Purpose: To describe the comprehensive nature of the name Yahweh.
Aim: I want the listener to gain a deeper affection and reverence for God.
INTRODUCTION: The first name for God in the Bible (Genesis 1:1) is the Hebrew name "Elohim" which reveals God as "The Mighty or Strong One" and often highlights God as Creator.
The second name for God that we find in Scripture is Yahweh or Jehovah. The name Yahweh is used more than any other name for God in the Old Testament. It occurs 6,823 times. The burning bush was not the first time that the name YAHWEH was revealed. The first mention of Yahweh is in Genesis 2:4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven. (NAS)
Even though we find the name Yahweh in the Bible many times before Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush, it is the first time that the name is explained to us.
Vs.13-15 I. Who is Yahweh? "I AM WHO I AM"
I AM WHO I AM literally means, "I will be what I will be." This name is from the Hebrew verb, "to be." This became the most sacred name for God that has been revealed to us. That name was so sacred to the Jews that they refused to pronounce it. This is probably because of what God said in the Ten Commandments: Exodus 20:7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. (NAS)
Since the original Hebrew language had no vowels the actual pronunciation has been lost. Hebrew scholars pretty much agree that Yahweh is more likely to be the correct way to say the word.
In verse 13 Moses asks, "...If ... the people of Israel ... ask me, ’What (mah) is his name?’ what shall I say to them?’ (Ex. 3:13). The normal way to ask a name is to use the pronoun mî; to use mah invites an answer which goes further, and gives the meaning (’what?’) or substance of the name.
"This helps to explain the reply, namely, ’I AM WHO I AM’ (’ehyeh ’ašer ’ehyeh). And he said, ’Say this to the people of Israel, ’I AM has sent me to you’ ’ (Ex. 3:14). By this Moses would not think that God was announcing a new name, nor is it called a ’name’; it is just the inner meaning of the name Moses knew." [1]
We know this is true because, God spoke further to Moses and said to him, "I am the LORD; and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them. (Exodus 6:2--3 NAS)
From this intriguing phrase, "I AM WHO I AM" we can learn at least six important things about God.
A. Yahweh is self-sufficient
The fact that "GOD IS" implies that God does not need anything or anyone else. We depend on many things outside of ourselves in order to exist. We cannot live without food, water, air and many other things.
God is the Creator, but He was never created so He doesn’t need anything outside of Himself. Isaiah 44:24 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, "I, the LORD, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself and spreading out the earth all alone, (NAS)
When Paul was preaching on Mars Hill he said, Acts 17:24--25 "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; (NAS)
B. Yahweh is a person
I AM is a first person pronoun so God is not just a force or an idea. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 ... you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, (NAS)
C. Yahweh is eternally alive
Exodus 3:15 God, furthermore, said to Moses, "...This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations. (NAS)
God had no beginning and will have no end. This also implies that God lives in the eternal present: He is! God didn’t say "I was" or "I will be."
Isaiah 43:10 "...So that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me. (NAS)
Isaiah 48:12 "... I am He, I am the first, I am also the last. (NAS)
D. Yahweh is unchanging
Malachi 3:6 "For I, the LORD, do not change.... (NAS)
If God does not change then His plans cannot be changed. Proverbs 19:21 Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand. (NAS)
E. Yahweh is real
Jeremiah 16:21 "Therefore behold, I am going to make them know-- This time I will make them know My power and My might; and they shall know that My name is the LORD." (NAS)
F. Yahweh is unique
Isaiah 43:11 "I, even I, am the LORD, and there is no savior besides Me. (NAS)
Isaiah 45:5 "I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God... (NAS)
1-9, 16-17 II. How does Yahweh Deal with His Creatures?
Picture of burning bush
Vs.1 A. Yahweh uses the ordinary "pasturing the flock"
Nothing real exciting was going on in Moses’ life. He was minding his own business taking care of sheep that didn’t even belong to him. For the last 40 years he had lived in obscurity in the desert after spending the first 40 years of his life in the Egyptian palace as the son of Pharaoh.
Paul reminds us 1 Corinthians 1:27--29 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. (NAS)
Vs.2a B. Yahweh is personal "the LORD appeared to him"
Isaiah 43:11b... And there is no savior besides Me. (NAS)
God deals personally with us and He desires that we deal personally with Him. Deuteronomy 11:13 "... I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, (NAS)
Vs.2b-5, 6b C. Yahweh is fearful in His presence "in a blazing fire...holy ground"
Isaiah 42:8 "I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images. (NAS)
Later Moses experienced more of God’s presence. Exodus 34:4--7 So he cut out two stone tablets like the former ones, and Moses rose up early in the morning and went up to Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and he took two stone tablets in his hand. The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD. Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations." (NAS)
Vs.6a D. Yahweh has revealed Himself to man "I am the God of your father"
We never read, "Thus says God..." It is always, "Thus says the LORD" and it is used 281 times in the Old Testament.
God is a revealing God. He has chosen to reveal Himself to His own creation.
Vs.7, 9 E. Yahweh is aware of everything "I have surely seen...I am aware"
Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, watching the evil and the good. (NAS)
Hebrews 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. (NAS)
Psalm 44:21 Would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. (NAS)
Jeremiah 23:23--24 "Am I a God who is near," declares the LORD, "And not a God far off? Can a man hide himself in hiding places so I do not see him?" declares the LORD. "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" declares the LORD. (NAS)
Vs.8 F. Yahweh has power to deliver "I have come down to deliver"
Jeremiah 32:27 "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?" (NAS)
Isaiah 40:13--17 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge and informed Him of the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust. Even Lebanon is not enough to burn, nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless. (NAS)
Exodus 6:6--7 "... ’I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. (NAS)
Vs.16-17 G. Yahweh is compassionate "I am indeed concerned about you"
1 Chronicles 16:34 O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (NAS)
Exodus 34:6 Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; (NAS)
As we look over this list about what our God is like I must point out the Jesus is Yahweh. There are two Greek words that are the equivalent to the Old Testament word Yahweh, "I am that I am." They are "ego" "emmie." Both words mean "I am" but "ego" emphasizes "I" and "emmie" emphasizes "am" or "exist" so they would have to be in that order to replace Yahweh.
The Apostle John reported Jesus using these words to refer to Himself in that order 8 times with no object, e.g. He used "I am" by itself. He also used these two words 7 other times with an object. For example, John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world..." (NAS) or John 10:7 So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. (NAS)
Jesus clearly declared Himself to be Yahweh: John 6:20 But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." (NAS) The literal order of the Greek words is: "But, he says to them I AM."
John 8:28 So Jesus said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He...(NAS) The literal order of the Greek words is: "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM."
John Piper states, "Jesus took this majestic name of God, and wrapped it in the humility of servanthood, offered Himself as an atonement for our rebellion, and made a way for us to see the glory of God."
CONCLUSION: What are some ways that the name Yahweh should influence how we live every day?
Yahweh is our only hope of forgiveness. Isaiah 45:22--24 "Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. They will say of Me, ’Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.’ Men will come to Him, and all who were angry at Him will be put to shame. (NAS)
We should worship God with joyful reverence. Psalm 2:11 Worship the LORD with reverence and rejoice with trembling. (NAS)
We should trust God completely. Isaiah 26:4 "Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock. (NAS)
If you were asked: Do you believe that God can change your life today? Do you believe He can change our nation? Do you believe that God can use Bethel Chapel Church to transform our community? Do you believe that God can change your marriage and restore broken relationships? Do you believe that God can forgive your sin? Do you believe that God can use you to serve Him? What would you say?
Is your God merely a God of history, and not a God of the present? Do you really trust in and worship the I AM?
"Now concerning God, two things are to be known:
(1) That He is,
(2) What He is."
John Preston [2]
[1]D. R. W. Wood and I. Howard Marshall, New Bible Dictionary, 3rd ed., 421 (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1996).
[2]I.D.E. Thomas, The Golden Treasury of Puritan Quotations, electronic ed., 116 (Simpsonville SC: Christian Classics Foundation, 1996).
