When you know God’s Name, you know His Glory

In an amazing moment up on Mt. Sinai, God passed by Moses and called His own Name.

Here is what He said:

“The LORD!  The God of compassion and mercy! 

I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I keep covenant to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.  But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren;  the entire family is affected— even children in the third and fourth generations.” (Exodus 34:6, NLT)

Here are the five names God called Himself by and what they mean to us:

1. “Compassion and mercy”

We all know that God is LOVE.  This tells us that He is compassionate, genuinely feeling toward us as His creation.

He remembers that we are just made out of dust.  We are so imperfect that He has to have mercy on us to keep from obliterating us.

2. “Slow to anger”

The second Name is similar to the first.  

God is “long-suffering.”  He can handle a lot from us.  He is so patient, He has a “long fuse,” and it is wet!

We get so tired of people that we want God to strike them with lightning.  We wonder why He doesn’t.

He is “slow to anger.”  Thank God for that.

3. “Filled with covenant love and faithfulness”

God is faithful.  He is like a marriage partner.  He gives us His loyal love and commitment to His promises.

He is not fickle.  He does not change.  He is ever constant.  You can trust Him totally.

He will never lie to you, deceive you, or betray you.

4. “Forgiving all sin”

God forgives all three types of sin:  “iniquity, rebellion, and sin.”

Iniquity means “twisted.”  Rebellion means “cross the line.”  Sin means “miss the mark.”

We have all committed each type of sin.  

God placed all of those sins upon Christ on the cross.  His nature is to pay the redemptive price for sin and let us be forgiven.

What an amazing God.

5.  “Does not excuse the guilty”

In spite of all the wonderful things God called Himself, He has one final name:

“Judge.”

Part of His glory is His impartiality and His justice.

He visits judgment upon sin.  

He offers all of the first four attributes, but if a person refuses all of his mercy, patience, faithfulness, and forgiveness, He has no choice but to “visit their iniquity.”

He waited for decades for Sodom to repent.  They finally crossed a line.

He gave Israel centuries to repent.  They were finally sent into captivity.

Let there be no mistake that there is the side of His “goodness” and His “severity” toward sin.
That’s why there is a heaven and a hell.

No wonder these five parts of His name describe His “glory.”

Want to know God?

“His mercy, His longsuffering, His faithfulness, His forgiveness, and His justice.”

That is His Name.