'GOD'S LOYAL-LOVE'

to meet with God, God whispers in Moses’ ear, “Yahweh, Yahweh, a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, overflowing with loyal-love and faithfulness. Loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgressions, and sin.” (Ex 34:6-7)

Moses and the Israelites needed to hear this. While God is a God of justice who hates whenever someone mars the image of God in other human beings, He is “overflowing with loyal love.” Loyal love is covenantal language. It means that God keeps His promises made to Abraham to bless his family, give him land, and make him into a great nation that will bless all peoples of the earth. God is telling Moses that the covenant He made with Abraham will be kept even when the Israelites fall into rebellion. God is always ready to receive those who repent (turn) from their sin and into God. 

The theme of God’s loyal-love echoes throughout the Old Testament and into the New Testament. 

Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise keeping. Paul explicitly highlights that in Rom 15:8. “For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed.” God’s covenantal promises will not be thwarted. God will fulfill His covenant promises even if it kills Him.

Blessings,

Jonathan