".....I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob......" Ex.3:6
I have often wondered at this introduction of Himself that God offered Moses at the "Burning Bush". Why didn't God say," I am God, period"? Why did He link his identity with that of personalities, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ? Was this God's way of helping Moses' mind to conceive Him by personalities it could realate with? A very personal God.
Reading further down the same chapter, in verse 11, "....and Moses said unto God, who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh....." this suggests that Moses realized that it was futile to volunteer an introduction of himself before his maker. He'd ratherask his Creator who he is( and, of course, the purpose for which he was made). He , in that statement, asked God to introduce "Moses" to Moses. He was first an Egyptian prince, an Israelite slave, a murderer, a fugitive and now a shepherd. His true identity had eluded him for years.
Now if Moses was convinced by Gods way of using personalities to introduce Himself, certainly some people will be interested in knowing Gods own name because they may not be able to relate with the times of those personalities mentioned.
"And God said to Moses. I AM THAT I AM: this shall thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you" Ex.3:15
I AM. A most appropriate name for a God who is everything. If He said I AM your healer, then he couldn't be your peace. If He said I AM the God of iron then he couldn't also be the God of wood.I AM your joy will disqualify Him as your sufficiency. So, He called Himself I AM giving us the chance to fill in the blank. You could call this a blank cheque.
Some people fill that blank as " a loving father" while some filled theirs as " a hard standing no nonsense God who comes after you with a big rod each time you sin"
My friends what you fill after the I AM is what He is to you.
love,
solA