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 3:14
I have a list of characteristics of God. When I need reassurance, help, forgiveness, and encouragement, I can run to my list and praise God for who He is! My favorite aspect of His character is that He is the great “I AM”!
God’s “I am who I am” is referred to as the tetragrammaton. The original Hebrew language did not use vowels, and certain vowel sounds were utilized to pronounce words. Modern Hebrew has added vowels. God’s people knew Him as Yahweh. They shortened it to YHWH, the great I AM.
What does it mean that God is the “I AM”?
It reveals that God is self-sufficient. He does not need us, nor anyone, but has chosen to bring us into existence so that we can glorify Him, and have fellowship with Him. It is a distinct privilege to know God, through Jesus, and to have an intimate relationship with Him. Do you have a true relationship with our great God? If not, why not? If so, how do you find joy in your relationship with Him each day?
It reveals that God is transcendent. Transcendent means He is beyond the existence of our realm. He is grander than we can understand. But God has chosen to make Himself known to us. He lowered Himself, through Jesus, to let us be a part of His kingdom, when Jesus is our Lord and Savior.
It reveals that God is immutable, unchanging. We need to change, because our sin nature can wreak havoc in our lives. When Jesus is our Lord and Savior, His Spirit works in us to create His character in us.
God has no sin nature. There is no evil in Him. He doesn’t need to change. He is already the best He can be. We are not yet the best we can be. But God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins, and to lead us in His Holy ways.
It reveals that God is self-existent. We are unable to exist without God. We may attempt to deceive ourselves that we can be self-existent, self-sustaining, but we cannot produce even the breath we need to live for one moment.
It reveals that God is eternal. He has always existed. He doesn’t say I was, but I AM!
Most people are familiar with the I AM statements recorded in John’s Gospel. But God has revealed Himself as the I AM throughout Scripture. In the following verses we learn many aspects of the great I AM:
Genesis 6:13: “So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.”
Genesis 13:17: “Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”
Genesis 15:1: “After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
Genesis 17:1: “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.”
You can do a word search through an online source to find several more references to God as the I AM.
How does knowing that God is the great I AM, self-existent, transcendent, immutable, eternal, and so much more, help you today, and for every day?
If you would like to talk about God’s majestic greatness, please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com
Living for Jesus, Donna
P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!
Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.
Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.