yahweh

Yahweh                                                                                                    Friday May 7, 2010
Exodus 3:1-15
 

God gives his introduction to Moses
“God said…”I am who I am, this is what you are to tell the Israelites: I am has sent me to you.”  ’The Lord, the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you’ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.” Ex 3:14,15
 
Before Moses is invited to lead the children of Israelites, God makes a personal revelation to Moses. Unless God makes a revelation, you cannot fulfill the plan God has for you. He has to speak to you.

The burning bush experience is necessary.
When Moses said, “I will go over and see what is this all about.”
-When the Lord saw that he (Moses) had gone over to look, God called….. Vs. 4
-When wanting to be sure, God is leading you, it is a pre requisite for every believer to draw aside. God notices this. When we draw near to God, he will draw near to us. God has taken his position, now we must align ourselves in that position so that God can see the seriousness and hunger by which we approach God.

God spoke to Moses from within the bush.
-Moses responded, Here I am. Almost as if the slave is responding to His master. Here I am in the position ready to serve.
-Does God still speak? Yes he does, we need to position to listen to Him. Do something to show that you really want to hear from God.

Yahweh, The Mighty I AM, with us – Forever
Moses’ Complaints: Throughout the discussion between Yahweh and Moses, Moses seems reluctant to attempt to lead Israel out of Egypt. -He wants to have all bases covered before he obeys. He complains about Pharaoh and about the Israelites.

At one point, he said to God. The Israelites will not accept me. 2nd of his 11 complaints. What should I tell them. God introduced himself.
-God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’
-Derived from Hebrew word Yahweh.

I. Yahweh the Mighty God.
I AM, I WAS, and I WILL BE.  Do not minimize this part of God.  When God used the verb to express his name, he said“I am.” When his people refer to him as Yahweh, third person masculine singular form of the same verb, they say “he is.

God’s personal name: Yahweh.
Yahweh is the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible. Hebrew scripts write it as four consonants, rendered in Roman letters as YHWH. The most likely meaning of the name may be “He Brings Into Existence Whatever Exists," This is his name, used much in his earlier interaction. The name was so holy that they did not want to repeat it for causing irreverence. Eg. Scribes, every time the name of God came, they would wash their hands and start to translate again.

Yahweh demanded the role of the one true God in the hearts and minds of Israel, "Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one: and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." “I Am” in Hebrew “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh” used 43 times, the response God used in the Hebrew Bible when Moses asked for His name.

Pharaoh will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. God the almighty then said, I will stretch my hand and strike. It’s time for action.  Ten plagues, a parted Red Sea, and a pillar of cloud and fire later, we see that He meant it. The Mighty God is able to protect and shield us.

II. Yahweh – The God Who Cares:
God saw the misery of His people. The Mighty God is a Caring God.
-He is the God who sees and hears and knows.  I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers.  I am concerned about their suffering. He has seen.
-This Holy awesome God, knows and sees the misery of his people.
-A loving God, who loves his people.
-I have seen their misery and have heard their cry.
-I am concerned about their suffering.
-He is a God who feels for his people. He has personal interest in people.

God’s Rescue Plan: God is the One who comes down to rescue.  The LORD told Moses, I have come down to rescue them and I am sending you…to bring my people…out of Egypt.. I have come down to rescue them and bring them up out of bondage. -Come down, because we could not go up.
-He meets us where we are but does not leave us where we are.
-He reaches out to us in our state of misery and lifts us out of that place.
-Out of darkness into his light forever.
-Even after such an interaction and such clear message, Moses is hesitant about his own reputation. Like today we hesitate to share the message of God’s rescue plan.

He Cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your cares/Anxiety upon him, for he cares for you.
-We are created to be a forward looking people. We look at future with faith or with fear. Faith produced action to trust him. Fear makes us anxious and worried. If it is not the worry for self then it is the worries for our children or for the future of our work. Cast – He Cares for you.

III. Yahweh is the Holy God.
To Abraham God revealed as Powerful one, and to Moses as the Holy one. -This is the principle of progressive revelation. God’s fundamental requirement is, “You shall be holy to me. In Leviticus, Yahweh indicates that the laws have an overarching purpose: to distinguish the nation of Israel and to highlight the unique identity of Yahweh. “For I am Yahweh your God. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy”

Take your shoes off, It is holy Ground. The position in which you draw towards God is based on personal holiness. -Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. This is the awesome holy presence of God with Shekinah glory. Compare this to Exodus when Moses wanted to see God fully. God said, no one will see me and live. -If we draw to him, it has to be for cleansing or approaching God with a pure life. -Who will ascend to the hill of the Lord – He who has a pure heart. Psalm 24:

“Without Holiness no one will see (Yahweh) The Lord.” Hebrews 12:14 “Make every effort to make peace with all men… Make every effort to be holy… -This command is still in the New Testament. -You want direction and happiness without having any regard to God’s provision for Holiness, You will not see God n this.

IV. Yahweh is a jealous God
Yahweh revealed himself to Israel as a jealous God.
-Godly Jeaousy: 2 Cor. 11:2,3 Married to one husband and now going after another. Would this be right jealousy?
-Ungodly jealousy: Prov. 6:34 Jealousy that makes you take revenge

As Holy God, he has certain demands upon us to be holy and our moral conduct that gives all glory and honour to one and only God. No idols whether in the form of person, job, ambition, career. God must be all in all.

God would not permit his people to make idols or follow gods of other nations or worship gods known by other names, "I am Yahweh, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, or my praise to idols."

The Bible describes Yahweh as the one true God who delivered Israel from Egypt. I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt,…I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. – Exodus 20:1-6

The judgment for rebellion is to the 3rd and 4th generation unless they repent and God will show them mercy. But the blessings endure for thousands of generation.

V. Yahweh the God who is forever with us.
-I will be with you. Inherent in that name is the promise, I will be with you.
-The self existent one. The eternal, the one who always has been and always will be. Shortened to “I am” – Ever present Living one The first of Moses’ 11 complaints. Why should Pharoah listen to me.
-Who am I. God answers, “I will be with you.” This should be sufficient. God is with me. This is what Jesus said to his disciples, Go and make disciples of all nations… and I will be with you.

Jesus the Emmanuel – God with us.
Jesus the I am – the self existent one who is with us forever.

Moses in Exodus 33: God who promised to go with them forever, now refuses to go with them. Because of his Holy nature, he would destroy them because of their arrogance, pride and stiff neck. Moses pleads. God assures, “I will go with you and my presence will go with you and I will give you peace.” Vs. 14
Moses responds, ‘If your presence does not go with, then do not take us from here.” Yahweh the mighty God, is with us, forever.

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