THE REVELATION OF THE NAME OF GOD: Exodus 3:14-16
Moses is reluctant to answer the call of the LORD through the angel. He asks the angel: ‘what is His name?’ Exodus 3:13. The concept of a ‘NAME’ in the Bible is indicative of the character. Strong’s Concordance indicates: an appellation- as a mark or memorial of individuality. Vines expository dictionary uses the terms; authority, character, rank and is the majesty of everything the name covers. Bullinger: that by which one is known. The Theological Book of the Old Testament: a mark or brand, an external mark to distinguish three things: existence, character, and reputation. Until now, God had been known as the ‘God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’. The angel reveals His name: “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations. ”. Exodus 3:15.
LORD = Yhwh (Hebrew and often pronounced as ‘Jehovah’), more accurately pronounced as ‘Yahweh’ in English. God = Elohim (Hebrew). Yahweh has the meaning ‘He who will be’, and Elohim has the meaning: a group of ‘mighty ones’. The overall meaning of “LORD God” ought to be understood as: ‘He who will be manifested in a multitude of mighty ones’. This agrees with the stated purpose of God to ‘fill the earth with the glory of the LORD’ as was expressed in Numbers 14:21! The name of the LORD God is an expression of who He will become. Here is a wonderful expression to summarize the concept, written by John Thomas in 1858: “Men were not ushered into being for the purpose of being saved or lost, God manifestation not human salvation was the grand purpose of the Eternal Spirit…The Eternal Spirit intended to enthrone Himself on the earth and, in so doing develop a Divine family from among men every one of whom shall be spirit because born of the Spirit, and that this family shall be large enough to fill the whole earth, when perfected to the entire exclusion of flesh and blood.” This new development in revealing the name continues in Exodus 6:1-8 in which the character of God is tied to the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt because ‘I am Yahweh’ (LORD) v8. The Hebrew ‘Yahweh’ is always translated as LORD and GOD (all caps) by the translators to identify the memorial name.
This concept of ‘God being revealed in others’ permeates the Bible. Even the angel in the burning bush is a ‘manifestion’ of God. IE the angel bore ‘the name’ and spoke in the ‘name of the LORD’! Reference is made to Moses who was to be an ‘elohim’ (God) to Pharaoh: om bearing the message of the LORD to him, Exodus 7:1; 5:1. There are several other manifestations of God recorded: by angels, men, a pillar of fire and of smoke, as well as lightning, winds and the elements, etc. Psalm 148:8.
When the LORD reveals his glory in Exodus 34:6,7, the glory of his NAME is found in these seven characteristics of God. The glory of his name is then later revealed in his son, Jesus Christ. Cp “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth”. John 1:14. It is recorded that Jesus ‘came in his Father’s name’, John 5:43.
The LORD had a purpose in creating man in his image and likeness. It was to see Himself in Godly people. He is looking to ‘call out a people for his name’, Acts 15:14. This means that our God given purpose in daily living is to demonstrate the LORD’s character in what we do! 1 Peter 2:9. In this way we can be joined to God and His son Jesus Christ. John 17:11.