Exodus 3:12-22: a reflection

12He said, “Certainly I will be with you. This will be the token to you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” 13Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what should I tell them?” 14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and he said, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15God said moreover to Moses, “You shall tell the children of Israel this, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations. 16Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and tell them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt. 17I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ 18They will listen to your voice. You shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD, our God.’ 19I know that the king of Egypt won’t give you permission to go, no, not by a mighty hand. 20I will reach out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do among them, and after that he will let you go. 21I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it will happen that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed. 22But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her who visits her house, jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and clothing. You shall put them on your sons, and on your daughters. You shall plunder the Egyptians.”

When Moses asks God what name he should give the people, God answers with a name that reveals the depths of who he is: I AM WHO I AM. Tell the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you. God's name is not a description of one thing among others; it is the declaration of his very being: I AM. He is the one who simply is, the self-existent, eternal God, dependent on nothing, the ground of all being, ever-present, unchanging. And with this name comes the promise of his presence: Certainly I will be with you. The God who is I AM, eternal and self-existent, is also the God who is present with his people.

Notice what God's name reveals: I AM, the eternal, self-existent God, ever-present. God does not name himself by any created thing or limited attribute; he says, I AM WHO I AM. He simply is, the one who exists in himself, eternal, unchanging, dependent on nothing, the ground of all. He is not the God who was, or will be, but the God who IS, ever-present, always the same. And this eternal, self-existent God is the one who promises, I will be with you. The great I AM, who simply is, is not distant and abstract but present with his people. The name reveals both his eternal being and his abiding presence: I AM, and I am with you.

That is worth resting in, for the God who is I AM, eternal and self-existent, is present with us. We can think of God as one being among others, or as distant and abstract; but he is the I AM, the one who simply is, eternal, self-existent, ever-present, the ground of all. And this great I AM is present with his people, saying, I will be with you. The eternal, self-existent God is our ever-present help. Do not think of God as distant or abstract; he is the I AM, eternal and self-existent, and he is present with you. Rest in the God who is I AM, eternal and self-existent, ever-present, who is with you, as he revealed his name to Moses, I AM WHO I AM, and promised, I will be with you; for the great I AM, who simply is, the ground of all being, is not distant but present with his people, our ever-present God.

Lord, when Moses asks you what name he should give the people, you answer with a name that reveals the depths of who you are: I AM WHO I AM. Tell the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you. Your name is not a description of one thing among others; it is the declaration of your very being: I AM. You are the one who simply is, the self-existent, eternal God, dependent on nothing, ever-present, unchanging. And with this name comes the promise of your presence: certainly I will be with you. Show me what your name reveals: I AM, the eternal, self-existent God, ever-present. You do not name yourself by any created thing or limited attribute; you say, I AM WHO I AM. You simply are, the one who exists in yourself, eternal, unchanging, dependent on nothing, the ground of all. You are not the God who was, or will be, but the God who IS, ever-present, always the same. And this eternal, self-existent God is the one who promises, I will be with you. Your name reveals both your eternal being and your abiding presence. Let me rest in that, for you, the God who is I AM, eternal and self-existent, are present with me. I can think of you as one being among others, or as distant and abstract; but you are the I AM, the one who simply is, ever-present, the ground of all. And this great I AM is present with your people. Keep me from thinking of you as distant or abstract; you are the I AM, eternal and self-existent, and you are present with me, Lord. Help me rest in you, the God who is I AM, ever-present, who is with me, as you revealed your name to Moses and promised, I will be with you.