THE FIRST REVELATION:
The first revelation of the personal name of the living God was given to Moses.

Ex. 6:2,3 - God also said to Moses, I am the LORD (Jehovah). I appeared to Abraham, to Issac and to Jacob as God Almighty (El-Shaddai), but by my name the LORD (Jehovah) I did not make myself known to them.

Moses had a real heart for God. There was something about Moses that desired to know and understand the person of God. He wanted to know much more than the power of God, he wanted to know the God of power. He wanted to understand the God that had called and chosen him.

There's a striking similarity between the heart of Moses and the heart of the apostle Paul. To the Philippians Paul wrote, "What is more, I consider evrything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,...". THE SURPASSING GREATNESS OF KNOWING CHRIST JESUS MY LORD.

As Moses was speaking to the LORD he said, "If you are pleased with me teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you." (Ex. 33:13). The Psalmist expressed the same longing in Ps.25:4, "Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;"

In Moses plea to know the LORD he said to Him, "Now show me your glory." (Ex. 33:18) To this the LORD responded, "I will cause ALL MY GOODNESS to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD in your presence". (Ex. 33:19)

THE LORD PROCLAIMS HIS NAME:

In response to Moses request the Almighty God does something that was never recorded before, He comes down in a cloud and stands there with him and "proclaimed his name; the LORD", (Ex.34:5).

        Ex. 15:3 - The LORD is a Warrior; The LORD is His name.

        Ps. 83:18 - Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD - that you alone are the                                  Most High over all the earth.

        Ps. 99:6 - ... Samuel was among those who called on His name, they called on the LORD...

        Isa. 42:8 - I am the LORD; that is my name.

        Isa. 47:4 - Our Redeemer - The LORD Almighty is His name.

Having proclaimed His name to be the LORD (Jehovah) God now passes "in front of Moses, proclaiming; The LORD;" (Ex. 34:6). From this point on we see the person of God exposed as never before. This is the time that Almighty God has expressed His full character and nature to us.

The revelation of the name of LORD given to Moses at this time is nine fold. What we see here is the heart of our God. We see beyond power, ability, authority. We see into the heart of God. We see what motivates HIs power, ability and authority. We find out what He's really like.

Ex. 34:6,7 - And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, The LORD; the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebelion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."

THE NINE FOLD CHARACTER & NATURE OF THE LORD

Ex. 34:6,7:
        1) the LORD (self existent One who reveals Himself)
        2) compassionate (KJV - merciful)
        3) gracious (KJV - gracious)
        4) slow to anger (KJV - longsuffering)
        5) abounding in love (KJV - abundant in goodness)
        6) abounding in faithfulness (KJV - abundant in truth)
        7) maintaining love to thousands (KJV - keeping mercy for 1000s)
        8) forgiving (KJV - forgiving)
        9) punishing the guilty (KJV - will by no means clear the guilty)

The various translations of the Bible may differ slightly, however, the general expression is the same.

OTHER SCRIPTURES:
Ps. Ps. 103: 8,9
Neh. 9:17

THE WAYS OF THE LORD:

Moses asked the LORD, "teach me your ways so I may know you", (Ex. 33:13). To know the WAYS of God is to kinow Him. The revelation of the LORD given to Moses is the revelation of Gods person. This is what He is like. This is His ways, His character and nature. This is what He's all about.

Moses hearts cry to know the ways of God was answered. Ps. 103:7 says, "He made known his ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel". There's an interesting comparison to observe here. To Moses God revealed His ways. To the people of Israel He revealed His deeds. Isreal say what God was capable of doing, while Moses saw what motivated that. Israel saw what God did and Moses saw way he did it. There's a major difference in these two things. One sees the external and the other sees the heart. This is a very important thing for us to grasp!

There's another comparison worth our consideration. To God Israel was always hard hearted and stiff necked. They seems prone to rebelion and unfaithfulness, (Ex.32:9; Neh.9:16; Jer. 7:26) One might think, "O God show me your power and it will change my heart". Now a demonstration of God's power will undoubtedly effect us in some way, however, a relevation into the heart of God has away of melting us and causing us to fall more in love with Him.

God exposed His heart to Moses when He revealed HIs name to him. It is said of Moses in Num. 12:3 - (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) Now that's a statement, a statement about a man who hand seen into the heart of God. Looking into the heart of God and seeing Him for who He is has away of releasing humility into our lives.

David observed two important things about his God.

Ps. 62:11,12 - One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O LORD, are loving,...

        1) God is a strong God

        2) God is a loving God

What David observed is important to understand. God is not only the STRONG God, He's LOVING STRONG God. It's possible to be strong and hatefull. Just STRONG by it's self doesn't tell us the character of the strength.

Israel saw the STRONG God but they didn't see the LOVING STRONG God. They had observed the LORD's strong hand agaist the Egytians and had been the objects of His divine protection in Goshen, yet, when they came to the Red Sea and found it impassable, they thought they'd been brought out there to die, (Ex.14:11,12). They were there when God opened the Red sea to escape the pursuing enemy! They saw what God did to the entire Egyptian army, burrying it in the sea.What they failed to understand was, WAY God did what He was doing. That's why only a short time later they repeated their accusation against the LORD,saying He'd brought them out into the desert to kill them, (Ex. 16:3). Knowing what God can do isn't enough to build a relationship on, we need to know His heart.

HIS UNCHANGING CHARACTER:

"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe." (Pr. 18:10) How do you do that? Run into the name of the LORD! It's a very interesting concept. We need to know how to do that if we are going to be "safe". "SAFE" means to be "set aloft" or lifted to a place of advantage. The AMP says, "safe, high [above evil] and strong." Because our God is the kind of God he is we are able to resort to His person at all times knowing what He is like. As we turn to the LORD, trusting in His character, trusting in His name, we will be helped by Him.

Fundimental to trust and and a sence of security ,is, stability. In order to trust the Rock you're going to stand on you've got to know it's going to be there when you put out your foot! God's character, nature, person, His name, is unchanging and as a result we can put our trust in Him. God, our God, will always be who He is. He will always be like He is! He is the unchanging God.

        Hab. 3:6 - His ways are eternal. (the ways He revealed to Moses)

        Mal. 3:6 - I the LORD do not change

        Ps. 102:27 - But you remain the same; (Heb.1:12)

        Jms. 1:17 - ... who does not change like shifting shadows

        Heb. 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Because of this divine consistency we are able to put our full trust in the LORD.
Ps. 9:10 - Those who know your name will put their trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsken those who seek you.