If the Bible be not merely a revelation _from_ God, but a revelation
_of_ God, too much attention cannot be paid to those aspects of the
Divine nature afforded by it which man may apprehend although he
cannot comprehend them. "Canst thou by searching find out God?" &c.
No; but enough may be learned of God to make us sure that it is
madness to disobey Him or trifle with His commands. 1. _The
long-hidden Name of God._ Proper names were made very expressive
among the Jews. The name JEHOVAH was sacred above all others; they
treated it with a superstitious reverence, not daring to pronounce
it, &c. Doubtless they referred with awe to the time and
circumstances of the communication to Moses (Exod. vi. 1, 2). And so
may we in thinking of the Divine judgments. JEHOVAH, it is said,
"remembered His covenant," and was about to redeem the Israelites
from their bondage in Egypt "with a stretched out arm, and with great
judgments" (Exod. vi. 1-8). JEHOVAH: what does the Name mean?
_Being_--unconditioned, absolute, immutable, eternal Being. If, then,
God changes not, but is JEHOVAH, to sin against Him is inevitably to
call down judgment; for JEHOVAH'S will must be done on earth as it is
in heaven. 2. _Some of the attributes by the use of which we try to
compass the Divine nature._ (1.) _God is just._ But sin, in all its
forms, is a crying injustice, and affronts God so that the Divine
majesty must assert itself in punishment. (2.) _God is good._ But
sin, as selfishness, is radically opposed to goodness in God, who has
might, as well as right, on His side, and, therefore, pursues
selfishness to its last resort. (3.) _God is holy._ Separateness from
all sin distinguishes Him in the midst of His _relations_ to man.
How, then, can sinners go unpunished? (H. E. I. 2281, 2282,
4478-4479, 4603-4610).