Whips cracking, sun scorching, sweat pouring – sounds like a day as a Hebrew slave in Egypt. It was miserable. They must have wondered whether or not God had forgotten his promises to them. One day the Lord raised up a deliverer named Moses. He told Moses that he would deliver his people by his hand. Moses became fearful and asked the Lord, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” The Lord responded, “God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.” One way that God has revealed to us who He is throughout history is by His names. This name, more than any other reveals to us who God is. In fact, in Hebrew, it is this name which is the foundation for God’s most famous name, Yahweh.
What a remarkable revelation of God this is. Think about what it tells us about God. First, “I am” means before anything existed, God is. Do you remember when Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I am.”? He was taking the divine name to himself. Jesus is eternal. Before anything ever was, he not only was, but He is. Second, “I am” means God never changes. He is who he is forever and always. Third, “I am” means God is the Sovereign Lord. Imagine how comforting this was to Hebrew slaves under the shadow of the most powerful nation in the world? He was saying to them, “I am the true God who made the world, who never changes, will fulfill all his promises to you, and who is the Sovereign Lord, able to save you from all your enemies! The time of your deliverance has come.” What a comfort this is for us who struggle in this often weary world? He hasn’t changed towards you, or forgotten his promises. He is the great “I am” who will one day deliver you from all of your troubles and bring you into eternal glory.
- Peter Banfe