Understanding God's Nature: Covenant, Holiness, and Sovereignty

 

Summary

In this message, we explore the profound revelation of God's character as presented to Moses in the book of Exodus. God introduces Himself as "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth." This self-revelation is not just a declaration of His attributes but a profound insight into His nature and His relationship with humanity. God is depicted as omnipotent, eternal, and unchangeable, the self-existent "I Am" who is above all creation. This understanding of God is crucial for Christians who may find themselves burdened, weary, or perplexed in their faith journey. The root of such struggles often lies in a lack of true knowledge of God and His nature.

The name Jehovah, repeated for emphasis, reveals God's essential character as the self-existent one who desires to make Himself known to humanity. This revelation is not just about His power and eternity but also about His covenant relationship with His people. God, in His sovereignty, chooses to enter into a covenant with humanity, promising to be their God and Redeemer. This covenant is a testament to His love and mercy, yet it is balanced by His holiness and justice. God will not clear the guilty, emphasizing His righteousness and the necessity of atonement for sin.

The message also highlights the sovereignty of God in salvation and revival. God's grace is not dependent on human actions or understanding but is a manifestation of His sovereign will. Revival, like salvation, is entirely in God's hands, occurring in His timing and manner. This understanding should lead us to humility and worship, recognizing that all things are from Him, through Him, and to Him.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Nature of God: Understanding God's nature as revealed to Moses is crucial for a fulfilling Christian life. God is omnipotent, eternal, and unchangeable, the self-existent "I Am" who desires to be known by His people. This knowledge transforms our personal lives and the church, freeing us from fear and anxiety. [14:49]

2. God's Covenant Relationship: God enters into a covenant with humanity, promising to be their God and Redeemer. This covenant is a profound expression of His love and mercy, yet it is balanced by His holiness and justice. Understanding this covenant relationship is essential for grasping the fullness of God's character. [23:06]

3. The Holiness and Justice of God: God's revelation to Moses emphasizes His holiness and justice. He will not clear the guilty, highlighting the necessity of atonement for sin. This understanding is crucial in a world that often dismisses God's righteousness and the seriousness of sin. [27:35]

4. The Sovereignty of God in Salvation: Salvation is entirely by God's grace, independent of human merit. God's sovereign will determines whom He will be gracious to and show mercy. This understanding should lead us to humility and gratitude, recognizing that our salvation is a gift from God. [35:04]

5. Revival and God's Sovereignty: Revival, like salvation, is in God's hands, occurring in His timing and manner. It cannot be organized or predicted by human efforts. This understanding emphasizes the sovereignty of God and the need for humility and dependence on Him for spiritual renewal. [40:22]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [14:15] - The Proclamation of God's Name
- [15:05] - The Burdened Christian Life
- [15:36] - Understanding God's Nature
- [16:11] - The Power of Elohim
- [17:00] - The Meaning of Jehovah
- [18:06] - God's Self-Existence
- [19:14] - God's Unchangeableness
- [20:09] - The Glory of Jehovah
- [21:13] - God's Revelation to Israel
- [22:38] - God's Covenant with Humanity
- [24:14] - God as Redeemer
- [25:04] - The Holiness of God
- [27:17] - God's Hatred of Sin
- [28:48] - God's Mercy and Justice
- [31:41] - The Cross in God's Revelation
- [34:23] - The Sovereignty of God
- [39:23] - The Timing of Revival
- [42:40] - The Sovereignty in Revival's End
- [43:31] - The Depth of God's Wisdom

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Exodus 34:6-7 - "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation."

2. Exodus 3:14 - "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."

3. Romans 11:33-36 - "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen."

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Observation Questions:

1. What attributes of God are highlighted in Exodus 34:6-7, and how do they reflect His character? [14:15]

2. How does God describe Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14, and what significance does this have for understanding His nature? [18:33]

3. According to the sermon, what is the significance of God repeating His name "The Lord" to Moses? [17:00]

4. In Romans 11:33-36, what does Paul emphasize about the nature of God's wisdom and knowledge? How does this relate to the sermon’s message on God's sovereignty? [43:31]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does understanding God's self-revelation as "I Am" impact a believer's perception of His eternal and unchangeable nature? [18:33]

2. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between God's holiness and His justice, especially in the context of forgiveness and atonement? [27:35]

3. How does the concept of God's covenant with humanity, as discussed in the sermon, deepen our understanding of His love and mercy? [23:06]

4. In what ways does the sermon explain the sovereignty of God in salvation and revival, and how should this influence a believer's attitude towards these concepts? [35:04]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt burdened or weary in your faith journey. How might a deeper understanding of God's nature as "I Am" provide comfort and strength? [15:05]

2. How can you actively remind yourself of God's covenant promises in your daily life, especially during challenging times? [23:06]

3. In what ways can acknowledging God's holiness and justice change the way you view sin and forgiveness in your own life? [27:35]

4. How can you cultivate humility and gratitude in response to the understanding that salvation is entirely by God's grace and not by human merit? [35:04]

5. Consider the role of God's sovereignty in your personal spiritual growth. How can you practice dependence on Him for renewal and revival in your life? [40:22]

6. How does the sermon challenge you to view God's timing and methods in your life, especially when things don't go as planned? [39:23]

7. Identify one area in your life where you struggle to trust in God's sovereignty. What steps can you take this week to surrender that area to Him? [42:40]

Devotional

Day 1: The Self-Existent God Who Desires to Be Known
Understanding God's nature as revealed to Moses is crucial for a fulfilling Christian life. God is omnipotent, eternal, and unchangeable, the self-existent "I Am" who desires to be known by His people. This knowledge transforms our personal lives and the church, freeing us from fear and anxiety. When we grasp the depth of God's character, we find strength and peace in His presence, knowing that He is always with us and for us. This revelation of God as the self-existent one is not just a theological concept but a personal invitation to know Him deeply and intimately. [14:49]

Exodus 3:14-15 (ESV): "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And he said, 'Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.' God also said to Moses, 'Say this to the people of Israel: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations."

Reflection: How can you intentionally seek to know God more deeply this week, and what steps will you take to cultivate a deeper relationship with Him?


Day 2: The Covenant of Love and Justice
God enters into a covenant with humanity, promising to be their God and Redeemer. This covenant is a profound expression of His love and mercy, yet it is balanced by His holiness and justice. Understanding this covenant relationship is essential for grasping the fullness of God's character. It reveals a God who is both loving and just, merciful and righteous. This duality is crucial for believers to understand, as it shapes our relationship with God and our understanding of His expectations for us. The covenant is not just a promise but a call to live in a way that reflects God's holiness and justice. [23:06]

Deuteronomy 7:9 (ESV): "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations."

Reflection: In what ways can you reflect God's covenant of love and justice in your interactions with others today?


Day 3: The Necessity of Atonement
God's revelation to Moses emphasizes His holiness and justice. He will not clear the guilty, highlighting the necessity of atonement for sin. This understanding is crucial in a world that often dismisses God's righteousness and the seriousness of sin. Recognizing the gravity of sin and the need for atonement helps us appreciate the sacrifice of Jesus and the grace extended to us. It calls us to live lives of repentance and gratitude, acknowledging the cost of our redemption and the holiness of God. [27:35]

Leviticus 17:11 (ESV): "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life."

Reflection: How does understanding the necessity of atonement change your perspective on sin and grace in your daily life?


Day 4: The Gift of Sovereign Grace
Salvation is entirely by God's grace, independent of human merit. God's sovereign will determines whom He will be gracious to and show mercy. This understanding should lead us to humility and gratitude, recognizing that our salvation is a gift from God. It is not something we can earn or deserve, but a manifestation of God's love and mercy. This realization should inspire us to live lives of thankfulness and to extend grace to others, knowing that we have been recipients of such unmerited favor. [35:04]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Reflection: How can you express gratitude for God's sovereign grace in your life today, and how might this gratitude influence your interactions with others?


Day 5: Trusting in God's Timing for Revival
Revival, like salvation, is in God's hands, occurring in His timing and manner. It cannot be organized or predicted by human efforts. This understanding emphasizes the sovereignty of God and the need for humility and dependence on Him for spiritual renewal. Trusting in God's timing for revival means being patient and faithful, seeking His presence and guidance in our lives and communities. It calls us to pray fervently and to be open to the ways God might choose to move among us, even when it is unexpected or different from our plans. [40:22]

Habakkuk 3:2 (ESV): "O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy."

Reflection: What steps can you take to prepare your heart and community for God's timing in bringing revival, and how can you remain faithful in the waiting?

Quotes

The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious longsuffering and abundant in goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the children's children unto the third and the fourth generation. [00:14:00]

God has been revealing his goodness to him through the medium of these words telling the truth about himself well now then let us consider what this means what is this knowledge of God that we stand in need of I'm addressing Christian people have you you come to this service burdened and weary and tired have you come pen unhappy have you come in perplexity have you come full of doubts and of uncertainties do you find the Christian Life a hard one and a grievous one well my answer is that if you do it is because you don't know God. [00:14:39]

You know my friends if you and I only realize something of the meaning of that the whole situation would be transformed our personal lives would be transformed the whole condition of the church would be transformed you see it's because the church doesn't know him as Jehovah that she is fearful and anxious and apprehensive and so busily trying to save herself and the whole situation if we but realized who he is Jehovah what's it mean well God in this name is revealing his own essential character. [00:17:11]

He is the Everlasting God from eternity to Eternity self-existent in and of himself so it also suggests his unchangeableness it's very difficult for us to grasp these Notions isn't it we belong to time and are so subject to time it's very difficult for us to grasp this blessed truth that the god whom we worship in to whom we belong is unchangeable the father of Lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning he's not under the sun he's above it everything is under him and he is he always was he always will be I am that I am. [00:18:58]

This is the term that God always uses with regard to himself self when he makes a covenant with men a covenant as you know is in an agreement and God this is the whole glory of the Gospel that God this self-existent God who could be independent of men has humbled himself as it were and has made an agreement with men he's made a covenant he made a covenant you remember with Abraham we are reminded of it there in that sixth chapter of This Book of Exodus in verse three he made an agreement with him he pledged himself he took an earth that's an agreement a covenant. [00:22:58]

The first thing he emphasizes is his own Holiness he says he will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the children's children unto the third and the fourth generation so as God was revealing his goodness to Moses the first thing Moses was aware of in addition to the power and the might and the glory was the Holiness of God so we read that he bowed himself to the Earth and worshiped the Holiness of God. [00:25:04]

God said to Moses I'm going to show you my goodness and yet this is what he says he will by no means clear the guilty he will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the children's children unto the third and fourth generation he is righteous he hates sin and he will punish sin don't don't you have a feeling that this is the one thing that this modern world of ours needs to know this world that feels it can dismiss God and laugh at him and break all his laws with impunity. [00:27:17]

God will never clear the guilty God only shows his love love and his forgiveness his mercy and his compassion to those who are no longer guilty and this is the whole tragedy isn't it that we've been separating these things in the character of God I have often asserted and I repeat it this morning from this Pulpit that the condition of the church today is due to one major factor and that is that during the last century from about the 30s of the last century that new attitude toward the scripture came in in which men decided that they knew more about the character of God than what was revealed in this book. [00:29:45]

I will make all my goodness pass before thee and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show Mercy to whom I I will show Mercy what is this oh this is the sovereignty of God the sovereignty of God here he is the self-existent and the Eternal one the righteous the holy God and yet the merciful and the compassionate and he is going to forgive sins who sins is he going to forgive and here's his own answer I will be gracious to to whom I will be gracious and will show Mercy who whom I will show mercy. [00:34:23]

Our Salvation is entirely and all together by Grace our of the grace of God it is not in any sense dependent upon anything in us it is indeed in spite of us it is entirely of God's Own will he's not under obligation to anybody he's never consulted anybody I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and have compassion upon whom I will have compassion will show Mercy to whom I will show Mercy it is the free and The Sovereign Grace of God he himself revealed it this is a great mystery and man in sin doesn't like it and pits his little puny mind against it. [00:35:04]

Revival and he shows it like this take the timing of Revival when does a Revival come and the answer is in God's own time and never at any other time that of course was the tragic blunder of Finny in his lectures on Revival who teaches that you can have a Revival whenever you like if you only do certain things and fulfill certain conditions it is a complete denial of the sovereignty of God not only that it is proved by history to be wrong I in my own lifetime have known numbers of ministers who have taken finny's lectures on Revival and have honestly put them into practice in their preaching and in their churches and have persuaded their people to do them but they haven't had a Revival. [00:39:23]

The Sovereign Lord God does something new every time and it's always a change something different less man may say now then I'm going to do it no no it's God and its sovereignty and perhaps Supremely you see it in the way in which a Revival stops a Revival may have been going for a number of months and the people are rejoicing it's wonderful and they really think now they can keep it going suddenly God stops IT and the foolish people try to keep it going but they can't keep it going they try to work themselves up they try to pray as they did before they try to sing but suddenly it's gone the spirit that was given was taken back that's the sovereignty of God you know you can't stop a Revival anymore than you can start it it's all together in the hands of God. [00:42:40]

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Transcript
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