God According to God_ Study of Exodus 34, Art Clark
Teacher
Lesson Summary
Art Clark taught a Bible study class focused on Exodus 34, exploring how God introduces Himself to humanity. The class opened with a creative exercise featuring four volunteers introducing themselves in different contexts—at work, school, church, and to future in-laws—to illustrate how people typically present themselves by sharing names, backgrounds, interests, and accomplishments. This exercise established the foundation for the central question: How does God introduce Himself? Clark distinguished between theology (what humans write about God) and what God says about God through Scripture. He noted that while popular theology includes terms like omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence—which are biblical but not God's own words about Himself—the class would focus specifically on God's direct self-revelation. He explained the importance of understanding Hebrew terminology, clarifying the distinctions between Elohim (God), Adonai (Lord), and Yahweh (the divine name rendered as LORD in all capitals), emphasizing that these distinctions appear in Bible prefaces and are crucial for understanding God's self-identification. The study then turned to Exodus 34:1-4, examining the context of Moses receiving the second set of stone tablets after breaking the first set in response to Israel's idolatry with the golden calf. God's command to Moses to present himself alone on Mount Sinai, with strict restrictions on who could approach, underscored the holiness of God's self-revelation. This passage became the launching point for understanding God's direct declaration of His character and attributes in His own words.