God is the “I AM”
The progression of the human mind seems unstoppable. First, we have the internet, where we can get information for almost everything, such as school projects, acquiring knowledge for entrepreneurship, and buying groceries, clothes, office supplies, furniture, and even cars. All of these things are very accessible without leaving home. The software was developed for communications, office management, voice management, and tutorials for music. However, things turned sour when the internet was abused, using it for gambling, misinformation, and illegal activities of many kinds, and now being used for bullying and expressing hatred, and now the worse of it kind; the politicians are using it to manipulate their constituents.
The advancement of humanity is noticeable, but not too many notice that the Bible comes along with the advancement of humanity. It is updated too. It has a solution for many human endeavors and can be considered a love letter from God. Yet, many still comment that it is irrelevant to this generation, that it was written for people then, and claim it to be outdated. Too many distractions have become the norm of today’s lifestyle, and as always, money is so powerful not to be involved. If we turn back to God and lift everything to him, submit and be obedient to His will, start acknowledging the kingdom, and live a life full of joy instead of worries, we will never be wrong. With the help of sincere communication with Him through prayers, He will guide us to achieve that joy with the help of His Spirit. Don’t forget that the Holy Spirit is in charge, and the Son Jesus made it happen.
God is directly involved in human activities from Adam, the first Son of God (Luke 6:38), to Moses, to whom God gave the law (Exodus 3). When Moses asked God what name he would tell the Israelites when asking; God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. That is what you are to say to the Israelites. I AM sent me to you.” I AM. Is that the name of God? If someone asks me, what is the name of my God? Of course, based on this conversation of Moses with God, my answer will be I AM.
What will you feel when you say I AM? Did you feel it was too much taking the place of God? Isn’t it an unforgivable sin (Blaspheme)? Claiming something that we are not is worse than hypocrisy. That’s not the way it should be interpreted. If Moses is alive today and asks the same question, I believe he will answer the same; if not, that will be a big lie, and God hates all kinds of liars— Revelation 21:8. God expressed that He is the “I AM.” For a more straightforward and accessible understanding, God’s essence made contact with Moses in a flaming bush at Mount Sinai. The essence is meant a thing that made a thing a thing.
During the Old Testament time, God appeared to certain people in a physical form. He fellowshipped with Adam and Eve in a paradise called the Garden of Eden before the fall of man. God also revealed himself through representation with His angel to Abraham. This form was not the essence of God but rather a physical representation of God for the benefit of those to whom He was speaking. Nobody has seen or can see God; by His nature, He is a Spirit and an invincible God. Some may not like it, but God’s ways are not ours. Therefore God has mercy on which he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. Remember, we did not choose Him but instead chose us.
The kingdom is here as taught by Jesus Christ during his pastoral work here on earth; if lack of understanding is burdensome, we must pray and ask for wisdom that He may give it sooner or wait patiently for His time. To seek knowledge directly from Him, we must meditate and dedicate ourselves truthfully with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who knows what our heart desires we will find it. No matter how we advance our technology and our thinking, even if we have a new facelift, new hair color, or unwrinkled skin, all of it doesn’t matter. We are still in the same old bodies, we can have a new heart, but the old heart will never change; God’s plan for us will never change; his grace made it a witness that we will be with Him and give no excuses for His love endures forever.
The essence of God is the same yesterday, today, and always. We can be like Him as He wants us to be but in a limited capacity, and we should never try to take the glory that only belongs to Him. When the angels rebelled against God to be equal or greater than God, God had proven His supreme power, and they were cast out of heaven. He is incommunicable- the qualities possessed by Him alone. His essence belongs only to His distinct nature; He is the only Creator and no one else besides Him; other religions claim otherwise. We can easily be misguided by the truth because of our tolerance and exposure to the limitless market of flooded doctrines. From the 1st century to the early 20th century, there are so many religious groups were formed Jesus Only Movement or Oneness, The Trinitarian -three in one, The Pentecost, and more, So we have to take heed, we have to study the Word closely before we got into the trap.
The Bible is not to lean in the understanding of men, and we will be better off being like the Bereans during the time of Paul. The Bereans, when they hear the preaching of the Word, neither argue nor believe right away but search the Scriptures when they get home. Judging the Word of God is just an idea that men are made by people still under the spell of corruption and deception, and the truth is not in them. We should never submit our faith that quickly; we have to fight a spiritual fight to protect our minds from being clouded and influenced by lies. When the Spirit of God is in us, they cannot take that away from us, except if we allow and follow their false doctrine. Some translators and transliterators of the written Word either lack the expertise to translate, intentionally do it to benefit their desire, or have been coerced by a more powerful individual or group of individuals.
Many claimed that they receive a new revelation and have divine authority in substituting the sanctity of the Scripture that even the name of God is being used in their version of what they think God’s name should be. The twisting of the Scripture happened during the early Christian fathers, some groups translated the written Word to their beliefs, and some even transliterated it wrongfully. A New Testament believer should consider the Old Testament as a gift from God to equip us with knowledge and understanding “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have.”
“Now, these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore, let him who thinks he stands to heed that he does not fall.” — (1Corinthians 10:11-12). Brethren, we should not confuse ourselves with the Old and the New; both Testaments are for our learning, and bear in mind that without the Old, there will be no New. When you have questions about the Word of God, reference that question to the Bible, and you will find the answer.
To make our study of the Word simpler and less doubtful, we should start with God to understand who and what we are talking about; who is the Son Jesus? When does the Holy Spirit become in charge? The Hebrew word for the name of God is LORD, all in capital letters, and out of reverence to the one true God, it was written in Tetragrammaton – YHWH. One true God, of course, has one actual name. However, many still have this convoluted reasoning that, if they put the sacred name, there might be someone would use it in vain, mispronounce it, may even do something that we cannot write it down due to reverential fear, that it is too holy to make mistakes in words and utterance.
For one more time: Why is LORD in all capital letters? LORD instead of Lord? These two Hebrew words have two different translations:
LORD- in English means God; in Hebrew, YHWH is the “I AM” as given to Moses in Exodus 3:14.
“The Lord says to my lord” – psalm 110:1 New International Version (NIV)
Have you noticed the difference?
Let us pray. May the LORD bless and keep you. May His face shine upon you. And give you peace and wisdom — Amen.