Year of the Bible: Part Three of Twelve Sample

God Renews His Covenant with His People.

As you remember, The Israelites quickly abandoned their covenant with God, leaving Him to worship a golden statue in the form of a calf that they had made with their hands. In response to the Israelite actions, Moses pleads with God to come into their midst and take them as His inheritance.

God responds by sending consequences on the people to warn them to follow His commands for their good. As we learned from our video content today, God proceeds to invite the people to renew their covenant. God tells Moses that he will proclaim His name before him and then proceeds to say,

"The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation."

Interestingly, the word "name" often means the word or words that describe someone's character. Here, God speaks out His characteristics and intentions, and He says this is what He is like and what He will do.

Question: God is more gracious and patient than we could ever imagine. How would you describe Moses' attitude toward the Israelites he was leading? How about his attitude toward God?

Prayer Focus: Our society has gone off the rails, forgetting the truth and ignoring what matters to God. Take a few minutes to intercede [pray on behalf of] before God for those around you who have lost the plot. Pray for your family, neighbors, civic leaders, and national leadership.