How does "I AM WHO I AM" reveal God's eternal nature and self-existence? The Setting at the Burning Bush • Moses, tending sheep in Midian, encounters a bush that burns yet is not consumed (Exodus 3:1-3). • God calls Moses by name and commissions him to lead Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3:4-10). • When Moses asks for God’s name, the Lord answers: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He added, ‘This is what you are to say to the Israelites: “I AM has sent me to you.”’ ” (Exodus 3:14). Unpacking the Name: I AM WHO I AM • The Hebrew phrase “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh” conveys continuous, unbounded being—“I am, I was, I will be.” • “I AM” (Ehyeh) becomes “Yahweh” in the next verse (Exodus 3:15), linking the covenant name with God’s eternal presence. • The name emphasizes God’s self-disclosure: He defines Himself, not by comparison or relation to anything else, but by His own existence. God’s Eternal Nature Unveiled • Timelessness: God is outside time. “Before the mountains were born… from everlasting to everlasting You are God.” (Psalm 90:2) • Unchanging character: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) • Perpetual presence: “Who is and was and is to come— the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8) • Christ’s claim: “Before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58) — affirming that the Son shares the same eternal identity. Self-Existence and Self-Sufficiency • Independent life: “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17) • Creator, not created: “In the beginning was the Word… All things were made through Him.” (John 1:1-3) • Needless of anything: “Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” (Acts 17:24-25) • Exclusive deity: “Before Me no god was formed, and after Me none will come.” (Isaiah 43:10-11) Implications for Our Faith Today • Rock-solid reliability—God’s purposes cannot be thwarted. • Ever-present help—He is always “I AM,” not “I was” or “I might be.” • Absolute authority—our existence depends on His; His existence depends on nothing. • Covenant assurance—because He is eternal and self-existent, His promises stand firm (2 Corinthians 1:20). Key Takeaways 1. “I AM WHO I AM” reveals God as eternally present, unchanging, and sovereign over time. 2. The name proclaims God’s self-existence; He depends on nothing, while all creation depends on Him. 3. Jesus openly identifies with this divine name, confirming His deity and the unity of Father and Son. 4. Knowing the God who simply “IS” anchors our faith, worship, and obedience in His unfailing nature. |
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