Wednesday: The Self-Revelation of God
Daily Lesson for Wednesday 17th of September 2025
Read Exodus 34:1-28. How did God reveal His glory to Moses?
Moses had to take with him two stone tablets like the first ones, which he had broken (Exodus 32:19). He was going to meet with the Lord on Mount Sinai for the seventh time. His previous climbs are mentioned in the following texts: (1) Exodus 19:3,7; (2) Exodus 19:8,14; (3) Exodus 19:20,25; (4) Exodus 20:21, Exodus 24:3; (5) Exodus 24:9,12-18; Exodus 32:15; (6) Exodus 32:30-31. Moses started his climb early in the morning.
Image © Jeff Preston at Goodsalt.com
Moses was now prepared for this glorious insight into God’s character. The beauty of God’s character is best explained in this stunning self-revelation of Himself. It is the most important description of who God is; it is the golden thread woven throughout the Bible (Numbers 14:18, Nehemiah 9:17, Psalms 103:8, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2). The Lord’s proclamation here is the John 3:16 of the Old Testament. In crucial places, biblical authors apply, repeat, or expand on this self-proclamation of the living God because God’s character must be correctly understood.
When Moses received the exceptional, unprecedented, and unparalleled explanation of God’s name, he bowed down and worshiped the Lord. When we get glimpses of God’s love, grace, mercy, compassion, goodness, faithfulness, forgiveness, holiness, and justice, we also are attracted to Him. It is when we see and admire His exceptional qualities that we start to love Him, a love that leads to the desire to serve and obey Him. Because He loves us, we love Him back (1 John 4:19).
In this self-revelation, God assures Moses that He will perform marvelous deeds for His people and lead them into the Promised Land. He renews the covenant with them, promising that other nations will see His majesty and awesome work. “ ‘Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you’ ” (Exodus 34:10, NKJV).
However, the Israelites needed to obey God and follow ten clear stipulations in order to secure their prosperity. Then Moses was asked by God to write the content of that covenant, which had already been broken (Exodus 34:27-28).
(1)
Just a little aside: I don't know how many of you have taken the time to look at the Sinai Peninsula on Google Earth. The traditional site of Mount Sinai is in an area that looks a bit like someone had ploughed the area with a huge plough. There are rocky mountains everywhere. My guess is that the camp of Israel was about 20-30km from the foot of Mount Sinai. What I am trying to say is that Moses' walk up the mountain wasn't a stroll in the park. It was rough going.
God's character is portrayed as loving and caring, but also warning of the consequences of continued disobedience. It is a reminder that sometimes the effect of what we do lasts far beyond the current generation.
Secondly God made a covenant:
OK, it's a bit nationalistic towards the end, but we get the message that God will display his power. What power is that?
We have just been reading about God's power, glory, and his love and compassion. Perhaps we should read this passage this way: If you glorify my name by showing true love and compassion to one another and your enemies, I will overcome your enemies for you.
And if we are to apply that lesson today ... I don't need to spell it out, do I?
One the central theme in the Bible is God revealing Himself to humanity. During the Old Testament times, God revealed Himself partially including the Mount Sinai encounters with Moses. These were glimpses of God’s glory and character often through other forms like fire, thunder, voices and visions. “No one can see Me and live.”( Exodus 33:20). But now in the New Testament dispensation, God’s full person and complete revelation has come through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus came to planet earth not only to redeem mankind but also to reveal God the Father to humanity. He explicitly revealed who God the Father is. Jesus did not just bring information about God but reconciled mankind to His Father.
“No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known”
Jesus made the invisible God visible. “Anyone who has seen me has seen my Father”(John 14:9). Now God is calling all humanity to have a personal and complete relationship with Him without any intermediary between. Jesus has now built a permanent between bridge between God and humanity.
“God… has in these last days spoken to us by His Son… who being the brightness of His glory and the exact representation of His being…”( Hebrews 1:1–3).
God is not simply revealing Himself to show His glory but to save the lost humanity.
“This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)