What does "I, yes I, am He" reveal about God's identity? Setting the verse in context Isaiah 43:25: “I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.” Spoken to Israel in exile, the Lord is declaring both judgment and the promise of restoration. The phrase “I, yes I, am He” forms the heartbeat of that promise. The force of the double “I” • Hebrew literally repeats the pronoun: “Anokhi, anokhi—He.” • Repetition intensifies certainty: God alone is speaking; no other voice matters. • It underscores self-existence. God does not appeal to anyone outside Himself for validation. What “He” signifies • Not merely “I am.” The extra pronoun points to an unchanging, personal Being. • The same One who spoke to Moses from the bush (“I AM,” Exodus 3:14) is speaking here. • Identifies God as the covenant Lord who acts in history. Revelations about God’s identity • Absolutely unique – “I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no savior but Me.” (Isaiah 43:11) – No rival, no substitute, no shared glory. • Self-sufficient and eternal – “I am the first and I am the last.” (Isaiah 48:12) – Existence is grounded in Him alone; all else derives from Him. • Sovereign Redeemer – He alone “blots out” sin. No ritual or human effort secures forgiveness. – Redemption springs “for My own sake,” revealing grace rooted in His character, not our merit. • Personal and relational – Uses first-person pronouns six times in two Hebrew words, stressing closeness. – The One who judges is the same One who forgives, inviting trust. • Immutable and faithful – What He promises He performs; nothing can overturn His decree. – “For I, the LORD, do not change.” (Malachi 3:6) Practical takeaways • Rest in His exclusivity—no competing truth claims can overturn His word. • Trust His forgiveness—if He blots out sin, it is gone. • Anchor your identity in His—because He is unchanging, your standing before Him is secure. • Worship without reserve—only He deserves absolute allegiance. Other passages echoing the claim • Deuteronomy 32:39: “See now that I Myself am He! There is no god besides Me.” • Isaiah 46:4: “Even to your old age I will be the same.” • John 8:58: “Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!”—linking Jesus to the very “I, yes I, am He” of Isaiah. |
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