The Holy God
Lesson 5

Lesson Five

God's Self Description

Texts: Exodus 3:11-4:10; 33:11; 20:4-6; 34:6,7; Romans 2:4

Moses' grasp [understanding] of God's nature grew enormously. When God directed Moses to return to Egypt and lead Israel to freedom, Moses' understanding of God's nature was extremely poor. The last place Moses wanted to be was in Egypt--for any reason!

In attempts to evade responsibility, Moses asked God relevant questions [relevant from Moses' perspective]. (1) "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11) Had he not failed miserably in an earlier attempt to help Israel? (2) "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What is His name?' What shall I say to them?" (Exodus 3:13) In Egypt, Israel knew many, many gods by name. Moses saw this as a significant problem. (3) "What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, 'The Lord has not appeared to you.' " (Exodus 4:1). Moses surely experienced a "credibility problem" in his previous attempt to help Israel!

Then Moses tried to reject God's mission--he simply was not the man for the job! "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." (Exodus 4:10)

At this point in his life, Moses' grasp of God's nature was poor!

Even though Moses went, he was easily discouraged. The core of his discouragement arose from his failure to grasp God's nature. The first time he requested Pharaoh to release Israel, Pharaoh not only refused, but also increased the misery of the Israelites. Pharaoh's rejection crushed Moses and brought the Israelite taskmasters' contempt! (Exodus 5:21) In his misery, Moses made this statement to God: "Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all" (Exodus 5:23). Evidently Moses forgot God's earlier statement: "But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except under compulsion. So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go." (Exodus 3:19, 20)

The man who had serious doubts became the man who had no doubts. By the time Moses led Israel out of Egypt he knew and trusted God. He knew the nature of the Self Existent One. As his knowledge of God's nature grew, his faith in God grew. His confidence in God grew so much that this man who doubted and was easily discouraged developed a special relationship with God. God spoke to Moses "face to face just as a man speaks to his friend" (Exodus 33:11).

When Miriam and Aaron challenged Moses for leadership over Israel, God said this about Moses: "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream. Not so, with My servant Moses, He is faithful in all My household; with him I speak mouth to mouth, even openly, and not in dark sayings, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?" God spoke to His prophets in visions and dreams, but He spoke to Moses "mouth to mouth." God had communicated with Miriam and Aaron, but never in as personal way as he talked with Moses.

Moses even reflected the nature of the Christ who would be born hundreds of years later! (Deuteronomy 18:15,18; Acts 3:19-26--especially note verse 22.) The close of Deuteronomy noted Moses significance in his acceptance by God (Deuteronomy 34:10-12).

God's first declaration of His holy nature is found in Exodus 20:4-6: "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments."

God is vastly superior to anything people can imagine or think. Any idol is vastly inferior to God. God alone is deserving and worthy of human worship. God's people know and respect that truth! God, because of His nature, can call people to accountability! He is generous with His mercy to those who love Him and surrender to Him. Only He is holy!

God's second declaration of His holy nature is found in Exodus 34:6,7. God instructed Moses to return to the mountain with two stone tablets to replace the broken tablets. When Moses arrived, the Lord descended in a cloud and made this statement about himself: "The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."

Consider the declarations of what God is: (1) compassionate; (2) full of grace; (3) full of mercy; (4) full of truth; (5) a promise keeper; and (6) forgiving. Consider the declarations of what He is not: (1) He is not easily, quickly angered; (2) He will not ignore rebellion.

Consider the numerous times scripture acknowledges God's nature. Read Deuteronomy 4:31, 5:9, 10, and 7:9, 10. Read Psalm 86:15, a prayer; Psalm 103:8; Psalm 108:4, a song; and Psalm 145:8, praise.

Note an angry Jonah's declaration of "I knew you are that way" when God forgave the people of Ninevah (Jonah 4:2); Israel's acknowledgment of the doubts of their ancestors in Nehemiah 9:17; and Joel's call for Israel's internal repentance (Joel 2:13).

After noting this emphasis on God's nature, read again Paul's statement in Romans 2:4: "Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" It is not understanding human wickedness that moves us to repent. It is God's goodness. God's nature is good beyond human comprehension. God's goodness shames us so we cannot ignore the incredible injustice of our evil.

Thought Questions:

  1. Trace Moses' growth in understanding God's nature. How did this change him?

  2. On what two occasions did God declare His nature?

  3. Discuss Jonah's angry reaction to God's nature; God's nature and Israel's acknowledgment of their ancestors' doubts; and the impact of God's nature on Joel's call for Israel's repentance.

  4. Discuss Paul's statement in Romans 2:4.


Link to Teacher's Guide Lesson 5

Copyright © 2004
David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ

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