Forgiveness in Exodus

Tonight I want to continue with the theme we covered this morning of forgiveness. These two verses are very similar in a few ways to the three that we read this morning. The only difference is that these verses tell us about God but from Him to Moses rather than from an apostle of Jesus.

Can anyone tell me what has happened in the chapters leading up to Exodus 34?

The Lord, the Lord - Why does this phrase repeat? This is a reference to God’s self-revelation to Moses as Jehovah or the existing one. We could think of it another way as “the existing one, the existing God”.

When we think about the context of what took place, this is a helpful and present reminder that there is a God. Certainly Moses is aware of God’s existence but the people of God seemed to have forgotten about it or else they would not have created a golden calf for their own worship.

What follows in verse six is description of God.

Merciful - this is a word that is always used to describe God in the Old Testament. Mercy is the withholding of something negative that is deserved.

Gracious - This is the giving of something that is not deserved.

Slow to anger - Read Exodus 32:7-10. Does that sound like a God who is slow to anger? So what does He mean?

Abounding in steadfast love - chesed, a certain kindness that is used to describe the covenants that God puts into place with His people.

Abounding in faithfulness - true to His word.

v. 7

Keeping steadfast love for thousands? Just thousands? What does your bible say? To the thousandth generation.

What is the difference between these three areas in which God forgives?

Iniquity - crimes against others and therefore sin violating loving your neighbor as is commanded in Leviticus 19:18.

Transgression - rebellion, different from one specific action. This is a pattern of sinful action against God. Consider maybe the story of the prodigal son.

Sin - any action that runs against the commands of God

There isn’t really any sort of wrongdoing beyond these three things. This is what John means when he says All unrighteousness.

No means clear the guilty? So if God forgives, what then does this mean? While God does forgive, there are also repercussions for sin.