Second Chances
Read This Week: Exodus 34
Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. – Exodus 34:5-7 NIV
Exodus 34 is a pivotal chapter in the biblical narrative, marking the renewal of God’s covenant with Israel after their failure with the golden calf. This passage has a lot of theological significance, practical wisdom about second chances, and a strong demonstration of God’s mercy and justice.
One of the most powerful moments in the chapter occurs in verses 6-7, where God proclaims His name and character to the people of Israel: The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished. This self-revelation provides a balanced picture of the Lord’s nature – His immense mercy and unwavering justice. Moses knows this about the person of God, but given all that has taken place on the journey to freedom, he needs to hear that Yahweh is both forgiving and just, compassionate yet righteous. We need to be reminded of this regularly. Understanding this truth helps us appreciate the grace we receive while also acknowledging the need for personal accountability.
After Israel’s grievous sin of idolatry in Exodus 32, one might think that God would be well within his right to abandon them. Instead, He renews His covenant, demonstrating His willingness to restore and redeem. This act of unmerited mercy is a strong reminder that failure is not final with Father God. The Bible is explicit in multiple places that when we repent, He is faithful to forgive and renew His relationship with us. Just as He gave Israel a second chance, He extends His grace to us every day.
But His holiness still demands faithfulness to His word. Because of this, God instructs Israel to uphold His commandments and remain distinct from surrounding nations. He warns them against making treaties with idolaters and commands them to tear down pagan altars (v. 12-16). This underscores the importance of faithfulness and avoiding compromise. In our modern lives, we are similarly called to be set apart, maintaining our commitment to God even while constantly facing cultural pressures.
At the end of the chapter, we see a fascinating transformation. Moses’ face shines after being in God’s presence (v. 29-35). This physical change illustrates a spiritual truth: true encounters with God leave us changed. The more we seek Him, the more His presence reshapes our character and witness to the world. That’s why this section offers us hope and renewal. It shows us again that God is merciful and just, offers second chances, calls us to obedience, and transforms those who seek Him. As we reflect on this passage, let us embrace His covenant wholeheartedly, strive for faithfulness, and pursue His presence so that our lives may radiate His glory.
Exodus Chapter 34 Verse 6
And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, the Lord! the Lord! A God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth.
Exodus Chapter 34 Verse 7
Keeping mercy and loving-kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but Who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.
~Sin Verses Forgiveness~
God Is Saying To Me:
Did you know that I am a just and forgiving God? My desire is that you follow where I lead and worship Me and only Me! I give you opportunities to repent and receive forgiveness because I love you. I’m very patient, forgiving and offer you second chances but eventually your sin will be judged. Do not use my name or misuse my mercy and grace as an opportunity to sin. I am faithful to you even when you are not faithful to me!
God Is Saying To Me:
1. God is always faithful to us. Are we always faithful to Him?
2. Father God is slow to anger and forgives us because He doesn’t want us to perish. This is why He sent Jesus, that we can be saved from the law but not from the commands of the law.
3. Prayer is important! We should always be busy praying for others to turn and seek God’s face with humility so that generational curses and habits are broken. He wants us to know and understand that we do not die from other sins but are accountable for our own. It’s up to us to break family demons and find a forgiven path forward.
4. Be a living sacrifice and keep yourself out of bondage. If you are adamant in serving something, by all means, be a slave to righteousness and be a glowing light to others by steadfast commitment to God and his word. ❤️
God also gave me this insight:
Exodus Chapter 34 Verse 12
Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant or mutual agreement with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in the midst of you.
Exodus Chapter 34 Verse 27
And the Lord said to Moses, Write these words, for after the purpose and character of these words. I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.
Exodus Chapter 34 Verse 35
The Israelites saw the face of Moses, how the skin of it shown and Moses put the veil on his face again until he went in to speak with God.
~God’s Promises and God’s Glory~
God Is Saying To Me:
When I make myself known to you, does that excite you, fuel your spirit and give you encouragement to get to know me better? Are you growing in the area of worship? Do you really understand who I am? Do you appreciate me?
I love you, my child and all I desire is to love you and marvel at your desire to love me back. I will drive out all the iniquities and sin so that’s you can love me freely and grow fruitfully in my plans for you.
What This Means To Me:
1. Just as God did for the Jews, He will also do for us because we need His help fulfilling the Covenant blessing.
2. In order to serve God and benefit from all that He has to offer us, we must honor and humbly submit ourselves with gratitude and joy in our heart because the redeemed should honor and serve the Redeemer.
3. Serving Father God by giving Him the best of ourselves, abstaining from sin, worshiping the one and only true God and following His commands and directions is imperative to maintaining a joyous, righteous and pure, holy walk with Him.
4. May our walk with Christ shine brightly like the noonday sun and may me never have to wear a veil over our face because we are saved by the blood of Christ. The Old Covenant is gone and fades away with the sunset so that we can radiate God’s glory on our faces, day by day! I love you Father God! ❤️
Jesus is our Redeemer. He forgives, restores, and offers a fresh start. Did you know that?
No matter what you’ve done, He is waiting for you with open arms, inviting you to seek Him right where you are.
I’ve blown it so many times, and I still mess up. But I’ve learned that being a Christian doesn’t mean living a perfect life—it means living a forgiven life. That’s the difference. This isn’t a license to sin; it’s a testament to God’s grace, mercy, and patience working in our lives. He wants us to lean on Him, grow, and become better.
Learning and observing the ways of the Lord is essential. The ways of God’s kingdom are meant to replace the ways of the world, which we’ve learned all too well. We are called to live differently—holy and set apart for God—by obeying all that He commands. And I assure you, this way of life is more fulfilling and far better than anything the world offers.
1. God is our Redeemer. He forgives and gives us another chance.
2. God is righteous and holy. He calls us to learn and live righteous lives, not according to the ways of the world.
3. As we become true worshipers, spending time in God’s presence, we are transformed to reflect His character and become more like Him.
PODCAST
This Week in the Life: Exodus 34
For the best experience, we suggest you listen to the first song, the message, and then the second song.
1. Sunday Worship – First Song: https://reachchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250223-Worship1.wav
2. Sunday Message: https://reachchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250223-Message.wav
3. Sunday Worship – Second Song: https://reachchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250223-Worship2.wav
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I wanted to share from Exodus 33 that has blessed me. This chapter follows the Israelites’ biggest mistake of worshiping the golden calf in Exodus 32, yet it powerfully shows God’s presence, His loving discipline, and the role of praying (interceding)
God’s Loving Discipline and Mercy
Even thou the Israelites-made a big mistake , God did not abandon them. While He disciplined them, He continued to lead and provide for them in the wilderness. This shows that His correction is an expression of love, aiming to guide us back to righteousness. As Hebrews 12:6 reminds us, “For the Lord disciplines the one He loves.
Moses’ relationship with God is encouraging . He spoke with God “face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11). When God considered withdrawing His presence, Moses interceded on behalf of the people, pleading, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here” (Exodus 33:15). His intercession was important to Father God, for me it shows Mosses praying for his sisters and brothers and God loves that, this is an opportunity for mosses to step up.
it was important for Moses to grow in his love for them!
In the New Testament, Jesus is revealed as our ultimate mediator. 1 Timothy 2:5 states, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” Through Jesus, we have direct access to the Father, and He continually intercedes for us, bridging the gap caused by sin.
Our Call to Intercede
As believers, we are called to intercede for people and help others as God leads us.
Praying for others, talking to our Father and asking Him if there is something we can do for Him and then do it.
Father God desires a deep, personal relationship with each of us, longing for us to hunger after Him and grow in our understanding of His character. His presence is not solely about seeing miracles but about experiencing His profound love and goodness.
May we strive to carry His presence in our daily lives, make decisions that go along with His will, and continually seek a closer walk with Him. Through Jesus, our mediator, we are empowered to stand in the gap for others too, showing God’s love and mercy to the world.
God is saying that it’s important for you to recognize my presence in your life. Always remember that I love you and I am always here for you. Always remember that I will always lead you in the right direction.
I need more people like Moses that puts me first and cares about what I care about and to be willing to work together with Me and people.
pray for them and ask Me what to do and then listen and respond and when you do that, when you seek me with your whole heart, you will have my peace and great things will happen!
so keep seeking and you will find out what’s on my agenda. Love you.
This week in Exodus 34 I got a song
Our Lord
Let’s come together to worship our Lord let’s come together to worship our Lord praising singing hallelujah. Hallelujah. We have an awesome Lord an awesome Lord . Our Lord is a merciful and gracious Lord our Lord is slow to anger with a abundant and loving kindness and truth, our Lord is quick to forgive, who has patience and understanding our father is amazing so let’s come together to worship our Lord. Let’s come together to worship our Lord, being the light the light of our Lord, sharing his love with others.
Amen
Our Lord is faithful and understanding who has patience who loves a personal relationship with his children. He is our life the light of the world amen.