Exodus 3:13,14 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am.c This is what you are to say: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”
As time passed through the bible, the people learned more about God. He tells them His name hundreds of years after they began to serve Him. There is plenty more that they will learn. Jesus was the embodiment of God. The New Testament writers gave insights to close God’s description and His plan. Those after that had the full revelation of God. Thus had an advantage. However, even then we have ignorance. It took over a thousand years for the bible to be translated into the common language. Then comes the Reformation.
We as individuals learn more about God over the course of our lives. We learn more as we have good teaching and apply it to our lives. We get our understanding of grace and mercy based on how we experienced it by our family and friends. If we were in a harsh setting, then our view of God will be similar. While all that there is to be known is out there, it’s not always in our minds and hearts. We must have small lessons of grace to act as brick upon brick.
The Egyptians were a pantheistic culture. They had names and statues for their gods. Somehow the Hebrews felt insecure with their lack of knowledge of God. Which is probably why Moses ased the question. He gives them the most magnificent answer, I am who I am. Back in that time, people were named for an experience or their temperament. Some of the names were very accurate. However, while God’s nature doesn’t change, His vast self is perfectly sufficient for our needs. We were created to know him. Just as an flashlight needs a particular battery, so He is a perfect fit. Our needs are continually being highlighted. So, He meets every one. We don’t know which need will arise next. However, He does and He is perfectly capable to meet it. Thank You, Lord, that You are enough.
We as individuals learn more about God over the course of our lives. We learn more as we have good teaching and apply it to our lives. We get our understanding of grace and mercy based on how we experienced it by our family and friends. If we were in a harsh setting, then our view of God will be similar. While all that there is to be known is out there, it’s not always in our minds and hearts. We must have small lessons of grace to act as brick upon brick.
The Egyptians were a pantheistic culture. They had names and statues for their gods. Somehow the Hebrews felt insecure with their lack of knowledge of God. Which is probably why Moses ased the question. He gives them the most magnificent answer, I am who I am. Back in that time, people were named for an experience or their temperament. Some of the names were very accurate. However, while God’s nature doesn’t change, His vast self is perfectly sufficient for our needs. We were created to know him. Just as an flashlight needs a particular battery, so He is a perfect fit. Our needs are continually being highlighted. So, He meets every one. We don’t know which need will arise next. However, He does and He is perfectly capable to meet it. Thank You, Lord, that You are enough.