“The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” (Exodus 34:6, NIV)

One of the ways people throughout the history of the church have come to understand the individual themes and the overall story of the Bible is by looking at the ways biblical authors related to one another’s writings. They quote, allude, and echo back to specific statements and more fluid ideas their contemporaries have made in the past. It seems they do this because God is the ultimate author of Scripture and because the writers themselves were soaked in the story they were moving forward with their writings.

Throughout the entire Bible—the sixty-six books of Genesis to Revelation—there’s one verse that stands alone as the most quoted. Exodus 34:6 is quoted, alluded to, or referenced more times than any other verse—most of these references taking place within the Old Testament.

What makes studying something like this even more interesting is to review who quoted what the most because, even though Exodus 34:6 is quoted more throughout the entire Bible, Jesus (for instance) has another verse he quotes more than any other. I leave it to you to find that verse. A little homework for you!

One of the helpful questions we can ask about this most quoted verse in the Bible is: What do the biblical writers want us to remember about God?

When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, he told the disciples to do this (eat and drink) in remembrance of him. He wanted them (and us, too!) to eat bread and drink wine (or…maybe even grape juice) not because we need food and drink to survive, but because eating and drinking in a specific manner with a specific idea in mind, we remember Jesus and what he’s done for God’s glory and our good.

The same idea—the idea of remembrance as an important reality—can be said for the reason why Exodus 34:6 gets quoted so often. The biblical writers—and God himself—don’t want us to forget him. And, maybe even more than that, they don’t want us to forget something(s) in particular about God.

Exodus 34:6 doesn’t just remind us that God is. It presupposes that truth. Exodus 34:6 reminds us of particular characteristics about this God who lives and this God whom we can know.

The Particulars

The LORD is God.
God is not some abstract being out there somewhere within universe. He’s the one who created the universe in which you and I live. And the creator of the universe has identified himself uniquely as the I AM—Yahweh—the LORD.
God is merciful.
God has a wealth of mercy. He’s also not one to withhold his mercy; on the contrary, he’s one to dispense it in abundance.
God is gracious.
God’s grace is the only reason anyone knows him. We were born in sin. Specifically, we were born loving anything and anyone other than the One who made us. Instead of simply pronouncing judgment upon his rebellious creation, he has graciously made himself known.
God is slow to anger.
Although God is right to be angry with his rebellious people, he has decided to respond slowly. He is patient and, therefore, he withholds his anger out of his compassion and love for his creation.
God is abounding in steadfast love.
God’s love is accurately described as steadfast. In other words, he’s made a decision to love; a decision that is unwavering. God did not fall in love with is creation; therefore, there’s no danger in him falling out of love. Not only is God steadfast in his love, he is plentiful (abounding) in that steadfast love.
God is abounding in faithfulness.
In the same way that God is abounding in steadfast love, he is abounding in faithfulness. The mere fact is that all our faithfulness means nothing if God is faithful. If his faithfulness waivers even one inch, we have no standing for security. Therefore, as we look for certainty in this life, let us look to God who is abounding in faithfulness.

All these characteristics are true of God—of this there is no doubt. Where, however, you may ask, can I find this God? The answer: Jesus.

The truest and most real place you can look to see these six particular truths in manifest, incarnate reality is in the person of Jesus. This is because to see Jesus, is to see God—the God of Exodus 34:6.