Who?

I AM the one who knows you,

I AM the one who cares, I AM the one who's always been there.

I AM the one who's helped you, and if you think that I just don't give a d--n,

then you just you don't know who I AM.

"I Am the One", Next to Normal (with emphasis)

What's in a name? Cliche' as it may be, a single person's name holds a lot of significance. Names separate the Zacks from the Garys and the Beckys from the Suzies. With names also comes connotations, which help us remember that Zack is a jerk compared to Gary and Becky is sexier than Suzie. When it came to the Ancient Egyptian gods from around Moses' day, the names allowed the Egyptians to worship the right gods, such as Ra, the sun god, and Isis, goddess of divine protection. The pharoh's own name was hallowed, as the land's pharoh was worshipped on pretty much the same plane as the gods themselves.

As for the Hebrew god, the god of Christianity as well, He too goes by many names. Adonai, King of Kings, Rose of Sharon, Jehovah, Emmanuel, the list goes on and on. Most common among the Hebrew is Yahweh, while most common among Christians is simply God.

Of course, why am I telling you all this? You should know this already.

My point I'm trying to make is simply to reflect on what we discussed in class today about what the Hebrew god chooses to refer to Himself whe He meets Moses, and what the Hebrews should call Him. It is not a name like Gary or Becky or Ra or even God. In Exodus 3:14 He calls Himself "I AM who I AM." Other translations say "I AM to be", "I AM who I AM and I AM who I will be," or "I AM Be." This was one of my favorite scriptures before we even mentioned this in class because this revelation of the Almighty's name is so incredibly powerful. As these other translations suggest, God is the same as He was then, the same as He is now, and the same as He will be. He will always be in existence, and He is a being that cannot be denied. This name glorifies the almightiness and omniprescence of God, something that was very important for Moses to understand.

Another excellent point about the "name above all names" is that it defies human naming logic. It is not what we consider a name, but a description. This shows how God is above all things and all human understanding or rational. The name also suggests that, unlike the Hebrew gods who were limited to one specific area of divine expertice, Yahweh is capable of all things throughout time. Looking through Moses' perspective, I AM is clearly on a great mission and seeks to prove that He cannot be stopped in His goal. Again, as we all know, I AM does accomplish His mission with flying colors, and it all starts by telling Moses His name.

What's in a name? If you're God, it means everything. Literally. Please feel free to comment as you wish.

BTW, I commented on Anna Rhode's post, Thinking of Things I Am Thankful For.