Second Chances

 By: Joanne Viola

It is often said that God is the God of second chances. To be honest, I hadn’t thought about it lately, how amazing His grace is until reading a story in the book of Exodus the other morning.

Moses threw down the tablets of stone in anger upon finding the people worshiping a golden idol. The tablets contained the ten commandments given by God and written by God’s own finger.

Moses, who God talked with face to face just like a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11) was told to resume the journey to the promise land with these people.

Before resuming, God told Moses:

“Cut out for yourself two tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered.” (Exodus 34:1, NASB)

Not only did God call Moses back up to Mount Sinai and in His Presence, He passed by in front of him and proclaimed His attributes: 

“The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgressions and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”  (Exodus 34:6-7a, NASB)

Such grace displayed by God that He would write those words once again on another set of tablets with His own hand. He forgives but He will not leave the guilty and unrepentant unpunished because He is a just God.

The fact that God gave this second set of tablets showed He had forgiven the people their sin of idolatry and was providing them a second chance.

God gave the commandments to set boundaries by which to keep us safe, living within His truths, morally and spiritually in right relationship with Him.

He knew people left on their own, and left to their own devices, would turn to idols once again. He delivers these words to Moses:

“Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst.” (verse 12, NASB)

In His grace and mercy, God forewarned them if they weren’t careful people would become a snare right in their midst. People can still become a snare in our lives if we aren’t careful, if we do not guard our hearts and lives. 

“Our idols are not golden calves or carved statues. Idolatry is not tied to any specific idol; it exists whenever we look to someone or something in the world around us to save and satisfy us.” (Ed Stetzer)

God forgave the people of their idolatry,
giving them a second chance,
to love and worship Him alone.

Photo by Biegun Wschodni on Unsplash