Grief, Grieving Scripture often speaks of God as being grieved or experiencing grief.

This holds true for each member of the Trinity. In Genesis 6:6 ! the "ather is grieved because of the sinfulness of the human race. The disobedience of Israel and the church grieves the #oly Spirit $ Isa 6%:&' ( )ph *:%' +. The Son of God is a man of sorro,s, ac-uainted ,ith grief $ Isa .%:% &' ( /att 0%:%1 %2 ( 3uke &%:%* %. ( 4ohn &&:%. +. The 5ible often expresses the things of God in human form or ,ith human feelings in order to accommodate our limited understanding. 6et ,ith regard to grief and grieving, the Scriptures are not simply explaining a divine action in human terms. 7ather, the sub8ect of divine grief addresses the very essence of God as a person and the image of God in all persons. The grief of God testifies to that dynamic, living relationship that exists bet,een God and humankind. 7ight as 9ristotle ,as in many ,ays, God is not an :;nmoved /over.: God is grieved ,hen his covenantal love is rebuffed by human disobedience and sin. #is anguished response to sin is evidenced in t,o main ,ays: divine 8udgment and compassion for the sinner. 9lthough antithetical in nature, these aspects of God<s grief ,ork together for salvation. Genesis 6:. ! serves as a paradigm in this regard. The #ebre, root for :grieve, : nhm =(8:n>, communicates a mixture of divine indignation against sin and a heartfelt anguish concerning the plight of his creation. Thus, in grief, God responds in 8udgment against sin, yet besto,s saving grace and mercy on ?oah and his family $ Gen 6:1 ! +. The end of the ordeal is marked by a reaffirmation of God<s covenantal faithfulness to his entire creation $ Gen !:0& 00 +. So in grief God punishes, identifies ,ith the moral plight of his creatures, and accomplishes his redemptive purposes. This pattern occurs repeatedly in God<s dealing ,ith Israel. God ,as grieved ,hen Israel rebelled and forgot his special covenantal favors $ @salm 1!:*' .. ( 2.:&' +. They grieved his #oly Spirit, ,hich led God to become the very opposite of ,hat he ,ished to be. #e ceased to be their loving "ather and became their enemy $ Isa 6%:&' +. 6et his chastening hand relents and ultimately brings restoration $ @salm &'6:*. *6 ( 4er 06:&2 ( 9mos 1:% 6 ( 4onah %:&' +. The punitive and salvific aspects of God<s grief coalesced in the person and ,ork of 4esus Ahrist. Sin grieved the goodness of God and assailed his holiness. In 8udgment he condemned the creation of his o,n hands. 6et in grief and through grief he redeemed the ,orld by his Son $ 4ohn %:&6 +. Isaiah<s messianic prophecy describes God<s 9nointed as a man of sorro,s, ac-uainted ,ith grief $ Isa .%:% +. 4esus ,ept at the death of 3aBarus, pleaded ,ith 4erusalem, and agoniBed in the garden $ 4ohn

&&:%% ( /att 0%:%1 %2 ( 3uke &%:%* %. ( /att 06:%! ( /ark &*:%* ( 3uke 00:** +. #e learned obedience through suffering so that in all things he might be touched by the suffering of all people $ #eb *:&. ( .:1 ! +.