Yahweh Is Love

Many people are familiar with the scripture, John 3:16-17, “For Yahweh so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life. For Yahweh sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”  This is definitely a wonderfully beautiful testament of Yahweh’s love! He sent Yahshua to the world for the sake all who believe.

There is also an inspiring scripture that plainly speaks of Yahweh’s love, 1John 4:16, “And we have known and believed the love that Elohim hath to us. Yahweh is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in Elohim, and Elohim in him.”

Note: The preceding two scriptures are both in the New Testament. The reason I quoted them is to discuss what I have heard people say about Our Father in Heaven; that the Elohim of the New Testament is loving, in sharp contrast to the “angry and vengeful” Elohim of the Old Testament. I have heard some say that due to Yahshua’s sacrifice and the New Covenant, the ways that Elohim used to punish people in the days of the Old Testament are no longer necessary.

I wholeheartedly disagree with folks who view Yahweh as an “angry and vengeful” Elohim and with those who see a very different Elohim in the Old Testament than in the New Testament. Are there lessons to be learned from the Bible, such as in the accounts about the Great Flood and about Sodom and Gomorrah? Has Yahweh imposed consequences for disobedience? Absolutely, yes, and I’m not trying to sugar-coat anything. However, I cannot deny that, as I study and read the Bible, I see an Elohim of love and mercy throughout the Bible; I see an Elohim who loves and protects His people, who forgives their transgressions, and who essentially wants His children to love Him as He loves us.

In my earlier studies of the Word, there were two Scriptures I discovered that show Yahweh is, has, and always will be, the same:

First: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of Yahweh, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of Elohim may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Second: Malachi 3:6 “For I am Yahweh, I change not.”

This led me to think, if all Scriptures are inspired by Yahweh and He does not change, and we further  read Scriptures showing Yahweh’s love in the New Testament, such as John 3:16-17 and 1 John 4:16, then surely Yahweh’s love can be seen in the Old Testament as well!

Prior to listing those Old Testament Scriptures, I would first like to mention the passage that inspired this article, Micah 6:8, “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Yahweh require of thee but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy Elohim?” As we discussed in a recent Yahweh’s Restoration Ministry Bible study, this Scripture shows that Yahweh loves us and wants us to walk with Him.

 

Yahweh wants to have a loving relationship with us, like any loving parents would want close and loving relationships with their children. These Old Testament Scriptures show that Yahweh is love; Yahweh always has been and always will be a loving Elohim. He loves and teaches us and is an Elohim that His people can trust and turn to in times of trouble. He protects us and is a faithful, forgiving, and merciful El. (This list is not exhaustive!)

Genesis 6:8, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of Yahweh.”

Genesis 21:1-2, “And Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which Elohim had spoken to him.”

Exodus chapters 3-13, The powerful story of how Yahweh freed His people from the bondage of the Egyptians!

Deuteronomy 7:7-9, “Yahweh did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because Yahweh loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath Yahweh brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that Yahweh thy Elohim, he is Elohim, the faithful El, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.”

Joshua 21:43-45, “And Yahweh gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. And Yahweh gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; Yahweh delivered all their enemies into their hand. There failed not ought of any good thing which Yahweh had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.”

Judges 10:16, “And they put away the strange mighty ones from among them, and served Yahweh: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.”

1 Samuel 15:22, “And Samuel said, Hath Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

2 Samuel 7:20-22, “And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, my Sovereign Yahweh, knowest thy servant. For thy word’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them. Wherefore thou art great, O Yahweh Elohim: for there is none like thee, neither is there any Elohim beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.”

Nehemiah 2:4, 8, Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the Elohim of heaven…And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my Elohim upon me.”

Psalm 103:1-8, “Bless Yahweh, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless Yahweh, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Yahweh executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. Yahweh is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”

Proverbs 8:17, “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”

Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith Yahweh: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

Isaiah 26:4, “Trust ye in Yahweh forever: for in Yah YAHWEH is everlasting strength:”

Isaiah 54:10-13, “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith Yahweh that hath mercy on thee. O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of Yahweh; and great shall be the peace of thy children.”

Jeremiah 9:24, “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am Yahweh which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith Yahweh.”

Jeremiah 31:1-3, “At the same time, saith Yahweh, will I be the Elohim of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus saith Yahweh, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. Yahweh hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

Hosea 6:6, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of Elohim more than burnt offerings.”

Joel 2:32, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Yahweh shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as Yahweh hath said, and in the remnant whom Yahweh shall call.”

Nahum 1:7, “Yahweh is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”

~ by Judy Stern

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Mary Bowman
Mary Bowman
3 years ago

I love this verse <3 Deuteronomy 7:7-9, “Yahweh did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because Yahweh loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath Yahweh brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that Yahweh thy Elohim, he is Elohim, the faithful El, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his… Read more »

Lynne
1 year ago

Very informative, lots of scripture in context to make your point