A Newsletter of weekly meditations on Biblical Theology and curated resources from The Carson Center

March 18, 2026

Read Exodus 34; Numbers 14

“The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex. 34:6)

“And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.” (Num. 14:17–19)

How would you describe God’s character, his personality? Narrating Israel’s redemption out of Egypt and covenant at Mount Sinai, the book of Exodus is about revealing the Name of the LORD (“YHWH” in Hebrew), unveiling his glory. What does the “LORD” mean? As the signs and wonders wreaked on the Egyptians involved the sovereign manipulation of creation , the LORD revealed himself as the Maker of heaven and earth. Also, since nearly every aspect of creation was linked to a particular god in Egypt’s pantheon—for example, Horus was associated with the sun—the exodus also displayed the LORD as King above all gods. More than this, the redemption of his people from enslavement and death showed the LORD also to be the Redeemer of Israel. What more could be added to this theology?

Wondrously, the highest revelation of the LORD in Exodus occurred within the context of Israel’s darkest moment thus far, the golden calf episode (Ex. 32), as Israel proved to be stiff-necked, breaking the Sinai covenant. At just this point, Moses pleaded with the LORD, “Please, show me your glory!” (Ex. 33:18). Moses needed to see more of the LORD’s character, and what it is that makes him “the LORD,” so he could intercede effectively for God’s wayward people. In response, the LORD revealed that his glory—what makes him truly “the LORD”—are his attributes of mercy, that he is compassionate and gracious (Ex. 34:6–7).

In Numbers 13-14, Israel not only failed to take possession of the land, but rejected their redemption and special relationship with the LORD—“Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt” they say (Num. 14:4). The LORD was ready to destroy Israel in his just wrath; but Moses intercedes, praying the LORD’s self-proclaimed Name. If you are fundamentally the Merciful One, Moses reasons, then Israel’s rejection of the land of Canaan is the perfect scenario for you, O LORD, to reveal your glory—so, forgive Israel! Then, affirming his character, the LORD immediately responds, “I have pardoned” them (Num. 14:20). – Michael Morales

Reflect: In what ways does the Incarnation of Jesus, God’s beloved Son, reveal even greater heights of God’s mercy? (See John 1:14; 3:16) How can you reflect God’s Name—his mercies—for others, in your home or workplace, today?

“Is Penal Substitutionary Atonement Biblical?” by Jay Sklar

When it comes to understanding our redemption, many evangelicals emphasize the doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement (PSA). Most see repeated evidence in Scripture that Jesus takes the penalty (P) sinners deserve, as their substitute (S), to atone (A) for them. This rises not just from explicit New Testament evidence but also from the way Old Testament sacrifice foreshadows Jesus’s death: An animal takes the penalty (P) sinners deserve, as their substitute (S), to atone (A) for them.

Andrew Remington Rillera, assistant professor of biblical studies and theology at The King’s University in Edmonton, Alberta, strongly disagrees with this understanding. In Lamb of the Free: Recovering the Varied Sacrificial Understandings of Jesus’s Death, he argues that PSA is a thoroughly unbiblical idea.

His own approach to atonement is closest to the recapitulation/understanding of Christ’s work that Irenaeus outlined, though many believe this view is compatible with PSA (see works by McNall and McKnight). Rillera doesn’t. He argues that PSA is a foreign concept to the Old Testament’s sacrificial system (chap. 1–4) and that even the New Testament doesn’t support PSA (chap. 5–8).

Though I find Rillera’s overall argument against PSA unpersuasive, I want to begin by noting the area I found most exemplary: the emphasis on our union with Christ in his death and resurrection. That union’s rich blessings should be regularly highlighted, and I’m grateful the book has done so. For me, it made union with Christ even more beautiful.

As for the book’s main thesis, I’ll consider three of its major claims against PSA.

EXPLORING THREE CLAIMS AGAINST SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT

In Don Carson’s message at TGC’s 2017 national conference he preaches from Galatians 4. The title of his message was, “The Gospel of Grace: How to Read the Bible.” In it, Dr. Carson considers Paul’s use of imagery to articulate the antithesis between slavery and freedom and offers us lessons for how we may read the Bible like Paul.

Our featured article above considers the biblical and theological support of penal substitutionary atonement in response to its critics. In Thomas Nettles essay, he helps us to understand the broader contours of the debates around the nature of the atonement by looking at different theories and those who articulated them.

READ “History and Theories of Atonement" by Thomas Nettle

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