"Exodus 32-34 and Numbers 13-14 reveal that any hope for the grace of mitigated punishment was linked by Israel to Yahweh's dual character of grace and justice. The dispensing of this grace for defiant sin, however, is always an exercise of Yahweh's sovereignty, as he himself declares in the lead up to his forgiveness of a rebellious Israel: 'I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion' (Exod 33:19). Yahweh's revelation in Exod 34:6-7 reveals his character of mercy and justice, and his actions throughout Torah reveal typical patterns, but he clearly will not be reduced to an impersonal system that dispenses grace based on human manipulation.”—A Severe Mercy, page 120 (emphasis his)
<idle musing>
I love the observation that "he clearly will not be reduced to an impersonal system that dispenses grace based on human manipulation." No magical incantations allowed! No rote recitation of rituals; no mechanistic sacrifices...he wants far more than that; he wants you and all you are. So much for the checklist version of christianity, eh? As Paul put it, we don't want your money, we want you.
</idle musing>
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