God’s Love Demonstrated

Romans 5:8 reveals the depth and initiative of God’s love. It shows that God did not wait for humanity to cry out for deliverance from sin. Instead, He acted first, sending Jesus Christ to die for us even when we were still lost in sin and rebellion. God’s love is not reactive; it is proactive. He saw our desperate condition, even before we realised it ourselves, and made the ultimate sacrifice to rescue us. This stands as the clearest demonstration of divine love—God acted for our salvation without waiting for us to ask.

In contrast to this New Testament revelation, the Old Testament shows a different pattern of interaction between God and His people, especially in the book of Judges. There, God’s intervention depended on the Israelites’ cries for help when they were oppressed. But in the case of humanity’s greatest oppression—sin—God did not wait for our plea. He took the initiative, providing a Saviour to address the root of our deepest need.

The Israelites’ Cry for Help in the Book of Judges

In the book of Judges, the Israelites repeatedly found themselves oppressed by their enemies. Each time, they had to cry out to God for help before He sent a deliverer. This cyclical pattern reflects the Israelites’ reliance on God’s mercy, but it also shows that God waited for them to acknowledge their need for Him before He intervened.

Four Hebrew words are used to describe the cries of the Israelites, each carrying a distinct nuance of their plea for help:

1. זָעַק (za’aq) – This Hebrew word means “to cry out” or “to cry for help” in a loud and desperate way. It conveys a sense of urgency and deep distress. In Judges 3:9, we read, “When the Israelites cried (זָעַק) out to the Lord, He raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them.” The Israelites, having been oppressed by the king of Mesopotamia, called out to God in anguish, and He responded by raising up Othniel to save them. Their desperate cry for help prompted God’s intervention.
2. שָׁוַע (shava) – This word emphasizes an earnest, intense cry for help. It speaks to the urgency of the Israelites’ need for rescue. Judges 10:12 records God’s response to their pleas: “The Sidonians, Amalekites, and Maonites oppressed you and you cried (שָׁוַע) to me for help, and I delivered you from their hands.” In this instance, God reminds them of the multiple times they had cried out to Him and how He had faithfully delivered them from their enemies.
3. נָאֲקָה (na’aqah) – This word refers to a groaning or lamenting in deep distress, often implying long-standing suffering. Judges 2:18 says, *“Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, He was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord had compassion on them as they groaned (נָאֲקָה) under those who oppressed and afflicted them.” Here, the Israelites groaned under the weight of oppression, and God, moved by compassion, delivered them. Their prolonged suffering brought forth a cry for help, to which God responded.
4. צָעַק (tsa’aq) – Similar to זָעַק (za’aq), this word means “to cry out” loudly for deliverance. It emphasizes the intensity of the cry. Judges 6:6 says, “Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried (צָעַק) out to the Lord for help.” The Israelites, after being severely oppressed and impoverished by the Midianites, raised their voices in desperation. Their cry reached God’s ears, and He sent Gideon to save them.

In each of these instances, God’s deliverance came after the Israelites cried out in anguish. Their suffering led them to recognise their need for God’s help, and only then did He send a saviour to rescue them.

Sin: Humanity’s Greatest Enemy

While the Israelites faced physical enemies in the book of Judges, humanity’s greatest enemy is far more insidious—sin. Sin separates us from God, corrupts our hearts, and leads to death. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The consequences of sin are devastating, both in this life and for eternity. Unlike the temporary oppression of foreign enemies, sin’s grip is far-reaching and eternal unless dealt with through God’s intervention.

In the book of Judges, the Israelites cried out to God for deliverance when they were oppressed by foreign nations. However, in the case of sin, God did not wait for humanity to cry out. He sent His Son, Jesus, to deal with sin once and for all. This is a profound distinction between the Old Testament deliverance and the New Testament salvation. Jesus came to deliver us from sin without us first crying out for help. He took the initiative. He knew the depth of our need before we even recognised it.

Sin is an enemy that enslaves all of humanity. Just as the Israelites cried out in desperation using words like זָעַק (za’aq), שָׁוַע (shava), נָאֲקָה (na’aqah), and צָעַק (tsa’aq), we should likewise be crying out to Jesus for deliverance from the bondage of sin. Though God took the first step by sending Jesus, our response should be one of earnest prayer and repentance. Psalm 34:17 says, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.” This cry is not just for physical deliverance but for freedom from the power of sin.

Our Need to Cry Out for Deliverance from Sin

Although God took the initiative to send Jesus while we were still sinners, we still need to cry out to Him for personal deliverance. The Israelites’ cries in Judges reflect a model for how we should seek God’s help. We too should cry out with urgency for deliverance from sin, expressing deep anguish and desperation.

God’s love is already demonstrated through the death of Jesus on the cross, but our response to that love is essential. We must recognise the severity of sin in our lives and call out to God for His saving grace. As the Israelites did, we must realise our helplessness and turn to Him for salvation. Thankfully, the way has been made through Jesus, and unlike in the days of the judges, we no longer have to wait for God to raise a human deliverer. Jesus has already come, and His sacrifice is sufficient for all.

Conclusion

Romans 5:8 illustrates the beauty of God’s initiative in demonstrating His love for us. While the Israelites in the book of Judges had to cry out for deliverance from their enemies, God sent Jesus to deliver us from sin before we even knew we needed Him. The Hebrew words used for “crying out” in Judges—זָעַק (za’aq), שָׁוַע (shava), נָאֲקָה (na’aqah), and צָעַק (tsa’aq)—emphasize the deep anguish and desperation of the Israelites in their oppression. Similarly, humanity’s greatest enemy, sin, should lead us to cry out to Jesus with the same urgency and desperation.

While God’s love has already been demonstrated in sending Jesus, we must still cry out to Him for personal deliverance from sin. God’s response to our cry is assured, for He has already provided the ultimate Deliverer—Jesus Christ, Who saves us from sin and gives us eternal life.