"The Character of God"

How would you answer the question, “What is God like?” How do you describe God? There are many different views of God, from a far away, impersonal deity, to a demanding judge, to a simply larger version of ourselves. How can we even know what God is like? The view that we have of God has a great influence on the way we live.

Fortunately, we do not have to guess or make up a description of God. He desires to be known and has revealed Himself, and that revelation has been recorded in Scripture for us:

Exodus 34:5–7 NIV84

Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

This takes place after the first time God had given Moses the Ten Commandments. You remember the occasion – when Moses comes down from the mountain he sees the people of Israel worshipping the golden calf and carrying on. In disgust he throws the stone tablets with the commandments on the ground and breaks them. God says he is no longer going to go with them.

Moses goes back up the mountain and intercedes for the people. God has mercy and agrees to continue going with them, but the consequences of their sin is a plague sent by God. Moses is told to bring two new stone tablets and again is given the Ten Commandments, renewing the covenant which Israel had just broken. Then Moses makes this request:

In 33:13 Moses asked, “teach me your ways.” In 33:18 he requested, “show me your glory.” Today’s reading is God’s answer to Moses’ requests. This description of God is given numerous times in the Old Testament, with slight variations.

God came to Moses

Although God is far above us and far different from us, He is not far removed from us. He comes down to us, meets us on our own level. Many times in Scripture we see God coming to people, talking with them, even sharing a meal with them. God wants us to know Him, to have a close relationship with Him. God continues reaching out to us today.

God declares His character

His name – YHWH, “I AM WHO I AM”.

Expresses all that he is and does, testifies to his eternal self-existence and self-sufficiency.

Compassionate

Cares about His people. Not giving them what they deserve. Recalls a mother’s love for her child, with a deep understanding of its weakness and need, keeping looking after it whatever its behavior or thanklessness.

Psalm 103:13 NIV84

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

Gracious

To show favor that goes beyond any human calculation, doing things for people they do not deserve.

Slow to anger

He waits long to give the sinner opportunity to return in repentance.

2 Peter 3:9 NIV84

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

This does not mean, however that God never gets angry. We see God’s wrath revealed in many places when people refuse to listen and repent but persistently turn away from God.

Abounding in love

Without limits, infinite resources

Faithfulness

Points to the LORD’s commitment to the covenant

2 Timothy 2:13 NIV84

if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

Forgiving

The image behind the word ‘forgive’ is that of lifting a burden off an individual.

wickedness, rebellion and sin - ‘Wickedness’ is a word which speaks about our natural tendency to sin; ‘rebellion’ is an act which transgresses God’s law; and ‘sin’ is the failure to live up to God’s standards. While this phrase is intended to signify the totality of sins against God, it also directs our attention to the completeness of God’s forgiveness for those who repent.

We want to avoid two extremes here. One is to think that we don’t need forgiveness or that forgiveness is automatic. The other is to believe that we can’t be forgiven.

Holy

God’s inward character of perfect goodness. He is set apart, He is eternal, He is all knowing, he is everywhere, He is all powerful. All His actions are right and good.

Just

Does not leave the guilty unpunished - those who go on in their sin and rebellion against him, who refuse to repent, will ultimately be punished.

To the 3rd and 4th generation - as that sin continues to be repeated down through the generations. the children share in the father’s punishment because they share in the father’s sins. Sin’s impact is not limited to the individual who commits it, but spreads to all those with whom he comes in contact, particularly the family group to which he belongs.

So, here in these few verses we have God’s revelation of who He is. Does this description match your image of God? Too often we focus on just one or two attributes, leaving us with an incomplete understanding of God. We need to hold all of these together, both His love and His holiness, His mercy and His wrath. We need to know God as He truly is.

Getting to know God

Moses had wanted to know God, and God came down and met him.

Exodus 33:13 NIV84

If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

Because God answered Moses’ prayer and had it written down in Scripture we also can know God –

Like Moses, we need to have the desire

He meets and speaks to us through His word

We see God in Jesus Christ, who shows us all these character traits in his life.

As we get to know God better we are to become more like Him in character

Moses’ response to this revelation of who God is was to worship

Bowed to the ground – acknowledging God’s majesty, gratefulness for God’s mercy

May this also be our response to who God is.