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The Second Revelation
In Exodus 34 we find the second revelation of God’s character to Israel after the giving of the Ten Commandments. The reason for this revelation was the crisis that developed by the Israelites worshipping a golden calf. They had grown tired of waiting on Moses to come down from the mountain. When Moses saw the idolatry and revelry he threw the first tablets with the Ten Commandments down and broke them. Moses interceded for the nation and God said he would go with them to Canaan. Next, God said to make a second set of tablets and come up on Mount Sinai again.
When Moses came up, something wonderful happened. God manifested his glory to Moses and proclaimed who he would be to Israel. This is a self-disclosure where God is unveiling his own heart to the people. It could be expected that God would start by saying he is a God of wrath and judgment to warn the people from engaging in idolatry again. Instead God begins with: “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7). This is a seven-fold description of surprising grace to a nation who had so quickly turned aside. This revelation is designed to give us hope and encourage us to fight the battle that we all must face. Will we live with the invisible God that we cannot see, though we have his very words to guide us in the Bible? Or will we turn to something that we can see and feel and something that excites our senses, such as the golden calf or more modern versions of it? We are called to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). God did go on to declare that he will by no means clear the guilty, but who would remain guilty after God’s extensive offers of mercy? Only the unrepentant, unbelieving, and stubborn. Those who perish do so because of their unbelief in God’s offers of mercy.
Moses grasped the message. He made haste and bowed down and worshipped. This revelation was more than he could have anticipated. Sensing God’s welcoming heart, Moses made three petitions: He asked God for a promise of His presence, for the assurance of pardon, and he asked for the privilege of being called God’s inheritance (Exodus 34:9). These are three great realities that every believer can praise God for each day. The third one is surprising. It is a childlike boldness of a believer convinced of God’s love. God has already given himself to us as our portion, now Moses says take us for your portion. In other words, he is saying, “Lord find your joy in us!” This is the great assurance given to all of God’s sons and daughters. God delights in us! The same thing is said in Deuteronomy 32:9, “The LORD’s portion is His people.” When this sinks into our hearts it produces a gratitude that leads us to thankfully serve and obey God. That is the theme of the rest of the chapter. Read it and see that God wants us to be his own exclusively. See Exodus 34:14. The end of the chapter says that Moses’ face shone after this encounter with God. In the New Testament we are told that believers will be transformed in a greater way as we behold the beauty and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. May we behold him, delight in him, and be transformed by him as we study his word!!
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Editor's note: Gary
Carter is an assistant to Dr. Gills as well as the pastor of Tampa Reformed
Baptist Church. |
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