And יהוה passed before him (Moses) and proclaimed : “יהוה יהוה an El Compassionate (rachum) and showing favour (channun), patient/slow to anger (arek aph), and great in loving-commitment (chesed) and truth, (emet),  watching over loving-commitment (chesed) for thousands, forgiving crookedness and transgression and sin, but by no means leaving unpunished, visiting* the crookedness of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

Moses acted the only way a human being could – he hurried and bowed himself towards the earth, and prayed:

• Please stay in our midst
• Please forgive our sins
• Please take us as your inheritance.

It was THEN that יהוה responded: “See, I am making A COVENANT BEFORE ALL YOUR PEOPLE. I AM GOING TO DO WONDERS SUCH AS HAVE NOT BEEN DONE IN ALL THE EARTH, NOT IN ANY NATION.”

Then our Father explained how He would undertake them in a miraculous and awesome way to posess the Promised Land.

At the start of the book of Nehemiah, after the prophet received his calling, we read in Neh 1:5 that he fasted and prayed – and his prayer had a clear referance to our Father’s attributes introduced in Ex 34. Although Nehemiah’s work was nót a walk in the park, in spite of numerous hindrances on all levels, they received extraordinary favour to complete the enormous task  in a mere fifty-two days. They trusted and called upon HIS NAME (ie HIS CHARACTER/ ATTRIBUTES) and the mission was accomplished in HIS strength.

In his touching prayer in Neh. 9 we again encounter the obvious connection to Ex. 34. Nehemiah knew the power of the living Word. What Nehemiah did here, was to quote our Father’s attributes with  which He characterised Himself in Exodus 34 in more detail.

Let’s compare –

Neh. 9:17 “…But You are a forgiving Eloah, showing favour (channum) and compassion (rachum), patience/slow to anger (arek aph), and of great loving-commitment (chesed) and did not forsake them (His people)…”

This prayer of quoting our Father’s own description of His Character from Ex 34 was the fundamental reason for overcoming his numerous future challenges in our Father’s NAME and STRENGTH.  Nehemiah EXPECTED our Father to act according to His attributes. He TRUSTED the infallibility of the covenant. He BELIEVED Moses’ prayer was answered and יהוה WOULD always remain in their midst. His people had been forgiven. They were His inheritance – and our Father’s response remained that He would do awesome wonders such as have had not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation.

Likewise, we have the same assurance. In our everyday walk, but perhaps more specificly on That Day when we, His People, will take posession of our Promised Land and the New Jerusalem. Whatever it takes, His attributes remain unfailing.

WE HAVE THIS ENORMOUS PILLAR OF TRUTH (emet)!

* #H6485 paqad -in the sense of visiting, with friendly ór hostile intent.