In the OT, grace is evident in the special relationship between God and his people.
God's grace was expressed in the covenant relationship
Deuteronomy 7:7–9; 2 Kings 13:22–23 See also Genesis 9:8–11, Genesis 17:1–8; Exodus 6:2–8; Deuteronomy 8:17–18; Nehemiah 1:5–6; Isaiah 55:1–3; Ezekiel 16:1–8
The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your fathers, He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.
And Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. But the LORD was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day, the LORD has been unwilling to destroy them or cast them from His presence.
God's grace affirmed
God's grace shown in his compassion
Psalm 86:15; Lamentations 3:22; Joel 2:13 See also Exodus 33:19; Deuteronomy 13:17–18; 2 Chronicles 30:9; Ezra 8:22; Psalm 103:13; Ezekiel 39:25; Hosea 2:19; Jonah 4:1–2; Micah 7:18–20; Zechariah 10:6; Malachi 3:17
But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.
Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail.
So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.
God's grace shown in his readiness to forgive
Isaiah 55:7; Jeremiah 33:6–9 See also Daniel 9:9–10; Micah 7:18–20
Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.
Nevertheless, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal its people and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. I will restore Judah and Israel from captivity and will rebuild them as in former times. And I will cleanse them from all the iniquity they have committed against Me, and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against Me. So this city will bring Me renown, joy, praise, and glory before all the nations of the earth, who will hear of all the good I do for it. They will tremble in awe because of all the goodness and prosperity that I will provide for it.
God's grace shown in his favour, provision and healing
Leviticus 26:9; Jeremiah 32:40–41 See also Numbers 10:29; Deuteronomy 13:17–18; 2 Samuel 22:28; Psalm 30:4–5; Isaiah 49:8; Jeremiah 9:23–24, Jeremiah 33:6–9; Nahum 1:7; Zechariah 12:10
I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will establish My covenant with you.
I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will never turn away from Me. Yes , I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.
God made his grace known to individuals
Nehemiah 9:16–20 The Israelites confess their sins; Job 10:12 See also Genesis 24:35–36 Abraham; Genesis 32:9–10 Jacob; Genesis 39:20–21 Joseph; Exodus 33:12–13 Moses; Deuteronomy 33:23 Naphtali; Judges 2:18 in the period of the judges; 1 Samuel 2:21 Hannah; 1 Kings 3:6 Solomon; Ezra 7:27–28 Ezra; Nehemiah 2:8 Nehemiah; Psalm 6:9 David; Isaiah 26:10 God's grace may be unavailing.
But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments. They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them. Even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and when they committed terrible blasphemies, You in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud never turned away from guiding them on their path; and by the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go. You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst.
You have granted me life and loving devotion, and Your care has preserved my spirit.
God's grace implored
2 Chronicles 33:12; Psalm 51:1; Isaiah 33:2 See also Genesis 24:12; Exodus 32:11; 1 Kings 8:28–30; 2 Kings 13:4; Nehemiah 9:32; Psalm 25:16, Psalm 69:13; Daniel 9:17–19; Hosea 14:2; Habakkuk 3:2; Zechariah 1:12
And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his fathers.
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.
O LORD, be gracious to us! We wait for You. Be our strength every morning and our salvation in time of trouble.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.