Our text:

• Exodus 34:6–8 (NLT) — 6 The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out, “Yahweh! The LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. 7 I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected— even children in the third and fourth generations.” 8 Moses immediately threw himself to the ground and worshiped.
• Yahweh, Yahweh, El rahum hannun, arek aphium, rad hesed emet
• These FIVE traits give us something the build on with God! 
  • Compassionate - womb
  • Gracious - He lifts
  • Slow to anger - long nose
  • Full of steadfast love - hesed
  • And faithfulness - emet
• Hesed; Emet
  • These two are always used as a pair
  • Hesed makes the best Bible study

1. Hesed 
   1. Translated - Loyal love, steadfast love, loving kindness
   2. Stork - Is called the Hesed bird
      1. It never leaves its young
      2. It will defend its young even to the death
      3. It is why you see a stork carrying babies
      4. Ostrich - leaves its eggs on the ground to be warmed by the sand
   3. Ruth demonstrated hesed to Naomi when she wouldn’t leave her
   4. David demonstrated hesed to Jonathan when he loved Mephibosheth
   5. Hesed - INITIATING love
      1. Who loved who first - I told Angie I loved her before she told me
      2. The first domino to fall
      3. You didn’t impress God, and win him over, He loved you before you knew him
   6. Hesed - LOYAL love
      1. A dog can be left outside, unfed, uncared for, but extremely loyal
      2. A person with loyal love will stay in a hospital for weeks and weeks
      3. A person with loyal love will care for a special needs person
      4. This is God’s loyal love towards you. 
   7. Hesed - GENEROUS love
      1. Jewish culture expressing hesed through generosity and hospitality
      2. When you open your home and pantry to someone
      3. It’s the willingness to empty the barrel, not just give off the top
   8. Hesed - KIND love
      1. The kindness of the Lord leads us to repentance 
      2. This is His smile
   9. Hesed - COVENANT love
   10. David and Israel understood this love, it is mentioned 127 times in the Psalms
       1. Psalm 36:5 (ESV) — 5 Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
       2. Psalm 118:1–4 (ESV) — 1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” 3 Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the LORD say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
       3. Psalm 136:1 (ESV) — 1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
          1. He created
          2. He delivered 
2. Emet
   1. If Hesed is a stork, Emet is a stone
   2. Emet is translated - Truth, honesty, faithful, secure, steadfast
   3. Emet is RELIABLE
      1. You can depend on day and night
      2. You can depend on summer and winter
      3. You can’t depend on gas prices
      4. You can’t depend on people
      5. GOD IS EMET - You can RELY on HIM
   4. Emet is SOLID
      1. Jesus uses the illustration of a house built on sand. I’ve never built a house on sand, but I’ve put a ladder in soft earth before.
   5. Emet is TRUE
      1. The symbol of truth is a rock. It is factual
      2. There has seemingly never been more falsehood than today
         1. Pictures are not what they seem
         2. Every story is twisted to accomplish an agenda
         3. You can hear two sides of the same story and walk away confused
3. The combo! Loyal love and faithfulness
   1. Psalm 85:10 (ESV) — 10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.
   2. Psalm 89:14 (ESV) — 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
   3. Proverbs 3:3 (ESV) — 3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
   4. God is FULL of these two
4. Seen in the face of Jesus
   1. John 1:14 (NLT) — 14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
   2. These are NOT opposite sides of the same coin, these two are powerful twins

Closing

• These words were used by the Jewish people to implore God to have mercy. They relied on His unfailing love. 
• We can CRY OUT to him for Mercy according to His unfailing love.