abimelech says, “…swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me...” Here checed is translated kindness because of how Abimelech treated Abraham. However, the kindness that was shown was out of fear, since God had visited him in dream stating what he had did in terms of taking Sarah. In this case, the context is somewhat strange, but given the other options, kindness is the best translation.
Final Thought
Checed has many meanings, most of which depict a loving connotation that give the recipient a positive view. The translation of checed to mercy shows in the context that as an attribute of God, He is most gracious in dealing with humanity and by definition of that relationship has authority over it, so that the object of mercy understands the gravity of the situation and how blessed they are to know God. In this, we are to understand that mercy is given despite ourselves and that we are indeed totally depraved and deserving of death.
In all of the verses discussed in the last post, there is one element that hints at how checed (mercy) should be perceived and how it is used. Given that mercy is compassion bestowed upon the undeserving, it makes sense that the people that receive mercy are subordinate to the giver, in the above cases, God. However, people are not just subordinate to God, but also to His angels. Genesis 19:19, the first time checed is used in the Old Testament, Lot says to the visitors or angels, “Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life…” Lot was obviously in a debt of gratitude for the angel’s actions at that very moment was saving his life. Lot was in a subordinate position and knew it. This brings up another interesting point, which is that the object of mercy often recognizes mercy for what it is, compassion for the undeserving. This is especially the case in Psalms, where the use of checed accounts for more than 50 percent of the usage in the Old Testament. As lyrical songs that depict a great array of emotions, David, who wrote the majority of them, knew God’s mercy and power firsthand; for he had felt the full brunt of His wrath, love, anger, and kindness. David sings in Psalm 21:7, “For the king trusts in the LORD, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.” David ‘trusts’ God and therefore can count on His ‘mercy’ to keep him as king. Mercy therefore plays a great role in Psalms in its praise and the realization that the one that bestows it has great authority.
Checed as Kindness
In the Old Testament, the first time God’s attribute of checed is used in direct relation to humanity is in Genesis 24:12 where Abraham’s servant is sent out to find a wife for Isaac. Here, the servant prays, “O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.” Why was kindness used instead of mercy? As stated above, mercy is usually used when the undeserved is shown leniency or compassion. In this case neither Abraham nor the servant had done anything immediately wrong and therefore mercy would be inappropriate. Kindness is also used in Genesis 21:23 where Abimelech says, “…swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me...” Here checed is translated kindness because of how Abimelech treated Abraham. However, the kindness that was shown was out of fear, since God had visited him in dream stating what he had did in terms of taking Sarah. In this case, the context is somewhat strange, but given the other options, kindness is the best translation.
Final Thought
Checed has many meanings, most of which depict a loving connotation that give the recipient a positive view. The translation of checed to mercy shows in the context that as an attribute of God, He is most gracious in dealing with humanity and by definition of that relationship has authority over it, so that the object of mercy understands the gravity of the situation and how blessed they are to know God. In this, we are to understand that mercy is given despite ourselves and that we are indeed totally depraved and deserving of death.
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