I am who I am.
Summary: There is power in a name. Sometimes it is the power to control others, and sometimes it is the power of others to control us. When we confront the living God, we are not given his name because it is beyond our reach.
In Acts, chapter seventeen, Luke tells the story of Paul’s first days in the city of Athens. Touring the city, he paid special attention to the idols that the people there worshipped.
Idols, in one sense, are a form of art. Humans, aware of our own limitations, try to give expression to concepts such as creation through stories that spring from human imagination. These stories inspired others to make drawings of these imaginations, and eventually, the drawings were rendered in sculpture; wood, metal, and stone.
When an imagined fantasy is memorialized in a sculpture, it takes on a life of its own. What was first imagined in the minds of others becomes the source of imaginings in the minds of those who follow later. In the case of Athens, the Athenians had a traditional story about a woman goddess called Athena.
Even though the Athenians had an idol-goddess that shared their city’s name, they also hedged their bets by worshiping other so-called “gods.” Paul points out that they even had a monument to an “unknown god,” a god without a name.
Centuries before Paul encounters this monument, a man named Moses who was herding sheep near Horeb had an encounter with the real “unknown God.” Moses was a descendant of Abraham and his people had lived in Egypt for a long time; four hundred years. Surrounded by Egyptian traditions and idols, the Hebrews in Egypt were confused about who they should be worshiping. In his own timing, God re-introduces himself to Abraham’s descendants by calling to Moses from a burning bush (Exodus 3).
Like all of mankind before him and all of us who have lived afterward, Moses tried to find some way of mentally grasping who it was he was talking to. You see, if we can name something, it means we can have some measure of control over it or at least imagine that we have some control.
The human ego is like a swimmer who is struggling to stay afloat. Our ego wants to be above everything it sees. The inner ME seeks only to serve itself and because of this, I want to subjugate everyone else to my will. One way we engage others and influence them is by knowing their name. One of the first things Moses wanted to know when he encountered the VOICE in the wilderness was its name.
Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 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.’” (Exodus 3: 13-14)
From our ego’s standpoint, dealing with someone who calls themselves “I AM” is not very satisfying. There is no handle there to get hold of. There is no leverage for familiarity or control. If your name is George, I can say, “Hey, George, come here!” or “George, do this or that!” When the Athenians pray to their goddess, they use her name as leverage for getting what they want. But when we come before the living God, there is no name.
Even his angels are beyond our capacity to comprehend. When God sent an angel to Sampson’s parents to instruct them about the child they would have, Sampson’s father asks the angel, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?” (Judges 13:17) The angel replies, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.” (Ibid, vs 18)
Beyond understanding, beyond our power to grasp, and beyond our reach or control. God’s name is beyond our capacity to understand, even as we are beyond the capacity of an ant or a potato bug to comprehend our thinking.
Application: Be careful of trying to put God in a box.
Food for Thought: How is calling God “Father” different than calling him by a name?
Father implies a loving relationship and that we are created in another’s image. Of course, I love the name Yahweh for God. It shows that He has always existed and is Creator of all. I personally think Yahweh and Father go well together. And it is a privilege to call the great I AM our Father.
Well said, Rich!
11-16-2022, How is calling God “Father” different than calling him by a name?
Father
The position and authority belong to the Father as the head of the family, as he Loves, Protects and Provides, in a Fair, Consistent, and Firm manner.
Our Bible teaches, a father is not to incite anger; he nurtures and admonishes his children with patience. Ephesians 6:4
The Father has a personal relationship with His children. Our Father Promotes Maturity with Wisdom, Discretion, Instruction and Knowledge. Physically by Protecting, Socially in Teaching us what to share, when, and how, with humility, Spiritually as we develop into a faithful servant of God.
Abba ho pater is a Hebrew term of familial intimacy—and one Paul
says we can claim as believers.
( similar to a child calling out to daddy )
Jesus said, ‘Abba Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.
Mark 14:36
Paul links the use of abba ho patēr to the reception of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God indwelling the believer: “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” Romans 8:9
.
For Paul, then, the presence of the Spirit of God’s Son functions as
proof of the believer’s adoption into God’s family and enables him to
“call out ‘Abba Father’”. Galatians 4:6–7
Thanks Ron!
Nice overview of our connection with the Father through the Son and the Spirit. I also appreciate your list of a father’s attributes.
I don’t think I agree with premise that knowing a name gives you control over a person. Perhaps it can give you sway, just as thanking a person by name is more meaningful, but not controlling.
I also don’t agree that God’s answer to Moses was avoiding giving His name. In fact, later in Exodus He says that He has revealed His name in a way that was never revealed to Abraham. “I Am” is His name. ‘God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am the LORD;
and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them.’
YHWH is best understood as ‘existing one’, ‘I Am’ is the best translation.
But also remember that Moses was called ‘drawn out’ because he was pulled out of the water as a baby, we just don’t say it in our language so it sounds more formal.
Just as Angela in another language means “messenger” or Robbie means “bright” or Rebecca means “tie”
In the original language you’re just calling someone by a word that signifies them. More so in the Old Testament times than now (we kinda just pick random stuff to be weird nowadays)
This is also why in scripture we see people name their kids in this way: ‘Then Leah said, “Happy am I! For women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher.’
Calling someone by name has some sway with them because it’s acknowledging them for who they are. They are people not things. It is actually more respectful to call God by one of the names He has told us are His, than to call Him Father. He has many because He gives everything their characteristics. He is so ‘well rounded’, shall we say, that one name is not enough to encapsulate Him, not even 10 names do the trick.
To call him Father brings us closer to Him. Makes Him seem more familiar, than the abstract understanding of who is God. I Am, shows us His eternal nature and power and self sufficiency. Just what Moses and the Israelites needed to learn about Him. Also note Moses’ reason for asking for a name. He was rejected by the Israelites already and he ran away from Pharaoh who was trying to kill him. You better be sure about who and why and ‘with what army’ you go back into that situation.
In Judges 13 with Samson’s parents. I get the impression that his second visit with them is a result of some sarcasm from Manoah towards his wife. He didn’t seem to believe her. And some testing to ‘the angel of God’. God answers Manoah with a word that has many meanings: secret, wonderful, incomprehensible. He needed to learn to trust God’s word and trust his wife more than he needed a name.
I probably have too much opinion in here today….
Angela,
It is okay not to agree with me. Some days I wonder if I agree with me! 🙂
One of the challenges in writing for a diverse audience is finding the right words to convey an idea. The word “control” is a strong word, and one that encompasses a wide range of interpretations. One can have complete control over something but the word can also be used to convey a level of control more akin to the meaning of the word “influence.”
Seeing you engage with the topic is rewarding. When we engage as you have done in your comments today we both gain something. The frustration is that what we each have gained might not be the same thing. Why is this frustrating? Well, it is nice to have the affirmation that we are on the right track and that someone else sees things the same way we do.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
How is calling God “Father” different than calling him by a name?
I agree with part of what R said. There is a submission of knowing that you are created by something and giving the title to them. Some are given a title they don’t deserve but still you honor them. A relationship that has love helps improve a person and guides them to a better understanding of eachother, so they can love better.
I’m not saying I’m a perfect son, that I understand how to love completely, or do everything correctly. But I am blessed to have s perfect Father in Heaven who has given me His word to understand Him more, that He loves me even if I’m not perfect.
( I call Him my perfect Father in heaven because I don’t know the name written on His thigh. )