Exodus 34 Commentary
The LORD God commands Moses to take with him another book so that the process can restart, on a new page. Stone tablets. That is the correct word. What the LORD wants to write is meant to last. It shouldn’t easily rub off. It is eternally important and consequently, permanent.
So Moses makes another trip up Mount Sinai. The LORD descends in a cloud and proclaims His eternal name. The name becomes the covenant name and its revelation is partly as a consequence of the unfortunate events, not too many days before.
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” Verse 6 and 7.
What a name! It fits the context but also much more: grace and timeless justice; compassion; and the less likable name, Jealous.
Moses is aware of the active elements in God’s name. Live wire, handle with care! All the components are live and active in real time! He prays for mercy again.
The commandments are repeated. The LORD calls them, ‘terms of the covenant’. The LORD repeats the Abrahamic covenant. These children of Abraham will inherit and possess the land the LORD had given to Abraham. Further rules of engagement are detailed but again there is nothing new. The LORD maintains the same position. The LORD doesn’t change. The same high standards of holiness must be maintained.
It takes the same number of days to download the instructions from the LORD. There aren’t shortcuts to the process!
After 40 days, (the first trip also lasted 40 days) Moses emerges from up the mountain and out of a cloud having had nothing to eat or drink. A miracle! The people are calm and there is no golden calf this time! Instead, the LORD’s shining presence remains on Moses and people cannot get close to him.
Humanity is afraid of God’s presence. We can tell Israel is not yet ready for God’s presence. It’s probably easier to show up in ordinary ways. So this story points to a day when the LORD would show up in a manger!
“He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” Isaiah 53v2.
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