WHAT IS HIS NAME?

WHAT IS HIS NAME?

Ex 3:13-15

13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?

14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

          Moses was having a conversation with a burning bush which commissioned him to rescue Israel from slavery in Egypt. Moses thought ahead to when he would announce that “God” had sent him and someone would surely ask: “What is His name?” It wasn’t God who was having an identity crisis but Moses. Moses was still struggling with whether he was a prince or a shepherd.

          There are no less than twelve names of God in the Old Testament but here the Lord offered a name that answered Moses’ question. If someone asked the name of God, Moses was to answer simply I AM. The Hebrew word translated I AM is the word hayah which simply means “to exist or to be.” Verse 15 offers a more detailed answer when God says: “this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” The word “ever” is translated from a word that means “time out of mind.”

          When God said his name was I AM, He was not simply saying that He exists from now on till infinity. He was saying that He exists from infinity to infinity. He exists from before the beginning till after the end. Such a concept, even when thoroughly explained, is hard for a time-dweller to grasp.

          There is continuity, consistency, stability, and singleness of purpose in a God who has neither beginning or end. With God there are no yesterdays or tomorrows. When He confronts us He is as He always was. (Malachi 3:6) There is comfort in such a God.

          For the next twelve weeks we will consider the names of God. Tomorrow we will look at ELOHIM.

Rom 11:33

33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Dear Lord, you are the same God who listened to my childhood prayers and calmed my childhood fears. You are the same God who heard my confession and saved my soul. You have led me until today and will see me through tomorrow. Your thoughts toward me have not changed. Your plans for me are sealed and fully determined. My destiny is sure because you do not change. Thank you, Lord. AMEN