The Ḥesed Press: Pressing Up — As Seen in the Life of Habakkuk
In Philippians 3, Dana emphasizes that believers have not yet attained perfection but must press on toward the heavenly calling in Christ Jesus. This pressing involves forgetting past failures and reaching forward with divine grace, striving to fulfill God's purpose. Dana highlights that this perseverance is driven by God's mercy and the power of resurrection, especially through suffering, which draws us closer to Jesus. Similarly, Hosea 6 illustrates God's unwavering love for His people, despite their unfaithfulness and superficial repentance. The Lord desires covenant love ("hesed") over mere sacrifices, emphasizing genuine loyalty and mercy. Israel's history reflects a pattern of lip service and fleeting devotion, contrasted with God's persistent love, exemplified in Hosea's marriage to a harlot symbolizing God's relationship with Israel. Dana explains that God's love presses us into deeper knowledge of Him, often through trials and discipline, much like the "hesed press"—a divine process that strips away external religiosity and superficiality, leading believers into intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. This pressing is necessary for spiritual growth, sanctification, and true knowledge of God's holiness and mercy. Ultimately, God's mercy triumphs over judgment, drawing His children into a loving, transformative relationship with Him.
Main Points Outline:
Paul's call to press on toward spiritual maturity, relying on God's grace and resurrection power.
God's relentless love ("hesed") demonstrated through Hosea's marriage and His dealings with Israel.
The contrast between superficial religious acts and genuine covenant loyalty and mercy.
The "hesed press" as God's method of stripping away external religiosity to deepen intimacy with Him.
Trials, discipline, and suffering as divine tools to purify and draw believers closer to Christ.
The Holy Spirit's role in convicting, sanctifying, and leading into true holiness and knowledge of God.
Mercy triumphs over judgment, enabling believers to grow in love and holiness through divine pressing.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. 3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
4 O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.
3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. 4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
