“But Ittai answered the king, ‘As Adonai lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, your servant will be there too.’ ‘Go, move along,’ said David to Ittai; and Ittai the Gitti moved on, accompanied by all his men and the little ones with him.”-2 Samuel 15:21-22
Okay, so today we’re gonna wrap up our discussion about the Hebrew concept of CHESED.
As already discussed, although our English Bibles usually translate CHESED to mean just grace, that is just one tiny sliver of what this word really means.
It also encompasses grace, kindness, loyalty, mercy, truth, and faithfulness.
However, the main point I wanna talk about today is the reciprocal nature of this word.
Notice in 2 Samuel 15, King David offers CHESED to the gentile Ittai EVEN IF this uncircumcised foreigner decides not to dwell among the king and his followers.
The covenant bond still remains intact.
Ittai wasn’t a robot.
Following the king was based on his free will.
Ittai still had the choice to walk away.
David even encouraged him to do just that.
Yet he chose not to based on his free will.
Ittai made a bold choice to side with the anointed King of Israel.
Even if it cost him his life.
So David showed CHESED to Ittai.
And Ittai reciprocated that CHESED.
Does this situation sound familiar?
It should.
Because it’s a sneak peek into how true believers choose to follow Yeshua…
Even when other flashy leaders emerge and try to lure them away…
Especially the one the Bible calls the Anti-Christ.
Ya feel me?
But this is the beginning.
Things are about to get a lot more interesting as we move forward.
When we understand what chesed means, it reminds us of something the gentile church has completely lost.
It’s this:
When we chose to follow the Messiah, we entered into a covenant relationship that requires our reciprocal obedience.
We don’t just walk down an aisle, say the sinner’s prayer, and go back to bingeing on porn when we get home.
Ya feel me?
We owe the Lord our loyalty, our obedience, and a life that follows His ways.
That’s what CHESED is really about.
It ain’t just about love.
It’s about unwavering commitment.
Recall these words of Yeshua:
“Not everyone who says to me,
‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the
Kingdom of Heaven,
only those who do what my
Father in heaven wants.”
-Matthew 7:21
You see that little word “do” in the above verse.
Well, it ain’t just some little throwaway word.
It implies vigorous obedience to God’s commands.
See ya all next time, homies.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“What good is it, my brothers,
if someone claims to have faith
but has no actions to prove it?
Is such ‘faith’ able to save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is
without clothes and daily food,
and someone says to him, ‘Shalom!
Keep warm and eat hearty!’
without giving him what he needs,
what good does it do?
Thus, faith by itself, unaccompanied
by actions, is dead.”
-James 2:14-17
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