God is gracious and merciful

Exodus 34

Introduction

In the previous chapters, we saw how Israel failed to honour the Most High God by serving a golden calf, which resulted in God’s wrath. Moses pleaded for the people, and God promised His presence with them.

In this chapter, God’s mercy is shown to His people by calling Moses to take the commandments on tablets and instruct the people to live by them. His mercies are new every morning for His people.

What Can We Learn from This Chapter?

1. The Lord Is Merciful Towards His People (Exodus 34:1-9)

The first lesson from this chapter is that God gave Moses another opportunity to take the commandments for the people, revealing Himself as merciful and gracious. Despite considering wiping out the people and starting anew with Moses, God showed patience with sinners, demonstrating long-suffering towards those who sin against Him.

We must understand that we serve a merciful God who is compassionate even when we sin against Him. If God’s justice were immediate upon our sin, none of us would survive, as all are prone to sin and go against the Lord.

2. The Lord Renews His Covenant with His People (Exodus 34:11-28)

Next, we see that God renewed His covenant with the children of Abraham. He outlined what He would do if they obeyed the laws given to Moses, reiterating important aspects of the law the people must live by.

We cannot claim to enjoy God’s promises if we are not ready to live by His laws. A merciful God wants His people to be law-abiding and to reflect His ways in every aspect of their lives. He will fulfil His part if we are committed to ours.

3. Moses Instructs God’s People (Exodus 34:29-35)

Finally, we learn that Moses returned to the people with the tablets and God’s instructions. His disposition had changed because he had been with the Lord, and God’s glory had impacted his life.

No one remains the same after being with God. Moses brought not only the law but also the glory of the Lord. We must seek God’s presence above all else, as the more we stay with God, the more we reflect on and behave like Him.

Conclusion

This chapter reveals our gracious and merciful God. He gives us His law and displays His glory. We must be obsessed with His presence to emulate Him in all we do.

Take Action: Ask the merciful God to grant you mercy in everything you do in life.