Reaffirming the Covenant

Exodus 34:1–28

Reaffirming the Covenant

Matt Williams Updated Staff Photo

Matt Williams

Teaching Pastor; Staff Governing Elder; Staff Director

After Israel repents of their idolatry, God reaffirms his covenant with them and declares his nature—the “God of compassion and mercy”—before Moses. He calls his people to be set apart from the culture of the land they are entering and to be faithful to Yahweh, who has unfailing love for them.

Application

  1. When you fall into sin, is your response marked by quick repentance or by moving further away from God (e.g., through excuses, shame, self-righteousness efforts, hiding)?

  2. To accept the forgiveness God freely offers us, we have to be willing to admit that we are wrong and that we are incapable of earning our own righteousness. Pride can keep us from doing both. Which of these do you struggle to admit, and why?

  3. What is the culture tempting you to worship instead of God? Ask the Spirit to reveal any areas in your life where you are compromising and committing spiritual adultery by seeking after idols.

Key Points

  • God’s nature is steady and long-suffering; he is not destabilized by us or our sin.

  • A core part of our faith is lowering ourselves and elevating God in worship.

  • Rather than repenting only when we are deep in sin, the best thing we can do is to live a lifestyle of repentance—daily confessing and turning from our sin.

  • God wants us, his people, to trust him more than we trust ourselves by giving him the best of what we have.

Other Scripture References

Ruth 1:8, 2:20, 3:10

Ephesians 1:7–8

Romans 5:20

2 Corinthians 6:16–17
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