51. The New Tablets of the Covenant (Ex 34:1-17)

New tablets of the covenant. New understanding of God’s mercy. Renewal of the covenant (verses 11 – 28)

πŸ‘‰ Read Exodus 34:1-17

How does God describe Himself in verses 6-7? Compare these with 20:5-6. 

 

What great works will God do for them? (11)

 

Why should they not make covenant (a kind of peace treaty) with the Canaanites? (12-17)

 

Answers and Meditation

Chapter 34, He is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loyal love and faithfulness

In chapter 20, He is a jealous God

Whenever their weakness or failure is disclosed, the Lord gives in more and more to be their God. In doing so, the Lord finally gave in His life for them.

Also, when we come closer to the Lord, He reveals His new character. In Exodus 3, the Lord revealed His name Jehovah (translated as the LORD in many versions), who keeps His covenant with their fathers. In chapter 20, when the Lord made the covenant with them, He announced Himself as a jealous God.  

God’s progressive revelation is found in the journey of Abraham. Whenever Abraham encountered God’s power and works, he named the place or praised the Lord.

 

To drive out the Canaanites

Settle down in Canaan was not easy because of the people who had lived there. There were two options from a human viewpoint: making a peace treaty with the Canaanites or training the army to conquer the land. None of them was God’s plan. Only when they keep God’s commands would God drive the Canaanites out.

 

They will become snare among them.

If they get along with the Canaanites, they will be involved with pagan idolatry. Also, once you make a treaty with a Canaanite tribe, you must live with them forever. In the future, Joshua made a treaty with the Gibeonites, a Canaanite tribe, when they conquered the land. Several hundred years later, King Saul tried to eradicate the Gibeonites, out of zeal for God. However, God was not happy about breaking the treaty and punished the whole nation because of this.

Any human method will return to you as a trap.

After their idolatry, the Lord again emphasized not to make a covenant with the Canaanites (12-17) and ordered them to keep the feasts to keep their loyalty to the Lord (18-24).

Separation from the Gentiles was necessary until the time of the Holy Spirit. 

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