Austin Bible Church
Favor means a grace attitude of appreciation, to show kindness to, to show goodwill toward or an acceptance of, to answer kindly, to have good response to, to be amenable. It is proper to desire the favor of men but, of course, not at the expense of Bible doctrine. The favor of man does not mean the flattery of man. God is responsible in the mechanics of giving you favor in the eyes of man. It is not something that you can promote, such as mutual human compatibilities, etc.
Favor of God and man is a result of taking in Bible doctrine. The favor of man is valuable. Prov. 3:4; Prov. 22:1.
"So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man." (Proverbs 3:4, NASB)
"A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold." (Proverbs 22:1, NASB)
Abraham found favor in the sight of the Lord. “Favor” is חן (chên) and means grace attitude of appreciation. Laban questioned favor in the eyes of Jacob. Gen. 18:3; Gen. 30:27.
"and said, "My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by." (Genesis 18:3, NASB)
"But Laban said to him, "If now it pleases you, stay with me; I have divined that the LORD has blessed me on your account."" (Genesis 30:27, NASB)
The Lord gave Joseph favor in the eyes of the prison keeper. The Israelites were given favor by God in the eyes of the Egyptians and left Egypt with riches. Gen. 39:21; Exodus 3:21; Exodus 11:3; Exodus 12:36.
"But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer." (Genesis 39:21, NASB)
""I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed." (Exodus 3:21, NASB)
"The LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Furthermore, the man Moses himself was greatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people." (Exodus 11:3, NASB)
"and the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have their request. Thus they plundered the Egyptians." (Exodus 12:36, NASB)
Ruth found favor in the eyes of Boaz. David sought favor in the eyes of Nabal for protecting Nabal’s shepherds. Ruth 2:13; 1 Sam. 25:8.
"Then she said, "I have found favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and indeed have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants."" (Ruth 2:13, NASB)
"'Ask your young men and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a festive day. Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son David.'"" (1 Samuel 25:8, NASB)
David had favor in the eyes of Saul. David sought favor in the sight of God. 1 Sam. 16:22; 2 Sam. 15:25.
"Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight."" (1 Samuel 16:22, NASB)
"The king said to Zadok, "Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, then He will bring me back again and show me both it and His habitation." (2 Samuel 15:25, NASB)
Hadad had favor in the eyes of the Pharaoh. 1 Kings 11:19.
"Now Hadad found great favor before Pharaoh, so that he gave him in marriage the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen." (1 Kings 11:19, NASB)
Esther had favor in the eyes of the king. Esther had the favor of all who knew her. In Esther 5:2, “favor” is חן (chên) and means to show kindness toward them. The believer with Bible doctrine has favor in the eyes of man. Esther 2:15; Esther 2:17; Prov. 3:4.
"When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter." (Esther 5:2, NASB)
"Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the women, advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her." (Esther 2:15, NASB)
"The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti." (Esther 2:17, NASB)
"So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man." (Proverbs 3:4, NASB)
Spiritual knowledge in the mind gives favor. Loving favor is more valuable than silver or gold. Prov. 13:15; Prov. 22:1.
"Good understanding produces favor, But the way of the treacherous is hard." (Proverbs 13:15, NASB)
"A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold." (Proverbs 22:1, NASB)
Favor by man does not come by flattery but rather by rebuke. Favor does not come by skill or ability. Prov. 28:23; Eccl. 9:11.
"He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor Than he who flatters with the tongue." (Proverbs 28:23, NASB)
"I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all." (Ecclesiastes 9:11, NASB)
Job has found favor in the sight of God. Job 10:12.
"'You have granted me life and lovingkindness; And Your care has preserved my spirit." (Job 10:12, NASB)
God brought Daniel into favor with the prince of the eunuchs. The believer finding doctrine will obtain favor in the eyes of the Lord. “Favor” is רצון (râtsôn) and means goodwill or acceptance. Dan. 1:9; Prov. 8:35.
"Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials," (Daniel 1:9, NASB)
""For he who finds me finds life And obtains favor from the LORD." (Proverbs 8:35, NASB)
The believer who seeks good will obtain favor. A good man obtains favor from God. Prov. 11:27; Prov. 12:2.
"He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, But he who seeks evil, evil will come to him." (Proverbs 11:27, NASB)
"A good man will obtain favor from the LORD, But He will condemn a man who devises evil." (Proverbs 12:2, NASB)
Favor is contrasted to mocking. A wise servant will receive favor from his master. Prov. 14:9; Prov. 14:35.
"Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is good will." (Proverbs 14:9, NASB)
"The king's favor is toward a servant who acts wisely, But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully." (Proverbs 14:35, NASB)
The favor of the king is greatly to be desired as a much needed rain. Prov. 16:15; Prov. 19:12.
"In the light of a king's face is life, And his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain." (Proverbs 16:15, NASB)
"The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass." (Proverbs 19:12, NASB)
Marriage to the right woman shows favor for a man from God. Eccl. 9:9; Luke 2:52.
"Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 9:9, NASB)
"And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." (Luke 2:52, NASB)
The new converts in Acts 2 had favor and goodwill with all people. Joseph had favor in the eyes of the Pharaoh of Egypt. Acts 2:47; Acts 7:10.
"praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved." (Acts 2:47, NASB)
"and rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household." (Acts 7:10, NASB)
Samuel was in favor with both God and also with men. In 1 Samuel 2:26, “favor” is טוֹב (tob) and means good response to him, answer kindly, to be amenable.
"Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the LORD and with men." (1 Samuel 2:26, NASB)
The desire for evil in the believer without doctrine destroys the favor they have in the eyes of their neighbor. In Proverbs 21:10, “favor” is חָנַן (chanan) and means to be gracious.
"The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes." (Proverbs 21:10, NASB)
When man pleases God, he makes his enemies to be at peace with him. In Proverbs 16:7, “peace” is שָׁלַם (shalam) and means to cause them to be in a covenant of peace.
"When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." (Proverbs 16:7, NASB)