The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 342

Mercy ·• in " Er,r,e Tlomo." (2) J uRtice 011.nnot be 111.id a.side. God "will by no meane clear the guilty." See Homily on eh. xxiii. 21. But if God 011.nnot dear the guilty, CR.nnot, i.e. cRll guilt other th11.n wh11.t it ie, or refuee to punish it, he CR.n, on the ground of hi■ l'-ou'~ atonement, which fulfils every condition of a petfect eatisfaction t.o justice,/orgi1111 ~-he guilty. (3) Me.nifcetation of juetice. In hiR pereon11.l dealings with individu11.le-not clearing the guilty. In his general government of the world-" viAiting the Iniquity of the fathel'll," etc. (cf. on eh. xx. 5; Deut. v. 9). 2. There is mercy in God. This ~ide of the Divine character is exhibited with much greater fulness than the other. " lllerciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy, forgiving iniquity, and transgreseion, and sin" (vers. 6, 7). (1) God delights in mercy; he does nol delight in judgment. Judgment is "his work, his strange work" (b. xxviii. 21). The visitation of sin is viewed ll8 extending only "unto the third and fourth gene,:8-tion " ; mercy is k~pt for " thousands " ~f. Ps. ciii. 17). (2) Mercy ~ "abundant.· Cf. Is. lv. 7-" will abundantly pardon. A wondetful utt,eranoe this from the standpoint of the Old Teet&ment. Anticipates Paul-" where sin abonnded, grace did much more abound" (Rom. v. 20). (3) Mercy qualifies judgment. It leads to forbearone-e with the sinner-" long-suffering" ( cf. Rom. ii. 4). It secures pardon on repentance-" forgiving iniquity," etc. (4) It is yet exercised in strictest harmony with the requirements of jUBtioe. The mode of the reconciliation of these two sides of the Di,·ine character, however, remains in the Old Testament a partially uneolved problem. 3. Mercy rulu in the character of God. This is 11. fair inference (1) from the prepon- derating place a.ssigned to the attributes of mercy, and (2) from the fact that the attributes of mercy stand before the attributes of justice. It is but 11.D earlier expression of the truth which the Gospel has now made a great spiritual certainty to us-" God is love" (1 John iv. 16). Not simply loves, but is love. But if God is J,wc. and love constitutes his eesence, then must love dominate, wield, work through his other perfections, using all for it.a own purposes, transmuting all into its own nature. There cannot be discord or division in the breast of the Eternal. What God is, he must ever have been, mUBt be at all times, through all ages, in all his works, under all forms of his mll.Difest.ation. This is a conception BO deep and far-reaching as to pass in its length and breadth beyond our grasp. Its lin88 prolong themselves to infinity. There lie in it possibilities which it is not given to man to fathom. III. THE: N.&.IIE AS REVEALED. L We need a revelation. It is but a dumb, in- articulat.e revelation of this name which we h11.ve in nature. What is revealed relates more to God's justice thll.D to God's love. li there is much in nature which supports, there is a.I.so much which seems to discredit, belief in the entire goodness of God. Nature in particular, has no answer to give to the questions-Can God forgive 11.Dd restore sinners? 011.D he undo their evil? Can he turn back from its avenging course that terrible law of retribution which holds us in its grasp? 2. We me.y 1¾£pecf, a revelation. H God loves men, we may ex:pect him in eome way personally to e.ttest his love to them. " Gncious thoughts never revealed a.re not gracious thoughts 11.t all. It is essential. to the being of grace or love that it manifest itself. Love un- revealed is love unreal" (Dr. A. B. Bruce). 3. The revelation has been gi!Jffl. (1) In deeds. (2) In words. (3) In the Son.-J. 0. Vers. 5--9.-The MamifestatW/1, of God. L Goo's GLOBY VEILED THAT IT llilAY BE REVEALED. "The Lord descended. in the cloud." The glory of JesUB was veiled by his humanity. There is but one avenue through which the knowledge of God can come -the spirit ; it cannot come by the senses. God reveals himself by a word, by one in whom he has put his name, e.nd by the Spirit's unveiling of the word in the heart. II. Goo's NillE. 1. Faithfulness: he proclaimed" JEHOVAH." He changes not, his purpose abides, his word is fulfilled. 2. Faithfulness and might. "Jehovah, Elohim." God's power waitB upon his unchan,,uing purpose. 3. "Merciful." He will not spurn need. He is moved by, and drawn to, it. 4. "Gracious." God is not merely a just mast.er, bestowing rewards which have been earned. There is favour to be found with him, unmerited e.nd free. 5. "Long-suffering." He is patient with blindness and weak- ness and sin. He waits to be gracious. The great husband.man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and "bath long patience for it." 6. "Abundant in goodness and truth." The ages have been unveiling their fulnees; but the story is not yet told.  THE nooK OF EXODUS. 367