El-berith-chasad; The Heart of God

[Gus Foster]

In Daniel 9:4, Daniel prayed; "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love Him and obey His commandments." The Hebrew word used here for covenant is 'berith,' and the word for lovingkindness is chesed, chesad. We see here Daniel addressing the very heart of God. The covenant God, and the One who is love, not only in covenant, in character, but also in His very being.

The covenant with Adam, with Enoch, with Noah, with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, with David, and many other of the prophets and saints is more that an agreement; it is a heart to heart personal relationship. When we know that Jesus, Himself, was the covenant in all it aspects, it creates awe and wonder in our senses. As we study and ponder over these covenants throughout Scripture, we discover another amazing, incredible fact; it discloses the very heart of God!

For a number of years I have been convinced that the first half of Revelation, the churches, seals and trumpets are the efforts of all of heaven to purge and purify God's people, and to separate the wheat from the tares, (sheep from goats) the saved from the unsaved. The center of the first half, the center of the universerse, is Rev 4-5; and here the heart of God is revealed. How often we must have broken that heart! Jesus prayed, "Now this is eternal life; that they may you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." Knowing God , knowing His heart, in an awesome relationship is living with Him, eternally. Ellen White was able to write; "when the character of God is fully reproduced in man." Jesus stated over and over that He came to earth to reveal the Father; may I suggest to fully reveal the Fathers's character, His heart. Jesus prayed further; "I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and I myself may be in them."

Not any doubt here-----God wants man to know His heart.

I am convinced that the entire history of creation, of angels and humans, a project of the Son, was to create a being that would be closer to God in character and in every way, heart to heart. There has to be a closer, a greater relationship, between Savior and saved than just Creator and creature. Rev 18:1-4 illustrates the heart of God reflected in His people all over the world; in the most strenuous of times.

In our study of seals, signs and covenants we have seen the light of heaven shining through revealing this covenant-lovingkindness.

Most assuredly there is much more study required to fully define and illustrate this revelation of our God, which He so freeely gives to us, and wants to share with us. I would love to hear more opinions on this awesome subject.