“I am that I am,” a self-description of God that is somewhat more familiar. However, significantly fewer people see a reference to Jesus Christ, or an indirect indication of His divinity.
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Lost sight of the true God
As a pupil of Egyptian religion and science, and also as ruler of the enslaved people of Israel, Moses had at best only vague ideas about the true, one living God. After all, he was the God of the slaves, but had no place in the pantheon of Egyptian religion.
Even the people of Israel, over the centuries in exile, held as slaves, had distanced themselves from God, let alone done His will. This stemmed partly from their inability to act freely as subjugated peoples, and partly from sheer ignorance.
God “had to” introduce himself
It is therefore not surprising that God introduced himself to Moses during the “famous scene” at the burning bush. Moses was to return to Egypt and lead the people of Israel out of slavery. But Moses had no idea how to address God.
Exodus 3:14
“And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. “
This is further evidence that even the people of Israel had lost sight of the true God. For Moses could simply have said, “Your God sent me.”
The name of God, Yahweh, is based on the Hebrew word “hawa”, which means “to be, to exist”.
A unique feature compared to the countless other “gods” that were in circulation, especially in Egypt. These were all fictions, pure mental constructs, and therefore not actually existing.
Doubters cling to God’s statement
Numerous critics of the Gospel, especially those of other religions, most notably Islam, regularly point out that Jesus Christ never explicitly stated in the Bible that he was God. This is indeed the case, because in the New Testament, during his ministry as a human being, Jesus Christ never revealed himself openly, directly, and explicitly as God incarnate.
However, Jesus Christ gave several indications that he was indeed the Word of God made flesh, as described in John 1. The personal name he used at the burning bush, “I am that I am,” served this purpose particularly well.
The 7 “I am!” of Jesus Christ
- And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:35)
- Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)
- As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:5)
- Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. (John 10:7)
- I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10:9)
- I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (John 10:11.14)
- Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (John 11:25)
- Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)
- I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.(John 15:1.5)
It is also no coincidence that there are seven different references to His attribute “I am.” This is God’s number for completion, just as He completed His creation by establishing the seventh-day Sabbath (Info).
Even the scribes pointed this out.
Further evidence of the true divinity of Jesus Christ came, among other things, from the generally extremely enraged Pharisees and scribes themselves. Jesus Christ healed a man and “dared” to forgive him his sins. The reaction of the scribes present was unequivocal.
“When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?” (Mark 2:5-7)
Jesus Christ not only since the New Testament
The view that Jesus Christ, the Word of God, first appears on the stage of history in the New Testament is particularly widespread. However, the Old Testament is practically overflowing with the words and deeds of Jesus Christ. A simple consideration helps to clarify this. Sin separates humanity from God. Separation is “division, separation.” What kind of separation would it be if God the Father continued to communicate “merrily” with the notoriously apostate nation of Israel throughout the centuries?
Separation is either separation or merely a strained relationship. The answer is simple. Jesus Christ has always been the mediator between humanity and God the Father, even in the Old Testament. We can assume this first occurred after the first sin in the Garden of Eden. The sin of Adam and Eve was complete, and so was the separation.
Therefore, Jesus Christ already appeared at this point as the “connecting point” between God the Father and humanity (Info). The same applies to the burning bush in the self-introduction to Moses.
And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
Matthew 28:9
Bible verses from King James Version (1611)
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