Mensa Otabil - A Memorial to Generations
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Exodus 3:15. Moreover, God said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever and this is my memorial to all generations. The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob is the I am that I am. He's not just God because of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And he's not limited to them, but he's God all by himself.
That's what God is communicating to Moses that don't see me as only belonging to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I am who I am. God's name and self-identity is I am. And and the reason this is important is because Abraham and Isaac and Jacob experienced God in different ways. To Abraham, God showed himself as the Lord Almighty and also the Lord who provides. Isaac got to know God as the one who makes room for him. Jacob got to know God as the one who blesses him. But all of these were aspects of I am because they only saw aspects of him. But to Moses, God is saying, "This is me. I am that I am". And the Lord told Moses that this name is forever and it's for all generations.
And and that's so important. God is saying although I'm revealing myself to you as I am. I am not only I am at this time only. I am I am tomorrow. I am I am a thousand years from now. I am I am 10,000 years from now. For every generation he is I am. So though Moses experienced him in that unique burning bush, he is the same God we call upon. He's the same God we worship. He is I am to us. And God says when you go to Israel, that's what you go to announce. When you go back and face Pharaoh, this is what you tell him. I am has sent me. And to the Hebrews, I am has sent me.
Isn't it interesting? Uh to those who believe he is I am. To those who don't believe he is I am because their attitude doesn't change God one bit. God is who he is. Whether you believe him or not, whether you accept him or not, whether you think so or not, he doesn't need our opinion to be who he is. He is the great I am. And it is for all generations. God wants every generation to experience him in a present tense. We don't just want to say, "Oh, our fathers knew God. My mother uh used to know God. My father prayed very hard". Or uh the oldtime Christians did great. Yes, it's good to acknowledge what happened in the past, but he is I am. He's the God of all generations. He's the God of the present.
And if you are a parent, you must know God for yourself. But beyond that, you must also pray that your children will know God for themselves. Not the God of their parents, but the God they have come to trust. So that they can pass on this faith and this knowledge of God from generation to generation. And God must be authentic to each one of us. And that's what he says to Moses. This is my name. It's my name forever from generations to generations in all time. This is who I am.
And in every generation when people trust him and and believe in him, he will be to them the great I am who shows forth his power at all times and in all seasons. May the great I am manifest himself to each one of us in Jesus name.
Let's pray. Say with me, "Heavenly Father, you are the God of all generations. Help me to have a lifechanging encounter with you in Jesus name". Amen. And amen.