2018.10.01 The Chesed {Love} of the Creator Created by James on 4/28/2019 12:19:42 PM Few people really understand the “Chesed” of the Almighty Creator, this word is generally translated “Love” but the Chesed, Covenant Love of the Almighty is much more far reaching and comprehensive than we understand by the word “love”. This article discusses the Chesed of the Creator.
2018.10.01 The Chesed {Love} of the Creator
Most believers refer to “the love of God” or even “the love of Yah” but few really understand this.
To most love is a namby pamby, soft, touchy feely, feel good spiritual experience rather than the tough covenant keeping love of the Almighty.
Chesed = Covenant Love
In order to better understand what is being presented here I would like to introduce the Hebrew term חֶסֶד generally transliterated as “Chesed” http://www.bible-researcher.com/chesed.html says “Biblical scholars have often complained that the word חֶסֶד in the Hebrew Bible is difficult to translate into English, because it really has no precise equivalent in our language. English versions usually try to represent it with such words as "loving-kindness," "mercy," "steadfast love," and sometimes "loyalty," but the full meaning of the word cannot be conveyed without an explanation”. This webpage gives a detailed explanation of the term which you may find interesting, I would like to offer you my own understanding based on about twenty years awareness of Chesed as Covenant Love.
1 Corinthians 13:1 to 13 provides a reasonably comprehensive definition of Chesed. The following is taken from the King James Bible with “Charity” replaced with “Chesed”, in other translations Chesed is rendered as “love”:
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not Chesed, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not Chesed, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not Chesed, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Chesed suffereth long, and is kind; Chesed envieth not; Chesed vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Chesed never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth Emunah {faith}, hope, Chesed, these three; but the greatest of these is Chesed.
Chesed Never Dies
Quite a few translations render verse 8 above as “Chesed never ends”, I have come to understand that, in fact, this verse says “Chesed never dies” – in other words, once one has Chesed for another party that Chesed will endure for ever. If I Chesed my woman, I will Chesed her for eternity UNLESS SHE MURDERS my Chesed or vice versa. It IS possible for a person to destroy the Chesed of another towards them by constant arguing, harsh words and harsh behaviour. What makes it even more challenging is that the one who so murdered the Chesed of the other may STILL have their Chesed intact because their behaviour was not the consequence of wrong behaviour on the part of the other.
Chesed is a powerful spiritual force that binds a man and woman together whether their Chesed is clandestine and elicit or whether it is legitimate and legal – as in the case of a man and woman in adultery versus a man and woman in a formal marriage approved by Yah and with all the right legalities and formalities in place.
This is one reason that Adultery is such a destructive spiritual act – a man and woman who treat each other with respect and make love considerately WILL build Chesed. IF they then have to separate because their clandestine union is exposed and they return to their legal spouses they will experience gut-wrenching grief and the Chesed that they have for each other will NEVER die. Even if they both end up in Heaven.
For that matter, a man and woman who legitimately form Chesed will ALSO be torn apart emotionally if they are forced to separate or if one of them dies.
Bottom line is NOT to get into Chesed UNLESS you are sure you are doing the right thing. Problem is that if two people treat each other with respect Chesed will develop unless the situation is closely managed and there is strictly an arms-length situation.
Note that Chesed will also come into being between an employer and an employee if the employer treats the employee well and the employee serves faithfully. This is one of the reasons that employees will stay with an employer during difficult times even when their friends are telling them it is time to move on. It is also why most employees have to get angry with their employer before they will resign and why bad treatment by an employer is so angrily responded to.
Chesed can and should come into being between a man and woman in a sexual life covenant {marriage} – provided they treat each other with respect and treat each other well in the context of ALL the facets of 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. In similar vein Chesed will come into existence between any two human beings who treat one another well and with respect – this is the basis of deep, long lasting friendships.
Chesed Covers a Multitude of Sins
Looking further, Proverbs 10:12 in the King James Bible says “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but Chesed covereth all sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 in the King James Bible says “And above all things have fervent Chesed among yourselves: for Chesed shall cover the multitude of sins.” Deep Chesed will COVER sin, compensate for sin, make allowance, make a way for the parties to the Chesed to cope with the situation – challenging and complex.
Where there is deep Chesed this will compensate for all sorts of wrong behaviour – a woman in deep Chesed with an abusive man may tolerate that bad treatment to an extreme degree because the Chesed is so deep but in such a case the bad treatment may, in time, destroy the Chesed. I once heard a report of a man who was an abuser and drug peddler who drove his submissive wife to addiction and physical injury but she never stopped Chesedding him and forgiving him until in a fit of rage at her goodness he beat her to death. The look of love (Chesed) on her face as she died so convicted him that he turned himself in and in prison turned over a totally new leaf and when released from gaol he became a powerful preacher.
The Chesed of Yah
I hope that what I have presented above gives you some sense of Chesed. I am sure that by now you have thought of instances in your own live where better understanding Chesed enables you to better understand your behaviour and the behaviour of others.
This also allows us to better understand the Chesed of Yah and the Chesed that we develop with Yah as we walk with Him.
As we build relationship with Father and walk with Him and talk with Him and get to know Him so the level of Chesed between us builds such that ALL of the items above become relevant and apply to the relationship we have with Yah.
In this context it is important to recognize that Yah is focussed on the end goal – you spending Eternity in Heaven with Him. To this end He does NOT want you to end up spending years and years in torment in Hell and therefore in this life He will judge you severely and bring strong correction IF you will agree to Him doing this. Even judgments we have NOT asked for are Chesed from Yah as He seeks to guide us in our growth with Him IF we are trying to grow in that way – which almost all the people on the planet, including most believers, are NOT doing.
If you have not walked with Yah to the point where you have experience of His Chesed toward YOU in person I urge you to engage with the articles cited below and seek to grow in your relationship with Him. In fact, even if you HAVE reached that point I commend the articles below for your prayerful consideration.
06 October 2018
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