Love is Dividing Us
Love without mercy and compassion is no love at all.
Reading through the Old Testament, specifically the Psalms, I am in awe of how much the people of God delighted in following God’s commandments (or at least tried) and were so devoted to God. They didn’t know Jesus. They didn’t get to see the whole story of redemption unfold the way we have. All they had was the promise, and that was enough for them. What’s our excuse?
Last week, we considered the word cheçed which is most often translated as mercy, kindness, and lovingkindness (the latter of which is my favorite). When we think of God’s love, often our first thought is Jesus—His sacrifice for our sake and His victory over death. People like Abraham, Rahab, David, and Solomon did not have that truth or physical hope to hold onto when considering how God loved them. Yet, they knew God and His faithfulness in a way that convinced them there was no greater love—it’s awe-inspiring!
“I will sing of the lovingkindness of the Lord forever;
To all generations, I will make known Thy faithfulness with my mouth.”
—Psalm 89:1 (NASB)
I’m convinced that love is dividing us—the church, Christians, denominations, progressives, and conservatives. It’s not the act of love that’s dividing us (we would have to say the lack of love if that were the case), but the actual definition of love. Is it loving to affirm or condone sin in another’s life because that’s how they feel most loved? Is it loving to tell someone they are living in sin constantly? Is it loving to say “because the Bible says so” or “if you’re not for me, you’re against me”?
There are even specific debates about what love means in certain moments of Scripture—what kind of love did Jonathan have for David? Could it have been more than a friend? Does that tell us that homosexual love is acceptable?
As a species, humanity is always questioning love.
“What is love? Baby, don’t hurt me.”
”What’s love got to do, got to do with it?”
”Where is the love?”
I find there is no better place to look when attempting to define and understand love than the words revealed to us by Love Itself—God.
“You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love (H157) your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.”
Leviticus 18:19
The Word: Love
Strong’s H157 | 'āhaḇ (aw-hav')
This is the most common Hebrew word we see translated to “love” in the Old Testament. This word shows up 212 times in the Hebrew Bible, 169 times translated as love. It is also translated as lover(s), liketh, beloved, and friends.1
to have affection for
have a strong emotional desire for
to possess or be in the presence of
could be familial, sexual, or parental love
loyal love (how it’s used in the context of Jonathan and David—1 Samuel 18:3)
This may leave you more confused, but I think it’s important to note that where we see this word show up in Scripture, the context plays a vital role. Love is loyalty, it’s a strong desire, it’s affection, and it can be shown in many different types of relationships. Mostly, it’s a friendship of joy and that “iron sharpens iron” kind of connection.
This is the word used in Leviticus 19:18 (above)—love thy neighbor as yourself. Those trying to claim that Jonathan romantically loved David because of this word would also then have to claim that we should romantically love our neighbor/everyone. I’m not ruling it out that Jonathan’s love for David COULD have been more than brotherly love, but it can’t be proved (and as an aside, like anything in the Bible, just because it’s stated as something that happened does not mean it’s approved of by God).
Most of God’s love toward humanity though is described as cheçed—a richer, steadfast, covenantal kind of love, something we strive for but can never fully express the way God can toward us.
“The Lord did not set His love (H2386) on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved (H160) you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”
Deuteronomy 7:7-8
Strong’s H2836 | ḥāšaq
This word is only used 11 times in the Hebrew Bible and translated as a variation of love 3 times in the KJV. Other times it is translated as delight or desire.
to cling to, join, love, delight in
Because he has loved (H2836) Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.
Psalm 91:14
Each time it is translated as “love,” it references mankind’s capacity to love God. There’s that strength we see in the Old Testament stories of people truly delighting in the Lord despite their shortcomings and despite not knowing God the same way we get to on this side of the cross. Again, awe-inspiring.
Strong’s H1730 | dôḏ
Here’s that familial, cherished, and close-knit kind of love. This word is used 61 times and is most often translated as beloved, uncle, or love(s).
figuratively, to love
beloved
by token of love—friend or lover
uncle
We find this word used frequently in Song of Solomon and translated as “uncle” often in Old Testament stories of kin. It’s hard to reconcile that, but when you consider family and romantic love or belovedness (like the love a groom feels for his bride on their wedding day), those are often the same. Romantic love turns into familial love.
“I love (H7355) You, O Lord, my strength.”
Psalm 18:1
Strong’s H7355 | rāḥam
Interestingly, this word is only translated as “love” once in the Old Testament. Otherwise, it is translated as mercy or compassion for a total of 47 times.
mercy, compassion, merciful
to love, to show compassion
I think this is one of those words that the story of Scripture defines better than one word by itself. Sometimes you have to let God’s character define love in how He chose and chooses to engage with creation.
Love without mercy or compassion is no love at all, and that’s the standard God set not only for Himself but for His people toward each other and God.
“You are altogether beautiful, my love (H7474);
there is no flaw in you.”
Song of Solomon 4:7
Strong’s H7474 | raʿyâ
Last but not least for the Old Testament is this word which is translated as love 9 times in the Hebrew Bible. Each time, it is simply a beloved companion—specifically a female associate.
Notably, almost all of these uses of this word are in Song of Solomon. It’s a beautifully intricate way of defining Solomon’s bride and beloved partner in life. It’s a nice word to use when addressing those Valentine’s cards.
I know what you’re thinking: How does this help us fix the divide of defining love in the church and among Christians today?!
I think our greatest takeaway from taking a closer look at how love is used, defined, and carried out throughout the Old Testament should be this…
If you claim to love your neighbor, but you are short, uncompassionate, unwilling to see from their perspective, rigid in your dealings with them, and unmerciful in your words and actions, you’re missing the point of love altogether.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:35
Share some Valentine’s Day love with a neighbor this week! ♥️
P.S. I am LOVING Threads, and if you’re over in that world and looking for some engaging conversations about the Bible, I’d love to connect. I’m currently discussing inerrancy and the authority of Scripture. It’s oodles of fun!
"All they had was the promise, and that was enough for them."