Relentlessly Faithful: Exodus 32–34
Reading for Thursday 4.7 – Sunday 4.10
It can seem like faith would be easier if we could only see—miracles, God, whatever, just anything more than what we see now. But this is never the case. We, like Israel, are a forgetful bunch. The divine splendors of yesterday fade quickly, and our fidelity wanes. Emancipation was not won by us, neither will our inheritance be. Faith in Yahweh begins and ends with the knowledge that it is God who carries us, always.
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Read Exodus 32–34
“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 upon the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”
Exodus 34:6-7 (Revised Standard Version)
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Relentlessly Faithful
Israel's rebellion (Exodus 32) is astounding. Having seen the power of Yahweh displayed in the Exodus, the Red Sea deliverance, the provision in the wilderness, the guiding fire and cloud, and the descent upon mount Sinai, they almost immediately break the covenant with Yahweh.
The breach is remarkable. It occurs before Israel departs the mountain where it was ratified and comes on the heels of their commitment to it (24). It breaks several commandments, but perhaps most shockingly, the first one given (20:3-4). And if this weren't enough, Israel ignores the festival guidelines of Yahweh, throwing what amounts to a pagan festival. All of this is done in the name of Yahweh and for Yahweh (32:4-5). And all of it is done while disregarding Yahweh's covenant stipulations.
Yet, the remarkable breach of covenant is overshadowed by Yahweh's ultimate response. A response that stands as one of the most cited Old Testament passages on the character of God. In response to Moses' request for insight into Yahweh's ways (33:13), Yahweh discloses that He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness for thousands of generations. Two parallel descriptors bracket the central picture of Yahweh's patience (slow to anger). Compassionate and gracious describe Yahweh's response to breaches of relational fidelity. In this case, the broken covenant. Yahweh's abounding steadfast love and faithfulness depicts Yahweh's commitment to loving and sticking with His people, even when they are covenant breakers. Thus we are reassured as readers that in the face of flagrant disregard and contempt for Yahweh, Yahweh's anger will pass, and His compassion and faithful love will overshadow it, ensuring He stands by the promise made to Israel.
It is significant that God does not reveal Himself primarily in terms of His power (omniscience, omnipresence, etc.) but in terms of relationship. While it is true God will not merely ignore or excuse evil—there will be consequences—forgiveness supersedes this demeanor, committing to visit compassion and faithful love for thousands of generations.
The remarkable reality is that our relationship with God is far less dependent on our obedience than we often want to think it is. Not that obedience doesn't mean anything. It does. Yet regardless of our faithfulness or unfaithfulness to our emancipator, He fully commits Himself to us. This is the self-giving God, willing to be betrayed, handed over, and crucified in commitment to those He has sworn to love. We are held fast by His commitment and love for us, often in spite of our disloyalty and indifference to Him.
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Reflect with a friend
Does the golden calf incident shock you? Why or why not? How do you see parallels in your own faith?
How does your faithfulness, obedience, fidelity, whatever you want to call it, shift your perception of God’s disposition towards you? Does this reading challenge this in any ways? Does it affirm them in any ways?
Above all God makes the point that He is gracious and compassionate, is this easy for you to believe about God given the story and its immediate context? Does Jesus change this in any way?
Is it easy for you to believe God is gracious and compassionate given your life journey? Does knowing this about God change anything about your perception of your journey or God?
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Next Reading
Holy Week
Monday 4.11 – Good Friday 4.15
Exodus 35–40
