In Exodus 34:6-7 we see a definition and a proclamation of who God is by God, himself. The Lord’s proclamation of his name and the declaration of his character becomes a central confessional pass for the Old Testament (OT).
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “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. esv
In these two verses we see 7 characteristics of God.
1.The Lord is compassionate. He cares about his image bearers.
Psalm 103:13 says, “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. esc
2. He is gracious. Though we aren’t worthy, he still shows us his grace and favor.
3. The Lord is slow to anger. He exercises a great deal of patience to those who would otherwise deserve his wrath. And when God acts in anger, he is righteous and just.
4. God is abounding in loving-kindness and truth.
If we are faithless, he remains faithful-for he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:13 esv
5. He keeps his loving-kindest to thousands; he keeps his covenant grace and love from generation to generation.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever, Psalm 136: 1-4 esv
6. Verses 6-7 also show us how the Lord forgives. God lifts away the heavy burden of our sins, iniquities and transgressions and he forgives delightfully. He does not forgive us because we are the center of his universe, but rather because grace is central to his universe. Grace brings God glory.
who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases Psalm 103:3 esv
7. Lastly, we see that God doesn’t leave the guilty unpunished. Sin must be paid for. Either the person will pay for it with eternal condemnation or Christ paid for it on the cross. God’s justice is as certain and inescapable as any of his other attributes.
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of theLORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. Isaiah 11:1-5 esv
originally written for daughterofdelight.com