Saturday, February 27, 2010

a world full of God's love

Psalm 33:5 tells us that the whole earth is filled with Yahweh's unfailing love. It's a nice thought - the world filled with love. But this isn't the warm, gooey love that comes with a box of Roses. It's God's loyal, covenantal love - his hesed, that combination of intimacy and security which is expressed in the self-giving of God himself.

The psalm affirms that the whole earth is filled with this covenant love. It's a remarkable statement at this point in redemptive history, when Yahweh's hesed was particularised in Israel. It isn't the land that is filled with hesed but the earth.

God's particular demonstration of covenant love and loyalty towards Israel was an expression of his covenant faithfulness to the whole of his creation. In places where torah was unknown and the voice of the prophets unheard, Yahweh's covenant love was nevertheless (mysteriously) present.

Maybe it was for this reason Paul felt able to use Psalm 19:4, material that is generally understood to speak of general revelation, as evidence that God's saving message has been heard (Romans 10:16ff).

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