Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro: Moses was hesitant to return to Egypt to lead the people of Israel to freedom and asked God what he should say when they ask the name of the God who sent him to lead them – – God’s answer is a vital aspect of His nature, I AM.

I) Commands recognition

A) There are a number of terms used to describe the divine creator, using an adjective with el­, the Hebrew term for “God”, such as El-Shaddai, El-Elyon, El-Berith

B) Yet God wants His people to know His name, used 6823 times in OT

C) The four Hebrew letters – YHWH – are derived from the Hebrew verb, to be, and the name of God literally describes an eternal existence, using a concept that we can barely begin to understand

D) Solomon built the temple as a place for His Name –

E) It is a permanent name, it is as forever as God’s existence

F) It is to be used, which is quite ironic that the Jews stopped using the name – – and we no longer know the proper pronunciation since we do not know which vowels to include with the consonants – Jehovah, or Yahweh being most common modern usages

G) Are we afraid to use the name of God; would we say, “Hallelujah”, if we knew that it includes this name of God; do we truly understand our relationship with Jehovah in Him giving His name?

II) Compelling revelation

A) God always is – – no mortal man can speak or make war against God and have any hope of success

1- God is eternally recognizable – – invisible attributes are clearly seen

2- God is eternally of great comfort – ; ;

B) God never changes – – He was not known as an eternal I AM to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because He did not fulfill His covenant with them until Moses – – our promise is fulfilled, even as we wait for the revealing

C) Do we worship the God who was, or who will be, but not the God who is?

III) Comforting realizations

A) Where does He not reign?

– – Egypt?

B) Who will frustrate His purposes?

– – Pharaoh?

C) What need can He not meet?

– – slavery?

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Concl: What does it mean to “take God’s name in vain”?

– – perhaps it includes the idea of foul language with God’s name, but more likely it is a lack of trust in the name.