I AM WHO I AM!

"Then Moses said to God, 'Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, "The God of your fathers has sent me to you," and they say to me, "What is His name?" what shall I say to them?' And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And He said, 'Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you." ' " (1)

Who is this I AM? "Moreover God said to Moses, 'Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: "The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations." ' " (2)

Jesus was in conversation with some Pharisees one day. You will find the discourse in John 8. The Pharisees were being very rough on Him. Finally, one of them said, "Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?"

"Jesus answered, 'If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, 'I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you: but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.'

"Then the Jews said to Him, 'You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?'

"Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.'

"Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by." (3)

Jesus made the same statement to the Pharisees that day that he had made to Moses some 2000 years earlier when He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you.' " And they took up stones to stone Him. They did not recognized the promised Messiah.

Paul testifies of Jesus, "Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ." (4)

Jesus is "The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob… This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations." (2) "I AM WHO I AM".

Do we recognize Jesus for who He is today? "Who do you say that I am?" (5)

1. Exodus 3:13-14.
2. Exodus 3:15.
3. John 8:53-59.
4. 1 Corinthians 10:1-4.
5. Matthew 16:15.