4
Does It Align with God’s Character?
Question 1:
What’s something that would be totally out of character for you to do?
THE POINT
God never calls us to do something that is outside His character.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
I believe God speaks to people. However, I have challenged numerous people over the years when they declared that God told them something, but I knew it wasn’t right.
- How would you respond if your friend claimed that God told him he did not have to forgive someone who had offended him?
- What would you say if a colleague asserted that God told her it was OK to abort her unborn baby?
God is holy and loving. As a result, God will never say or do anything that is unholy or unloving—and He would never call us to do something unholy or unloving. When people say that God told them to do something that is contrary to His nature, we can be confident that they have not heard from God. He always speaks in ways that are consistent with His character. He makes no exceptions. God never speaks out of character!
We hear in Exodus 34 the very words of God about His faithfulness and unchanging character. And with that, we’ll gain the confidence to trust Him and what He says.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Exodus 34:1-5
1 The Lord said to Moses, “Cut 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 prepared by morning. Come up Mount Sinai in the morning and stand before me on the mountaintop. 3 No one may go up with you; in fact, no one should be seen anywhere on the mountain. Even the flocks and herds are not to graze in front of that mountain.” 4 Moses cut two stone tablets like the first ones. He got up early in the morning, and taking the two stone tablets in his hand, he climbed Mount Sinai, just as the Lord had commanded him. 5 The Lord came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed his name, “the Lord.”
This is one of the most encouraging and inspiring passages in the Old Testament. The Israelites had forsaken God after He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving God’s commandments, the people made an idol of a golden calf and worshiped it (Ex. 32:1-6). As a result, Moses became enraged and threw the stone tablets to the ground, breaking them and symbolically breaking the covenant the people had made with God (v. 19). Then Moses unleashed the Levites who killed three thousand Israelites as punishment for their sins (v. 28). God told Moses He would send an angel with them into Canaan, but He Himself would not go (33:2-3). God explained that, should He accompany the sinful people for even a single moment, they would be destroyed (v. 5). Moses understood, however, that if God did not go with them, then the people had no future (v. 15). Their only hope was that holy God would forgive their sins and renew His covenant with them.
Question 2:
How do we navigate the tension between intimacy and reverence in our relationship with God?
That is why Exodus 34 is so encouraging. God condescended to re-enter a covenant with His wayward people. In initially establishing this covenant, God had provided the tablets (31:18), but this time Moses was instructed to carve them. Perhaps this represented the peoples’ need to participate in drawing near to God to renew the covenant. God would write on the tablets what He had written previously.
When God met with Moses, He declared His name, “the Lord” or Yahweh. This was God’s sacred, covenant name. God had earlier explained this name to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex. 3:14). It was the holiest, most revered name of God used by His people. It signified God’s eternal existence. To disclose your name was to reveal your character. By sharing His name with Moses, God was inviting Moses to know Him. It was an awesome invitation! The only way for people to know God is for Him to reveal Himself to them.
Exodus 34:6-7
6 The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed: The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, 7 maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But he will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation.
The Lord passed before Moses and then declared what His character was like. To the Israelites, God was a great mystery. He appeared to be a powerful, righteous God. After the Israelites worshiped a golden calf, Moses might have expected God to disclose His character as a holy God who judges sin and punishes sinners. It is instructive, therefore, what God revealed first. God could have emphasized His power, purity, or wrath. Instead, God disclosed the following characteristics:
Compassionate. Despite His peoples’ foolhardy rebellion, God still had compassion for them. A perfect God had concern for His frail and sinful creation.
Gracious. It is God’s grace that gives people what they do not deserve. He owes us nothing, yet He is immensely generous to us.
Slow to anger. If God were quick to anger, His people would quickly be consumed. God is longsuffering and only becomes angry when His righteousness has been grievously provoked.
Engage
GOD’S CHARACTER AND OURS
Verses 6-7 list several attributes of God. Circle any of the attributes below that you need to learn to recognize and develop more fully in your life. Then write a prayer asking God for His help in developing those traits.
compassionategraciousslow to angerabounding in love
abounding in truthforgivingjustpatient
My Prayer:
“The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”
Abounding in faithful love. The word “faithful love” is the Hebrew word hesed. It describes the faithful, loyal love that God demonstrates toward those with whom He is in a covenant relationship (Deut. 7:7-9). When God commits Himself to someone, He is absolutely faithful to keep every promise.
Abounding in truth. The world wants to immerse us in lies, but God always speaks truth. Jesus would later reveal that not only did He tell the truth, but He is the truth (John 14:6).
Forgiving. It was surely comforting to Moses that God forgives “iniquity, rebellion, and sin.” The Israelites needed forgiveness for all these transgressions—and we do too.
Just. God forgives, but He does not leave the guilty unpunished. God does not punish people for sins they did not commit but their ancestors did. (See Ezek. 18.)
For us to recognize God’s voice when He speaks, we must understand His character. When God speaks, He does so out of a heart of compassion, grace, and faithful love. His desire is for us to know Him and to walk obediently with Him, so that we may experience His blessing. We should never fear a word from God. His words will always reflect His character, just as He revealed it to Moses so many centuries ago.
Question 3:
What are some ways our culture misunderstands or misrepresents the character of God?
Exodus 34:8-9
8 Moses immediately knelt low on the ground and worshiped. 9 Then he said, “My Lord, if I have indeed found favor with you, my Lord, please go with us (even though this is a stiff-necked people), forgive our iniquity and our sin, and accept us as your own possession.”
After Moses experienced his profound encounter with God, his immediate response was to bow low to the ground and worship God. By bowing low, Moses was minimizing himself and maximizing God in his life. Moses’s first response in encountering God was not to make requests, but to worship God for who He is. Moses knew God had been extremely gracious to him and His people. Moses understood that the Israelites were extremely blessed to have a loving and gracious God willing to enter a covenant with them and to provide for all their needs.
As he worshiped, Moses asked God to go with them into Canaan. God had previously said He would not, but that He would send an angel (Ex. 33:3). But after God revealed that He is compassionate and gracious, Moses appealed for God’s presence and guidance for His people. By responding to God’s word, Moses restored the people’s relationship with God.
Question 4:
Which aspects of God’s character have you learned to appreciate more as you’ve grown as a Christian?
Every word from God is an opportunity to learn something about Him and an invitation to experience God in a fresh way. When God reveals to you that He is a forgiving God, you have an opportunity to experience His forgiveness. When God discloses that He is powerful, you have an opportunity to experience that power in your life. God will always speak words to you that match your current situation and need. God’s word to us is never accidental or coincidental.
True encounters with God are not self-centered; they are God-centered. When God speaks to people, it leads them to worship. God’s words elevate His nature, and they reveal people’s sin. A genuine word from God is a humbling experience. God’s word will point to anything that harms your relationship with Him so you can repent and be restored to a loving relationship with God. When you hear and obey God’s word, you are able to enjoy His powerful presence in your life once more.
Question 5:
What can Moses’s example teach us about how we respond to God?
LIVE IT OUT
God never calls us to do something that is outside His character. How will you live out this truth? Choose one of the following applications:
Worship. Reflect on the character of God noted in this passage and respond to God with a prayer of praise. Thank Him for each one of these attributes and for how you have experienced these attributes in your walk with Him.
Evaluate. Consider some of the messages you’ve heard from religious leaders who claim to speak for God. Evaluate how their messages contrast with the character of God seen in this passage.
Obey. Is there something specific God is wanting you to do in service to Him or in the life of another person? Consider how that task reflects the character of God. Obey Him and let the loving, gracious character of the One you serve be seen in you.
People are quick to give advice and even imply they speak for God. But if what we hear doesn’t reflect the character of God, it isn’t worth listening to. Let’s know well the character of the One whom we serve!
Teacher's Notes:
We’ve been talking about discerning the voice
of God. This morning we are asking if this voice is aligned with God’s
character.
How would you discern this voice:
· How would you respond if your friend claimed
that God told him he did not have to forgive someone who had offended him?
· What would you say if a colleague asserted that
God told her it was OK to abort her unborn baby?
God never calls us to do something that is
outside His character.
The events in Exodus 34 are part of the ongoing saga of Israel’s
liberation from Egyptian servitude and their journey to the land of promise.
The Lord God established a covenant with Israel. They would be His people; He
would be their God. God gave His law to Moses, who recorded it on tablets of
stone (chs. 19–23). The covenant relationship was sealed in an oath of
sacrifice and blood (chap. 24). God gave Moses additional instructions for
implementing the covenant (chs. 25–31).
Sadly, even before Moses could descend from
Sinai with the tables of stone and other covenant texts, the people violated
the terms of the covenant by urging Aaron to fashion an idol of gold, to which
they bowed down and worshiped. God exercised judgment and even threatened
annihilation. Moses interceded on the people’s behalf and God relented (chs.
32–33). Thus, the covenant was renewed (ch. 34).
God Reveals His Name
And gives instructions to Moses for renewing
the covenant.
Exodus 34:1-5
The Lord said to Moses, “Cut two stone tablets
like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first
tablets, which you broke. Be prepared by morning. Come up Mount Sinai in the
morning and stand before me on the mountaintop. No one may go up with you; in
fact, no one should be seen anywhere on the mountain. Even the flocks and herds
are not to graze in front of that mountain.” Moses cut two stone tablets like
the first ones. He got up early in the morning, and taking the two stone
tablets in his hand, he climbed Mount Sinai, just as the Lord had commanded
him. The Lord came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed his
name, “the Lord.”
Why did Moses need to cut out more stone
tablets?
This is one of the most encouraging and
inspiring passages in the Old Testament. The Israelites had forsaken God after
He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. While Moses was on Mount Sinai
receiving God’s commandments, the people made an idol of a golden calf and
worshiped it (Ex. 32:1-6). As a result, Moses became enraged and threw the
stone tablets to the ground, breaking them and symbolically breaking the
covenant the people had made with God (v. 19). Then Moses unleashed the Levites
who killed three thousand Israelites as punishment for their sins (v. 28). God
told Moses He would send an angel with them into Canaan, but He Himself would
not go (33:2-3). God explained that, should He accompany the sinful people for
even a single moment, they would be destroyed (v. 5). Moses understood,
however, that if God did not go with them, then the people had no future (v.
15). Their only hope was that holy God would forgive their sins and renew His
covenant with them.
God’s commands had been broken. The people had
rebelled against Him and broken the covenant. They did not deserve to receive
again the words of God. They did not deserve to have their leader meet with God
again. They did not deserve God’s time, attention, blessings, or care. They did
deserve to remain in their sin. They did deserve to remain separated from God’s
love. They did deserve to be left to fend for themselves with God not in their
midst having left them. But God did not abandon or forget them. He gave them a
hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11. He once again made Himself known to them and
agreed to approach them. The statement is true that God is a God of second
chances. Examples in Scripture? Jonah, David, and Peter. God didn’t turn
away from the Jews and say “You’ve already broken my commandments. I will not
give them to you again. God would have been justified in having this reaction,
but He chose to show them grace and mercy, to give them hope, to give them a
second chance.
The great lesson for us here is not to live in
the past. Maybe you broke God’s
commands before like the Jews did here. But God wants you to stand up,
confess, and strive once again to obey them the next time. Do not despair
and think that God has left you and you can never turn around and turn back to
God. While there is breath, there is always hope.
What was God going to do with these? What does
this show us about God’s character?
However, notice that God wasn’t going to change
His commands. He wasn’t going to lower His standards. He wasn’t going to make
them easier to follow. He was willing to forgive and extend His grace, but He
wasn’t willing to move or compromise. The commands were the same. If you want
to come back to God again, you must do it on His terms. Most of the time, that
means giving up those things that made you turn away from God in the first
place. For the Jews that meant giving up the golden calf. For you, it might
mean giving up a relationship, a job, or another source of temptation.
Why was no other man or animal to go on the
mountain?
No person or animal was to be anywhere on the
mountain. This was an important reminder that it wasn’t a casual meeting. This
was a meeting with the Most High. It was a holy meeting and therefore no one
else was allowed. God met with Moses on His terms.
God Reveals His Nature
The Lord Himself proclaims some perfect and
unchanging traits of His own holy character.
Exodus 34:6-7
The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed:
The Lord — the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow
to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity,
rebellion, and sin. But He will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’
iniquity on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation.
Moses had asked to see God’s glory (33:18) and
this was God’s response.
Moses wanted assurance of God’s presence with
him, Aaron, and Joshua and, he desired to know that presence by experience. Because
we are finite and morally imperfect, we cannot exist and see God as He is. To
see God’s back means we can only see where God has passed by. We can only know
Him by what He does, and how He acts. We cannot comprehend God as He really is
apart from Jesus Christ (John 14:9). Jesus promised to show Himself to those who
believe (John 14:21).
What is God’s glory?
It is His character, His nature, His way of
relating to His creatures. Notice that God did not give Moses a vision of His
power and majesty, but rather of His love. God’s glory is revealed in His mercy,
grace, compassion, faithfulness, forgiveness, and justice. God’s love and mercy
are truly wonderful, and we benefit from them. We can respond and give glory to
God when our character resembles His.
What attribute of God’s character encourages
you the most?
Why would the sins affect grandchildren and
great-grandchildren?
This is no arbitrary punishment. Children still
suffer for the sins of their parents. Consider child abuse or alcoholism, for
example. While these sins are obvious, sins like selfishness, greed, and pride
can be passed along as well. The dire consequences of sin are not limited to
the individual family member. Be careful not to treat sin casually but repent
and turn from it. The sin may cause you little pain now, but it could sting in
the most tender area of your life later – your children and grandchildren. Our
sinful behavior can have a negative influence on those who come after us.
God proceeded to reveal his perfect glory to
Moses in the encounter on the mountain. First, he proclaimed his true covenant
name: “The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD’”
(v.6). Moses was encountering the God of Creation, but also the God who relates
to his Creation and especially his People by a covenant relationship.
God declared he is “merciful and gracious”,
that is compassionate and giving favorably even when undeserved.
God is also “slow to anger” or patient,
allowing time for repentance before acting to judge sin, not like a human
losing his temper.
God is also “abounding in steadfast love and
faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands”. God showers His
loving-kindness on His people, lovingly and faithfully. And not just a few, but
a great many, far and wide!
God is also generous in “forgiving iniquity
and transgression and sin”, referring to different categories of
disobedience. Turning aside (sometimes out of ignorance or misguidedness),
rebellion (transgression), and any kind of moral failure (sin). All of these
God will forgive.
For us to recognize God’s voice when He speaks,
we must understand His character. When God speaks, He does so out of a heart of
compassion, grace, and faithful love. His desire is for us to know Him and to
walk obediently with Him, so that we may experience His blessing.
We should never fear a word from God. His words
will always reflect His character, just as He revealed it to Moses so many
centuries ago.
We Must Respond with Reverence
This was Moses’ personal response to God revealing
His nature.
Exodus 34:8-9
Moses immediately knelt low on the ground and worshiped.
Then he said, “My Lord, if I have indeed found favor with you, my Lord, please
go with us (even though this is a stiff-necked people), forgive our iniquity
and our sin, and accept us as your own possession.” (He Intercedes)
What was Moses’ reaction to God’s statement?
He repented and worshiped, always a fitting
response when in the presence of the Lord.
How do many people in the world today react to
God’s Word and God Himself? How must we react?
Worship is our response to God’s revelation of
Himself. Worship includes confessing and repenting of our sin. We are not to
assume or presume upon God’s grace, but we are to acknowledge that we are
dependent on it.
What then did Moses do next?
Notice also that Moses once again intercedes
for his people.
How many times has he interceded already for
the people?
This is the FOURTH time he has
interceded for them in these three chapters.
How does understanding God’s character help us
discern His voice?
Ask how compassionate, gracious, forgiving, and
loving this voice is we are hearing.
Conclusion
We often base our view of God on what we think
God should be like, and the human tendency is to make God into our own image,
complete with our own ideals and preferences. But God is holy and wholly set
apart from His finite creation. As holy God, His character is perfect and
unchanging, and we can be confident that anything He asks of us falls in line
with His righteous character.
When God speaks — however He speaks — His word
will be true to who He is.
