What’s In A Name?
For years I have been fascinated with the account of Moses and the burning bush found in Genesis. How many times have you heard someone say, “Well, I haven’t seen a burning bush but I know its true?” or “I’m waiting for the burning bush, just a small ember will do.”
When Moses went up to Mt. Sinai, it was familiar territory for him. He had been there many times before. It was to him, the temple. Here he received his endowment. Christ had visited Gethsemane many times before his final atoning visit. That’s how Judas knew where to find Him.
Moses, outlawed from Egypt, was a shepherd for his father-in-law Jethro for 40 years and would visit the mountain often. On the day he was commanded to return to Egypt and free Israel, he balked at the mission call explaining the potential cold welcome he would receive and the harm that may occur.
When Moses queried about what to say to Israel, the Lord answered him by saying: “I AM THAT I AM…Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exo 3:14)
The Hebrew term translated here as “I am” is the first-person-singular form of the “to be” verb. It is more accurately translated as “I will be” or “I will become.”
The third-person-singular form of the same word is “Yahweh“—the Hebrew spelling of the name “Jehovah.” Therefore, Jehovah, or the name of the premortal Christ means literally—He will be.
In other words, when the Lord speaks of Himself, he used the first-person-singular. When others speak of Him, they use the third-person-singular.
On Mt. Sinai, the Great I AM explained that He is the Christ that will come in the meridian of time. When the Jewish leaders were reminded of this during the ministry of Christ they tried to stone Him.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.”
“Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil…Art thou greater than our father Abraham…?”
“Jesus answered…Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.”
“Then said the Jews unto him, Thou are not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?”
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham, was I am.” (notice the comma change for clarity)
“Then took they up stones to cast at him…” (John 8:51-59, cross referenced to Exo. 3:14)
Jesus cross referenced His identity to the Great I AM, He is Yahweh and would soon be the Christ.
For more information, see The Hidden Christ by James L. Farrell
Thank you for clearing up some questions I had about the visit of Moses to the Mount and the response. Very interesting.
Check out chapter 4, endnote #3 to ‘Jesus the Christ’, by James E. Talmage. It’s titled, “‘Jehovah’ a name not uttered by the Jews”.
The last sentence is of particular intrigue to me: “According to Jewish tradition it was pronounced but once a year by the high priest on the day of atonement when he entered the Holy of Holies;”
I think of the Savior; THE High Priest, on THE day of atonement, entering THE Holy of Holies (the garden of Gethsemane). What name did He pronounce? “Abba.”