Exodus 3:14-15

14, 15. My name THE MEMORIAL NAME, אהיה אשׁר אהיה , a paraphrase of the name JEHOVAH, or JAHVEH; literally rendered, I AM WHO AM, that is, I AM HE WHO IS I only am He who exists in Himself an idea which the Alexandrian translators expressed by ‘ Ο ΩΝ ; Justin, by Ille Ens . And this is not an assertion of mere abstract existence for the Hebrew verb never stops with this but of living, active existence, of Being manifesting itself. Absolute independence, and consequent unchangeableness and eternal activity, are implied in the name I AM, and by adding the relative clause, WHO AM, the thought is added that these attributes belong only to Jehovah. Absolutely independent in being and action, nothing can hinder him from performing his will; unchangeable, what once he has promised must forever be his purpose. Often after this God appeals to this Memorial Name as the witness, (1,) of his absolute solitary supremacy: “I am Jehovah… Ye shall have no other gods,” (Exodus 20:2-3;) (2,) of his immutability: “I am Jehovah; I change not,” (Malachi 3:6;) (3,) but especially ofhis eternal activity in manifesting himself; “I am Jehovah, and I will bring you out… I will take you to me for a people… I will bring you in unto the land… I am Jehovah,” (Exodus 6:6, etc . ) This name was to be Israel’s fortress, an infinite storehouse of hopes and consolations .

Grammatically, the word here rendered I AM is the first person future of the verb of existence translated as a present, (the Hebrew has no proper present,) which tense conveys the idea of the future continuance of the present state. (Nordh., Hebrews Gram., § 964, 2.) Now the word translated Jehovah (more properly Jahveh) is the third person future of the same verb in its archaic form, HAVAH, (or is, as some think, formed from this verb with a prefix,) and so “Jehovah” has the same meaning in the third person which this word has in the first. Thus the name afterward announced to Moses, in Exodus 6:3, is the same as I AM: in the mouth of God it is I WHO AM; in the mouth of man it is HE WHO IS . This, as says Maimonides, is the only real, proper name of God; for while other names set forth some of his attributes attributes which, to some degree, he shares with created beings this name alone sets forth his innermost, incommunicable nature . This distinction is grammaticaliy stamped on the word, for it has no article, no plural, no construct.

It is well to briefly compare the inspired Memorial Name with the other common appellations of God. It is a word worthy to be the core of revelation.

Our word “lord” means governor, and simply brings before us God’s authority. “God” has the same meaning, though some have incorrectly derived it from “good.” “Deity” is from Latin, deus; Greek, θεος ; Sanskrit, dyaus, from div, to shine; and means “the Shining One,” that is, according to Max Muller, the sun, which our Aryan ancestors worshipped in Asia . Thus the classic names and our word “deity” are all idolatrous in meaning, while “lord” and “god” connote simply authority . There are five Hebrew names often used, besides “Jehovah . ” El and Elohim signify the STRONG and the STRONG ONES; Elyon signifies the MOST HIGH; Shaddai, the ALMIGHTY; and Adhonai corresponds to our “Lord.” But the Memorial Name comprises all these ideas and infinitely more.

(1.) I AM; (as says Bahr,) not the heathen “it,” a deified nature, but “I.” Pantheism, which all heathenism is at bottom, identifies God with nature, but here is a Personality above nature. The world in itself is nothing. God only IS.

(2.) Hence he is Lord of nature, which proceeded from him: Creator, Governor, Preserver; El, Elohim, Shaddai, Elyon, Adhonai.

(3.) The Living One: he is forever unfolding himself to man in word and work God of providence and revelation.

(4.) Immutable: he is the God of our trust, the covenant God.

(5.) Immutable, he is also the Truth; ever consistent with his own nature, that is, holy, for the ground and the standard of right is the nature of God. Hence is he worthy of worship, (worth-ship,) supreme love, and praise. As Adam Clarke well says, the very Name itself is a proof of a divine revelation. It will be also seen how appropriate is this name to set forth the progressive revelation, the historical manifestation, of God’s character to the nation whom he had chosen to reveal him to mankind. It is not spoken of as a name entirely new would be, but is declared to be the name of the God of Israel’s fathers. Genesis 4:26 seems to declare that it was known in the days of Seth, and the proper names Moriah, ( seen of Jah,) and Jochebed, ( Jah, her glory,) show that it had been preserved in the sacred line, and that its abbreviated form was used in compound names; but its deep richness of meaning and covenant significance were now first to appear . Proper names were often thus repeated when events gave them fresh meaning and pertinence, as we see was the case with “Jacob,” “Esau,” “Beth-el,” and others . See also Concluding Note, and Exodus 6:3.