OT Biblical Word Study on 'Grace'

Old Testament Usage 122 times Study on Exodus 33:12-19 Grace and Works Grace and Promise Grace and Power Grace and God's Person

Grace is so commonly used in the scripture that this study can easily overwhelm us. We will exposit the passage Exodus 33:12-19 to gain a deeper meaning of the OT usage of grace (Hebrew: hen, hanan, hesed, rahum).

Old Testament Usage 122 times

"Grace," "Graciousness" and "graceful" are used quite frequently through the Old Testament starting in the Pentateuch and concentrated in the Psalms. We find a close blend of Hebrew words meaning mercy, favor, grace and gracious. Many have excluded the word "hesed" from this study of grace largely because the Septuagint, a pre-Christ translation of Hebrew scriptures into Greek, used the word mercy (eleos) to translate hesed. The meaning of mercy often overlaps into the sphere of grace. This makes sense, for if grace is undeserved favor, then indeed there is that sense of pity, compassion and mercy evident within the word. In many cases mercy or 'lovingkindness' (NASB used) is used instead. Suffice for us to know, when a person is showing grace, he is also showing mercy. He is loving. He is showing kindness.

Hannah Grace is such a lovely name. Did you know that Hannah is a transliteration of the word gracious, grace and favor? Other names derived from this are Anna, Ann, Nan, Nancy, Anita (Spanish) and Annette (Frengh). Johanan has given us the name Joh: Jean (French), Givovanni (Italian), Juan (Spanish), Johann, and Hans (German), Jan (Dutch, and Ivan (Russian). (1)

The study of the word grace is more complicated in the OT than in the NT in some ways. In order to keep this study more focused, we will study the use of grace or favor in the following significant passage from Exodus 33 which utilizes several of the Hebrew words for grace together. More significant than this is the powerful teaching on grace found in God Himself which Moses implored. We can see the preponderance of the word 'favor' used here.

12 ¶ Then Moses said to the LORD, "See, Thou dost say to me, 'Bring up this people!' But Thou Thyself hast not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me. Moreover, Thou hast said, 'I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.'
13 "Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me know Thy ways, that I may know Thee, so that I may find favor in Thy sight. Consider too, that this nation is Thy people."
14 And He said, "My presence shall go [with you,] and I will give you rest."
15 Then he said to Him, "If Thy presence does not go [with us,] do not lead us up from here.
16 "For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Thy sight, I and Thy people? Is it not by Thy going with us, so that we, I and Thy people, may be distinguished from all the [other] people who are upon the face of the earth?"
17 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight, and I have known you by name."
18 Then Moses said, "I pray Thee, show me Thy glory!"
19 And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion." {Exodus 33:12-19, NASB}

Ex 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

Grace and Works

One of significant contributions of the Reformation was to clarify the means God saved His people. It was through grace rather than by works. In other words, man could not achieve the righteousness of God on His own. He was too far fallen to be able to reclaim righteousness on his own. God's work of grace enabled man to be reconciled with Him through the works of Jesus Christ.

In the Exodus 33:12 we find that Moses " also found favor in My sight." We do not know how this favor was found. We would normally think that Moses did something good to find this favor. Indeed he had already done many good things by taking God's people from Egypt. But Moses had not done many right things either. We remember his murder and coverup revealing his guilt. For forty years he lived in the desert - a seeming failure. However, he approached the burning bush and discovered Jehovah. If we think that Moses had deserved any of this special treatment, then we are mistaken. This is where the meaning of the word 'favor' directs us.

This word 'favor' (hen) first of all recognizes that Moses is inferior to God. We understand this not just in the general sense that a man is dependent upon God, but also in a specific sense where Moses is great in need of God's favor. God has the power and privilege to help. He decides to give this grace to Moses. Because of this, we find there is a second sense of pity or compassion inherent in the word. God did not need to give favor to Moses. God was pleased to. We do not find Moses able to do anything that impressed God. Instead we find him wondering who was going to go with him. Moses needed God's help; God recognized this and helped Moses.

Summary
Moses did not by his goodness gain this favor. God disposed it. God did not owe Moses anything but freely gave of this grace. It was a favor.

Grace and Promise

Another whole side of grace comes to life when we look at the next verse where Moses takes hold of that word of God. Once he heard that he had received favor, Moses played a hard game that pleased God. Moses had no right to demand favor. But now that God had said he had received his favor, then Moses took God's Word for it. Moses used it to bind God to action. This is a beautiful example on how the promises of God are to be used to advance God's purposes and glory.

13 "Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me know Thy ways, that I may know Thee, so that I may find favor in Thy sight. Consider too, that this nation is Thy people."

If this seems too bold, we are not correctly thinking about Moses' response. Moses took God's word for it. If God said it, then it must be true. If it is true and if Moses believed God, he must act upon it. His response shows that he really did believe God. Rude boldness presumes grace when there is none. In this case God had declared His grace. It is like a check given to us. Will we cash it?

Before we move on, we should note that grace is something that can be passed on. Grace only becomes grace when it is distributed to others. This was the main NT theme where God brought grace to the world through Christ and then again through His own disciples. Before Judgment Day, we are to vigorously distribute this great grace of God.

Grace and Power

Moses understood God. He knew how He worked at least in limited ways. We should see here in verses 16-17 that the power and confidence of the Christian comes from trusting God's grace. Moses on the one hand knew that without God's favor, He could not do anything. On the other hand, he realized that God was willing to be with him if God's favor on him meant anything. He wanted God's favor to also be upon the people.

15 Then he said to Him, "If Thy presence does not go [with us,] do not lead us up from here.
16 "For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Thy sight, I and Thy people? Is it not by Thy going with us, so that we, I and Thy people, may be distinguished from all the [other] people who are upon the face of the earth?"
17 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight, and I have known you by name."

Note how carefully Moses tries to get God to bind Himself to put His favor upon the nation and not just Himself. God in the end agrees to bless. However, God returns to His original word to Moses himself and not to all the people.

Grace and God's Person

The last verses speak authoritatively about God's own person. We might speculate God is like this or that. We might hope He would do this or that. But nothin is so clear than His own self-description.

18 Then Moses said, "I pray Thee, show me Thy glory!"
19 And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion." {Exodus 33:12-19, NASB}

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