THE CHARACTER OF GOD

DAY 77 OF 365 IN 2021

Exodus 32:9-10 God said to Moses, “I look at this people—oh! what a stubborn, hard-headed people! Let me alone now, give my anger free reign to burst into flames and incinerate them. But I’ll make a great nation out of you.”

“It takes the destruction of one thing to birth the establishment of another” – this is sometimes a guiding principle as from the ashes and rubble of events, great things have been wrought. Thus, on all fronts, it appears God makes an appropriate proposition to Moses in light of Israel’s decision to bow down to the golden calf. He presented him with a nuclear option: ‘Leave me to destroy them and I will make you a great nation’.

It clearly takes some guts to say No to God or even consider the prospect of refusing His suggestion. But Moses was very clear; ” if the condition for my rising is the destruction of an entire nation, then I respectfully decline your offer. How would God have felt after hearing these words ? Angry? Happy? Perplexed? Perhaps, even all of those emotions but surely, He would have been looking on with keen attention as Moses pleaded his case.

Of course, in doing so, Moses suggested God would face some mocking from the nations for taking Israel out of Egypt only to slay them’, but was that really the heart behind Moses’ decision to intercede for Israel? Beloved, when a man walks with Him long enough as Moses did, he gains a better and deeper  understand of God’s character.

Hence, it would become clear to Moses that the option laid on the table was inconsistent with the complete character of God. The same God who announced His presence as ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, ( Ex 34:6). This God, would not just destroy and Moses was certain of this. That is how firm our convictions will also become when we truly come to know the God who has called us.

#sly