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To understand the context of our foundational verses in Exodus, we need to recap the Israelites' journey to this point. (Hebrews and Israelites are the same people.) They were slaves in Egypt for around 400 years. God called Moses, a Hebrew man raised from infancy by the Pharaoh's daughter, to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let His people go. Pharaoh refused again and again. After 10 catastrophic plagues, each aimed at a god the Egyptians worshiped, Pharaoh let the people go. The night before they left, God told them to ask the Egyptian people for silver and gold jewelry. And the Egyptians gave it to them!! (Exodus 11) God led them out of Egypt; He parted the Red Sea so they could go through on dry land; He led them by day in a cloud and by night in a pillar of fire; He sent them bread from heaven and gave them sweet water to drink. They returned the favor by complaining and longing to worship the gods they had left in Egypt.
THREE MONTHS after they were rescued from slavery, they took the gold jewelry-given to them miraculously by their captors-and melted it down and made it into a calf to worship. The Israelites were back to putting their trust in a foundation that they remembered with rose-colored glasses, but it was slavery.
Moses was so angry, he threw the tablets containing the Ten Commandments and broke them. God tells the people to go on to the promised land, but this time He won't go with them. Moses intercedes and says "If you won't go with us, then just leave us here." (Exodus 33) Moses calls on the character of God, and the promises He's made to Israel, His chosen people. God promises to go with them, and Moses asks for kind of a "pinky promise" from God (Exodus 33:18) and God agrees!
God has Moses go back up the mountain to make new tablets for the Ten Commandments. God will put Moses in a cleft of a rock in the mountain and cover him with His hand until he passes by. Then He will remove His hand, and Moses will see the back of God, and it will be enough to change Moses' appearance. As God passes by, He proclaims His Name, and reveals His character-
"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.”
He's full of compassion. He's full of grace and favor. His anger is not bubbling under the surface. He is loyal in love AND lovingly loyal (chesed). He is firm truth. He lifts the guilt of thousands; but because He's also just, He punishes the guilty for three and four generations.
The Israelites have much to be thankful for. The God of the Universe has extended chesed to them. a trustworthy foundation on which to build a new people, nation, and land. These verses were written to the Israelites, but there's a pinky promise in there for us, too. Those who would say, as Moses did, "If I have found favor in Your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you.." God sent His Word as a reply. Jesus--THE compassion, grace, favor, loyal in love and lovingly loyal, firm foundation of the truth, the justice of God. He turned the curse to a blessing for us, taking the iniquity and transgression and sin, and giving us forgiveness in return. Like Moses, let us quickly bow our head toward the earth and WORSHIP!!!
Bonus content--Understanding the ten plagues on Egypt
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