Growing in the Knowledge of God: Exploring the Eternal "I Am"
In the bustling narrative of the Gospels, there's a pivotal moment where Jesus, surrounded by His disciples, poses a timeless question: "Who do you say I am?" (Matthew 16:13-16 and also in Matthew 16:13-16, Mark 8:27-29, and Luke 9:18-20). This question, echoing through the passages of Scripture, invites us to delve into the depths of God's character and nature. As we embark on this journey of discovery, let's draw inspiration from the encounter between Moses and God, a profound revelation of God's identity.
As we were teaching our four-year-old son, Vihaan, from the story of Moses and the burning bush, when asked who this God is, he responded innocently, saying, “he is a fire god”. As I asked him further, “Why do you think so?” He replied, saying he is a fire god because he spoke through fire and helped them through the pillars of fire. Then I asked him what about God helping people by pillars of the cloud. He replied, “Then he must be a cloud god.”
This made me ponder that many of us are like a child who diminish God’s character to one small element of what He is or can do for us. And like every Child, we all need to grow in the maturity of knowing reality beyond what we can see or observe.
The narrative unfolds in Exodus 3 (Ex. 3:1-15), where Moses, a humble shepherd, encounters a bush engulfed in flames yet not consumed. In this moment, God reveals His presence and initiates a conversation with Moses. Through this encounter, we unearth profound truth about the nature of God, the truth that echoes through the ages and find their fulfilment in Jesus Christ.
A. The Active Presence of God (vv.1-10)
In the midst of the ordinary, God's extraordinary presence is unveiled. As Moses tends to his flock, God manifests Himself in the flames of the burning bush. This theophany, a divine manifestation, highlights God's active involvement in His creation. The action verbs in V7., seen, heard and come down, show how active He is. Our God is not the watchmaker god, who creates and leaves it to run on its own (You might have heard of the term deism, a god who does not intervene in the universe after creating it ). But he is also an active participant in the creation. Later in chapter 40, God would ask Moses to build the Tabernacle, called “the tent of meeting,” which would first set up one year to the day from when Israel came out of Egypt (Exod. 40:2), and it continued even to the temple. He not only sees and hears the cries of His people but also intervenes to rescue them from oppression.
Let’s not forget Jesus, who tabernacled among us to save us. God who has seen, heard and has come down to save us. The only visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). Isaiah 7: 14, Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Which means God is with us. God, who has tabernacled among us. The very meaning of Jesus (Yeshua), is often understood as “He saves us” or “ The Lord Is Salvation”.
This active engagement with His creation contrasts sharply with the notion of a distant, uninvolved deity. God's presence permeates every aspect of our lives, inviting us to recognize His handiwork in the mundane. From the burning bush to the incarnation of Jesus Christ, God continues to reveal Himself as intimately involved in the affairs of humanity.
B. The Eternal "I Am" (vv. 13-15)
In response to Moses' inquiry about His name, God declares, "YHWH - I am who I am" (Exodus 3:14). This profound statement encapsulates God's eternal nature, transcending time and space. He is not bound by the constraints of creation but exists outside of it as the eternal "I Am."
I found it fascinating how Moses approached God to know Him more intimately without offending Him. He could have been satisfied with God's introduction, saying, “I am the Lord, the God of your fathers –“But he wanted more. He wanted to know who this God is. They were introduced to so many gods during their time of slavery, and every god had their own dominion. Their names will ascertain that fact and give confidence among the devotees. In that context, Moses is approaching God, asking not what He can do but who He is. Even though it may appear to be a philosophical question in a given context, this was more of a theological question. As a matter of fact, God wanted to set theology right even before He would take them out of Egypt.
The name which God reveals to Moses, YHWH, can be translated ‘I am who I am’ or ‘I will be what I will be’ (Exod. 3:14), and this name highlights God’s refusal ‘to put himself at the disposal of humanity or to allow humanity to comprehend him’. And God confronts righteous Job with the question: ‘Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?’ (Job 38:2). To Isaiah, God declares: ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’ (Isa. 55:8-9). In the New Testament, Jesus is depicted as consistently challenging Israel’s assumptions about the will of God and the nature of God’s kingdom, while Paul contrasts the ‘wisdom’ of human beings with the ‘foolishness’ of a God who allowed his Son to be executed on a cross (1 Cor.1:18-25).
This declaration echoes throughout Scripture, finding its fulfilment in Jesus Christ. Jesus, in declaring, "Before Abraham was, I am," reaffirms His eternal existence and divine nature (John 8:58). From the burning bush to the incarnation, God's identity as the eternal "I Am" remains unchanged, offering reassurance and hope to His people.
Growing in the Knowledge of God: Final Thoughts
Just as Moses sought to understand the nature of God, we too are called to deepen our knowledge of Him. It's easy to diminish God to mere manifestations or attributes, but true understanding comes from knowing Him intimately. Like a child discovering the complexities of the world, we are invited to explore the depths of God's character and nature.
Think of Peter's confession when Jesus posed the question to His disciples. Peter's declaration, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," encapsulates the essence of recognizing Jesus as the ultimate "I Am." As we answer Jesus' question, "Who do you say I am?" may our hearts resound with the confession that Peter declared. Let our lives reflect this truth as we walk with the confidence that comes from knowing the One who declared, "I am who I am."
In conclusion, let us not be content with superficial knowledge but strive to grow in the knowledge of God. Just as Moses' encounter with God in the burning bush revealed profound truths about God's character, may our journey of discovery lead us to a deeper understanding of the eternal "I Am.”