I AM WHO I AM

EXODUS 3:1–17

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I am has sent me to you”

(Exodus 3:14).

If we ask most philosophers if God has a name, they will reply, “Oh, no. God is ineffable, sublime, indescribable, beyond naming.” This sounds very deep and profound, but in reality it is just simple idolatry. You see, if God has no name, He has no character, and thus is no threat to us. There is no fear of such a God. He is merely the invention of the human imagination.

For God to reveal Himself is ultimately the same as for God to name Himself. In a sense, everything God has ever done and said and will ever do and say provides a name for God. God is Creator, Sustainer, Flower-maker, Rain-giver, Sparrow-watcher, Hair-counter, etc. (Matthew 10:29–30). But God also gives particular names for Himself that reveal some of the most important dimensions of His relationship to us.

The first of those names is Yahweh, traditionally (but incorrectly) rendered Jehovah, and in most Bible translations written Lord. This name is a contraction of the phrase God spoke to Moses when Moses asked Him His name: I am who I am. Notice two things about this name.

First, it is a name. In the Bible, if we name something, we have dominion over it. Thus, Adam named the animals, and parents name children. We never give names to God for this reason. God always names Himself. Beyond this, however, if we have a name for something, we can manipulate it to some extent. If someone knows your name and calls it out in a crowded room, you will turn to see who it is. Thus, when God gives us a name for Himself, He is graciously allowing us a measure of influence with Him. God actually tells Moses that Yahweh is His “memorial name,” the name to be used when calling on Him (Exodus 3:15).

But in another sense, secondly, it is not a name. God refused to give a name to Jacob in Genesis 32:29, thereby emphasizing that God is transcendent, beyond man’s control. The name “I Simply Am” is a name that emphasizes this truth. God has given us a name that points to His self-existence and has told us to use that name in prayer, but the very name reminds us that God is completely beyond any human control or dominion.

CORAM DEO

Micah 1–2

God’s self-proclaimed name, Yahweh, not only testifies to His self-existence and sovereignty, but it also comforts. When life takes unexpected turns or suffering sets in, be comforted knowing that God was not created, nor does He change. Rely on Him as the still point around which all else revolves.

For further study: Exodus 33:12–20 • Revelation 19:11–18

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