I am who I am
is God’s name. The name is revealing and at the same time concealing. God is a mystery to us. We know him but we cannot get a grip on him and understand him fully. But he is God who lives forever, without beginning and end, the God who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty
(Revelation 1:8). He has life in himself, and he gives life to everyone and everything: For from him and through him and to him are all things
(Romans 11:36). God does not give a philosophical explanation about who he is, that he is a being. But he is active, because he says, I am with you (Exodus 3:12), I am there for you, I will help you. His faithfulness is also clear when he says, I will do what I have promised. The following history in Exodus reveals who he really is.
Later, after Israel’s sin with the golden calve, God reveals his name more clearly to Moses:
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin
(Exodus 34:6–7). Yahweh is his name for his people. It is his personal name and covenant name. From the beginning of the Bible the names of God and Lord are used for the whole creation, the name Yahweh/Lord for his people. For example, see Genesis 1:1 – 2:3 (about creation) where he is called God; and Genesis 2:4–24 (when he creates Adam) where he is called Lord God.
14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”