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Lately, I've been really diving into the Old Testament and something that's been standing out to me is when God reveals himself as Yahweh in Exodus. In Exodus 3, God tells Moses "I am that I am" and in verses 14-15, He says "I Am Who I Am" in Hebrew, 'ehyeh 'asher 'ehyeh. This wordplay is like God is saying that the one who promises to be with Moses is also the one who sends him. Later, God shortens this to simply "I Am," which is translated as Yahweh in some versions. God tells Moses that this is the name he wants to be known by forever. Yahweh represents God's character and reminds us that He is a personal God.

In chapter 6, Yahweh speaks to Moses again and gives him 7 "I will" statements. These statements were specific to the Israelites at that time, but since Yahweh's name is forever, we can also learn about His character and apply it to our own lives. The 7 "I am" statements are:

I will bring you out of oppression - God hears and sees your suffering and will bring you out of it, just as He heard and saw the suffering of the Israelites.

I will rescue you from your bondage - whether it be an addiction, a mindset, financial strain, or physical pains, God will rescue you.

I will redeem you - the Hebrew word for redeem, ga'al, refers to avenging and ransoming or purchasing. This is a major theme throughout the Bible and is why Jesus came - to do what we couldn't do for ourselves and to pay the ransom with his own blood for our salvation.

I will take you as my people - God will take us as His own, even when we feel like we don't belong anywhere or that no one cares about us.

I will be your God - God wants to be the one we worship, and give our attention and adoration to, instead of idols such as work, activities, or the need for approval.

I will bring you into the land - God will fulfill the promises He has made to us, even if we have to wait for them.

I will give it to you as a heritage - God will give us a place of inheritance and possession in His kingdom.

I hope that as you read this list it will serve as a reminder that God is always with you and for you. He desires to fill the empty spaces in your life, rescue you, and redeem you.

 


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