Q1. The Forgiving God

[masika]

God's willingness to forgive was essential to Israel survival in the wildrrness in that - God wanted to show them His nature . He is merciful, gracious , Loving forgiving .

He should not be feared but Loved .

[raymond]

The Israelites were in the desert. Physical survival alone in that place is difficult. Now if God will punish them for their sins, they will surely not made it through the desert. So the Israelites needed the forgiveness of God in orser to survive. As later books of the Bible showed us, the Israelites did not seem to be contrite because not long after, they committed sins again. It is amazing how God can forgive our sins again and again. Sometimes I do not wish to confess the same sins again and again to God, but there is little I can do. I just keep sinning. And thank God. He is always slow to anger, as I keep praying to Him to give me the grace to sin no more.

[Commissioned]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness?

God's willingness to forgive was essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness because of the innumerable sins that they committed. If He did not forgive them and judged them based on their sins there wouldn't have been many who would have entered into the promised land.

Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34?

Initially, they were but, even after the Lord made a covenant with Israel as time went by they continued to be a stiffed neck people who eventually sought to have a King as other nations.

What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

The amazing thing about God's forgiveness is that once a sin has been forgiven, it is forgotten. God remembers it no more.

[MarkH]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

Before I get into the question I'd like to mention an interesting fact that I just noticed. Moses broke the tablets of the law when he saw the Israelites worshiping the gold calf. This I take as all men have and will break the law of God, but God is willing to recreate the law once we have broken it.

If God had not forgiven Israel they would have had to pay for their sins which would have meant death and eternal separation from God.

Israel I believe may have been afraid but I

[Kaitlin]

We can learn a lot from reading several chapters before Ex. 34, especially chapter 32. For some background, in Ex. 20, God gives Moses the first set of commandments. The chapters between 20 and 32 are about God giving Moses other laws, as well as guidance for building the tabernacle. Then in chapter 32, we first hear that Aaron has made the people a golden calf to worship and have a celebration for in order to keep them satisfied while they sit there and wait. I just occured to me that they had probably been doing this at the same time that God was talking to Moses. THen when He's done talking He says, "Oh, by the way, I think I 'm going to kill everyone."

To get a perspective on this, imagine you are the main contractor of a substantial house-building project for a king, president, prime minister, etc. He and you are talking out in a parking lot, and as he stands there telling you about which sub-contractors he would like to hire, there the sub-contractors are, a ways across the parking lot, smashing the leader's car. Your back is turned, so you don't see it, but after He's done telling you about his building plans, he says, "You had better go over to the other side of the parking lot and talk to your sub-contractors, they just smashed my car, and now I'm going to kill them." That must hvae been something like what Moses felt like.

So God says, "Go! Get down, for your people...are corrupted...now leave Me alone, so that My wrath may become hot against them and so that I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation."

And Moses says, "Why does Your wrath become hot against Your people whom You have brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?...Turn from Your fierce wrath, and be moved to pity as to this evil against Your people..."

And Jehovah repented as to the evil which He spoke of doing to His people.

Then, right after Moses pleads with God to save Israel from God's wrath, it says that "as he came near to the camp and saw the calf and dances, the anger of Moses became hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them at the bottom of the mountain." He is doing the exact thing he asked God not to do. Then Moses commands the Levites to kill many of the people, and about 3,000 are killed.

Israel's contriteness comes in Exodus 33. God says He isn't going with them any more, but that He will send an angel instead, "lest [He consumes them] in the way." So they go and put on sackcloth. Moses talks to God, and He says He will go with them.

From what I can tell, the Israelites were really into bargaining. If there wasn't something in it for them, I don't think they really wanted to serve God. It was more of a "how can we appease Him?" sort of thing. Somewhat of a "we better be on our best behavior for a while, until God isn't so mad at us. They went on this sin and blessing rollercoaster all the way to the promised land and beyond. And God continued to be merciful. God's forgiveness is amazing because it never ends and it is always fair. It is a beautiful mix of mercy and justice. God is always glorified in His forgiveness, because it is NOT forgetfullness (there is a transfer of punishment, not an ommision of punishment). He is not just letting things slide, but He is demonstrating His loving, patient, gentle, merciful character--something so much more admirable than judgement and punishment alone.

[Craig]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

Israel's survival, isolated in the desert, depended on God. He lead them there. If God wasn't willing to forgive them their of their sins they would be not only spiritually lost, but physically lost -- eventually leading to their destruction. However, as recorded in Numbers, the first generation of Israelites to come out of Egypt did die in the desert due to their rebellion and constantly holding God in contempt. A blind, ungrateful group of people.

Israelite as a hold was never permanently contrite. When life became intolerable as a result of God's punishment due to their sin, they would cry out to God for deliverance. But, they never really loved God nor were they devoted to Him. They stayed in constant rebellion; complained constantly, were ungrateful, worship old and false gods at every opportunity.

What is so amazing about God's forgiveness is His patience with human beings who for the most part don't have a clue as to what the truth is. Remember Jesus saying -- "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."

[Delivered]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness?

Moses found favor in God's eye, therefore God considered Israel as a nation unto God.

God made a promise to Moses that His presence would go with them.

Exo 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy

Exo 34:5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.

Exo 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

Yahweh declared, it was His own will that He would forgive Israel, seen in His grace and mercy. God made a covenant with Israel, His first born that He would Exo 34:10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.

[servant for Christ]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

God's willingness to forgive was essential to Israel so that Israel would know that He was with them, that it was a promise he would be with them day and night. To show His faithful love, and care, and desire to redeem His people and have fellowship with them. That He was the one and only true and living God. God let His name be known to them, "I AM THAT I AM". Yes, Israel was contrite the second time around. The Lord is a God whose compassion, kindness, and forgiveness are united with truth, holiness, and justice. The fact that God is gracious and compassionate shows He will not punish anyone unless He is rejected and despised.

[JanMary]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness?

They didn't have the Holy Spirit indwelling them...they were hopeless sinners and could never keep the commandments (like us!). Without His forgiveness, He could have wiped them out and started over.They were in training to learn to trust and rely on Him and to understand that He was their Father and to teach them righteousness and obedience.

Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34?

God's goodness leads us to repentance. They were grateful for His forgiveness and a fresh start.

What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

It is so undeserved! They deserved judgement. We deserve judgement. But He is patient and kind. He says in Ps. 103:14 "For He knows our frame, He earnestly remembers and imprints on His heart that we are dust." His love and mercy are new every morning. we would perish without His forgiveness.

[Tina]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

God needed to forgive Israel because He had already promised the land and seed to Abraham.

Yes, Israel turned away from their sin after the second set of commandmensts was made.

God's forgiveness means that He also forgets our sin. We remember, but He forgets asnd truly forgives, without harbouring grudges.

[Marloes]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

If G-d wasn't forgiving, He should have had to kill them all.

What does contrite mean?

God forgives us because He loves us.

We don't deserve it.

[humblesinner]

Names of God 10.

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

If God had not forgiven Israel quite simply they would not have even survived in the wilderness. The LORD knows, as Jesus told us, that we are all sinners; we cannot help it. Sin is our hereditary condition. Only through forgiveness can we come to the LORD, only through Jesus who is our forgiveness.

Israel were abominable when they turned away from the LORD. They became as barbaric as the culture (Egypt) from which they had escaped. They abandoned themselves to all the worst practices. Only by acceptance of the Law were they able to become a people of God with all the moral and spiritual gifts engendered in submission to the LORD.

God

[Trusting God]

First of all, God

[hanks]

Q1.

Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness?

Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34?

What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

Without God

[Guest Windy]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

Israel would not have survived in the wilderness, without God. God provided water, food and did all kind of miracles for the Israelites and still they turned away, to worship a golden calf. They were not remorseful, they were stubborn people, a lot like us. God was so good to them and patient, and He would forgive them again and again. God is amazing, He is always pouring out His Grace, on His people and He still does today, for us. I am so glad He is a loving God.

[wilma m]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

If God did not forgive the Israelites in the wilderness but act justly according to their offence, they would not survive. Moses prayed for them and God spared them because of His great Love and Mercy. God promised Abraham that his descendent's would live in the land and God could not break His promise, even though the Israelites constantly turn away form Him. God wanted to show His mercy and character through that nation and brought forth the Redeemer through them. Even though God protected and provided for them, they were not contrite and kept ******* over false gods.

God's forgiveness is amazing because its free, we cannot earn it, we are all following the desires of our won hearts and not God's desire for our lives. We all stand guilty before God, and only because of His great love for us,Jesus paid our ransom so we can be justified. Jesus is our great high priest who continually intercedes for us, just as Moses intercedes for the Israelites.

[mc'el4life]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

Israels sin has detached them from God and without God they cannot complete their journey to the promised land because they need God's continuous love and grace to continue and complete their journey as such they need His forgiveness. He does not want anyone to die in their sin they need to be empowered for the journey ahead of them otherwise they will be overpowered by their enemies and be made to commit adultery after the gods of their enemy nations. This God hate hence His willingness to forgive them.

The bible recorded in Exodus 35 that Moses warned them and gave them instructions of God's commandments to obey vs. 1 and those whose hearts were stirred and whose spirit were moved obeyed vs. 21-22

What is amazing about God's forgiveness is that it is available to everyone. Once we recognize ourselves as sinners and ask for His forgiveness, He will forgive us. 1John 1:9

[jacquie7]

God’s willingness to forgive is essential because if He didn’t possess the characteristics that He told Moses He had, not only would the Israelites had been wiped out but us too. God loves us all and did wondrous things for the Israelites bringing them out of Egypt and caring for them while they were in the wilderness. Moses prayed for God to forgive them of their iniquity and sin because they were an “unruly and stubborn” people. God listened to Moses and forgave them, knowing how they were. God’s forgiveness is beyond amazing; He forgives because He is LOVE. He shows mercy to us when we don’t deserve it. When I read and study about the people in the Old Testament, those in the New Testament, and see people today; I don’t know what to say when it comes to God’s forgiveness except to do what Moses did. Fall prostrate, start worshipping, and ask God to forgive us all because we are ALL sinners (from birth) and each generation appears to get worse.

[csreeves]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

God loves us so very much he created so many great things for us-earth, relatives, a way to love him. We humans sinned and broke God's heart, but he gave us another way by sending his Son to die for us and to forgive all our sins if we choose to follow him. It was in the Word after Jesus coming to earth and Jesus was present before God decided to send him to earth. It was written! God has been forgiving before the we were created and to model this everytime again and again. We deny him and yet we are forgiven and given time to be contrite and repent.

[Guitar Jim]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness?

 

For starters, the Israelites wanted to go back to Egypt almost from the minute they'd left and things looked a bit scary. Despite witnessing for themselves God's mighty miracles prior to their exodus, they did nothing but doubt, whine, and complain constantly against God and against Moses. God's represntative. Any god but a loving God who was willing to keep on forgiving them would have wiped them out. Remember at one point God threatened to do just that. He told Moses He would kill them all and make Moses the patriach of a new chosen people. The very fact that Moses was able to "talk Him down" is proof that God is a forgiving God.

 

 

 

Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34?

 

I don't believe they were ever truly contrite. Sure they were sorry, but in their hearts were still the seeds of rebellion against God.

 

 

 

What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

 

The most amazing thing about God's forgiveness is that He does it even though He knows we'll only slip up time and time again. Man forgives seven times but God forgives seventy times seven times. We humans will give up on someone who is incorrigible but God won't.

 

[Rosesam]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

Israel was a rebellious and stiff necked people. They were constantly murmuring and were never satisfied with the goodness of the Lord. They were continuously complaining and rebelling against Moses. They belittled God’s protection, provision and faithfulness and were bickering and reminiscing about their supposedly satisfied life in Egypt. They were disobedient to God’s commands and showing allegiance to idols rather than to Yahweh who had delivered them from the oppression and slavery in Egypt. It was the grace of God that caused Him to forgive the people and allowed them to remain a nation rather than being wiped out by the wrath of God.

They were contrite only when their wickedness was revealed to them. But it was not true repentance, for when another problem arose, they immediately slipped back into their ungrateful, complaining attitude. Psalm 103:7 says “He made known His ways unto Moses and His acts unto the children of Israel”. They were awed by His acts, but because they did not know His ways and lacked devotion, they were in constant rebellion with the Lord.

He forgives us because of His grace. It is His undeserved, unmerited and unearned favor. It amazes us and we don’t deserve it. But without His forgiveness, our life will be doomed and destined to hell. He does not want us to go to hell, for it was not prepared for man, but for the devil and his angels. He is not only willing to forgive and made a provision for us to go to heaven. We just need to accept His work for us. So it is as though He is saying, if you want to go to hell, it will be over my dead body. Man’s greatest need was forgiveness and God’s greatest deed was forgiveness. So God’s greatest deed was man’s greatest need.

[Lottie]

Because Israel was alone in the wilderness without any outside help. They had to depend upon God for all their needs. God knew this and He also knew that Israel would often stray from Him. Yet He in His graciousness and love never gave up on them. He always forgave them when they repented. 

Yes they were contrite because they put on mourning clothes and put away all their jewelry from them.

That God not only forgives but that he casts it away from Him and never brings it up to us again. No matter how many times we sin; He forgives us.

[Mona Burton]

On 3/8/2006 at 10:04 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

God's willingness to forgive was essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness, otherwise He would have consumed them for their rebellion. 

Israel was contrite after turning away from the Lord. Moses interceded on their behalf, and when they heard what God said about their wickedness and what He would do to them, the Bible said they mourned and did not deck themselves with their jewels as was the norm.

What is so amazing about God's forgiveness is that He forgives everything, sin of all kinds.  Whether it be rebellion against God, witchcraft, adultery, perversion, whatever sin it is, if one repents, God forgives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

God's willingness to forgive was crucial due to Israel's propensity to rebel.  Prophet Ezekiel compares Israel to a newborn child cast out into an open field, abandoned and loathed.  No one had compassion on this poor new born.  Prophet Ezekiel writes beautifully, "And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thought wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live." (Ezekiel 16:6)

Yes, they did repent (Exodus 33: 4-6).  After the tribe of Levi were installed as priests after they slayed three thousand idol worshippers; Moses went made his 7th ascent up Mt Sinai to intercede for the people.  God renews again the original commission of Moses to lead Israel into Canaan (Exodus 33: 1-3).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dove81]

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness?
Without God’s forgiveness the Israelites would not have survived. They were constantly rebelling against God. Complaining that they’d have been better if they'd stayed in Egypt . 

Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34?

Yes Israel was contrite after turning away from the Lord. They continued to rebel and as for forgiveness.

 

What is so amazing about God's forgiveness?

God is so amazing to forgive us of our sins, we are a rebellious and stubborn people. An yet He continues to love us and cast our sins into the sea of forgetfulness. Giving us new mercy and grace each day!