2D God
In this text, Yahweh shows himself to Moses, albeit it is his back rather than his face, lest Moses perish. Moses had an appointment with God. "Be at the top of Mount Sinai..."
And as God appeared, he heralded his own coming, announcing to Moses in creed-like fashion who he was. In short, after God proclaimed his name, he described himself as:
1. Merciful
2. Gracious
3. Slow to anger
4. Abounding in steadfast love
5. Abounding in faithfulness
6. Keeping steadfast love for thousands
7. Forgiving iniquity, transgression & sin
8. Refuses to clear the guilty
9. Visiting iniquity on multiple generations
Clearly, it is important to God that whenever his identity be considered that these traits should be front-and-center. So dare we elevate one of these characteristics over another? It seems to me that our world needs a clear presentation of who God is, rather than the flat, two-dimensional image we have put forward.
He's not just love; he's judgment. He's not just anger; he's slow-to-anger. Whenever we elevate one or several of these characteristics over others we change God's image into our own - the way we want God to look - "our own golden calf."
Maybe we should announce God the way he wants to be announced rather than dumbing down the parts of his personality with which we still have yet to come to terms.
Created about 1 year ago
