Who Is A God Like Thee?

Psalm 106

1	Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever.
2	Who can declare the mighty acts of the LORD or show forth all his praise?

3	Happy are those who act with justice and always do what is right!
4	Remember me, O LORD, with the favor you have for your people, and visit me with your saving help;
5	That I may see the prosperity of your elect and be glad with the gladness of your people, that I may glory with your inheritance.
6	We have sinned as our forebears did; we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.

19	Israel made a bull-calf at Horeb and worshiped a molten image;
20	And so they exchanged their Glory for the image of an ox that feeds on grass.
21	They forgot God their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,
22	Wonderful deeds in the land of Ham, and fearful things at the Red Sea.
23	So he would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath from consuming them.

The psalter appointed for this coming Sunday is a selection from Psalm 106 that responds to the reading from Exodus 32. Moses is away on the mountain with God. He is gone so long that the people grow impatient and Aaron creates a golden calf for them to worship, Where did they get the gold?

Exodus 12:33-36. The Egyptians urged the people to hasten their departure from the land, for they said, ‘We shall all be dead.’ So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading-bowls wrapped up in their cloaks on their shoulders. The Israelites had done as Moses told them; they had asked the Egyptians for jewelry of silver and gold, and for clothing, and the Lord had given the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. And so they plundered the Egyptians. (NRSV)

God is enraged that the Israelites have turned from him to worship an idol that they have made, and tells Moses to get out of his way while he immolates them. Moses then boldly chastises God for such fierce anger. “And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.” (Exodus 32:14, KJV). 

Daring theological propositions to contemplate. Can God sin? Not only can God think to do evil, but God can repent. Further, God can be confronted boldly and lectured sharply, and will put up with it; and even more so that God may be shamed, humbled, into standing down; because that is exactly what happens in the Bible story. An epiphany, a theophany, it reveals God’s temper, God’s compassion, God’s reasonableness, God’s approachableness. Even God’s human decency?

“So God created humans (Hebrew, adam) in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27, NRSV). 

We are like God.

"Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy." (Micah 7:18, KJV)

We are like God: is God then like us?

TW+