(Exodus) Exodus 34:1-7
God's character is revealed in his name, Jehovah, as merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth.
In this sermon, the speaker focuses on Exodus 34:1-7, where God instructs Moses to carve two new stone tablets after breaking the first ones. The speaker emphasizes that even though this passage may seem irrelevant to us today, all Scripture is profitable. The highlight of the passage is when God proclaims His name to Moses, revealing His character traits of mercy, grace, long-suffering, goodness, truth, and justice. The speaker explains that while God does not clear the guilty, He offers forgiveness and mercy through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which was foreshadowed by the sacrifices made in the Old Testament.
Full Transcript
Now, friends, as we come today to this 34th chapter, you'll notice it, and I trust that those of you going through with us will read along as you go. You'll find that it'll make the study more interesting to you, I'm sure. You will wonder how in the world it could ever have any application for us today, and yet all Scripture is profitable, and this Scripture is also.
And I'm reading now at verse 1. And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone, like unto the first, and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou breakest. And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto Mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount, neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.
And he hewed two tables of stone, like unto the first, and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up into Mount Sinai as the Lord had commanded him, and he took in his hand the two tables of stone. Now you have here actually the second tables of the law, the first you'll recall when Moses went down at the time they made the golden calf and worshipped it. After breaking those, he now comes back to the mountain, and he has with him these blank tables now.
Verse 5, And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And this is very important to see, for this is a tremendous advance for both Moses and the children of Israel. He's proclaiming now his name.
A name has a meaning, and I do not mean by that like you find in the Old Testament that so many names have a certain meaning, but that a name always conjures up in the thinking of people certain things. When you hear the name of Caesar, what do you think of? When you hear the name today of Nazi, the Nazis, what do you think of? What do you think of when you hear the name Egypt or the name Israel? Well, God's proclaiming now his name, and it comes out of the experience that these people have already had since they left the land of Egypt. Now, will you listen to this? This is a glorious revelation of God.
And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed the Lord, that is, Jehovah. And now he says, Jehovah God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty. Now, God does not extend mercy by shutting his eyes to the guilty or by just saying, well, we'll forget it.
He doesn't. Sin must be punished. There must be the penalty paid.
And he by no means clears the guilty. But what happens? He's keeping mercy, and he forgives iniquity. And how does he do it? Well, because a sacrifice has been provided.
And every sacrifice they made in that day didn't take away sin, but it pointed to the one who did when he came 1,900 years ago. So, this is still a marvelous revelation of God.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Command to Write the Law
- A. Moses is instructed to write the law on new tablets
- B. The importance of reading along as we study
- II. The Importance of God's Name
- A. A name has a meaning and conveys certain things
- B. God's name is Jehovah, meaning merciful and gracious
- III. The Character of God
- A. God is merciful and gracious
- B. God is longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth
- C. God keeps mercy for thousands and forgives sin
- IV. The Importance of Sacrifice
- A. Sacrifices point to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ
- B. The sacrifice of Christ provides forgiveness for sin
Key Quotes
“A name has a meaning, and I do not mean by that like you find in the Old Testament that so many names have a certain meaning, but that a name always conjures up in the thinking of people certain things.” — J. Vernon McGee
“God's proclaiming now his name, and it comes out of the experience that these people have already had since they left the land of Egypt.” — J. Vernon McGee
“He doesn't. Sin must be punished. There must be the penalty paid.” — J. Vernon McGee
Application Points
- We must understand that God's character is revealed in his name, and that he is merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth.
- We must recognize that sin must be punished and the penalty must be paid, but God provides forgiveness through the sacrifice of Christ.
- We must trust in God's mercy and forgiveness, knowing that he keeps mercy for thousands and forgives iniquity and transgression and sin.