4.8.26 ~ The Graceful Pattern

One of the challenges that we all face with the topic of grace is that we tend to think it is a term that originated in the New Testament with Yeshua. However, with a cursory use of a concordance, even the Gospel of John identifies the Word that has been from the beginning as full of grace and truth (John 1:1–18), let alone when God's glorious name passed before Moses—it was grace, grace, and more grace (Ex. 34:8–9):

And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
(Ex. 34:6–8)

The people whose faithfulness is operative and securing grace are known as righteous ones (tzadikim)—the ones who stand before God on behalf of others. The Torah, God's instruction book, gives us the patterns of "heroes" who show us what this looks like. Noah—literally the word Noah—found grace in the eyes of the Lord, which came as a result of his righteous living (Gen. 6:8–9). Joseph found grace with his master Potiphar, which came as a result of his obedience (Gen. 39:4). Esther found grace before the king as a result of her righteous living (Est. 2:17). And who can forget Moses, the prototype of the ultimate grace-filled righteous man, Yeshua, the Savior for mankind?

And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
(Ex. 33:12–13)

What do these limited selections of tzadikim (righteous ones) have in common? In every case, there is a relational dynamic described between two people or between one person and God. One party has demonstrated something: faithfulness, trustworthiness. They have a track record. The other party has taken notice of this, and favor/grace results in the other's real favor. Meaningful favor, even salvation, comes as a result. The favor/grace follows the faithful. Noah was a righteous man. It says Joseph found favor with Potiphar, not just by showing up to work, but Joseph had Potiphar watching over him, who saw his integrity. He saw that everything Joseph did prospered, and the favor followed the faithfulness. Esther did not just fumble and mumble her way into the throne room and happen to find grace with the king. It was not accidental. She prepared. She fasted. She risked her life. He loved her very much. She demonstrated many righteous things. And Moses, Moses, Moses... every one of those stories is connected to demonstrate that standing grace is not arbitrary, and it is not really even a gift. It implies merit—in favor. Someone merited it, and that turned some things upside down a little bit.

The question that inquiring minds are asking is: Am I meriting grace at work? In my relationships? With God?

Have a grace-filled day!

Shalom,
Alan

P.S. If you want more on the grace topic, you can go to lightinthetorah.wordpress.com to get more comprehensive thoughts :-)

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