God's Compassion

Numerous biblical speakers and composers declare that Yahweh is a God of compassion. Compassion is not an abstract word or concept or act, but rather a deep feeling that comes from the heart. Our God is a PERSON who contains deep feelings. Compassion is feeling with and for others. Different English Biblical Versions translate the Hebrew and Greek words for compassion use terms like "mercy," "tender mercy," "bowels of mercy," "pity," "tender affection," "compassion," "full of compassion," "cords of compassion," etc. God's compassion extends to all people and all nations, to individuals, to his chosen people, to foreigners, to enemies, etc. Here one may focus on the following texts to emphasize the meaning and importance of God's compassion.

I. Jonah and Nineveh. Jonah 4:2, 10-11.
   a. The story of Jonah is well-known, but often people miss the spiritual point of this story. Jonah was an Israelite. Yahweh called him to preach to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, a non-Israelite, foreign, enemy nation and people. Jonah attempted to refuse to obey Yahweh and thus fled to go to Tarshish--going west, when Yahweh commanded him to go east to Nineveh. Yahweh stopped him by sending a storm and a fish to turn Jonah back eastward. Then a second time, Yahweh commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh. Jonah obeyed Yahweh and preached at Nineveh, and the Assyrian repented, and Yahweh "changed his mind" and delivered Nineveh.
   b. When this happened, Jonah became very angry. He PRAYED to God:
        "O Lord! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country?
          That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning;
          for I knew that you are a GRACIOUS God and MERCIFUL,
          slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing." Jonah 4:2.
   c. Yahweh responded by APPOINTING three things for Jonah: a bush, a worm, and a sultry east wind. Jonah was VERY HAPPY about the bush, because this bush protected him from the burning sun, showing God's grace and mercy. But Jonah became VERY ANGRY when God sent the worm to destroy the bush and send a sultry east wind which made Jonah very uncomfortable.
   d. The book of Jonah concludes with these words of Yahweh:
       "YOU [Jonah] are CONCERNED about the bush, for which you did not labor
                            and which you did not grow;
         it came into being in a night and perished in a night.
         And should I not be CONCERNED about Nineveh, that great city,
                    in which there are more than and hundred and twenty five thousand PERSONS
                    who do not know their right hand from their left,
                    and also many animals?" 4:10-11.
   e. Unlike Jonah [and most Israelites] Yahweh had a DEEP CONCERN for PEOPLE. He is a God of compassion, and we need to develop that same heart attitude.

II. Psalm 103.
     a. Psalm 103 is a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving. Verses 6-13 emphasize Yahweh's great compassion for sinful people. We human beings sin against God, and YET God responds by having compassion on sinful people and forgiving all of us. Here is the text:
        "The Lord is MERCIFUL and GRACIOUS,
                slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
          He will not always accuse,
                nor will he keep his anger forever.
          He does not deal with us according to our sins,
                nor repay us according to our iniquities.
          For as the heavens are high above the earth,
               so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
          as far as the east is from the west,
               so far he removes our transgressions from us.
          As a father has COMPASSION for his children,
               so the Lord has COMPASSION for those who fear him."
   b. God's mercy, grace, and compassion are very similar feelings. God's compassion is his deep feeling for people much like the feeling of a father or mother for their children. Psalm 78:37-38 communicates the same idea in these words:
       "Their [Sinful Israelites'] heart was not steadfast toward him;
              they were not true to his covenant.
         YET he, being COMPASSIONATE, forgave their iniquity,
              and did not destroy them;
          OFTEN he restrained his anger,
              and did not stir up all his wrath."

III. Hosea 11:1-11.
      a. Hosea 11:1-11 paints the beautiful picture of the loving father receiving the prodigal son back into his family after the prodigal son left his father, went into a distant country, and wasted his substance in riotous living.
      b. Yahweh explains:
           "I led them with CORDS OF HUMAN KINDNESS,
                 with bands of love.
             I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks.
             I bent down to them and fed them."
This is the picture of a parent teaching the crawling child to learn to take his or her very first step. The Israelites used a rope or cord or little saddle to encourage the child to take a step; and if and when the child started to fall, the parent would hold him or her up so he or she would not be hurt. Then the parents BENDS DOWN and picks up the child in his or her arms and holds the child close for reassurance and love. This is a powerful demonstration of God's compassion. 11:4.
     c. When the mature child left the parent and went into a far country, at first Yahweh sent his people into the land of Egypt, a symbol of the Assyrian captivity in 721 BCE. 11:5.
     d. But even in spite of the rebellious nature of his child, Yahweh suddenly declares he cannot bring himself to abandoned him or her. Thus, he cries out:
          "How can I give you up, Ephraim?
            How can I hand you over, O Israel?
            How can I make you like Admah?
            How can I treat you like Zeboiim? [Two of the cities of the Plain: Genesis 14:8]
            MY HEART recoils within me;
            MY COMPASSION GROWS WARM AND TENDER.
            I will not execute my fierce anger;
            I will not again destroy Ephraim;
            for I am God and no mortal,
            the Holy One in your midst,
            and I will not come in wrath." 11:8-9.

God's deep compassion is incomprehensive and amazing. God is a PERSON consisting of deep feelings of all kinds. One of these is his compassion.

Share YOUR experiences and thoughts and shortcomings and wishes and fears with others. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis