Divine Grace in the Old Testament

[Anna]

Divine Grace in the Old Testament

Unless one understands that Grace is an attribute of God, and realizes God grants grace repeatedly in the OT, beginning in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve sinnend, one does not really have a proper understanding, or perspective of God's nature and character:

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Divine Grace in the Old Testament

One of the attributes of God, signifying His loving-kindness and mercy, and particularly His compassion for the weak, the unfortunate, and the sinful. It is in contrast with the attribute of justice, inasmuch as grace is granted even to the undeserving. The most significant Scriptural passage is in Exodus (xxxiv. 6): "The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth." The relation of this attribute of grace to God's justice is not always clearly defined in the Old Testament. Righteousness, however, is taken to be so comprehensive that it includes all moral perfection, of which all virtues are a necessary corollary. Often grace and justice are used in parallel construction (Ps. lxxxix. 15; ci. 1; ciii. 6, 8). Jonah found it difficult to reconcile grace and righteousness (see Hamburger, "R. B. T." i., s.v. "Gnade und Barmherzigkeit"; Jonah iii. 8-9; iv. 2, 11), and the divine answer states that grace divine is extended not only to the chosen people, but also to the heathen; it is conditioned, however, on sincere repentance. The Book of Jonah is particularly intended to teach divine grace in its universal aspect (see Driver, "Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament," p. 303). However, the other books of the Bible are also replete with this idea, as Deuteronomy, where the existence of divine grace is cited as a guaranty that God will keep His covenant with Israel (iv. 31), and grace is promised as a result of obedience (xiii. 18-19).

The Prophets, while emphasizing God's judgment and righteousness, also proclaim His mercy. Isaiah repeatedly teaches that divine grace will be granted to the repentant (lx. 7), God's loving-kindness to Israel (lxiii. 7-9). Jeremiah and Ezekiel, while denouncing Judah for its sins, hold before it the same picture of divine forgiveness (Jer. xviii. 8; Lam. iii. 32; Ezek. xxxiii. 11). Joel expressly states that sincere repentance is the price of divine grace and mercy (ii. 13; comp. Hosea xiv. 2-9). Amos, while speaking burning words to sinful Israel, still promises divine grace to the saving remnant of Joseph (v. 15; comp. Micah vii. 18-20).

The Psalms abound in expressions of hope for and confidence in divine grace. It is found in conjunction with righteousness (cxvi. 5) and mercy (ciii. 8) and compassion (cxi. 4; comp. lxxxv. 10, where there may be an effort toward harmonizing the two attributes of God, grace and righteousness). In the Psalms there can be traced a gradual extension of the bestowal of divine grace from the anointed king and his seed (xviii. 50) to the poor and the needy (cxiii. 7), then to all Israel (cxxx. 7), to all the nations (cxvii.), and finally to all creatures (cxlv. 9). Divine grace is accorded because God desires to keep His covenant (cvi. 45), and also out of consideration for human weakness (lxxviii. 39). It is vouchsafed to the persecuted (ix. 13), to the fatherless, the widow, and the stranger (cxlvi. 9).

The apocryphal writings, too, commemorate and appeal to this divine attribute. Divine grace is extended over all; "the mercy of the Lord is upon all flesh" (Ecclus. [Sirach] xviii. 13) out of compassion to weak, sinful, and short-lived man. Grace is given to those who forgive the wrongs done to them by their fellow men (ib. xxviii. 2, 5).

[Anna]

No, I did not mention Jesus Christ one single time in my blog, this was done, on purpose.

There are many who believe that the God of the Old Testament, was a rigid, harsh, demanding God, who did not show mercy and grace, and use John 1 in an attempt to prove that Jesus Christ came to bring "grace and truth" when the reality is that "grace and truth" are from the beginning, part of the attributes of the God who appears in the OT.

Yes I do believe the one who appeared there was the pre-incarnate Messiah, you cannot call Him Jesus however, since Jesus had a human component. Grace and truth was "personified" in Jesus Christ (Yahshua).

In believing that He was the God of the Old Testament, it is rather ludicrous to also believe as most Christian do, that He came to die so that you don't have to keep those laws, which are the core of BOTH the Old and the New Testaments.

If you disagree that the TORAH, is the body of laws that are written in the hearts of the NT believer, according to Jeremiah 31, & Hebrews 8, then please show us linguistically from the scriptures, just what those laws are, which are to be "written on the heart."

Regarding "faith" alone, making one righteous, one has to consider all the texts regarding this issue.
One must have a "working faith" a "faith that works". Otherwise, why are these believers condemned

Matt. 7: [22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The word for iniquity here is "lawlessness" - in the Greek:

Definition
the condition of without law
because ignorant of it because of violating it contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness

You see, at the judgement, Jesus is judging us all, by how we keep the law/torah. At this point, faith ALONE, is not enough. And there is no "grace" if one is not trying to keep His law.

After all, if there is no law, there is no sin, and no need for grace.

I do not need grace for not paying your cell phone or mortgage, since those contracts don't apply to me.

So in like manner, if we no longer have to obey God's law, we have no need for Grace when we break it, if those laws don't apply to us.

The existance of Grace is evidence that the law/torah is still in effect.

We must desire to keep His commandments, as is obvious throughout the scriptures even in the Book of Revelation, and when we break His law, grace, forgiveness, pardon abounds....

[Eric M. Mackey]

Where is Jesus Christ in this granting of grace in the Old Testament? Is He not the God of the Old and the New Testaments. Was not Abraham justified or made righteousness by faith in the forthcoming Messiah (Galatians 3:8 and 16)? Was David not talking about Jesus Christ in Psalm 32 when He said, "How blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven (paraphrase)? Note that Paul quotes David in Romans 4:6-8. And observe how Paul ties Christ into Romans 4 in the last two verses of that chapter.

Anna, this assumption and truth form the basis of my books.

However, if I am not mistaken, I did not read the name of Jesus Christ one single time in your blog statement.

Christian Love,

Eric Mackey.