What really stood out to me in the reading and discussion
was Exodus 3:15 “I am who I am.” Moses was so reluctant to go before Pharaoh; he
was grasping for any excuse not to go. So why did God answer the way he did? We
tossed around several thoughts about the reason for God’s answer, “Ehyeh asher
ehyeh.” Yes, God is bigger than a simple human definition, and words cannot
encompass his vastness. A mere name would be an attempt to contain or define
him, which is fruitless. But maybe God answered the way he did because he knew
what a problem Moses had with trusting him. Moses had already come up with all
these excuses about why he was the wrong guy for the job, but God was trying to
get him to understand that it was never about his ability at all. God made his
mouth, God knew his shortcomings, yet God chose him. God had already revealed
himself in a burning bush. His power was evident and he was making a point by
saying, “I am.” Moses wanted a name from God that would prove that God could do
all he said he would. He wanted something to hold onto, something clear to say
to people to prove that God was really big enough to do all of this. What Moses
didn’t understand—what I find so intriguing—is that the very ambiguity of “I am”
holds the promise and confirmation of everything Moses was looking for. No it’s
not clear and it’s not a name to cling to; it’s a statement of power and
sovereignty that highlights our limited understanding of the holy. After God
said, “I am who I am,” he also said for Moses to tell them “The Lord, the God of
your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob has appeared to me...”
He was restating his previously known name, emphasizing his faithfulness and
his power by the combination of the two. “I AM has sent me to you” means He WAS
faithful, He IS present, and He WILL be, forever. It’s the direct reversal of
verse 11, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of
Israel out of Egypt?” God is saying, it’s not about who YOU are… it’s about who
I AM.
P.S. commented on Tinsley’s “A darkness which may be felt.”
I really enjoyed your post. The line that really stuck out to me was the last one. I think this hits it exactly, at least for me. God is trying to prove to Moses that he will provided for him. Moses doesn't think he can speak to the people, but in some ways I think he may have been so caught up in trying to get out of it that he forgot that God is Almighty and would provide everything for him.
ReplyDeleteThis statement by God really stood out to me too. For me, it was almost like God was discouraging Moses from even trying to comprehend who He is. It was like He was telling Moses that all he needed to know is that He is God, the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This statement really is an almost ironic testament to who God is. We know the character traits of God that we see in the bible and that we experience, but we still know that He is infinitely more than all we could ever know. The more we attempt to comprehend Him, the more we realize that our human minds are hopelessly inadequate to grasp Him.
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