His Love Endures Forever

I have really enjoyed our sermon series through Ruth and I have enjoyed the conversations that have risen out of the series. Two of the words that have really resonated with me are the khesed –a word which can be translated so many ways– the faithful merciful steadfast loyal love and ga-al, redeemer.

Psalm 136 has both of these themes at its centre. Psalm 136 is a poetic reflection on the connection between God’s actions towards Israel and His love, or khesed, for Israel shown in those actions. Twenty-six times the phrase “his love endures forever” is repeated in this passage.

It is useful to reflect on the words that are used to describe God’s actions towards Israel in Psalm 136; he “brought them out…he led them…he gave them the land and he gave them food…he remembered them and he redeemed them” (or in some translations snatched them away or rescued them from their enemies) (V11,16,21,25,23,24). At the heart of this is His loyal love, his covenant faithfulness that endures forever. 

Why is God so interested in Israel? Not because of anything Israel has done.
No, it is because of His loyal love that endures forever.

All of Israel’s Old Testament history is a story of God’s covenant love through multiple covenants with Abraham, Moses and David.

Who is God? What kind of God is He? He is the God of Covenants, the God who is faithful to His covenant people and has acted throughout history because of His faithfulness– not just to the law of the covenant but to the relationship of the covenant. 

His love for not only Israel but for the whole of the Cosmos (John 3:16) is at the heart of His redemptive act of sending Jesus. Jesus’ new covenant has relationship and love at the heart. He loves us as the Father loves Him and He instructs us to abide in His love and to love others (John 15). Love is the source of redemption but it is also the means and the end. 

How have you experienced God’s faithful merciful steadfast loyal love that endures forever?

I would love to hear your stories.

Stephen