Exodus 34:6-7 - Homiletics

The second proclamation of God's name.

God had proclaimed his name to Moses, when he spoke with him out of the burning bush. He had declared it to be JEHOVAH , "the Self-Existent One." Under this name the people of Israel had known him from the time of Moses' return to Egypt from Midian, until that of which he is here speaking. Hitherto it had sufficed for them. It had marked him as,

1 . eternal;

2 . uncaused;

3 . unconditioned;

4 . self-sufficient;

5 . all-powerful.

But it had not revealed his moral nature. Something of that had always been known to man. Something more had become known to Israel through the law already given from Sinai. But in their present state of sorrow and depression ( Exodus 33:4-6 ) something further was needed. God accordingly "proclaimed his name" afresh. Of this second proclamation we may note—

I. THAT IT CANCELS NOTHING , BUT ADDS . The first words of the name are " Jehovah, Jehovah El ," or "the Self-Existent, the Self-Existent God." What had been revealed before is confirmed; nay, is still put in the fore-front, as the proper foundation of all the rest. For a true knowledge of God, we must, first and foremost , have the conviction that there is a self-existent being, eternal, uncaused, the cause of all things, and therefore of our own existence, on whom we are absolutely dependent. It follows, after this, to inquire and learn the moral character of this Eternal One.

II. THAT IT SETS FORTH GOD AS , ABOVE ALL THINGS , MERCIFUL . The Jewish commentators make out thirteen epithets of God in these two verses, and say that all but one are epithets of mercy. This seems to be an overstatement of the actual fact, that the epithets of mercy form a large numerical majority. They are

1 . Rakhum , "the tender or pitiful one," who is full of kindness and compassion;

2 . Khunnun , "the gracious one," who bestows his benefits out of mere favour, without obligation;

3 . Erek appayim , "the long-suffering one," who is not easily provoked, but "suffers long and is kind";

4 . Rab-khesed , "the great in mercy" which needs no explanation;

5 . Notser-khesed , "the keeper of mercy," he who does not desert those he loves, bet is merciful to them, and their children , from generation to generation;

6 . Nose 'avon, vapesha vekhattaah , "the forgiver of iniquity and transgression and sin"—the being who alone can forgive sin and give peace to the guilty soul. Moses did well to make appeal to this description of himself by God himself, when Israel had a second time provoked God to destroy them ( Numbers 14:17 , Numbers 14:18 ). We shall do well to make our appeal to the same, whenever we have offended our Lord and Master by our faults and shortcomings, our "sins, negligences, and ignorances." Conjured by this "name," God can scarcely refuse to reply, as he replied to Moses, " I have pardoned according to thy word" ( Numbers 14:20 ).

III. THAT IT FURTHER SETS HIM FORTH AS JUST AND TRUE . God gives it as part of his name, that he "will by no means clear the guilty," or rather perhaps that he will not "always" do so (Kalisch). There is some guilt that he will not, cannot pardon. "There is a sin unto death— I do not say that a man shall pray for it" ( 1 John 5:16 ). Unrepented sin cannot be forgiven. "Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost" cannot be forgiven. God's justice is an essential part of his nature, no less than his mercy; and is perhaps, as has been argued, a necessary consequence of his love. £ Again, God is true—"abundant in truth" ( Exodus 34:6 ). There can be no trust in any being who is not true. Truth lies at the root of all moral goodness; and the truth of God is pre-supposed in any revealed religion, since without it revelation could have no force or value. Further, beth in the Old and the New Testament, God reveals himself as "true," or sometimes as "the truth." "Thy truth reacheth unto the clouds" ( Psalms 108:4 ). "The truth of the Lord endureth for ever" ( Psalms 117:2 ). "God is true." " I am the truth." It is essential to a right conception of him that we should believe in his absolute veracity. If we "make him a liar," we ruin our whole idea of him. We might as well make him non-existent.