HaShem said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets…So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as HaShem had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. HaShem descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of HaShem. HaShem passed before him and proclaimed, “HaShem, HaShem, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty…” (34:1, 4-7).
Read God’s description of Himself slowly (verses 6-7), thinking about each word or phrase.
Has God been merciful to you? Has He been gracious? Do you know that He is slow to anger? That He abounds in steadfast love and faithfulness?
God has been merciful to me, for one thing, in taking this proud little atheist and changing me into a God-follower, showing me my sin and the answer to it (Yeshua’s atoning death) and making me His child.
God has been gracious to me in blessing me in so many ways – providing for my spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental needs.
God has been slow to anger with me when I sin – convicting me when I sin, in order that I may confess and repent and be forgiven and cleansed.
God has abounded in steadfast love and faithfulness – giving me wisdom when I ask, providing the abilities I have needed to raise and homeschool ten children, helping me through challenging seasons with one child or another, and in my marriage.
But what does that last part in verse 7 mean – that He forgives iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty? We have seen that when we confess our sins, He forgives us, but when we read “He will by no means clear the guilty,” it refers to those who sin and do not repent, they do not turn away from their sin.
While God is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, we must not assume His kindness and sin with impunity.
Prayer: God, you have been so good, so kind, so loving, so forgiving, so faithful to me. Help me to see your goodness day by day, and may I respond with the love and praise You deserve, and by living a life pleasing to You. Amen.
