THURSDAY
As we continue our journey through the Exodus narrative, we come to one of the most profound moments in Scripture – when God reveals His name and character to Moses. This self-disclosure gives us a glimpse into the heart of our Creator.
Exodus 34:1-7 1 The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. 3 No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain.”
4 So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. 5 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, Yahweh. 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “Yahweh, Yahweh, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
In Exodus 34, Moses has returned to Mount Sinai with two new stone tablets, ready to receive God's covenant words again after the golden calf incident. The Israelites had broken their covenant with God through idolatry, yet God was willing to restore the relationship. We will pick up this theme tomorrow.
When the Lord descends in the cloud, he proclaims his own name. God is not a mere force or impersonal power like in Star Wars. God has a name. He is personal, relational being. When God declares his name he also declares his character. Remember, a name in the ancient world was more than just a designation. It communicated one’s nature and character as well. When God declares his name he says, "Yahweh, Yahweh, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” The significance of this self-disclosure is difficult to overstate. This is the most quoted verse in the rest of the Bible. It's referenced repeatedly by the prophets and psalmists when describing God's character (see Ps. 103:8, Jon. 4:2). When God wants to tell us who he is at his core, these are the attributes He emphasizes.
Notice the first attributes God uses to describe himself: compassionate and gracious. Compassion refers to his tender love, like a mother for her child. God is gracious in that he doesn’t give us what we deserve. The people deserve death. They have violated the terms of the covenant, but God does not give them what they deserve because his character is compassion and grace.
God is slow to anger. He is patient with his people. It isn’t that he doesn’t get angry. Righteous indignation is a part of God’s character as we saw in his reaction to the idolatry of the people in the golden calf incident. God is wrathful against evil but he is slow to wrath. He is patient with his idolatrous people.
God is abounding in love and faithfulness. The word translated “love” is the Hebrew word hesed. There is no other semitic language that uses this term. There is no single English word that conveys its meaning either. It implies covenant faithfulness, loyal love, loving kindness, mercy, grace, and goodness. The basic idea is a passionate loyalty of a superior to an inferior, especially when it is undeserved. God is abounding in this hesed.
God is also abounding in faithfulness. The word translated faithful is the Hebrew word emet. This word can also be translated as true or truthful. So the idea is that God is genuine and real, therefore what is true is found in him. He is faithful to himself as the truth. Truth, what accords with reality, is written into the universe and it is an aspect of God’s character. Therefore, God cannot but be true and faithful to that truth. It is simply his character.
In verse 7 three words are given to describe sin—wickedness, rebellion and sin. The use of these three terms emphasize God’s total forgiveness of his people. Wickedness implies an inner twisted-ness that causes us to deviate from God’s way and the guilt that comes from that deviation. Rebellion refers to a crime and the broken relationship that results. Sin is the broadest term that refers to “missing the mark”. The implication is aiming for a target but missing or falling short of it. So these terms cover the breadth of our sinfulness. The main point is that God forgives all types of our sin. Nothing is excluded from his forgiveness.
Yet we also see a God of justice who "does not leave the guilty unpunished." His love doesn't negate His holiness. This balanced revelation shows us a God who is both merciful and just, loving and righteous. The two, justice and mercy, exist together perfectly in God.
Verse 7 can raise some eyebrows. Does God punish the children for the parent’s sins? That seems unjust. Deuteronomy 24:16 seems to suggest otherwise:
Deuteronomy 24:16 16 Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.
So how are we to make sense of this? I think the best way to understand this is to think of God’s wrath and punishment in two categories: active and passive. God’s active punishment is seen in the killing of the 3,000 most active proponents of the golden calf. His passive punishment or wrath is what we would describe as “natural consequences”. In the biblical framework natural consequences and God’s action are one and the same, but God stands behind good and evil differently. Sin has generational consequences. We see this in addictions. The children of an addict are more likely to be addicts themselves.
Regardless, the big idea of verse 7 is in the comparison of the two statements. God shows hesed to thousands (some translations say “a thousand generations”). This is to say that his loyal love is endless. His just punishment, however, is limited to 3 or 4 generations. So, God’s character is to limit the scope of his punishment but to give his loyal love without limit.
Consider the context of this revelation. The people had just committed flagrant idolatry, fashioning a golden calf while Moses was on the mountain receiving God's law. They deserved judgment, yet here is God, emphasizing His compassion, grace, and steadfast love. This wasn't merely God teaching theological concepts to Moses – this was God revealing His heart in a moment when His people needed mercy most.
Reflection
Which of God's self-revealed attributes speaks most deeply to you today? Is it his compassion, his patience, his faithfulness, his loyal love, or perhaps his justice? Take time to thank him specifically for these aspects of his character. Consider how your understanding of God's name and nature should shape your prayers, your worship, and your daily life. How have you seen these attributes developed in your life through your time knowing the Lord? Remember that this same God—the one true God of compassion, grace, patience, truth, loyal love, and justice—is the one who walks with you today.