THE GREAT "I AM"

by CHARLES ROBEY
(TRUSSVILLE AL-USA)

The most important text in all the Bible for understanding the meaning of the name Yahweh God is (Exodus 3:13–15).

In this all important passage of scripture, God gave Moses three distinct answers to his question, ":What is Your name and what shall I say to them" ? First, God says, “I AM WHO I AM ”(verse 14). Second, God says, “I AM has sent me to you” (verse 14). And thirdly, God says, “Yahweh, has sent me to you, this is my name forever” (verse 15).

Here, in this brief scripture, we have the inner meaning of "God". "I am the One who is- emphasizes God's dynamic and active self-existence, and God's eternal attributes (an attribute is a property intrinsic to its subject and by which the subject is distinguished or identified) The "I Am' God is:

•Simplicity- Meaning. God is uncompounded, in complex, indivisible (John 4:24)

•Unity- Meaning. God is one (Deut. 6:4)

•Infinity- Meaning, Without termination and finitude ( 1 Kings 8:27) (Acts 17:24)

•Eternity- Meaning. Free from succession of time (Gen 21:33) (Psalm 90:2)

•Immutability- Meaning. God is unchanging and unchangeable. (James 1:17)

•Omnipresence- Meaning. God is everywhere.(Psalm 139:7-12

•Sovereignty- Meaning. God is the supreme ruler. (Ephesians 1:8)

•Omniscience- Meaning. God knows all actual and possible things. (Matthew 11:21)

•Omnipotence- Meaning. All power. (Revelation 19:16)

•Justice- Meaning. Moral equity, "no respect of persons". (Acts 17:31)

•Love- Meaning. God seeking the highest good of displaying His own will. (Ephesians 2:4-5)

•Truth- Meaning. Agreement to and consistency with all that is represented by God Himself. (John 14:6)

•Freedom- Meaning. Independence from His creatures. (Isaiah 40:13-14).

•Holiness- Meaning. Righteous. (1 John 1:5)

(Above references taken from the Ryrie Study Bible)

From the very first verse of the Bible we see the plurality of the creator of the world (Genesis 1:1), indicating the full completeness of God's power and majesty and allowing for the trinity of the Godhead, or the "I Am".

In (Genesis 1:26) we see that plurality of the trinity Thus, here again, we see the "I Am" deity of God.

In (Genesis 2:4) we see the phrase "in the day that the Lord God made heaven and earth". Lord God here is probably pronounced " Yahweh". connected to the verb meaning "to be", the same as in (Exodus 3:14), I Am Who I AM, the inner meaning of "Yahweh..

And in the New Testament, we find scriptural proof that Jesus Christ was in fact God in human flesh (Philippians 2:6), from the very beginning (John 1:1). You see Jesus was unique, in that He was God from eternity past, yet he became man in the flesh (John 1:14) to redeem sinful mankind, from the inbred sin of the "Garden of Eden" (Genesis 3:1-7) . And this God man, Jesus, will exist forever in His resurrected body (Acts 1:11) (Revelation 5:6)

Jesus Himself used this same phrase “I AM” in declaring Himself to be God in the flesh seven times. I AM the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51); I AM the Light of the World (John 8:12); I AM the Door of the Sheep (John 10:7, 9); I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14); I AM the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25); I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6); and I AM the True Vine (John 15:1, 5).

Why then did the "I Am" God-man, become human, and dwell among us. Simply put, He had to suffer and die, as payment for mankind's "Garden of Eden' inbred sin (Romans 5:12).

So, what does "I Am" mean and who is "I"? "God identifies Himself as I AM WHO I AM. Revealing His divine name declares His character and attributes, reinforcing that the issue is not who Moses is. Not who we are, but who is with us and who will guide us. This " I Am" name for God is related to the Hebrew verb meaning "to be," and so implies the absolute existence of God. The Hebrew here is also the source of the English, ‘Yahweh,’ ‘Jehovah,’ or ‘LORD.’" (New Spirit Filled Life Bible)

You see, God was, and is and is to come. In His Holy Trinity, "The Father', The "Son" and "The "Holy Spirit" (1 John 5:7) was, and is and will always be the "I Am"..

And in Jesus Christ we who are born of God (1 John 5:4) have the unspeakable privilege of knowing and having a personal relationship with Yahweh God, through His Son Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:21) .