2 Chron. 30:1-9, Old Testament “Grace”

Sometimes “grace” in the OT is neglected.  There is a misnomer floating around that the God of the OT is not gracious like the God of the NT.  That, of course, is ridiculous, because there is only one God.  But it is also ridiculous because God’s grace is abundantly on display in the OT. 

Hebrew: hannun: gracious (Strong 2587; TWOT 694d)

Always used of God except perhaps Ps.112:4

·       Ex.22:27: God will hear cry of man w/o his cloak bec. He is "compassionate" (NIV; KJV=gracious)

·       Ex.34:6: on Sinai, God proclaims self "the compassionate (merciful) & gracious God"

·       2Chron.30:9: Hezekiah's messengers to people of NK call them to "return to God, he is gracious & compassionate.

·       Neh.9:17: Israel confesses their sin: God is gracious & compassionate

·       Neh.9:31: same: gracious & merciful

·       Ps.86:15: God is compassionate & gracious

·       Ps.103:8: same

·       Ps.111:4: God=gracious & compassionate

·       Ps.112:4: KJV: God=gracious, compassionate, righteous; NIV applied to an upright man.

·       Ps.116:5: Lord=gracious, righteous, full of compassion

·       Ps.145:8: Lord=gracious, compassionate, etc.

·       Joel 2:13: call to return to God for he is gracious, etc.

·       Jonah 4:2: Jonah fled bec. he knew God was gracious, etc. & would spare Ninevah.

The key to this term is that it is one of the attributes of God that God Himself refers to when He announces His “multi-faceted” name to Moses in Ex. 34:6-7.  Perhaps this term explains why Paul, in Rom. 2:1-4, understood that God draws men to repentance by His goodness, not His threats of judgment.  The interesting exception is Jonah, who ran from God who wanted him to preach to Ninevah, knowing that God was gracious and would forgive Ninevah who would eventually be used of God to remove the northern Ten Tribes.