BS-24 ‘I AM that I AM’
‘God is self-existent and eternal’
With no beginning; no end.
Introduction: The first place I remember seeing the ‘I AM’ words is in Exodus 3:13-14. Moses was on a mountain; he has been told to go to Egypt and bring the Sons of Israel to the Promised Land; he asked God, “Who will I tell them is sending me.” God replied to Moses, “I AM who I AM”; then he said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.”
God is one-of-a-kind; nothing or no one can compare to him. YHWH was the name in Hebrew, which did not have vowels. It was a sacred name and the people did not pronounce it out loud. Somehow vowels were added to come up with Yahweh to get around a technicality. God also had a Devine name of Adonai. In our English; we use the word Lord. Note – Only God is Devine; no one else..!!
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Question-1: What is God’s name in Isaiah 42:8?
NASB – “I am the Lord; that is my name. I will not give my glory to another, nor MY praise to graven images”. [Lord is the translation in English from the original which was YHWH.]
Question-2: In Ezekiel 36:23; who is speaking?
“…I will vindicate the holiness of my great name which has been profaned among the nations….Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the Lord God. [YHWH is speaking]
Question-3: In the NT; what does Jesus comment about himself? – Mark 14:62
Jesus said, “I AM; and you shall see ‘the Son of Man’ sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven” [Who was questioning Jesus when he responded?] it was [Religious leaders]
Question-4: When Jesus was at the well talking to the woman she commented, “I know the Messiah is coming and HE will declare all things to us.” How did Jesus respond to her? John 4:26 NASB
Jesus said, “I who speak to you am HE.” [Who is HE?] [HE is the great I AM]
Question-5: Who was called the ‘Bread of Life’ and why? John 6:35
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me will not hunger; and he who trust in me will never thirst.” [The people were thinking physical Bread; Jesus meant Spiritual, which leads to eternal]
Question-6: The ‘Light of the World’ is describing who? John 7:12
Jesus spoke saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows ME will not walk in darkness; but have the Light of life.”
[Jesus as Messiah was to be a light for the Jewish people] [Then is verses 8:15-18 Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees; what does he say?]
Verse 18. “I am HE who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent ME testifies about ME.
Question-7: What does the Way, the Truth, and the Life mean? John 14:6
Who was the Way? [Jesus] What about, “I am the Way – Truth – Life”: What does it mean? [Jesus is the only Way to God, HE is the Truth of God, and HE represents the Life of God, which is eternal]
Question-8: Who in scripture is called the Alpha and Omega? Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
[Christ is the supreme, sovereign alphabet’. Jesus covers everything from beginning to the end]
Conclusion: There are several more ‘I am’ quotes in scripture, which can be looked at and talked about. When I am is the term studied; it is talking about ‘the Lord’ or it could also be referencing ‘YHWH’ in the Hebrew. Either way, HE is the Almighty, Omnipotent one, who we should give our reverence, praise, and respect too.
DG
Scripture
Exodus 3:13-14. Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”