Divine Self-Identification in Exodus Dialogue
Divine Self-Identification in Exodus Dialogue
The divine self-identification in Exodus occurs primarily in two passages: Exodus 3:14 and Exodus 6:2-3. In Exodus 3:14, God reveals his name to Moses as "I Am Who I Am" (אהיה אשר אהיה), a phrase that has been the subject of extensive theological interpretation [2].
This name signifies God's self-existence, eternity, and immutability. According to John Gill, it denotes "the real being of God, his self-existence, and that he is the Being of beings" [6]. The Tyndale House commentary on Exodus 3:14 interprets this name as speaking of a God who is "self-sufficient, self-existent, all encompassing, and without limitations, the one being in the universe who is not dependent on something else for his existence" [2].
The use of "I Am" (אהיה) in Exodus 3:14 is also linked to other biblical references where Jesus identifies himself using the same phrase. In John 18:5, Jesus says "I Am he" (ἐγώ εἰμι), which is seen as an identification with the divine name revealed to Moses [3]. This connection underscores the significance of the Exodus passage in understanding Jesus' self-identification in the New Testament.
In Exodus 6:2-3, God further identifies himself to Moses as "I am the Lord" (יהוה), or Jehovah, emphasizing his role as the covenant God of Israel. John Gill interprets this as referring to "the self-existent Being, the Being of beings, the everlasting I am, the unchangeable Jehovah, true, firm, and constant to his promises" [4]. This identification is crucial for understanding God's relationship with Israel and his faithfulness to his covenant promises.
The significance of God's self-identification in Exodus is also highlighted in other biblical contexts. For instance, in Deuteronomy 32:39, Moses says, "See now that I myself am he. There is no god with me. I kill and I make alive. I wound and I heal. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand" [1]. This passage reinforces the idea of God's uniqueness and sovereignty.
The interpretation of God's name in Exodus has been influenced by various theological traditions. The Reformed tradition, represented by commentators like John Gill, emphasizes the self-existence and immutability of God [4, 6]. Lutheran interpreters, such as Keil & Delitzsch, focus on the practical implications of God's self-identification for the Israelites, highlighting his role as their deliverer and covenant God [5].
The divine self-identification in Exodus has far-reaching implications for understanding God's nature and his relationship with humanity. It underscores his uniqueness, sovereignty, and faithfulness, themes that are developed throughout the biblical narrative.
The use of "I Am" language in the New Testament, particularly in relation to Jesus, further expands the significance of the Exodus passage. It suggests a continuity between the Old and New Testaments in understanding God's identity and Jesus' divinity [3].
Sources
- Deuteronomy ““See now that I myself am he. There is no god with me. I kill and I make alive. I wound and I heal. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand. -- Deuteronomy 32:39”
- Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 3:14: 3:14 I Am Who I Am: This name speaks of a God who is self-sufficient, self-existent, all encompassing, and without limitations, the one being in the universe who is not dependent on something else for his existence.”
- John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 18:5: 18:5 I Am he (literally I am): Jesus identified himself by the divine name God had revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai (see Exod 3:14; see also John 4:26; 8:24, 58).”
- Exodus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Exodus 6:2: And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord. Or Jehovah, the self-existent Being, the Being of beings, the everlasting I am, the unchangeable Jehovah, true, firm, and constant to his promises, ever to be believed, and always to be depended on. And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord. Or Jehovah, the self-existent Being, the Being of beings, the everlasting I am, the unchangeable Jehovah, true, firm, and constant to his promises, ever to be believed, and always to be depended on. Exodus 6:3 exo 6:3 exo 6:3 exo 6:3And I appeared unto ”
- Exodus (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Exodus 20:2: The Ten Words commenced with a declaration of Jehovah concerning Himself, which served as a practical basis for the obligation on the part of the people to keep the commandments: "I am Jehovah thy God, who brought thee," etc. By bringing them out of Egypt, the house of bondage, Jehovah had proved to the Israelites that He was their God. This glorious act, to which Israel owed its existence as an independent nation, was peculiarly fitted, as a distinct and practical manifestation of unmerited divine love, to kindle in the hearts of the people the warmest love in”
- Exodus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Exodus 3:14: And God said unto Moses, I am that I am,.... This signifies the real being of God, his self-existence, and that he is the Being of beings; as also it denotes his eternity and immutability, and his constancy and faithfulness in fulfilling his promises, for it includes all time, past, present, and to come; and the sense is, not only I am what I am at present, but I am what I have been, and I am what I shall be, and shall be what I am. The Platonists and Pythagoreans seem to have borrowed their from hence, which expresses with them the eternal and invariable Being; and s”