God’s Love and Grace in the Torah

The Torah is the first five books of the Bible. Yes, God’s love and grace can be found in this section of Scripture. It is not always and only wrath and judgment. Great for your personal edification or a series in a Bible study or sermons.

These verses are about God’s love and grace towards you, which never changes, not your love for him, which fluctuates from hour to hour.

Paul said all the promises that God has made in the Old Testament belong to us:

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. (2 Cor. 1:20)

These verses come from the New International Version (NIV) or English Standard Version (ESV). If you would like to see other translations, you may go to Biblegateway.com and type in the references.

Look for the key words in bold italics.

“Grace” is often translated as “favor” in the Old Testament. It means God’s undeserved, unmerited, unearned favor on you, which flows out of his love for you.

“Love” is translated a few times as “mercy” or “set affection upon.”

For further word studies of the Hebrew words, please see these posts:

What Is Grace?

Do I Really Know God? He Is Love

This section of Scripture may not have as many verses as other sections throughout the Bible, but the verses that the Torah does have are foundational.

Let’s begin.

5 The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Gen. 6:5-8)

1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. 2 The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. (Gen. 39:1-5)

20 … But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. (Gen. 39:20-23)

21 “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.” (Exod. 3:21-22)

35 The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36 The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians. (Exod. 12:35-36)

12 Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
14 The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
17 And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
19 And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
21 Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” (Exod. 33:12-23)

22 The LORD said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
24 “‘“The LORD bless you
and keep you;
25 the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
26 the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”’
27 “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” (Num. 6:22-27)

17 “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 ‘The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. … 19 In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.” (Num. 14:17-19)

37 Because he loved your forefathers and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength. (Deut. 4:37)

8 But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. … 12 If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers. 13 He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you. (Deut. 7:8-9, 12-13)

14 To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. 15 Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today.16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. (Deut. 10:14-16)

17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. 18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. (Deut. 10:17-18)

5 However, the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you. (Deut. 23:5)

2 … “[the Lord] came with myriads of holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes. 3 Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand. At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction” (Deut. 33:2-3)

12 About Benjamin he said: “Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.” (Deut. 33:12)

23 About Naphtali he said:
“Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the LORD
and is full of his blessing;
he will inherit southward to the lake.” (Deut. 33:23, ratsōn)

I hope you see yourself in these verses and claim the promises as your own.

One last word to wrap up. Some may criticize this post as “prooftexting” and taking things out of context. But I see nothing wrong with appropriating these promises that are ordered thematically into our hearts and lives. God’s love and grace are timeless (for every generation) and universal (for everyone everywhere). And here is an example of Paul “prooftexting”: Romans 3:10-18.

This post is mainly about your personal edification.

POSTS IN SERIES

God’s Love and Grace in the Torah

God’s Love and Grace in Old Testament History Books

God’s Love and Grace in Job, Psalms, and Proverbs

God’s Love and Grace in the Prophets

God’s Love and Grace in the Gospels and Acts

God’s Love and Grace in Paul’s Epistles

Bible Basics about the Final Judgment

Bible Basics about Hell

Are There Degrees of Punishment, Rewards after Final Judgment?

Do I Really Know God? He Shows Wrath