As the people of Israel stood before Mt. Sinai, God spoke to them audibly from heaven, giving them the Ten Commandments. He began by declaring who He was, “saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”” (2) In this statement, the word translated LORD is Yahweh in the Hebrew, using this name for first to reveal Himself when He met Moses at the burning bush. Being a form of the Hebrew word for “I am”, it translates to “I am who I am” (3). This speaks of His eternality, self-existence, and self-sufficiency. Each of these concepts are worthy of considerable musing. In the context of God pursuing Israel’ s rescue through Moses, Yahweh is also associated with His covenant keeping character, as Moses says, ”Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His faithfulness to a thousand generations for those who love Him and keep His commandments” (4). What a blessing His faithfulness is.
That He includes what He has done for them in rescue from Egypt and slavery, declares His ownership and prerogative over them. This ownership is more intimate and immediate than Creator, and is further tied to the giving of the name Yahweh at the burning bush, for He says, “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.” (5) His presence, His “I Am”, is deeply connected to His care and watchfulness over His people. For all of who He is and had and was doing for Israel, He was worthy of their trust, obedience, and praise. It is no different for us. He is worthy of our complete trust, humble obedience, and heart-felt praise. As His people we may resolve by His Spirit’s enabling to better pursue Him.
A side thought of mine concerning the name Yahweh. God is eternal in His person and attributes, but had He always had the name Yahweh? Or did He begin to be called by that name when the angels were created to praise Him? Or did He just label Himself at the burning bush for purposes of glorifying His person and majesty. I feel like it should have been from eternity past, but I have no biblical reason to say that, and there is no substantial reason to believe that the Hebrew language was eternal (6). There is so much that we don’t know about eternity, heaven, and our God. For believers, we have eternity to ask and listen and learn and praise.
Question 49: What is the preface to the Ten Commandments?
Answer: The preface to the Ten Commandments is, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” Exodus 20:2.
Question 50: What does the preface to the Ten Commandments teach us?
Answer: The preface to the Ten Commandments teaches us that because God is the LORD, and our gracious Redeemer, his commandments are for our good and he does not will for us to depend on ourselves in keeping them, but to trust his grace and power. Deuteronomy 10:13, 16; 30:6.
- LORD in all upper case letters indicates that the Hebrew word being translated is Yahweh.
- Exodus 20:2
- https://www.gotquestions.org/meaning-of-Yahweh.html
- Deuteronomy 7:9
- Exodus 3:15
- The fact that languages are changing suggests that they have a beginning, even if only coming from another language. However, one of God’s attributes is His ability and will to communicate and reveal Himself. Therefore, somehow God’s language is eternal. Was Adam’s language the same as God’s? Did Babel distort that language? Are the vestiges of original language still resident in modern languages? The questions just keep coming, and at this pre-eternal time, we may only speculate, which is OK as long as it doesn’t distort truth. Wow, that rabbit hole was deep.
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