TUESDAY March 7, 2023

The Great “I AM”

“And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and dared not look.”
Acts 7:30-32

Who is the Angel of the Lord? This was a theophany of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. He appeared to Moses in a flame of fire in a bush and began to make Himself known to Moses. He was the God of his fathers––Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moses’ parents were from the tribe of Levi (1 Chronicles 6:1-3).

Moses grew up in Egypt, but his mother Jochebed must have ingrained in his heart and mind his Hebrew heritage. No doubt she told him stories of the patriarchs and how God worked in their lives. Now God was going to do a new work in Moses’ life. Interestingly, He would also use the lives of his sister Miriam and his brother Aaron.

After initially being rejected by his brethren, Moses, although he would tell the people he was sent by the God of their fathers, wanted to know what he should say to them if they asked, “What is His name?” God needed to make Himself known to his weary and oppressed people. So, God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you’ ” (Exodus 3:14). The great “I AM,” means “The All Becoming One.” God would become whatever His people needed Him to become for them.

In the New Testament, Jesus made Himself known to people by seven “I AM’s.” Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35); “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12); “I am the door” (John 10:7, 9). “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14). “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25); “I am the way the truth and the life” (John 14:6); and “I am the true vine” (John 15:1). Jesus, as the great “I AM,” will become everything that you need Him to be in your life.

I have a great need for Christ; I have a great Christ for my need.
~C.H. Spurgeon~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!