Do you know what a prism is? A prism looks like a simple clear triangle until light is refracted through it and a multicolored rainbow emerges. Although light has all these colors, we can’t see them until we use a special tool to look at them. In the same way, we can often overlook the complexity, beauty, and multifacetedness of God unless we take time to slow down and learn about his many attributes.

We are beginning a new sermon series today called Glory: The Character of God. Over the next several weeks I want us to look at a section of Scripture in the Old Testament Book of Exodus. Each week we will examine one of the characteristics by which God describes Himself there. In these verses He describes Himself as merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, forgiving sin, and judging the guilty. 

As we journey through this sermon series, I want you to take note of how many different places the attributes of God are listed. My prayer is that you will let how God defines Himself challenge your conceptions of Him.

(Exodus 34:1-10)

34:1 The Lord said to Moses, “Cut two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.  2 Be prepared by morning. Come up Mount Sinai in the morning and stand before Me on the mountaintop. 3 No one may go up with you; in fact, no one must be seen anywhere on the mountain. Even the flocks and herds are not to graze in front of that mountain.” 4 Moses cut two stone tablets like the first ones. He got up early in the morning, and taking the two stone tablets in his hand, he climbed Mount Sinai, just as the Lord had commanded him. 5 The Lord came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed His name Yahweh. 6 Then the Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed: Yahweh—Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth,  7 maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving wrongdoing, rebellion, and sin. But He will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ wrongdoing on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation. 8 Moses immediately bowed down to the ground and worshiped. 9 Then he said, “My Lord, if I have indeed found favor in Your sight, my Lord, please go with us. Even though this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wrongdoing and sin, and accept us as Your own possession.” 10 And the Lord responded: “Look, I am making a covenant. I will perform wonders in the presence of all your people that have never been done in all the earth or in any nation. All the people you live among will see the Lord’s work, for what I am doing with you is awe-inspiring.  

Have you ever experienced God's sovereign grace? If you have, it should have humbled you to the point of pure worship. In this chapter God had given Moses a new copy of the Law on stone tablets. The previous tablets Moses destroyed when he came down from the mountain and he saw Israel worshiping the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai. We learn something of God's character here. Moses returned for a new copy of the Law. This is a picture of God's grace at work. Notice what happened. Earlier Moses obeyed God and came up on the mountain to receive the Law. This time Moses brings the stones for the tablets rather than God providing them (Exodus 24:12). Could it be that God was reminding them of previously breaking the covenant? 

Then in (Exodus 34:5-9) Moses wanted to know more of God's glory and so God proclaimed His name to him. (Exodus 34:6) is possibly the most important verse in the Bible because it is repeated so much throughout Scripture (Psalm 86:15) (Psalm 103:8) (Psalm 145:8) (Joel 2:13) (Jonah 4:2). When someone wanted to know what God was like, they could quote this verse. After saying His sacred name “Yahweh,” which God revealed to Moses at the burning bush—denoting His self-sufficiency and self-existence—He explained the meaning of that name more fully by highlighting several attributes of Himself. Let's look at two of those right now.

1. To those in need, God is Compassionate

God really does care for people that are His. (Psalm 103:13) King David said, "As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him." We are no different than Israel was in this passage of Scripture. We need a compassionate God. Once when Jesus was overlooking the city of Jerusalem (Matthew 9:36) says, "He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd." I am so thankful for God's compassion! 

2. To these who cannot measure up, God is Gracious  

Grace is simply unmerited favor. Think of it like this. A boy in high school comes to his teacher and tells him he hasn't finished the assignment he was to have finished by today. The boy says to the teacher, "Can you give me some grace or a grace period?" Now think about that for a moment. Is that really grace? Not at all. Grace would be for the teacher to say, "I will write your paper for you, and you will get an A as a result." Grace is not doing your part, earning favor, and then asking God to do the other part. Grace is never a 50/50 deal. Grace is completely 100% God's favor on the undeserved person.