I AM WHO I AM

Both the Hebrew, and the Greek references to the name of God (YHWH) given to Moses (Exodus 3:14), are difficult to translate. In fact any one of the following translations of the Hebrew are correct:- I am what I am, I am who I am, I will be what I will be, I will be who I will be. The meaning is even more complicated, but before I say more, I want to mention that names in Hebrew indicate essence. So the meanings include “I am the essence of being,” 'I am the essence of self sufficiency,' “I am the essence of self existence,' “I am the essence of presence.” Since God exists outside of time , one of the implications of the Name is that He always existed, and He does not change (Malachi 3:6).

The Lord was sending Moses to tell Pharaoh “Let my people go.” This Pharaoh was not the Pharaoh of the Joseph story in Genesis. This Pharaoh did not know Joseph (Exodus 1:8), and had subjected the children of Israel to hard and bitter slavery (1:13,14). Like many supreme leaders Pharaoh acknowledged no power or authority greater than himself. Up until this point Moses and the children of Israel knew God only as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Now God was sending Moses to them telling them He was going to deliver them (3:15-17). The New Name was a new revelation of who God is,  and he was about  to demonstrate the Name, indicating that He alone is the supreme higher power. It is a lesson many of us need to learn. Like Pharaoh did “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess” this (Isaiah 45:23). And surly it is better to do it sooner,  when it comes with the offer of salvation and life and health and peace, than to do it later, either when we have messed up and need deliverance from our foolishness, or at the time of the final judgement when salvation is no longer available.

But this Name also clearly shows that Jesus claimed to be God. In John 8:58 He tells the Jews “Before Abraham was, I am.” They knew full well what He was saying, because they took up stones to stone Him (verse 59). The Greek also makes it clear. “I am” here, translates the Greek “ego eimi.” Eimi itself means “I am,” and “ego” means “I,” so Jesus is saying “I, I am.” Anyone wanting to say “I am, simply says “eimi,” and so, as I say, they knew exactly what He was claiming. This construction is found in multiple places. I am the bred of life, I am the light of the world, I am the way the truth and the life etc. (John 6:35; 8:12' 14:6). C.S. Lewis comments that if Jesus was not who He claimed to be,  He was either a liar or a lunatic. If you reject those two options,  then He must be who He says He is, the Lord of heaven and earth.

Father, because the Lord Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient to death, You exalted Him and gave Him the unique Name that is above every name, that at this Name every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord to Your Glory (Philippians 2:8-11). And so I voluntarily bow my knee now while it is still called today. It is the only reasonable thing to do, and I give You Glory in Jess Name Amen