PERSONS THAT GOD LOVED

Malachi 1:2; Daniel 9:20-23; John 16:26,27

I was thinking of these scriptures, which refer to persons that God loved. We have been reminded of Jacob recently, and the personal link that he had with God in faith. Here in Malachi, God says, “I loved Jacob”. I was thinking about what was lovable in Jacob. There is God’s sovereign love, which relates to what He is in Himself, and to His sovereign purpose, but there is also what He finds lovable in persons that He can take account of.

We might say there was much about Jacob that was not loveable, but there was something that drew out divine affection from an early age. We know from Hebrews that he dwelt in tents with Abraham and Isaac (chap.11:9). It does not mention Esau there. Esau was attracted to the world, the world that has rejected Christ. But Jacob was at home with his father and his grandfather. That was when he was in his teenage years: he was fifteen years of age, I think, when Abraham died. Abraham was marked by heavenly characteristics (see Heb.11:9-13); he did not belong here, and Jacob took on something of that character. He was attracted to what was heavenly. God appreciated that.

Jacob valued what had come down to him, the inheritance and the birthright. The way he went about securing it was not commendable (see Gen.25:30-34) but God still valued his interest in and desires for what He had given Abraham and what therefore belonged to him. What God had given was on the line of faith. In Genesis 28, it says that Jacob obeyed his father and mother and he took that journey to Padan-Aram (vv.7,10). God appreciated that: another feature that God loves is obedience. That certainly marked Abraham, and Jacob had taken it on. That is seen supremely in the Lord Jesus, who was “obedient even unto death”, Phil.2:8. Jacob had taken on that feature. These features in him drew out divine love. God had worked in a sovereign way in him, of course, but then Jacob responded to the work of God in him. He valued what belonged to God’s house and he also took on the service of shepherding. There are many positive things about Jacob that God appreciated, and we can learn much from him. He showed shepherd care for the young, and he desired the blessing of the young. He loved Joseph, who is a distinctive type of Christ. What a change the incoming of Joseph, and Jacob’s love for him, brought about in Jacob’s life.

I thought too of Daniel. Three times it says of him that he was “greatly beloved” (see Dan.9:23; 10:11,19). We often think of John in connection with Daniel, as the disciple that Jesus loved. John enjoyed the Lord’s love, but there was what was in John that drew out the Lord’s love. Daniel is an Old Testament saint who was marked by prayer. That is another feature that draws out divine affections. A feature of Christ that we see in Luke’s gospel is Him as a praying, dependent man. God takes account of that feature: it especially draws out His affections. Daniel too was interested in God’s things, God’s interests in His people. In this present dispensation, the assembly is the chief divine interest, the assembly being for Christ here. If we also make that our interest, it draws out divine affection in a special way.

You can tell from Daniel’s prayer that his interests were in line with God’s interests. What feelings he had in taking responsibility for Israel’s failure! God appreciated and loved these features. He also gave Daniel understanding: as well as drawing out divine affections, God gave him increased spiritual understanding of divine things. We can learn much from Daniel, who accepted the circumstances in which he was placed and whose interests were associated with the people of God – the city of Jerusalem, speaking of the assembly. May we be encouraged to make this our chief interest.

The passage we read in John helps us to see that in this dispensation, persons who are marked by love for Christ draw out the Father’s affections. The Lord speaks to His own: “the Father himself has affection for you, because ye have had affection for me, and have believed that I came out from God”. Affection for Christ and faith in Him are features that God greatly appreciates in His people. How different from what is around in the world! In John 14:23 the Lord says a similar thing: “If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him”. It comes down to an individual there – the Father’s love for an individual who is a lover of Christ. Christ is the centre of the Father’s affections; how much He appreciates those who love Christ and keep His commandments, and also those who “keep my word” – that is, what comes from Him by the Spirit in a living way. How precious His word is.

The Lord adds, “and my Father will love him”: the Father’s affection is drawn out. As it says where we read, “because ye have had affection for me”. It is good to be in such a company, with those who love Christ. May we be encouraged as knowing the Father’s love, and His affection for us. There is a particular personal touch here: “the Father himself”, the Lord says, referring to the Father’s personal affection for those who love Christ.

May we be encouraged, for His name’s sake.

Word in a meeting for ministry, Dundee

2 January 2024

Allan Grant