My hope is that this series will offer my readers a chance to consider the names, characteristics and descriptions of our God in the Word.

The remaining Names of God in this series might be considered descriptors, or characteristics of the Lord. We have reviewed the three primary Names of God, along with nineteen compound Names of God in our previous posts. As we venture through these descriptors of our God, I hope we will recognize all the many characteristics of our God that we tend to take for granted.

The Word is truly rich with descriptions of the Living God, and this effort of searching in the Word was quite illuminating. He truly is the ultimate subject of the Word, and His revelation of self-descriptions, or the accolades offered Him by His priests, prophets, kings apostles and faithful truly is a blessing.

May the Name of the Lord be praised, and by thinking on His name, may you have a blessed day.

283

HE WHO HAS PITY ON THEM

Isaiah 49:10 they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.

How often have we watched a poor sucker on the silver screen yell out “I don’t want your pity”, or “I don’t need your pity”? Admit it – even as this character is expressing his rejection of any pity, we tend to identify with him.

No one that I know seeks pity. Pity is a somewhat negative expression in our current understanding, toward those in a trial or difficulty. Pity in the English dictionary is defined as “sympathetic or kindly sorrow evoked by the suffering, distress, or misfortune of another”.

In our culture, to receive pity may be perceived as an expression of helplessness, of an inability to resolve a problem. It also places the one expressing pity as somewhat superior over the one receiving the pity, though I think this may be unintended many times. Nevertheless, the one receiving pity often considers the pity to be coming from someone who may never experience trials or troubles, and therefore cannot identify with them.

So when we see a passage such as today’s we may have incorrect thoughts regarding it. Let’s consider if this is a correct reaction.

First, for one to show pity, as expressed in this verse is to express compassion, as in a sharing of the burden. Per Gesenius’ Hebrew – Chaldee Lexicon, the term “pity” in Isaiah 49:16 has the idea of “cherishing, soothing, and in a gentle emotion of the mind, to behold with tenderest affection, to be compassionate”.

There doesn’t appear to be any expression of superiority in this display of pity over the one needing help. It is an expression of love. That is perty dang good news, if it was only in relation to those of our own peers. The simple understanding of “pity” in our verse as expressing “being with someone” in a trial is comforting to say the least.

To further assist in our correct reaction to this somewhat negative word is to consider the One offering compassion (pity).

He is superior, far above our condition and status, greater in every way, and if our understanding of pity was correct in the original discussion, we could assign it to the One above and it would correctly fit in expressing His possible reaction to those of us in trouble. All of us, that is!

But for the only One who is actually superior to us, He uses a different concept of pity, a pity that is better expressed as compassion in our understanding. He is “with us” in our trials. To have compassion is to be moved with the pity, to take action instead of simply feeling bad.

As the Lord walked this earth, He expressed compassion on many. Note that when He expressed compassion, actions accompanied this emotion.

Mark 8:2, 8 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat.
And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.

So in summary, God truly is greater than us and in our current understanding of pity, could rightly express this emotion. Yet there is much more to this passage than applying our incorrect understanding of pity to our God.

He not only enters into our trial, but He takes action. It is not only an expression of emotion, but a solution provided, an action taken to assist in the trial.

For those Isaiah was preaching to, this assistance from the hand of God was His leading and guiding them through the wilderness and to the springs of water.

As I grow older in the Lord, this leading and guiding is becoming much more critical in my faith. To think the Sovereign of the Universe is willing, no, not only willing but desires to guide us is an incredible truth.

I will take His pity! I will seek His compassion. For HE WHO HAS PITY ON THEM has had much pity (compassion) on me.

May you find the compassion of God in His leading also. It is a blessing that should not be ignored nor rejected.

---

I would love to hear of your favorite name, characteristic or description of the Living God. Please leave me a comment, and I will include it in the list!

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.

Come join us at Considering the Bible