We’ve got a phrase in English we use to describe someone making a monumental error of judgement when they should know better, when they have transgressed what was expected of them – we call it a “fall from grace”.
Like a health minister who decides mountain bike riding and beach trips are a good idea in an unprecedented nation wide lockdown.
Or a police officer arrested for perjuring himself in court.
A prince, who steps back from patronages and military affiliations after allegations he’s involved in a trafficking scandal. They are all significant falls from grace.
In Exodus 34 we come to a moment of hope and redemption after a monumental fall from grace. God’s people, having just been delivered from 400 years of slavery in Egypt, melted down their gold, made an idol and bowed down saying “this is the god who delivered us from Egypt” (chapter 32).
Their fall from grace is far more sinister and damaging than that of any high profile MP, police officer or prince. It’s one of the darkest betrayals in the history of the Hebrew people – but in the midst of it we are going to see God’s goodness, his character, the very essence of who he is, and answer the big question:
How can any of us, who so often fall from grace, draw near to a holy God?
The character of God shines through in a moment of incredible darkness, and he is revealed as both merciful and just.
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.”
Exodus 34:5-7
As God comes down in a great cloud, approaching Moses, the Lord is revealed as merciful. He is undeservedly patient, kind and forbearing. He shows kindness where it isn’t deserved.
I don’t know if you’ve got one of those fridge magnets or keyrings with your name on it?
George: hardworking and dependable.
Tracey: warlike and strong.
I'm glad that they don't make them for unusual names like Zane. It would probably say irritable and stubborn.
But they remind us of the meaning of the person's name, don't they? And they kind of give us a glimpse into the character of what that person might be like.
God announces his name and declares his character, not with a key ring, but by declaring his character: compassionate and gracious. Slow in anger. Great in faithfulness, committed love and true faithfulness.
It’s in this passage that he gives Israel an undeserved second chance, giving the new stone tablets with the Ten Commandments on them.
The first set of tablets, which had the Ten Commandments written on them, were thrown down and smashed by Moses as he saw the terrible sin of the people worshipping the golden calf. In replacing those tablets, God is signalling that he will uphold his covenant with the people, lead them, and use them as a light for all the nations, despite their rebellion.
Isn’t that a wonderful relief?
Despite our very best efforts, despite the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we don’t always live as if the Lord was the object of our worship, our highest allegiance or greatest treasure.
Take heart!
The God of the Bible is the God of second, and third, and seventy-seven times seven chances. God is a God of mercy. He could’ve wiped Israel from the face of the earth, but he shows them undeserved kindness – he bears with them in the face of their rejection of him as their Lord.
For generations before this moment, and for generations after it, God will bear with the people he is calling to himself.
Sadly, many people draw conclusions about God’s character in the Old Testament from the ways he judges sinful nations and cultures (including Israel themselves) and paint a picture of a God who is more like us: responding in fits of rage and anger.
God, without question, identifies and proves he is the God of compassion and grace. He’s not like us, he’s slow to anger!
He is also forgiving. And the word used here literally means “carrying”. He is carrying the wicked. He is carrying the rebellious. He is carrying the sinful. God is willing to provide ways of atonement so that people can be right with him again, despite themselves.
We see his undeserved kindness in another way in this passage.
God gave Moses a warning before he approached Mount Sinai: “No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain” (34:3).
In his mercy, God reminds Moses of his holiness which makes him unapproachable.
I wonder if you've ever heard jokes from non-Christians, saying that they couldn't possibly come to church because they'd be struck by lightning when they entered the building.
Someone said that to me the other night – “I could never come to your church, I'd be on fire the moment I came through the door.”
It was common in the army as well. Lots of soldiers thought that if they came into our chapel at Burnham, the earth would open up and swallow them whole.
We make jokes like that because innately we know God is holy. His holiness is the underpinning to the entire narrative arc of Scripture. Because he is holy and compassionate, God lovingly gives a warning to Moses. He is keeping him safe so that he isn’t consumed.
God doesn’t only forgive or only punish. He is merciful and just.
34:7 continues:
Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.
God doesn’t just turn a blind eye to sin – he can’t.
His character is merciful, undeservingly kind, but also just. And for justice to be served, there must be a consequence for wrongdoing. So we can be assured that he won't turn a blind eye to the thousands of way that people oppose him.
We’d be outraged and call it a travesty if a convicted criminal, standing in the dock, was allowed to walk out of the courtroom with no consequence. If we saw our justice system turn a blind eye to a murderer, embezzler or a drug runner, we’d be appalled, because for justice to be done, there has to be a fitting consequence for wrongdoing.
If, after sentencing, people feel like justice hasn’t been done, they demand a review to ensure the punishment fits the crime.
There won’t be any complaints like that against the God of the Bible, who on the last day, the day of judgement will see that every sin accounted for, and the punishment of separation from him for all eternity applied without prejudice. God is just.
Moses is warned specifically that the wickedness of parents will be visited on subsequent generations within Israel’s extended families, because he will not treat the guilty as though they were innocent by letting sin go unpunished.
We can find that hard to understand – that the punishment might carry to three or four generations – but hold that in contrast to the love of God, the compassion of God, the mercy of God, which extends to thousands!
He is merciful and just.
We’re still left with the question: how can any of us, who so often fall from grace, draw near to a holy God?
Just like Israel, in spite of the ways God shows himself to be trustworthy and true, we rebel against him and worship our own idols instead. That is the backdrop against which we see God’s mercy and justice in the Lord Jesus. Through one man, justice is satisfied.
The spotless, righteous one, the only one who was never disobedient or pursued an idol of his own making.
He died as a sacrifice, one righteous act, which resulted in justification and life for all people who choose to take hold of it. Through his obedience many will be made righteous and able to live in perfect face-to-face relationship with the holy God who made them.
What is our response to this reality, that God is both merciful and just?
Think of Moses, who “bowed to the ground at once and worshiped” (34:8).
We’re also called to live out of mercy and grace towards others. Almost daily people transgress against us. Many of us live in families. God’s mercy should define how we relate to them.
As a church family, how can we embody the compassionate heart of God while exercising justice? Offering any kind of rebuke runs the tremendous risk of offence or a broken relationship. That’s the last thing we want.
But if we seek justice in our fellowship, it means that we must be held accountable to each other as brothers and sisters.
Heaven knows I need my dear congregation to do that with me! I need their loving challenge, kind rebuke, and accountability as a minister.
So, how will we draw near to a holy God?
We can’t.
What can we do to be right before him? Nothing but accept God’s abundant provision of grace by trusting in the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus.
Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s mercy as he takes what we deserve upon himself, and is the ultimate expression of God’s justice as he is punished for the sin of the world to bring eternal life to all who bow and worship like Moses did.
By living the reality that this God is merciful and just, showing that we trust the God of Moses, the God of the cross and resurrection, to keep his word and accomplish his mission, he will bring an unholy people near to himself to live and dwell with him: the God who is merciful and just.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
We’ve got a phrase in English we use to describe someone making a monumental error of judgement when they should know better, when they have transgressed what was expected of them – we call it a “fall from grace”.
Like a health minister who decides mountain bike riding and beach trips are a good idea in an unprecedented nation wide lockdown.
Or a police officer arrested for perjuring himself in court.
A prince, who steps back from patronages and military affiliations after allegations he’s involved in a trafficking scandal. They are all significant falls from grace.
In Exodus 34 we come to a moment of hope and redemption after a monumental fall from grace. God’s people, having just been delivered from 400 years of slavery in Egypt, melted down their gold, made an idol and bowed down saying “this is the god who delivered us from Egypt” (chapter 32).
Their fall from grace is far more sinister and damaging than that of any high profile MP, police officer or prince. It’s one of the darkest betrayals in the history of the Hebrew people – but in the midst of it we are going to see God’s goodness, his character, the very essence of who he is, and answer the big question:
How can any of us, who so often fall from grace, draw near to a holy God?
The character of God shines through in a moment of incredible darkness, and he is revealed as both merciful and just.
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.”
Exodus 34:5-7
As God comes down in a great cloud, approaching Moses, the Lord is revealed as merciful. He is undeservedly patient, kind and forbearing. He shows kindness where it isn’t deserved.
I don’t know if you’ve got one of those fridge magnets or keyrings with your name on it?
George: hardworking and dependable.
Tracey: warlike and strong.
I'm glad that they don't make them for unusual names like Zane. It would probably say irritable and stubborn.
But they remind us of the meaning of the person's name, don't they? And they kind of give us a glimpse into the character of what that person might be like.
God announces his name and declares his character, not with a key ring, but by declaring his character: compassionate and gracious. Slow in anger. Great in faithfulness, committed love and true faithfulness.
It’s in this passage that he gives Israel an undeserved second chance, giving the new stone tablets with the Ten Commandments on them.
The first set of tablets, which had the Ten Commandments written on them, were thrown down and smashed by Moses as he saw the terrible sin of the people worshipping the golden calf. In replacing those tablets, God is signalling that he will uphold his covenant with the people, lead them, and use them as a light for all the nations, despite their rebellion.
Isn’t that a wonderful relief?
Despite our very best efforts, despite the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we don’t always live as if the Lord was the object of our worship, our highest allegiance or greatest treasure.
Take heart!
The God of the Bible is the God of second, and third, and seventy-seven times seven chances. God is a God of mercy. He could’ve wiped Israel from the face of the earth, but he shows them undeserved kindness – he bears with them in the face of their rejection of him as their Lord.
For generations before this moment, and for generations after it, God will bear with the people he is calling to himself.
Sadly, many people draw conclusions about God’s character in the Old Testament from the ways he judges sinful nations and cultures (including Israel themselves) and paint a picture of a God who is more like us: responding in fits of rage and anger.
God, without question, identifies and proves he is the God of compassion and grace. He’s not like us, he’s slow to anger!
He is also forgiving. And the word used here literally means “carrying”. He is carrying the wicked. He is carrying the rebellious. He is carrying the sinful. God is willing to provide ways of atonement so that people can be right with him again, despite themselves.
We see his undeserved kindness in another way in this passage.
God gave Moses a warning before he approached Mount Sinai: “No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain” (34:3).
In his mercy, God reminds Moses of his holiness which makes him unapproachable.
I wonder if you've ever heard jokes from non-Christians, saying that they couldn't possibly come to church because they'd be struck by lightning when they entered the building.
Someone said that to me the other night – “I could never come to your church, I'd be on fire the moment I came through the door.”
It was common in the army as well. Lots of soldiers thought that if they came into our chapel at Burnham, the earth would open up and swallow them whole.
We make jokes like that because innately we know God is holy. His holiness is the underpinning to the entire narrative arc of Scripture. Because he is holy and compassionate, God lovingly gives a warning to Moses. He is keeping him safe so that he isn’t consumed.
God doesn’t only forgive or only punish. He is merciful and just.
34:7 continues:
Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.
God doesn’t just turn a blind eye to sin – he can’t.
His character is merciful, undeservingly kind, but also just. And for justice to be served, there must be a consequence for wrongdoing. So we can be assured that he won't turn a blind eye to the thousands of way that people oppose him.
We’d be outraged and call it a travesty if a convicted criminal, standing in the dock, was allowed to walk out of the courtroom with no consequence. If we saw our justice system turn a blind eye to a murderer, embezzler or a drug runner, we’d be appalled, because for justice to be done, there has to be a fitting consequence for wrongdoing.
If, after sentencing, people feel like justice hasn’t been done, they demand a review to ensure the punishment fits the crime.
There won’t be any complaints like that against the God of the Bible, who on the last day, the day of judgement will see that every sin accounted for, and the punishment of separation from him for all eternity applied without prejudice. God is just.
Moses is warned specifically that the wickedness of parents will be visited on subsequent generations within Israel’s extended families, because he will not treat the guilty as though they were innocent by letting sin go unpunished.
We can find that hard to understand – that the punishment might carry to three or four generations – but hold that in contrast to the love of God, the compassion of God, the mercy of God, which extends to thousands!
He is merciful and just.
We’re still left with the question: how can any of us, who so often fall from grace, draw near to a holy God?
Just like Israel, in spite of the ways God shows himself to be trustworthy and true, we rebel against him and worship our own idols instead. That is the backdrop against which we see God’s mercy and justice in the Lord Jesus. Through one man, justice is satisfied.
The spotless, righteous one, the only one who was never disobedient or pursued an idol of his own making.
He died as a sacrifice, one righteous act, which resulted in justification and life for all people who choose to take hold of it. Through his obedience many will be made righteous and able to live in perfect face-to-face relationship with the holy God who made them.
What is our response to this reality, that God is both merciful and just?
Think of Moses, who “bowed to the ground at once and worshiped” (34:8).
We’re also called to live out of mercy and grace towards others. Almost daily people transgress against us. Many of us live in families. God’s mercy should define how we relate to them.
As a church family, how can we embody the compassionate heart of God while exercising justice? Offering any kind of rebuke runs the tremendous risk of offence or a broken relationship. That’s the last thing we want.
But if we seek justice in our fellowship, it means that we must be held accountable to each other as brothers and sisters.
Heaven knows I need my dear congregation to do that with me! I need their loving challenge, kind rebuke, and accountability as a minister.
So, how will we draw near to a holy God?
We can’t.
What can we do to be right before him? Nothing but accept God’s abundant provision of grace by trusting in the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus.
Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s mercy as he takes what we deserve upon himself, and is the ultimate expression of God’s justice as he is punished for the sin of the world to bring eternal life to all who bow and worship like Moses did.
By living the reality that this God is merciful and just, showing that we trust the God of Moses, the God of the cross and resurrection, to keep his word and accomplish his mission, he will bring an unholy people near to himself to live and dwell with him: the God who is merciful and just.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
