Who is the I AM?

Introduction

Antiochus IV, the king of the vast Seleucid empire, was at the height of his military campaign.

Invading Egypt and standing outside the gates of Alexandria. Massive army at his back.

Rome wanted to stop this, so they send a single, elderly ambassador: Popillus Laenas.

Popillus didn’t bring a legion; he brought a small wooden staff and a letter from the Roman Senate.

King reached out his hand, Popillus ignored the hand and delivered the letter.

Antiochus, “I will discuss this with my advisors and give you an answer later.”

Popillus didn’t argue, he didn’t shout. He simply took his wooden staff and drew a circle in the sand.

“Before you step out of this circle, give me a reply that I can take back to the Senate.”

This wasn’t just an old man with a stick, he was the embodiment of the Roman Empire.

The king looked at the circle then looked at Popillus and replied, “I will do as the Senate decrees.”

Then Popillius reached out and shook the king’s hand.

When we think about Moses, we see someone who needed the authority of a greater power.

Without this greater power, neither he nor Israel would ever be free from the oppression of Egypt.

The LORD Remembers

Exodus 2:23-25

One of my favorite phrases throughout the OT.

Sometimes, people hear this and think that God forgot.

“Invoke, swear” especially in a religious ceremony.

Genesis 8:1 ESV

But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided.

God turns the tide during the flood.

Genesis 19:29 ESV

So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.

God acts based upon relationship, not Lot’s righteousness.

Genesis 30:22 ESV

Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.

God’s compassion.

God remembered is always followed by God acted.

God remembers and God acts.

You may feel very distant from God, but knows that His covenant of salvation means He remembers.

Facing difficulties? Medical, family, financial.

Are you calling out to Him? Trusting Him?

God remembers. God acts.

The LORD Is

Exodus 3:13-15

God acts. He shows up and shows up big.

Identity (v. 13)

Reveals Himself from the burning bush.

“I know their sufferings” (v. 7) (ZCR).

But Moses didn’t have a relationship with God.

An unknown voice coming out of a phenomenal sight.

Moses had heard stories but didn’t know God.

Moses as author of Torah. Stories passed down.

Brings up the question Moses has.

Who am I (v. 11)? and then who are you (v. 13)?

Name is more than just identity. Nature.

What kind of God is sending me to do all this?

Maybe you’ve got questions about God.

Growing up in church and knowing the stories.

Hebrews 1:1–2 ESV

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

You can know God.

Know means to experience.

Exodus 2:25 ESV

God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.

Be known by God and know God.

Independent (v. 14)

First, notice that God welcomes the question.

Then how God answers it.

The verb of being with a prefix making it imperfect.

Difference between a photograph and a movie.

It is ongoing and never ending.

God is still acting and will always be.

God will always be.

God will always be God.

And this God gives to you out of His independence and resource.

Integrated (v. 15)

Even though God is independent, He chooses to integrate Himself with is people.

From generations before and for generations to come.

His “name forever” meaning His nature / character is unchanging.

A God who rescues and restored then is the same for you today.

God offers rescue and restoration.

The benefit for us, we can read the whole story.

The promises of deliverance that continue in chapter 3, we can go through the rest and read.

God is faithful!

The LORD Saves

Exodus 3:20

God will do amazing works!

We know about the ten plagues.

We know about the crossing of the Red Sea.

We know about the pillar of cloud and of fire.

We know about the voice meeting Moses when God gave the Law.

This is what the I Am did.

The LORD saves. Ya-shua. Joshua. Jesus.

God sent Jesus to save.

God sent Jesus to save you.

The God who spoke out of the bush stepped into the world.

Instead of striking Egypt, God struck down sin.

Instead of rescuing slaves from Egypt, he rescues sinners from hell.

What a glorious promise!

Conclusion

Spending time with my siblings.

Monopoly. 1:16 in the Community chest and in Chance.

You can hold onto that for whenever your ready, just to enter the game.

Too many view the Christian faith as that card. “Get out of Hell.”

But the Christian faith is so much more:

Called into a relationship.

Land = Covenant = Relationship

God has called you into freedom and into a relationship.

God has remembered you, He has taken action.

Now will you remember Him? And take that action of receiving?