What Does The Lord Love? - Scriptural Thinking

Let’s discover the things and people the Bible directly says… the Lord loves.

In this article, you will see how he loves his people (Israel, Church) and why he loves them, you will see how God loves judgment (and not how you think), how he loves righteousness and the righteous, how he loves the stranger, he loves Mount Sion, he loves those who love Jesus, he loves a cheerful giver, and a whole lot more…

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The Lord Loves Israel Because Of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob

The Old Testament is full of references about how God loves Israel because he loved the fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob).

In the New Testament, we are told that when we are in Christ we are the children of Abraham. Gal 3:7 – Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

So we are really extensions of the above, God loves us because of the fathers.

Think about it…

Gal 3:16 – Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Abraham and his seed (Jesus)

Gal 3:29 – And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

So… just as Israel in the Old Testament God loves us (his Church) in the New Testament because he loved Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Scriptures:

Deut 4:37 – And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt;

Deut 7: 6-8 – For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Deut 10:15 – Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.

Deut 23:5 – Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.

Deut 33:1-3 – And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.

Psa 47:4 – He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.

Isa 43:3-4 – For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

Isa 63:7-9 – I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindness.

For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

Jer 31:3 – The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Hos 11:1 – When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

Hos 14:4 – I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

Zep 3:17 – The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Mal 1:2 – I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob.

The Lords Love For Israel Recognized By Others

The love of the Lord for Israel was so evident that queens and kings from other nations could clearly see it and acknowledge it.

Scriptures:

1Ki 10:9 – Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. (Queen of Sheba to Solomon)

2Ch 2:11 – Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.

The Lord Loves Righteousness & Judgement

When we hear about the judgment of God we usually cringe and want to run and hide like Adam & Eve in the garden. Or we envisage cataclysmic end times events.

However, the judgment of God is a good thing.

Don’t you know that Jesus took our sins upon himself on the cross? That was judgment. God loves judgment – or simply put – he loves setting things right!
God’s love of judgment is associated with not forsaking his saints, preserving them forever, and cutting off the wicked. It is God’s judgment that keeps his people safe.
God constantly links righteousness with judgment – He loves righteousness and judgment. Judgment and righteousness are associated with taking care of people – such as opening the eyes of the blind or raising up those who are bowed down.
It says that Jesus loved the rich man when he told him that there was something he lacked. This was judgment, it was out of love trying to help the man. Telling people the truth and being honest with them is how we should love/judge.

Scriptures:

Psa 11:7 – For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

Psa 33:5 – He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

Psa 37:28 – For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

Psa 146:8 – The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:

Isa 61:8 – For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Mar 10:21 – Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Rev 1:5 – And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood

The Lord Loves The Stranger

This too can be classified as the judgment of God. He loves the stranger and provides them with food and raiment. He told Israel to take care of strangers in their midst because they were once strangers in Egypt.

So once again we see the judgment of God is a good thing.

Scripture:

Deut 10:17-18 – For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.

Obey The Lord’s Judgements

This ties in perfectly with the section above about God loving judgment and righteousness. So it is no surprise to find scriptures telling us to hearken/obey these judgments.

Jesus said that the person who keeps his commandments is the one who loves him. And if that is who we are then the Father will love us because we love his Son.
And it is followed by an amazing reward… Jesus will manifest himself to such a person.
And the Father and the Son will make their abode with such a person.
As the Father has loved Jesus – so does Jesus love us. Abide in that love!

Scriptures:

Deu 7:12-13 – Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:

And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

Jhn 14:21 – He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Jhn 14:23 – Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Jhn 15:9-10 – As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

The Lord Loves Mount Sion

The Lord loves Mount Zion and Psa 132:13 says, LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. Zion is going to have to be another wonderful study but suffice it to say it has to be important if God has chosen it.

And not only chose it but desired it for his habitation.
He loved Zion more than any place in the land of Israel.
Heb 12:22 says that we (the Church in Christ) have come to Mt Sion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. Wow!
Rom 11:26 says, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. Jesus is this deliverer.

Scriptures:

Psa 78:68 – But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

Psa 87:2 – The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

The Lord Loves Us As A Father

We have a father-son relationship with the Lord. What manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God? That is a very big statement to comprehend.

We read how we are adopted into the household of God. Rom 8:15 – For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

So we can pray, Our Father who art in heaven, we can call God our Father, and he will guide us, teach us, chastise us, because he loves us as our Father.

Scriptures:

Pro 3:12 – For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Heb 12:6 – For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

1Jo 3:1 – Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Rev 3:19 – As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

For God So Loved The World

The crucifixion of Christ demonstrated how much God loved the world. Can there possibly be any greater show of someone’s love toward us?

Hereby we perceive the love of God because HE laid down his life for us – God himself through Christ died for us.

Oh… how blind are people when they say God has never done anything for them? The cross shows God’s love toward us, it shows his mercy, and it shows his kindness.

He died on the cross while we were yet sinners, while we were enemies of God, while we were worthy of judgment, while we were worthy of death (for the wages of sin is death).

But as we have read earlier God loves judgment – and through this judgment (the cross), we are able to live in Christ.

Scriptures:

Jhn 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Rom 5:8 – But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

2Co 5:14 – For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

Eph 2:4 – But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us

Tit 3:4 – But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared.

1Jo 3:16 – Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1Jo 4:9 – In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

God The Father Loves Jesus

The Father loves his Son (Jesus) and has…

Given all things into his hand.
Shown him all things that God himself does.
God loved Jesus before the foundation of the world.
And the same love that the Father has loved Jesus is now in us.

Scriptures:

Jhn 3:35 – The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

Jhn 5:20 – For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

Jhn 10:17 – Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

Jhn 17:24 – Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Jhn 17:26 – And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

The Father Loves Those Who Love Jesus

Scriptures:

Jhn 16:27 – For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

2Th 2:16 – Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace

Jesus Loved Martha, Mary, & Lazarus

Scripture:

Jhn 11:5 – Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

Jesus Loved John

Scriptures:

Jhn 13:23 – Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

Jhn 20:2 – Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Jhn 21:7 – Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

Jhn 21:20 – Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

Jesus Loved His Disciples

Scriptures:

Jhn 13:34 – A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Eph 5:2 – And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

The Love of God Is In Our Hearts By The Holy Ghost

The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. How can you explain the love of God? What can you compare it to? What price would you pay to have such love in your heart? (The blood of Christ was the price).

How do you get this precious love of God in your heart? How is it distributed?

BY… the Holy Ghost!

That’s right. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts BY the Holy Ghost. That’s how the love of God gets there.

And NOTHING can separate us from the love of God!

Stop and think about this. Nothing means nothing! So often we say – oh what about this? what if someone does that? what about that circumstance, etc, etc, etc.

NOTHING means nothing – and when you go through the list of things mentioned in Romans nothing is left that can separate you from the love of God.

Scriptures:

Rom 5:5 – And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Rom 8:35-39 – Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?… Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Love of Christ Surpasses Knowledge

How do you explain this? The love of Christ passes knowledge so there is no way to explain it because knowledge can’t explain it. It exceeds knowledge and it exceeds it exceedingly.

You need to experience it.

Scripture:

Eph 3:19 – And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

God Loves Generosity

God loves a cheerful giver. Don’t give begrudgingly – give cheerfully. Help people, be generous not only with money but with time, with being hospitable, etc. Make it a way of life. See the joy in it so that you are doing it cheerfully.

Scripture:

2Co 9:7 – Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.