Video Sermons Exodus

Slow to Anger—Fast to Mercy and Grace Exodus 34: 1-7

Dec 10, 2023

Summary of Sermon

Often God is portrayed as an angry God, one who is just out to get you and hurt you. But the God of the Bible describes himself here to Moses as one who is ‘slow to anger’, compassionate and gracious. He is always looking to forgive sin.

Over and over again, our God is described as slow to anger, Numbers 14:18, Nahum 1:3, Nehemiah 9:7, Psalm 86:15, Joel 2:13, and there are others. As children of God, we should be the same way. Sadly, we are the opposite, we are slow to grace and mercy, but we are quick to be angry and destroy people. Even the night He was betrayed, Jesus referred to Judas as a friend, Matthew 26:50, But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. Jesus would have redeemed Judas right up to and past the point where he betrayed Him. Are we like that? Would we call one who betrays us ‘friend’? Or would we be so angry that we hate them? I am talking to me as well. We long to be like Jesus, but it calls us to do some stuff that only the Holy Spirit can do in us.

In John 3:17, Jesus tells us He did not come to condemn the world, but that it might be saved through Him. God reminds us in Micah 7:18-19, Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. 19 He will again have compassion on us and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Slow to anger, delight in mercy and He will remove our sins. Oh, what a loving God we serve.