The Love of God in the Old Testament: A Divine Testament of Unchanging Affection
Divine love is a central theme permeating the Bible in the Old and New Testaments. Many people, including Christians, often grapple with reconciling the concept of God’s love in the Old Testament, particularly when juxtaposed with the seemingly more compassionate and tolerant depiction of God in the New Testament. However, a closer examination reveals a consistent thread of divine love that runs through both Testaments, underlining God’s unchanging affection for humanity.
1. The Genesis of Divine Love
The book of Genesis, the first book in the Old Testament, presents the initial instance of God’s love for humanity. God’s benevolence and affection towards people are evident right from the act of creation.
1.1. Creation: A Testament of God’s Love
In Genesis, God’s love is manifested in His act of creating a perfect home and entrusting humanity with the responsibility of caring for His creation. In particular, Genesis 1:27 reveals:
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
This verse underscores God’s affection for humanity, affirming that we are created in His divine likeness. Providing a perfect home and a significant task of stewardship underscores God’s benevolence and affection, reflecting His love for humanity.
1.2. God’s Provision After the Fall
Even after the fall of Adam and Eve, God’s love remains evident. Genesis 3 narrates how God, despite passing judgment on Adam and Eve, displayed His love by clothing them, and providing for their immediate needs. God’s decision to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness after their disobedience indicates His continuing love and care, even in the face of human transgression.
2. God’s Love in Deliverance from Judgment
As humanity continued to sin and stray from God’s commands, God decided to pass judgment on His creation through the Great Flood. This catastrophic event, however, also offered a significant demonstration of God’s love. God, in His mercy, provided an ark for Noah, his family, and a pair of every kind of animal. This divine act of deliverance from judgment underscores God’s love and mercy toward His creation.
3. God’s Love Towards Specific Individuals
The Old Testament further highlights God’s love through His interactions with specific individuals. From Abraham to Joseph, God shows His love in various ways, emphasizing His personal relationship with humanity.
3.1. God’s Love for Abraham
Abraham, the father of nations, was a significant recipient of God’s love in the Old Testament. God’s covenant with Abraham, promising to make him the father of many nations, demonstrates God’s benevolence and affection. This divine relationship is especially evident in Genesis 24, where Abraham’s servant prays for God’s steadfast love to guide him in finding a wife for Isaac, Abraham’s son.
3.2. God’s Love for Jacob
Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, was another recipient of God’s love. Genesis 32 recounts Jacob’s heartfelt prayer, acknowledging God’s steadfast love and faithfulness despite his unworthiness. The passage highlights God’s continuing love for His chosen people, despite their struggles and shortcomings.
3.3. God’s Love for Joseph
Joseph, Jacob’s son, uniquely experienced God’s love. Despite being sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph found favor in God’s eyes. Genesis 39:21 reports:
“But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the prison keeper.”
God’s love for Joseph not only sustained him during his trials but also elevated him to a position of authority in Egypt, ultimately leading to the preservation of Jacob’s family during a severe famine.
4. Love in the Law
The Old Testament law, often perceived as harsh and demanding, also communicates God’s love. The greatest commandments, as summarized in the law, revolve around love. In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus reiterates these commandments, emphasizing the importance of love for God and love for one’s neighbor. These commandments encapsulate the essence of the law, highlighting love as the guiding principle in our relationship with God and with others.
5. The Prophetic Declaration of God’s Love
The Prophets of the Old Testament also conveyed God’s love in their writings. Amid prophecies of judgment and calls for repentance, they continually reminded the people of God’s steadfast love. The book of Isaiah, for instance, offers comforting words of God’s love and promises of His continued presence and deliverance.
6. Love in the Psalms
The book of Psalms, a collection of songs, prayers, and poetry, frequently mentions God’s love. Psalms such as Psalm 136 repeatedly emphasize God’s steadfast love as the reason for His mighty acts in history, His creation of the world, and His deliverance of Israel from Egypt.
7. God’s Love in the Old Testament: A Foreshadowing of Christ’s Love
God’s love in the Old Testament points forward to the ultimate demonstration of love in the New Testament – the love of Christ. The Old Testament prophecies and promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who personifies God’s love. Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross is the ultimate expression of God’s love, providing redemption for humanity.
8. The Consistency of God’s Love
One can observe the consistency of God’s love throughout the Old Testament. Despite humanity’s repeated failures and disobedience, God’s love remains steadfast. His love is not a transient emotion but an inherent attribute of His divine nature. God’s love is not only demonstrated in His blessings and deliverance but also in His discipline and judgments.
9. The Old Testament: A Testament of God’s Unchanging Love
The Old Testament, often misunderstood as merely a record of God’s wrath and judgment, is indeed a testament of God’s unchanging love. From the creation narrative to the deliverance of Israel, from the covenants with the patriarchs to the words of the prophets, God’s love is a recurring theme.
10. God’s Love Today: A Continuation of His Love in the Old Testament
God’s love did not cease with the closing of the Old Testament; it continues today and is fully revealed in Jesus Christ. Just as God loved the people in the Old Testament, He loves us today. God’s love is available to all who accept Jesus Christ, offering forgiveness, redemption, and the promise of eternal life.
In conclusion, as depicted in the Old Testament, God’s love is a profound demonstration of His unchanging affection and benevolence towards humanity. It serves as a reminder of God’s enduring love for us, encouraging us to reciprocate this love in our relationship with Him and with others.
About the Author
Bruce Mitchell is a speaker, writer, and Bible teacher who loves to share God’s Word in everyday life. He has studied at Biola University and Dallas Theological Seminary. His blog (Allelon.us) is all about the principles of Agapao Allelon (Loving One Another) and God’s Mercy, Grace, Love, and Forgiveness and how it applies to our daily lives as Christ-Followers. (1 Peter 4:8)
Check out more of his work here
