Born Again
Light arises in the darkness for the upright; He is gracious and compassionate and righteous. Psalm 112:4 NASB
Compassionate – The consonant structure of raḥûm, the Hebrew word for “compassionate,” offers an interesting linguistic insight into its meaning and application. You see, raḥûm, can be slightly altered by changing the vowels. Then it becomes raḥam, the word for the womb. It’s probably not accidental that the consonants that mean compassion can also be vocalized as womb. After all, the greatest human display of deep love and concern is found in the relationship between a mother and her unborn child. This is real compassion. Everything the mother does, every experience she has, every emotion, every thought, every word is transferred to the child in the womb. That child’s life utterly depends on the mother, and the consequences of what the mother does will remain with that child long after it is free of the umbilical cord. The responsibility is as close as any human being will ever come to the kind of care God has for His people. In fact, when God passes by Moses hidden in the split in the rock, He declares that He is birthing Israel with the same kind of intimate connection (Exodus 34:6).
Amazingly, this word shows up in the description of the father. Psalm 112:3 is a verse about the character of a man. Perhaps men can appreciate the incredible intimacy between a mother and the child she is carrying, but empathy is about as far as it can go. Nevertheless, the psalmist claims that a man can be recognized for his compassion. How does this happen?
rāḥam is used infrequently (twelve of forty-seven times) of men. It is used only once in the Qal when the Psalmist confesses his love for Jehovah (18:1 [H 2]). The depth of this love is shown by the connection of this word with reḥem/raḥam. Compare Isaiah (49:15) who uses it of a mother’s love toward her nursing baby. It can also refer to a father’s love (Ps 103:13). Apparently, this verb connotes the feeling of mercy which men have for each other by virtue of the fact that they are human beings (Jer 50:42) and which is most easily prompted by small babies (Isa 13:18) or other helpless people. It is this natural mercy for the helpless that Israel’s and Babylon’s enemies will lack in their cruelty . . .[1]
According to Scripture, raḥûm is a natural human emotion. Its absence is an indicator that something non-human has overcome a person. In fact, a world without compassion is a world without God since the very first thing God says when He describes His own character is that He is compassionate. Hold on to that! I’m afraid we will need it as a constant reminder where we live. Something is very, very wrong with this world. Perhaps our job is to exhibit raḥûm wherever we possibly can. That’s what a man of God must do.
We should notice that the word is a powerful description of God Himself. “This root is frequently used of God. It incorporates two concepts: first, the strong tie God has with those whom he has called as his children (Ps 103:13). God looks upon his own as a father looks upon his children; he has pity on them (cf. Mic 7:19). The second concept is that of God’s unconditioned choice (ḥānēn, grace). God tells Moses that he is gracious and merciful to whomever he chooses (Ex 33:19).”[2]
Can the man of God afford anything less than compassion? Can he be a man of God without it? Perhaps the most important task we have as God’s children is to consciously develop raḥûm as an active ingredient in our lives.
Topical Index: compassion, raḥûm, raḥam, womb, Psalm 112:4
[1] Coppes, L. J. (1999). 2146 רָחַם., Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 841).
[2] Ibid.
I recall another study on rahum/raham yet I don’t remember the lecturer/composer. He spoke of the idea that before anything existed, God was. The conclusion is that at a time only God existed (if my nonsensical way of relaying that makes any sense).
This meant that anything that God creates, exists within God’s own form. He posed that God carved out or created within that form a place for His creation of Genesis…sort of a womb within. The ‘compassion’ (RaHuM) as God describes himself is alluding to this place i.e. that womb (RaHaM).
This place within God holds all the attributes of the female womb in that it is self contained within, it provides the ultimate protection for the vulnerable occupant and…get this…that womb essentially is solely for the occupant, the mother could live on without that womb within her! It is not vital to her existence it is hers to provide for what she cares most for, her child.
I recognized this womb idea you describe as coming from Rabbi David Fohrman -AlephBeta’s lesson on Parshat Vayakhel “What does it mean to be created – Bezelem Elokim” I thought it was a very interesting video presentation! It can be found on youtube.
Thanks Jeni! Yes, I am an avid reader/viewer of Rabbi Fohrman. There is so much to read/view of all sources that I sometimes forget what I learned and who I learned it from 🙁
Antonio Demasio has written a book called Descartes Error: Emotion, Reason, And The Human Brain which is science’s confirmation of Skip’s assertion that we have been greatly short sheeted by the Greeks, particularly when it comes to understanding reality as form over function, and the body as being separate from the soul. Nothing could possibly be further from the truth! This book surely makes Skip’s self appointed job easier of showing us just how messed up that Greek mindset has made us, for sure. I recommend it for anyone with the patience to wade through a scientific text. (Or you could just continue to listen to Skip!)
Compassion is only possible in a world where emotion is an indispensible ingredient of reason. We make choices, according to Demasio, using an automated, emotionally driven substrate based on past pain/pleasure learning, as well as a conscious reasoning that decides what information is relevant to a decision. Acts of the will, he says, are simply delayed gratification responses. The willingness of martyrs to delay gratification until the afterlife is the best example of this ability, but, then, all of heaven is about pleasure. Cultivating an active avoidance of pleasure, as well as a corresponding ignoring of pain simply short circuits our capacity to learn at all, but these perversions of our design can wreak even more havoc with our ability to practice true righteousness, which, as Paul points out, is just a “tinkling cymbal” without that necessary compassion, or identifying with the passion experience of another. Damage to me will inevitably translate into my damage of another. This is the profile of a psychopath.
The most important point the book makes, however, is that our sense of self is grounded in the body; specifically the three regions represented by the three tissue types that Dr. Frans Cronje identifies as associated with our three basic negative/positive responses; namely, skin/neural ectoderm tissue, which Dr. Cronje correlates with our fear/love; the musculoskeletal mesoderm tissue with our guilt/righteousness response; and our endoderm tissue (or, “belly”) with our shame/honor response. He also points out that our sense of self cannot be separated from our sense of the world around us, either.
We also build a mind/body representation of the world that encompasses BOTH body and brain with that sense of self that arises out of the body proper. Compassion, therefore, must be our vicarious (as well as visceral) ability to actually FEEL the feelings of another, whether it be person or organism. When YHVH declares that He feels our passion; literally COMpassion, I wonder about the indispensible body connection that we, made in His image, have, and all those texts, OT and New, that emphasize His compassion with us. Just wondering, y’all!
But, I digress. I can see that it would be impossible to sense the self of another without a sense of myself first. If I have been practicing altered states of reality, or even ignoring or perverting my emotional information, I would also be damaging my ability to feel for another, too. Suffering is what a psychopath lacks, but also likewise lacks that ability to identify with others, for they have lost the ability to identify with themselves. We practice avoidance of suffering and emotion in general, then, at a fearful risk of losing our ability to practice righteousness, for compassion lies at the very heart of what it means to connect our bodies with a larger Body. I would imagine that the reverse holds true, too, when it comes to that great Head of that Body. Can’t wait to ask Him!
I can follow what you are saying!!! I am amazed how God has us on the same path of discovery!
In talking about compassion and mercy that should be evident even in men something comes to mind.
I am not opposed to hunting if one needs to eat. Not even opposed to eliminating a varmint trying to eat my pets or dig holes around my foundations. (I have done it myself)
However, there seem to be so many out there who kill just to kill. It is like a bragging rights contest at times. It breaks my heart to see such a lack of mercy and compassion even for God’s creatures. I believe there is a verse in Psalms that mentions a mans compassion towards his animals. It is a good connection to make.
I see this compassion in my husband quite a lot. Makes me really grateful to be married to him 🙂
I wonder how there can be compassion for human beings when there is none even for creatures. How can one claim to have mercy and compassion for humans while they brag about killing every four legged creature they see?
Just wondering.
And my wondering doesn’t even touch the fact that this country aborts many innocent babies daily. Not any mercy there that I can see 🙁
People can say anything but when I look around and watch, things just don’t add up correctly very often.
A few weeks ago I mentioned the pangolin. This harmless little creature is the most trafficked animal on earth. That fact is testimony to the lack of compassion among human beings. Lack of compassion may be the single most devastating sin of humanity. At least it ranks right up there with idolatry. In fact, I believe that the two are interrelated. Without compassion for the earth and its creatures, there can be no grounds for compassion for other human beings. When judgment comes, it will be devastating indeed. What a sorry and sad species human beings really are.
There are just so many examples of a lack of compassion for earth and the creatures. Have a good look at the industrial agriculture that has taken over much of this country. Its all about profit now. Look at the disrespect shown for God’s creation in the indiscriminate use of poison’s everywhere. The hatred for weeds and bugs (and more) and the desire to do way more than just control it-totally eliminate it!
I am just not sure how humanity got to such a place. Sad and sorry species of human beings is appropriate.
Fortunately I do still find folks who are not sad and sorry and what a delight it is when it happens!
Your title, ‘Born Again’, got me thinking, and the reading today in NIV Daily is from Ephesians 4, which seems to pretty well sum it up:
21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
This is an excellent topic and the comments are equally thought-provoking. Lots of higher thinking here.
My brother experienced morning sickness (Couvade syndrome) even before my sister-in-law knew she was pregnant herself–and this for more than one pregnancy! Now this brother, after more than 60 years of marriage, is caring for his wheel chair-bound wife and running the household she built–he is canning, gardening, cleaning, bathing and dressing my sister-in-law.
I have another brother who, with his wife, adopted children. My brother never experienced the pregnancy routine at all. Yet he showed the most insightful compassion toward my wife when she was pregnant.
I am glad to see the comments concerning our treatment of animals and the environment in general. Dawn and Skip are right. A lack of compassion is a huge sin. Perhaps it comes from ungratefulness. What do you think?