CHAPTER 2
THE SACRED NAME: YHWH ("I AM")
Theme Verse
"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."
— Exodus 3:14 (KJV)
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Chapter Overview
Few moments in Scripture are as awe-inspiring as Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush. There, on ordinary ground made holy by God's presence, Moses received not only his calling, but one of the greatest revelations of God's character ever recorded.
When Moses asked whom he should tell Israel had sent him, God answered with words unlike any ever spoken:
"I AM THAT I AM."
This divine name reveals God's eternal existence, His self-sufficiency, His unchanging nature, and His absolute authority over all creation. It reminds us that God depends upon nothing outside Himself. He has no beginning, no ending, no creator, and no equal.
Throughout this chapter we will explore the meaning of the sacred name YHWH, why Israel treated it with such reverence, how it reveals God's character, and how Jesus Christ later identified Himself using the very same declaration.
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The Setting: A Shepherd in the Wilderness
Nearly forty years had passed since Moses fled Egypt.
Once raised as a prince in Pharaoh's palace, he now lived the quiet life of a shepherd in Midian. Humanly speaking, Moses' greatest opportunities appeared to be behind him.
Yet God often prepares His servants in obscurity before calling them into public service.
One ordinary day, while tending sheep near Mount Horeb, Moses noticed something extraordinary.
"The angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush..."
— Exodus 3:2 (KJV)
The bush burned.
Yet it was not consumed.
Curious, Moses drew near.
Then God called his name.
"Moses, Moses."
The Lord instructed him,
"Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground."
— Exodus 3:5 (KJV)
Nothing about the desert soil itself was holy.
It became holy because God was present.
The holiness belonged to Him.
Before revealing His name, God first revealed His holiness.
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The Question That Changed History
God commissioned Moses to return to Egypt and deliver Israel from slavery.
Moses immediately understood the obvious question the Israelites would ask.
Who sent you?
Moses replied,
"Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?"
— Exodus 3:13 (KJV)
This was not idle curiosity.
In Egypt, countless gods possessed countless names.
Israel needed to know which God had spoken.
God's answer became one of the most profound declarations in all of Scripture.
"I AM THAT I AM."
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"I AM THAT I AM"
The Hebrew expression behind this statement communicates the idea of absolute existence.
God simply is.
He does not become.
He does not evolve.
He does not depend upon anyone or anything.
Every created thing owes its existence to something else.
Trees grow from seeds.
Mountains were formed.
Stars were created.
People are born.
Everything in creation has a beginning.
God alone does not.
He has always existed.
He will always exist.
No one made Him.
No one sustains Him.
No one can diminish Him.
His existence depends upon no one but Himself.
This is why Scripture repeatedly describes Him as eternal.
"Before the mountains were brought forth... even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."
— Psalm 90:2 (KJV)
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The Name YHWH
Immediately after declaring "I AM THAT I AM," God continued,
"Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers... hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations."
— Exodus 3:15 (KJV)
In Hebrew, this covenant name is represented by four consonants:
YHWH
These four letters are often called the Tetragrammaton, meaning "four letters."
Because ancient Hebrew originally recorded only consonants, the original pronunciation has not been preserved with certainty.
Many English Bibles translate this sacred name simply as:
LORD
Notice that when LORD appears in capital letters in many English translations, it usually represents the divine covenant name YHWH rather than the ordinary word "Lord."
This distinguishes God's covenant name from titles such as Lord, Master, or King.
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Why Israel Revered This Name
As centuries passed, the Jewish people developed such profound reverence for God's name that many avoided pronouncing it aloud altogether.
Instead, when reading Scripture, they often substituted titles such as "Adonai" (Lord).
Their motivation was rooted in a desire to obey the commandment,
"Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain."
— Exodus 20:7 (KJV)
While Scripture never commands believers to avoid speaking God's name entirely, Israel's reverence reminds us that God's name is never to be treated casually.
His name represents His character.
To dishonor His name is to dishonor Him.
To trust His name is to trust Him.
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe."
— Proverbs 18:10 (KJV)
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Jesus and the Great "I AM"
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this study is found in the New Testament.
On several occasions Jesus used language that intentionally echoed God's words to Moses.
The clearest example appears in John 8.
Speaking to religious leaders, Jesus declared,
"Before Abraham was, I am."
— John 8:58 (KJV)
Notice what He did not say.
He did not say,
"Before Abraham was, I was."
He said,
"I AM."
His audience immediately understood His meaning.
The next verse tells us they picked up stones to stone Him because they recognized that Jesus was identifying Himself with the eternal God revealed at the burning bush.
Jesus was not claiming merely to be older than Abraham.
He was claiming eternal existence.
The same God who spoke to Moses now stood before them in human flesh.
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What This Name Means for Believers
The name YHWH reminds us that God's faithfulness never depends upon changing circumstances.
Empires rise and fall.
Generations come and go.
Cultures change.
Our lives change.
But God does not.
He remains exactly who He has always been.
The God who called Abraham is still faithful.
The God who delivered Israel still keeps His promises.
The God who sustained David still shepherds His people.
The God who revealed Himself to Moses still invites us to know Him today.
Because He is the great I AM, we can trust Him completely.
His promises never expire.
His power never diminishes.
His wisdom never fails.
His love never ends.
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Reflection
• How does God's eternal nature strengthen my confidence during uncertain times?
• In what ways have I forgotten that God never changes?
• What does it mean to trust the great I AM today?
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Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for revealing Yourself as the great I AM. Thank You that You are eternal, unchanging, and completely faithful. While everything around me changes, You remain the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Teach me to trust Your character more than my circumstances. Help me to honor Your holy name, to walk in reverence before You, and to find peace in knowing that the God who called Moses is the very same God who watches over me today.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
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Looking Ahead
In the next chapter we will journey back to the opening words of Genesis to discover the name Elohim. There we will see God's limitless power displayed in creation itself and learn why the very first name used for God in Scripture establishes Him as the sovereign Creator and ruler over all things.