(Continued-Chapter VI-The Self-Existing Holy God, Creator And Preserver Of All)

These statements express the essential nature of the Lord's character in His dealing with His creatures. Theologically speaking, these are His transitive attributes. In His passing by Moses and by His proclaiming these characteristics of Himself, the Lord caused His goodness to pass before Moses. He showed His essential nature by proclaiming His name. That the term "goodness" of Jehovah as used in this passage means His character in relation to His creatures is affirmed by the use of the same expression in Psalm 27:13,14.

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of Jehovah in the land of the living. 14 Wait for Jehovah: Be strong, and let thy heart take courage; Yea, wait thou for Jehovah.

In this passage King David declared that he would have fainted unless he had been sustained by the hope of seeing the goodness of Jehovah in the land of the living, during his lifetime. How could he see the goodness of Jehovah? Only by Jehovah's appearing in person upon the earth. This interpretation is confirmed by verse 14 of this quotation. The king urged people to wait for Jehovah, that is, for Him to appear upon earth, at which time they would see Him in person, manifesting His goodness.

From various portions of scripture we learn that Jehovah is a God of truth, of love, and of holiness. These are His intrinsic or immanent perfections, which lie behind these transitive or relative attributes as they are related to man. (For a full discussion of these attributes see chap. iii of my book, What Men Must Believe.)

God, being the God of truth, cannot countenance falsehood or unreality. He is a God of love. His heart flows out to His creatures in a desire to bring the greatest blessing into the lives of everyone. At the same time He is a God of holiness, who demands purity and holiness of His people--holiness in the scriptural sense of the term. At the same time "he knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust" (Ps. 103:14). He is willing to uphold all who come to Him in the right and scriptural way.

The God of the universe, of whom we have been learning in this chapter, is the covenant God of Israel. When He delivered her from Egyptian bondage and led her to Mount Sinai, He entered into covenant relations with her, upon the basis of the fact that He alone is God and that the principles set forth in the Ten Commandments are basic in all human relations (Ex., chap. 20; Deut, chap. 5). After speaking the Ten Words, God delivered to Moses those laws, commandments, and statutes which constitute Exodus, chapters 21-23. The great lawgiver then appeared before the people and spoke these laws to them. They answered with one accord saying, "All the words which Jehovah hath spoken will we do" (Ex. 24:3). Then Moses wrote all these regulations of Jehovah in a book, which is called "the book of the covenant," and read it in the audience of the people. Again they affirmed that they would do all that God had said. At this time of the services the proper burnt offerings and peace offerings were made to the Lord. The blood from these offerings was used with which the people, the book, and the altar of sacrifice were dedicated to God. Thus by this special ceremony Israel as a nation entered into covenant relationship with God.

Throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, from this time onward, the Lord speaks of Himself as "the God of Israel." That Israel sustains a unique relationship to the Most High because of this covenant relation is set forth in Deuteronomy 32:8,9.

8. When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,
   When he separated the children of men,
   He set the bounds of the peoples
   According to the number of the children of Israel.
9. For Jehovah's portion is his people;
   Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

To Israel God declared through Amos, "You only have I known of all the families of earth: therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities" (Amos 3:2). Moses also looked forward into the future and saw a time when peoples other than Israel would become the servants of God. Hear him. "And I will move them to jealousy with those that are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation" (Deut. 32:21).

Isaiah the prophet foretold the time when all nations will worship the one true and living God: "So shall they fear the name of Jehovah from the west and his glory from the rising of the sun . . ." (Isa. 59:19). Once again, the same prophet foretold the coming of the Gentiles and their being acceptable to God:

"I am inquired of by them that ask not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name" (Isa. 65:1). The same prophet saw in vision the time when Jerusalem will become the capital of the whole earth and all peoples and all nations will go there continually to worship Jehovah of hosts, the great King, and to be taught of Him.

Not only the prophets, but also the psalmists of Israel foretold the time when the God of Israel will become the God of all peoples of the earth. The passages referred to are sufficient to prove this position.

Though God did in the past deal with Israel as a nation, at the same time He did not accept all in the nation because of the special covenant relationship. On the other hand, those who were wicked and who departed from Him were dealt with according to their sins and iniquities. Only the honest truth seekers in all ages can come and worship God acceptably. The call goes out in the following words:

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfied not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3 Incline your ear and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. (Isa. 55:1-3)

Men cannot be justified by their good deeds and their own righteous acts; for, in another place (64:6), Isaiah declared that men's righteousnesses in God's sight are as a polluted garment. They can come to Him upon the basis of free grace, and grace alone. They can take hold of the grace of God by faith and by faith only--not by works done in righteousness.

From times immemorial men have realized the need of a Redeemer, a Goel. Job felt this necessity. In fact, he declared, "Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he that voucheth for me is on high" (Job 16:19). He also believed that this one who vouches for him on high will some day stand upon the earth.

25. But as for me I know that my Redeemer liveth,
    And at last he will stand up upon the earth:
26. And after my skin, even this body, is destroyed,
    Then without my flesh shall I see God;
27. Whom I, even I, shall see, on my side,
    And mine eyes shall behold, and not as a stranger (Job 19:25-27).

Jeremiah looked forward to the days when King Messiah will be accepted by Israel and will mount the throne of David and reign as King: "Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness" (Jer. 23:5,6). This passage is a prediction of King Messiah as recognized by the ancient Synagogue and as interpreted by certain modern scholars. According to this prophecy both Judah and Israel will be saved because they will accept King Messiah who will be recognized by them as "Jehovah our righteousness." This is in perfect accord with Isaiah's statement: "In Jehovah shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory" (Isa. 45:25). In Jehovah, who is none other than King Messiah, can Israel, or anyone else as far as that is concerned, be justified. The paramount question with each individual should be, "Have I accepted Messiah as my Saviour and entered into peace with God?" Each one must act for himself. Today is the day of salvation. Tomorrow may be too late!