Bible Society of South Africa
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Forgiveness
Forgiveness – Day 3
Ds Hein Barnard

Forgiveness – Day 3

We read yesterday that God instructed Moses to cut out 2 flat stones and go up to Mount Sinai. God revealed Himself as the merciful God, willing to forgive people, but not to forget them.

Bible text(s)

8Moses quickly bowed down to the ground and worshipped. 9He said, “Lord, if you really are pleased with me, I ask you to go with us. These people are stubborn, but forgive our evil and our sin, and accept us as your own people.”

The Covenant is Renewed

10The LORD said to Moses, “I now make a covenant with the people of Israel. In their presence I will do great things such as have never been done anywhere on earth among any of the nations. All the people will see what great things I, the LORD, can do, because I am going to do an awesome thing for you. 11Obey the laws that I am giving you today. I will drive out the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, as you advance. 12Do not make any treaties with the people of the country into which you are going, because this could be a fatal trap for you. 13Instead, tear down their altars, destroy their sacred pillars, and cut down the symbols of their goddess Asherah.

14“Do not worship any other god, because I, the LORD, tolerate no rivals. 15Do not make any treaties with the people of the country, because when they worship their pagan gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you to join them, and you will be tempted to eat the food they offer to their gods. 16Your sons might marry those foreign women, who would lead them to be unfaithful to me and to worship their pagan gods.

17“Do not make and worship gods of metal.

Exodus 34:8-17GNBOpen in Bible reader

Moses pleads on behalf of the Israelites

Moses humbled himself and asked two things of the Lord.  He asked that God go with him from Sinai to the Promised Land, and he asked for forgiveness for what the Israelites did (worshipping the golden calf).

God responded by making a covenant with the Israelites and with it certain prohibitions, namely destroying idol altars, pillars and poles, never bowing down before any god and not allowing their children to marry anyone who is not part of the people of God. These prohibitions were part of normal covenants.  God initiated the covenant.

Bible Society of South Africav.4.18.12
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