Inexpressible by Michael Card

Inexpressible by Michael Card ISBN-13: 9780830845491 Paperback: 176 pages Publisher: InterVarsity Press Released: Dec. 18, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
God's identity is beyond what we could ever fully express in human words. But Scripture uses one particular word to describe the distinctiveness of God's character: the Hebrew word hesed.

Hesed is a concept so rich in meaning that it doesn't translate well into any single English word or phrase. Michael Card unpacks the many dimensions of hesed, often expressed as lovingkindness, covenant faithfulness, or steadfast love. He explores how hesed is used in the Old Testament to reveal God's character and how he relates to his people. Ultimately, the fullness of hesed is embodied in the incarnation of Jesus.

As we follow our God of hesed, we ourselves are transformed to live out the way of hesed, marked by compassion, mercy, and faithfulness. Discover what it means to be people of an everlasting love beyond words.


My Review:
Inexpressible examines the use of the Hebrew word "hesed" throughout Scripture. God uses this word to describe Himself, so it's important to understand what it means. However, hesed doesn't translate well into any single English word.

The author started by explaining what hesed means and how he came to explore the depths of its meaning. He then went through the Old Testament and looked at the different uses of hesed to help the reader to better understand God's character. He also looked at the New Testament, searching for words commonly combined with hesed in the Old Testament to identify where the concept of hesed is being referred to. He ended by talking about showing hesed to others. Overall, I'd highly recommend this excellent study for the insights it provides about God's character and how understanding hesed changes our relationship with Him.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.