Title: Yahweh, Yahweh / Exodus 34:1-9
To establish unshakable faith in God, the object of our eternal faith, we need to know His disposition. The prophet Hosea also said that we should return to the Lord. He said that we should go one step further and do our best to know Jehovah. Through today's text, we would like to take a look at the disposition of God revealed by Himself.
First, God is merciful and slow to anger.
The second is a person with many mercy.
In the text and in Numbers 14:8, it is recorded as "the one who has many kindness" and "the one who shows kindness to a thousand generations." In other words, God is rich in mercy. Surprisingly, God does not only rule over sinful humans with the sword of justice, but also surrounds them with compassion. God's mercy is beyond our comprehension. Indeed, there is no sin that cannot be forgiven of us. Because God will always forgive us if we sincerely repent, and God is always waiting for our sincere repentance.
Thirdly, those who are punished are the ones who will never be forgiven.
Truly, God loves man and waits for man to repent while prolonging the period of mercy. However, those who do not repent to the end but rather despise God's love and mercy are the ones who will surely judge. In the text, God revealed that He is “truthful” and “who will never absolve those who are to be punished.” This is a self-revelation that reflects the righteous disposition of God. God never overlooks injustice, and He is a sincere person who does not compromise with iniquity. Moreover, we need to know that God forgives sinners who repent, but He never forgives sinners who do not repent. Therefore, we must be able to openly confess our sins before the true God.
Now, let us realize God's love deeply, shun injustice, and go to Him with fear and trembling and receive the grace of forgiveness, even if we have committed a crime.