The 'hound of heaven' is Les Feldick's way of describing God's persistent, pursuing love toward sinners—a phrase he attributes to Martin Luther and connects to the Holy Spirit's work of wooing people to salvation.
Les says Martin Luther referred to God in His approach to sinful men as the 'hound of heaven.' A hound pursues and pursues until it has its quarry, and Les says that is exactly how God treats men who run from Him. The Holy Spirit is the One who carries out that pursuit, being omnipresent and working on every human being, wooing them with the plan of salvation.
Psalm 42:1 — The psalmist pictures the soul's longing for God like a deer panting for water—this is what Les points to as the result when the hound of heaven finally brings a person to salvation.
John 3:20 — This verse explains why people run from God: everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come to it, which is the very condition the hound of heaven pursues.
The Bible presents a clear reason why the hound of heaven must pursue. John 3:20 says, "For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." Human beings, by nature, are not drawn to God's light; they flee from it because their deeds are evil. Yet Scripture also shows the longing that follows when that pursuit succeeds. Psalm 42:1 says, "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." The same person who once ran from God is, after being brought into the plan of salvation, desperate for more of God.
Les teaches that the phrase 'hound of heaven' came from Martin Luther, who used it to describe God's approach to sinful men. Les admits he was almost aghast when he first read it, but the more he thought about it, the more appropriate it became: a hound pursues and pursues until it finally has its quarry. Mankind will always run from God, but God comes right back (Clip 1). Les applies this pursuit to the Holy Spirit's work. He compares the Holy Spirit to the common hyssop in Exodus—just as every Israelite had access to hyssop, the Holy Spirit is omnipresent and works on every human being, giving everyone an opportunity to accept or reject salvation (Clip 5). Les also teaches that God the Father has sent the Holy Spirit, who is moving among the human race, wooing people and presenting them with the plan of salvation (Clip 6). Les illustrates the pursuit with a man who ran from God for forty some years before finally believing, and with a couple God sovereignly moved halfway across the country—the husband initially came to class only because he was running for mayor. Once the hound catches the sinner, Les says the believer can't get enough of the Word, and the Holy Spirit seals, indwells, empowers, and keeps that believer (Clips 0, 2, 3, 7).
Les explains that when he first read Martin Luther's phrase, he was almost aghast and thought it wasn't a nice way of putting it. But the more he thought about it, the more fitting it became. A hound doesn't stop; it pursues and pursues until it finally has its quarry. That is exactly how Les says God approaches sinful men.
Les uses the hyssop in Exodus as a picture of the Holy Spirit's work. As hyssop was common, no Israelite could say he didn't have a chance to use it; in the same way, the Holy Spirit is omnipresent and works on every human being. Les says every person who has ever lived has been given the opportunity to accept or reject God's salvation. God the Father has sent the Holy Spirit, who is moving amongst the human race, wooing them and presenting them with the plan of salvation.
Les tells of a gentleman who ran from God for forty some years, was shown the Scriptures at his kitchen table, believed, and then said he couldn't get enough of the Word. He also tells of a couple who were sovereignly brought halfway across the country; the husband only came to class because he was running for mayor, but God had a greater purpose. After salvation, as Les puts it pointing to Psalm 42, the heart pants after God. The Holy Spirit then seals, indwells, empowers, and keeps the believer.
Sovereign Relocation to Hear the Gospel
Les tells of a couple God brought halfway across the country; the husband originally attended class only to gain votes in a mayoral race, showing God's pursuit can use even an unlikely motive.
Martin Luther's 'Hound of Heaven' Expression
This clip contains the actual phrase: Les explains that Martin Luther referred to God as the 'hound of heaven,' and that a hound pursues and pursues until it has its quarry.
Psalm 42 and the Hungry New Believer
Les shows that before salvation people run from God, but once the hound of heaven brings them into salvation, they can't get enough of God, just as the deer pants for water.
The Forty-Year Runaway
Les gives a real-life example of a man who ran from God for forty some years, then was saved at his kitchen table and afterward couldn't get enough of the Word.
God Is Always the Seeker
Les teaches that no human being seeks God; God is always the seeker and makes the first move, prompting a human being to respond.
Hyssop and the Holy Spirit's Universal Work
Les compares the Holy Spirit to hyssop—common and available to all—so every person has had the Holy Spirit working in their life and given an opportunity to accept or reject salvation.
The Holy Spirit Woos the Human Race
God the Father has sent the Holy Spirit, who is moving among the human race, wooing people and presenting them with the plan of salvation.
The Holy Spirit Seals and Keeps the Believer
Once a person believes the gospel, God seals them with the Holy Spirit of promise, and Paul's epistles show the Spirit indwells, empowers, and keeps them.
Psalm 42:1: As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
This verse pictures the longing that replaces running when God's pursuit brings a person to Himself.
John 3:20: For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
This verse gives the biblical reason why people run from God and therefore need the hound of heaven to pursue them.
According to Les Feldick, Martin Luther used the expression to describe God's approach to sinful men. Les says he was almost aghast at first, but then saw how fitting it is: God pursues sinners just as a hound pursues its quarry (Clip 1).
Les does not present the exact phrase as a direct quotation from Scripture. He attributes it to Martin Luther as an expression that accurately describes how God approaches sinful men. The biblical support comes from passages like Psalm 42:1 and John 3:20, which picture man's longing for God and man's love of darkness.
Les tells of a man who ran from God for forty some years before being brought to the Lord. The point is that the hound of heaven doesn't give up—it keeps pursuing until the person either responds or the opportunity passes.
Les says the believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, and the Spirit indwells, empowers, and keeps them. The new believer also develops a deep hunger for God's Word, just as the psalmist's soul panted after God.
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