Have any of you experienced having a child that was a bit willful?  Given the choice to do what you told them to and what they wanted you probably were in for some times of parental correction.  I sometimes wonder if that is how God feels at times toward us, His children.  I know He certainly felt like that at times toward the Israelites.  In Exodus 34 He gives His children the law for the second time, here we go again.  The first tablets were destroyed after the people created and worshiped a golden calf.  Let’s look at God’s opening statement to Moses and the people of Israel as He gives the law a second time.  

So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. 5 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. 6 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, 7 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.” 8 Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. 9 “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.” 10 Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. 11 Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 12 Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. 13 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. 14 Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

God makes it clear that while He is a loving, forgiving God there are consequences for sin.  I’m sure we have all experienced this in our own lives.  The thing about sin is that it breaks relationships.  You lie and someone can’t trust you.  You get angry and others are hurt from your words or actions.  Sin destroys.  God’s law was not meant to be restrictive but rather protective.  Protecting our relationships with God and each other.  That’s the beauty of God when it was clear that we are all rebellious children He sent Jesus to do for us what we could not do for ourselves, restore our broken relationship with God.  By grace through faith, we are made right with God forever.  When we extend grace to others we restore relationships with each other that are broken as well.  We learn in this passage that God is a God of second chances. May we be a people who are willing to give others second chances as well.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave