...God is the Creator of all...

“13 But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you”, and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ 14 God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’ He said further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I am has sent me to you.” 15 God also said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you”: This is my name for ever, and this my title for all generations’” Exodus 3:13-15.

These few, short verses are hugely important because they include Moses' first protest to God (v. 13) and the beginning of God's first group of responses that identify who He is; that is, they represent part of a continuation of God revealing who He is. Knowing the name of God would be for Moses both a comfort and a credential in his dealing with the Israelites, and for the Israelites in turn it would become a first means of designating true faith and worship.

But don’t be too hard on Moses for protesting, because at this point in history all the world believed in many gods. Civilization believed that all nature took part to some degree of divinity, and that all religions had at least some validity no matter how many or what sort of gods or goddesses those religions worshiped. So, Moses wondered “Which God am I speaking to?” You see, “the God of your fathers” undoubtedly would have different meanings to different Israelites. But most importantly of all, was the assumption in the culture in which Moses lived, to call on a god — that is, to pray to and worship god — involved calling on his name, specifically naming him in prayer and worship.

So, when God reveals that His name is Yahweh, people already knew that name (see Gen. 4:26, and Noah, Gen. 9:26; Abraham, Gen. 12:8; Isaac, Gen. 26:25; Jacob, Gen. 28:16; Laban, and Gen. 30:27). But here’s the deal;: Yahweh was a name not used by any of the children of Jacob. Moses and Jacob’s family did not have knowledge of the true God, and so the practice of praying to Yahweh and worshiping Yahweh was just not yet in place. So when God revealed His true name to Moses, the name should be understood as referring to Yahweh being the creator and sustainer of all that exists and thus the Lord of both creation and history, all that is and all that is happening — a God active and present in historical affairs. And when God authorizes Moses to say, “I AM, or I AM WHO CAUSES ALL TO BE” has sent me to you,” God made Moses God’s ambassador, God’s representative, that is, God’s prophet, assigned to speak on His behalf to the Israelites.

This is huge! We now know who God is and what His name is, and we now know the nature of God.

So, dear friends, if you and I know who God is and what the nature of God is, it is beholding of us to follow God all the days and hours of our lives. Today, then, let us bring this truth to our prayer. And may God bring a blessing on all who hear this truth and follow Christ!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.