God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”

It had been centuries — four, to be precise — since anyone had heard anything from him.  In that time the slavery had only gotten worse.  It had been so long that in our own family we’re not sure which ancestor was the last one to have his freedom.  Sure, the patriarchs moved here in desperate times, but were they any worse than this?  Building this statue, building that pagan memorial, building another city dedicated to the king.  Whole generations of our people were born into, grew up and died in slavery.  How much longer will this go on?  What happened to that covenant he made?  Why doesn’t he answer us?

Such were the sentiments of the Jews in Egypt.  So why hadn’t God, if he really existed, helped out?  Unknown to the Jews, “the sin of the Amorites” living in the promised land of Canaan had “not reached its full measure” yet (Genesis 15:16).  Once it had, it gave justification for their elimination.  Thus the Jews needed to be patient.

But now the time had come, the sins of the Amorites were full, and God had chosen Moses to be the leader.  Raised in Pharaoh’s family, he had “refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.  He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time” (Hebrews 11:24-25).   But like all Jews, Moses was more than a bit skeptical, even after speaking with God who was in the burning bush that “did not burn up” (Exodus 3:3).

One by one God patiently answered Moses’ many questions.  In the midst of this conversation he asked, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’  Then what shall I tell them?”  Ahh, the big question!  Nothing like the bottom line.

On the surface it looks like he’s asking for his name.  Not so.  In Hebrew culture, as with many in that part of the world at that time, one’s name described one’s character.  Frequently, parents would not name their child until several days or even weeks of observing the baby after its birth, determining the child’s temperament and patterns.  The name would reflect the characteristics of the child.  So Moses’ question probes God’s character:  “God, what are you like?”

To the novice it looks like some kind of a word game — I AM WHO I AM.  What kind of answer is that?  It’s an exact answer.  It’s a deep answer.  It’s the kind of answer worth examining, because it gives us some deep insights as to what he’s like.

First, God is always present.  Of the universe philosophers have asked, “Why is it that there is something rather than nothing?”  The answer is that God is the ever present I AM.  He is the ultimate foundation of the universe that gives rise to everything else.  Hebrews 11:6 says, “anyone who comes to [God] must believe that he exists…”  Said personally, it would read, “Anyone who comes to me must believe that I AM.”  Second, God is always current.  To Abraham, he was I AM (Genesis 12:8).  Jesus said he was the I AM (John 8:58).  He is the same with us — always current, never past nor future, always with us.  Third, he is the same; he doesn’t change.  He doesn’t say, “I was this yesterday, but tomorrow I will be that” or “I was that, but now I am this.”  The God that “appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob” (Exodus 6:2) is the same one who came to earth as Messiah.

Aaron told the Jewish elders “everything the Lord had said to Moses” (Exodus 4:30), which was welcome reassurance to initially doubtful Jews.  “He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed.  And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped” the great I AM (vs. 30-31).  Notice how he would reveal his name:  “I am the LORD [I AM], and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians…I will free you…I will redeem you…I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God” (6:6-7).

Sound familiar?  The great I AM has done the same (and so much more!) for us.  In response, are you worshipping him today?