“God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” (Exodus 3:14)
In the desert Moses wandered about with his flock of sheep. Then God spoke and gave Moses the task to liberate the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and to guide them to Canaan, where they could live in freedom and honour God. Moses was doubtful. What would his own leaders say? Who sent you? Moses then asked God for His name, and the response is rather special: “I AM WHO I AM.” God added, “Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.” (Exodus 3.14)
In other words, God is unique and He is the only true God.
Moses then added that the God of their forefathers had sent him, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. These names remind us of God’s care and guidance in the past. God made a covenant with Abraham that He confirmed with Isaac and Jacob, and which remains valid.
In this text, God reveals His identity, but His answer is mysterious. If you know someone’s name, it gives you some insight into the person. But God is elusive and when He speaks to Moses in confidence, He is still the Holy One, the Eternal “I AM.”
Do you know God as a God you would like to meet personally, a God who empathizes with you, but a God you cannot fully comprehend?