Out of Zion

Dr. Susan Michael: Who is God? What is he like? These are the key universal questions for every generation. Thankfully, we have the answers. The Bible is full of descriptive names of God that help to answer these questions. I want to start out today by discussing God's own description of himself.

Welcome to this week's Shabbat Shalom devotional when I seek to share just a little inspiration and bring a little peace to the close of your very busy week. If you had to ask me what is the most important verse in all of the Old Testament for Christians, I'd really be hard-pressed to come up with just one. But I'll tell you, at the top of my list of the first two or three would be a verse out of Exodus 34 when God describes himself.

If you want to know who God is and what he is like, then begin with Exodus 34:6-7: “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.” If you have been told the lie that the God of the Old Testament is different from the loving, forgiving God of the New Testament, then this verse is the very proof that you're wrong. Anyone saying that does not know who God is nor how he sees even himself.

Compassionate, gracious, slow to anger. This would be in the New Testament called long-suffering. Abounding in love. Abounding means more than you need. And abounding in faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet, as a righteous judge who does still punish the guilty, this is our God, Creator of the universe, the God of Israel, the God of the Old Testament, demonstrated in the New Testament through Jesus. It is all the same God.

As you take a little Shabbat break this weekend, take a moment to reflect on these astounding characteristics of God. You can rest in his goodness and find peace for your souls. Next week, I'm going to start talking about the various names of God, so be sure and tune back in. But until then, I want to wish you Shabbat Shalom.

Guest (Female): We hope you have enjoyed this episode of Out of Zion with Susan Michael. Be sure to subscribe to Out of Zion now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Pray.com, Salem OnePlace, and Salem Life Audio. Out of Zion with Susan Michael is a production of ICEJ USA. All rights reserved.