WHAT IS THE BIBLICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF “I AM WHO I AM?”

Rev. Dr. Steven Kau, Faith Covenant Church, Subang Jaya, Malaysia

Throughout the Old Testament in the original Hebrew, God is known by His four-letter name, called in theological terms the Tetragrammaton – YHWH. The king James Version of the Bible masks His name to some extent and most of the time the King James version translate YHWH as “LORD.” However, this same name is translated as Jehovah in some cases in the King James Version. (Exodus 6:3; Isaiah 12:2; Isaiah 26:4) The Rotherham translation uses the word “Yahweh” as the translation of God’s name. In all these cases, the meaning of the Hebrew name YHWH – God’s name – is “the self-existent,” “He who becomes,” or “the becoming one.”

The Hebrews words in Exodus 3:14 for “I AM THAT I AM” are “ehyeh asher ehyeh” which should more accurately be translated “I will be what I will be” or as Rotherham translates it, “I will become what I will become.” This expression in Exodus 3:14 is an idiom, an expression that has meaning that cannot be understood by the individual words. So what does “I AM THAT I AM” mean?

By using the translation, “I will become whatsoever I may become,” we see the relationship of this phrase to Yahweh – “He who becomes.”

They both use the word “become.” Exodus 3:14 was God’s way of assuring and pledging to Moses and Israel that God would become whatever they needed Him to become.

When Jesus came on the scene in the New Testament, do you know why Jesus used the phrase “I am?”

“Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (John 8:58)

One of the stunning scenes in the Gospel of John is where Jesus debates the Jewish leadership at the end of chapter 8 and declares, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was, I Am.” There is little doubt that this constitute a claim of divinity because in the very next verse we read, ‘So they picked up stones to throw at Him.” (John 8:59) While there is little doubt that the Jews understood Jesus to be claiming a divine identity, there is some doubt regarding why they believed this. What is the background of Jesus’ “I am” declaration? Most of the time it is assumed that Jesus is alluding to Exodus 3:14.

While this is certainly a possibility but the Greek construction are not precisely the same. There is another possibility that is more likely the background of Jesus’ “I am” declarations, namely the Book of Isaiah, particularly chapters 40-55. Not only are these chapters formative for early Christian theology but they contain some of the most direct declarations of God’s identity as the only true God. And many of these declarations use precisely the same “I AM” construction (ego eimi.)

 For example, Isaiah 41:4, “Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first and with the last, I am He. (ego eimi)

It is commonly claimed that when Jesus used the phrase “I am” He was making a direct reference to the name of God in the Old Testament. There is certainly some truth in this but I want to suggest three important caveats to this claim.

·      “I am” by itself is not a code for the name of God.

·      “I am” is only intended to refer to deity in some of Jesus’ sayings.

·      Paying too much attention to the “I am” part of the sentence distracts readers from paying attention to the rest of the sentence.

1. “I am” by itself is not a code for the name of God.

The Hebrew word “I am” is often used by God in the Old Testament but rarely as His title. It is used by many people simply to refer to themselves. (Judges 11:9; Ruth 2:13; David 2 Samuel 18:18); Jonathan 1 Samuel 23;17;  2 Samuel 16:18; Job 12:4) and many others use it to refer to themselves. It is a quite normal way to say, “I am” for everyone.

 

 

 

2. “I am” only intended to refer to deity in some of Jesus’ sayings.

What makes “I am” distinctive in God’s declaration to Moses (Exodus 3;14) is that it doesn’t have what is called in theology “predicate normative.” (The predicate normative is the second half of the sentence)

There are three times in the Gospel of John when Jesus says “I am” without a predicate normative. John 6:19-20, John 8:58, John 18:6-8. These passages seem to be more about Jesus’ deity than all the other “I am” sayings in John.

In Jesus’ other, more famous “I am” sayings, the emphasis is often not on His deity but on some important aspects of Jesus’ identity. For example, when Jesus says, “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener,” (John 15:1) His claims focuses not on His deity but on His idea that he is the only vine that God tends and so branches can only experience genuine life and the father pruning if they are attacked to Jesus, the true vine. In fact, the vine was a symbol of Israel and so Jesus was claiming to be the true source of life in place of Israel.

It is significant that the church fathers did not make any sort of connection between the seven “I am” saying and God’s use of the “I AM” in Exodus 3:14. This is highly significant because the early church fathers spoke Greek as their native language. Their nearness to the time of the New testament also meant that they had less of a historical/cultural gap to bridge.

3. Paying too much attention to the “I am” causes readers to ignore the rest of the sentence.

I have often noticed, when listening to sermons or reading student papers about “I am” saying in John that there is too much focus on the “I am” part and its purported reference to deity that the actual claims found in the rest of the sentence are overlooked. These claims (bread of life, good shepherd, door, life etc0 while consistent with Jesus’ deity, are actually about some other nuance of Jesus’ identity.

To sum up: The Gospels clearly teach about Jesus’ deity but that does not mean that everything Jesus says is about His deity! “I am” is such a common phrase that it cannot be taken as some sort of code word that always refers to deity. The tendency to see it as a code often keeps people from paying careful attention to Jesus’ actual claims.   

 

HOW TO FIND GOD’S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE?

                          HOW TO FIND GOD’S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE?

Rev. Dr. Steven Kau, Sr. Pastor of Faith Covenant Church, Malaysia

 

Waking up feeling purposeless is incredibly frustrating. You look around and see your friends and coworkers living passionate, engaged, meaningful lives. They have deep relationships, rewarding jobs and a sense of direction that compels them to hop out of bed each morning with a spring in their steps.

You know that God has something good in store for you. You don’t believe He intends for you to live a life of painful drudgery in which each day is a total drag. After all, the Bible is choke full of passages about joy. While this certainly doesn’t mean that every single day is a parade and circus, it does mean that an overall sense of gladness should permeate your life.

The Bible is very clear as to what our purpose in life should be. Men in both the Old and New Testaments sought for and discovered life’s purpose.

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, discovered the futility of life when it is lived only for this world. He gives these concluding remarks in the Book of Ecclesiastes: “Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Eccl. 12:1314)

Solomon says that life is all about honoring God with our thoughts and lives and thus keeping His commandments, for one day we will stand before Him in judgment. Part of our purpose in life is to fear God and obey Him.

 

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS YOU ARE NOT LIVING GOD’S PURPOSE

FOR YOUR LIFE?

1.   Life feels Like Drudgery

Do you wake up dreading the day ahead? Life can be full of mundane tasks and no one expects you to get excited for doing the laundry or taking out the trash. We all like to escape from our responsibilities at times but you may feel on a daily basis like your life is nothing but drudgery.

If this is the case, you are not living in the joy and fulfillment you should feel when you are living out your God-given purpose. When you are living a spiritually fulfilling life, even the most mundane tasks become more meaningful. That’s because you know that everything you do is for the glory of God and part of a greater calling.

2.   You Are Complacent with Sin

Another sign you are not living in God’s purpose is if you’ve become comfortable with sin in your life. Becoming a Christian does not mean you suddenly become sin-free. But it should mean you have the motivation and the power to fight sin in your life and strive for holiness.

If you are embracing sin rather than rejecting it, it’s time to make a major change in your life. 1 Corinthian 15:34 puts it bluntly, “Come back to your senses as you ought and stop sinning.”

The Bible make no bones about it, Christians should work to root out sin in their lives and put on the righteousness of Christ.

3. You Don’t Have Hope for the Future.

Are you excited for the future? Does Christ imminent return excite you? If not, you may not be a candidate for heaven. Do you have hope for the things God will do in your life? If not, you are probably not living out your God-given purpose. Some people think of hopefulness as foolish optimism that you’ll finally start using your juicer or that you’ll pick the perfect fantasy football lineup but being hopeful is so much more.

When you trust God with your future, there are plenty of reasons to get excited. Christians should be forward-thinkers. Your ultimate hope is for the day you get to see your Savior face to face and enjoy Heaven. You should also have hope for your future on earth that you’ll learn, grow and contribute great things to the world or the people around you.

4. You Feel Aimless.

Another sign to look out for is feeling aimless. Do you lack direction in your life or the drive to move forward? Maybe you feel like you are spinning your wheels and not really getting anywhere.

 

If you feel like you are stuck or you are wandering with no real goals or destination in mind, then you are sure to wonder what all your daily work is for.

When you are fulfilling your purpose, you shouldn’t feel like you are merely drifting through life. Instead, you should know what goals you’re working toward and these goals will motivate you every day.

 

 

6 WAYS TO DISCOVER GOD’S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE

So what does it mean to find and fulfill God’s purpose in your life? The six best way to discover the purpose God has for you are:

1. Go to God in Prayer.

Let’s start with the obvious. If you feel purposeless, ask God to give you wisdom and direction. James 1:5 states, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given him.” That’s incredibly good news. God wants to give you a purpose. He wants to bestow divine wisdom on you. It’s not like God is holding out on you to make you miserable. He desires you to have a joyful, ambitious, purposeful life. Ask God for purpose and expect Him to give it to you.

2. Dig into God’s Word.

The primary way God speaks to us is through the Bible. This means that one of the first things you should do in your search for God’s purpose is to start digging into Scriptures.

 

 

Now, you won’t find any verses that tell you to become a dance instructor or painter but you will begin to understand the heart of God. (Ps 119:105)

3.   Determine your Gifts and Strengths.

God has given you specific gifts and strengths. Maybe you’re a math whiz or a wise counselor. Maybe you have a mind for IT or electronics or business. Maybe you’re great at organizing people and getting things done. God’s purpose for you probably involves the things you’re already good at.

4.   Determine your Passion.

What is one thing you are particularly passionate about? Really, this can be anything. Business, art, economics, alleviating poverty, whatever. If money wasn’t an issue, what would you love to do? Determining your passions often helps you figure out what God has called you to do. It’s often said that God works at the intersection of our gifts and our passions. Where do your gifts meet your passion? That may be God’s purpose for you.

5.   Bring Others into your Life.

Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” In other words, one of the main ways God will help you find your purpose in through others. A caveat needs to be made here. Your counselor should be people you trust.

Whether this is your professor, parents or friends, it needs to be people who have your back and want the best for you. You want wise counselors to help you find God’s purpose for you.

6.   Take a Solitude Retreat.

Sometimes it can be incredibly helpful to get away from it all and take some unhurried time to think, pray and journal (write down your thoughts). You don’t have to spend a week in the woods for this to be effective. Even just a day away from the hustle and grind can be hugely rewarding.

During these retreats, allow yourself to simply be still. To ponder. To ask God for direction and listen for His voice. This doesn’t need to be complicated and doesn’t require any elaborate rituals. Hebrews 11:6 is a reminder that God always rewards those who seek Him.

In the End Trust God.

Trying to discover your life purpose can be a stressful, overwhelming thing. It can seem like such a big confusing, frustrating subject. You want to move forwards but you are not sure how. You want to find your purpose but you feel like you’re aimlessly wandering.

But you can trust God to lead you where He wants you to go. As Psalm 23:2-3 says, “He leads me beside still water, He restores my soul. He leads me in the path of righteousness for His name sake.”