Exodus 34:5-9 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.… I. GOD'S GLORY VEILED THAT IT MAY BE REVEALED. "The Lord descended in the cloud." The glory of Jesus was veiled by his humanity. There is but one avenue through which the knowledge of God can come - the spirit; it cannot come by the senses. God reveals himself by a word, by one in whom he has put his name, and by the Spirit's unveiling of the word in the heart. II. GOD'S NAME. 1. Faithfulness: he proclaimed "JEHOVAH." He changes not, his purpose abides, his word is fulfilled. 2. Faithfulness and might. "Jehovah, Elohim." God's power waits upon his unchanging purpose. 3. "Merciful." He will not spurn need. He is moved by, and drawn to, it. 4. "Gracious." God is not merely a just master, bestowing rewards which have been earned. There is favour to be found with him, unmerited and free. 5. "Long-suffering." He is patient with blindness and weakness and sin. He waits to be gracious. The great husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and "hath long patience for it." 6. "Abundant in goodness and truth." The ages have been unveiling their fulness; but the story is not yet told. Eternity will never know all the length and breadth and depth and height. 7. The largeness of God's mercy (1) toward persons. "Keeping mercy for thousands," (2) toward sins, "forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin." 8. The severity of God. (1) He will not always leave sin unpunished. (2) His mercy may save men from sin, but will not acquit them in sin. "Be not deceived." (3) The father's sins are visited upon the children. The inheritance of wrong is accompanied by an inheritance of wrath. What is punishment for the fathers may be mercy for the children. III. THE FRUITS OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 1. Adoration. For deep and true worship the soul must know God in the reality of his existence and the glory of his nature. 2. Prayer for himself and his people. To Jesus the vision of God is intercession for his Church and the world. (1) Prayer for God's presence. "Let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us." (2) That God may come in mercy, not in judgment. "Pardon our iniquity." (3) The transforming power of the presence of God. "And (so) take us for thine inheritance." - U. Parallel Verses KJV: And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.WEB: Yahweh descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of Yahweh. |
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