God Reveals his Name of Yahweh to Moses

God reveals His purpose and name to Moses (Exodus 3)

Exodus 3 commences with the impressive miracle that caused Moses to turn aside to look at the burning flame in the midst of a bush, which was amazingly not being consumed (v1–6). It was “the angel of the LORD” (v2) that spoke with Moses, yet this angel is spoken of as “the LORD” (v4), and he further declares: “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (v6). From this we see that throughout the Bible the angels, who are the messengers of God, speak as if they are God Himself because they represent Him, speaking with His authority and executing miracles with the power He has given them (Psalm 103:20–21; 104:4; Hebrews 1:14).

Thus, although we read that “the LORD”, or God, was to go with Moses to deliver Israel, we now realise that it was an angel sent by God to do this work (Acts 7:30–35; Exodus 3:7–10). The angels are His servants who perform His will (Psalm 103:20–21). Since “no man hath seen, nor can see” God (1 Timothy 6:16) the angels represent or manifest Him to man.

We see this same principle in the life and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, for he came to reveal the character and work of God to man. In fact he was given the title “Emmanuel”, which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Though Son of God he denied that he was God, but rather showed that he was doing the will and work of God (cp John 5:19,30,43). When Philip asked Jesus, “Shew us the Father”, Jesus answered, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?” (John 14:8–9). Jesus told Philip that as he was doing the works of God and speaking the words of God he was therefore manifesting God to them.

As the angels manifested God to those to whom they revealed themselves, so Jesus did likewise. Jesus could say, “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me” (John 17:6). He could also say, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30), for they were one in character and purpose, though separate as individual beings.

Yahweh—the name of God

Moses listened as the angel explained that God intended to deliver Israel from bondage in Egypt. God had chosen Moses to perform this work on His behalf with the help of the angels (Exodus 3:7–12). Moses was a very meek man (Numbers 12:3) and felt inadequate for this great task. He realised that the Israelites would ask, “What is His name?” (v13). Israel had become accustomed to the names of the many gods of Egypt whose names were associated with the work they were supposed to do and their position. Moses knew they would therefore ask the name of the God who was to deliver them.

The answer given was a most instructive reply—a reply that summarises in one word the purpose of God with mankind. That word is the name of the living God—“Yahweh”.

Verse 14 “I am that I am” The Hebrew is Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh. Though these words have been translated “I am that I am”, the verb ehyeh is actually in the future tense and therefore should be rendered “I will be”, as it is in verse 12.

So the phrase reads “I will be who I will be” and actually expresses God’s purpose in a very simple manner: “I [God] will be [or, will become] who I will be [or, will become]”.

God plans to be manifested not just in angels, but in men and women. God is the Father of a family “in heaven and earth” who bear His name (Ephesians 3:14–15). We have seen that God reveals Himself in the angels, who speak and act on His behalf.

He has also revealed Himself in His Son, Jesus Christ, who perfectly reflected the character (or moral glory) of God for all men to see (John 1:14). He did everything his Father asked him to do, even obeying His will in the way he died, and so provided the means by which men’s sins could be forgiven and they could be reconciled to God.

This work of gathering together in one (Ephesians 1:10) all who believe in Him through His Son is clearly expressed in the following words of Jesus:

“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” (John 17:20–23)

God’s purpose is to unite together “in one” with Himself all those who strive to develop His glorious character, first by learning to think like Him and then by a way of life consistent with God’s ways. Therefore such expressions as Acts 15:14—“God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name”—speak of God’s purpose to gather people to Himself that they might not only reflect His character in their lives now, but ultimately share His glorious immortal nature in the future (2 Peter 1:4).

God’s purpose—“as truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with my glory” (Numbers 14:21)—will then be fulfilled when the earth is populated only with the immortal faithful followers of God and Jesus Christ.

Yahweh—“He Who Will Be”

God said of Himself, “I will be who I will be”, which in Hebrew is Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh (Exodus 3:14). However when Moses spoke to the people about God he said, “He will be”, which in the Hebrew is Yahweh. Yahweh then is the Name that God has chosen for Himself to memorialise His purpose (Hosea 12:5). This Hebrew word Yahweh is printed in most Bibles in the following way—LORD, or GOD. The translators have in this way endeavoured to indicate when this Hebrew word occurs.

God takes pleasure in those who esteem His Name and the glorious purpose and character enshrined in it, and promises to reward them in the day when His glory is seen in the earth (Malachi 3:16–17).

Adapted from “The Exploring the Bible Course” by David Evans