What does "I am He" reveal about God's identity and uniqueness? Isaiah 43:10 – The Anchor Verse “You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, and after Me none will come.” What “I am He” Says About God’s Identity • Personal self-revelation—God names Himself; He is not defined by anyone else. • Eternal self-existence—the One who simply “is,” without beginning or end (cf. Exodus 3:14). • Absolute sovereignty—the Lord alone decides, acts, and saves (Isaiah 43:11-13). • Covenant faithfulness—“I am He” assures Israel that the same God who formed them still holds them (Isaiah 43:1). What “I am He” Says About God’s Uniqueness • Exclusive deity—“Before Me no god was formed, and after Me none will come.” No rivals, predecessors, or successors. • Unique power to save—only He can blot out sins and redeem (Isaiah 43:25). • Unshared glory—He refuses to share His praise with idols (Isaiah 42:8). • Incomparable knowledge—He alone declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-10). Old Testament Echoes • Deuteronomy 32:39: “See now that I, I am He, and there is no god besides Me.” • Isaiah 41:4: “I, the LORD—the first and the last—I am He.” • Isaiah 46:4: “Even to your old age I will be the same.” Each repetition reinforces God’s unchanging character and solitary supremacy. New Testament Fulfillment in Christ • John 8:24: “Unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” • John 8:58: “Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am.” • John 18:5-6: At Jesus’ “I am He,” the arresting band draws back and falls to the ground. • Revelation 1:17-18: “I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One.” In Jesus, the self-revelation of Yahweh steps into history; the same “I am He” speaks with human lips, demonstrating that the Son shares the divine identity. Living in Light of “I am He” • Confidence—because the only true God rules the past, present, and future. • Worship—because He alone is worthy, with no room for competing loyalties. • Assurance—because the God who says “I am He” secures redemption personally and eternally. |
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