I AM

When Moses was having his great argument with God at the burning bush, he was trying to find some word which would persuade God to find someone else to confront Pharaoh about the plight of the Hebrew people.  One of his choice arguments came in the form of telling God he did not even know His name.  "What shall I say to them (when they ask) what is His name?"  (Exodus 3:13)  Not to be hushed, or turned aside, "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM....this you shall say to the Israelites, I AM has sent me to you.' "  (Exodus 3:14)  In a rare moment of self identification, God revealed Himself as "I AM."   

It is a word which says that there is nothing more which needs to be said.  No titles are necessary.  No superfluous words of description are required.  "I AM" is sufficient.  It is a word which speaks of self sufficiency.  His existence is not contingent upon anyone else, or any set of circumstances.  God as the "I AM" is completely sufficient and will always exist as the eternal, ever lasting, and unchangeable constant.   

Surely, it was not by accident that Jesus used this ancient word of divine identification when He spoke His own words of self identification.  The gospel writer John records seven instances where Jesus spoke of Himself as the "I AM."  The first was "I am the bread of life"  (John 6:35) and as John's gospel unfolds, there will be six more such words.  Unlike the ancient word Moses heard, each one of the seven self identifying statements of Jesus is accompanied by a predicate nominative which enabled those who heard, and those of us who hear, to know something more about the very nature of God.