The Eternal Nature of GOD “ I AM that I AM” Exodus 3:14

The Eternal Nature of GOD“I AM that I AM”Exodus 3:14

The Eternal Nature of God “In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth”Genesis 1:1 (King James Version)ראשית ברא אלהים את השמים ואת הארץ(Hebrew Manuscript)

The Eternal Nature of God Transliteration is the representation of the sounds of one language in the characters or alphabet of another language. This is helpful in dealing with languages written in non-Roman alphabets, such as Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek (examples of languages that use the Roman or Latin alphabet are English, Spanish, German, Vietnamese, Turkish, etc.).

The Eternal Nature of God ראשית ברא אלהים את השמים ואת הארץ(Hebrew Manuscript)bə·rê·šîṯ bā·rā ’ĕ·lō·hîm haš·šā·ma·yim hā·’ā·reṣ(Transliteration)“In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth”Genesis 1:1 (KJV) (English)

The Eternal Nature of God אלהים (Hebrew) ’ĕ·lō·hîm (Transliteration) ’Ĕ·lō·hîm is a unique Hebrew word in that it consists of the Hebrew word ’ĕ·lō·ah with the plural suffix “im.” The plural ending does not mean “gods” when referring to the true GOD of Israel, since the word is used with singular verb forms. Thus ’ĕ·lō·hîm is verb inflected as third person singular masculine. So, though it is a plural word as used with singular verbs and adjectives in the Hebrew text, the particular meaning when referring to the GOD of Israel (a singular deity) is understood.

The Eternal Nature of God The plural nature of ’ĕ·lō·hîm is presented in Genesis 1:1-3. The scriptures speak from an omniscient “third person” perspective. When we read “in the beginning, ’ĕ·lō·hîm created the heavens and the earth”, we must ask who exactly is speaking. Verse 2 states that the Spirit of God (Ruach ’Ĕ·lō·hîm) was hovering over the face of the waters followed by the first direct quote of the Word of ’Ĕ·lō·hîm Himself: “Let there be light.” The creative activity of ’Ĕ·lō·hîm and the presence of the Spirit of ’Ĕ·lō·hîm are narrated by an omniscient Voice or Word of ’Ĕ·lō·hîm .

The Eternal Nature of God Obviously the Creative God is ’Ĕ·lō·hîm. Likewise the Spirit of God is ’Ĕ·lō·hîm Himself, just as the Word of God is likewise ’Ĕ·lō·hîm Himself and therefore the triune nature of the Godhead is presented. Therefore, when considering the Ha-shilush Ha-Kadosh or doctrine of the Trinity, ’ĕ·lō·hîm allows for plurality within the Godhead indicating the immutability and agreement of the Godhead.

The Eternal Nature of God So, In the Hebrew text, ’ĕ·lō·hîm (GOD) denotes divinity or deity. ’Ĕ·lō·hîm as used is a title, not a name, identifying ’Ĕ·lō·hîm as CREATOR of the universe. ’Ĕ·lō·hîm scripturally means "the all-powerful One", based on the usage of the word “El” which denotes power or might. Of note, the word “GOD” was appropriated by the Jews and retained by Christians from the pagans to denote the One True GOD of Israel.”

The Eternal Nature of God Interestingly, Moses desired instructions as to what answer to give the Israelites concerning GOD’s identity (Exodus 3:13): “And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?”

The Eternal Nature of God ’Ĕ·lō·hîm revealed Himself to His people by saying: “I AM THAT I AM:” Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” (Exodus 3:14-15)

The Eternal Nature of God “And God (’ĕ·lō·hîm) said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM (אֶֽהְיֶ֖האֲשֶׁ֣ראֶֽהְיֶ֖ה )…Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM (אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה ) hath sent me unto you. And God (’ĕ·lō·hîm) said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” Exodus 3:14-15

The Eternal Nature of God “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created , in the day that the LORD GOD (אלהים יְהוָה )made the earth and the heavens.” (Genesis 2:4)

The Eternal Nature of God אֶֽהְיֶ֖האֲשֶׁ֣ראֶֽהְיֶ֖ה ’eh·yeh’ă·šer’eh·yeh (Transliteration) I AM THAT I AM אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה YaHWeH (English)

The Eternal Nature of God YaHWeh then as the proper name of GOD is an English rendition of the name of GOD found in the Hebrew scrolls. These four Hebrew Letters (יהוה), known as the Tetragrammaton are transliterated YHWH or JHVH in English. Jehovah is an anglicized representation of (יהוה). Most scholars believe "Jehovah" to be a hybrid form derived by combining the Latin letters JHVH with the vowels of adonai. During the 3rd to 2nd centuries BC, the pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton came to be avoided, being substituted with adonai "my Lords".

The Eternal Nature of God Scribes replaced the word YaHWeh with adonai or HaShem (The Name) as an attempt to prevent the true name being pronounced. So, traditionally, Jews do not voice this name aloud. It is believed to be too sacred to be uttered and is often referred to as the “UnNameable Name.”

The Eternal Nature of God The sacred name of GOD, YaHWeH (יהוה) (from the semitic root that means “to be”) expresses the idea of the closeness of ’ĕ·lō·hîm to man. YaHWeH created Adam in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). So, He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Genesis 2:7).

The Eternal Nature of God GOD’s name (YaHWeH - (יהוה) then is intimately related to GOD’s character and nature, which gives us an idea of who and what He is. In other words, His name ascribes character and purpose. “I AM (אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה ) (YaHWeH) hath sent me unto you. … This is my name forever!

The Eternal Nature of God “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of JESUS CHRIST of Nazareth, whom ye crucified , whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders , which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:10-12

The Eternal Nature of God "JESUS" (English) is a transliteration based on the Latin Iesus, of the Greek Ἰησοῦς (Iēsoûs), and of the Hebrew (יהשוה‎)(Yĕšhuă ). Yĕšhuă consists of two roots: Yĕ, is the theophoric referring to God. The second, šhuă, means "help" and the name literally means, “Whose help is YaHWeH/GOD or YaHWeh (GOD) is helper (savior).” The etymology of the name JESUS in the context of the New Testament is expressed as YaHWeH/GOD saves” or “YaHWeH/GOD is salvation.”

The Eternal Nature of God In Luke 1:26-33, the angel Gabriel tells Mary to name her child "JESUS", and in Matthew 1:21 an angel tells Joseph to name the child "JESUS". The statement in Matthew 1:21 "you are to give him the name JESUS, because he will save his people from their sins" associates the power to save or redeem to the name JESUS.

The Eternal Nature of God As far as his last name goes, in those days, people didn’t have last names. JESUS would have been called Yeshua bar Yahosef bar Yaqub, Joshua, son of Joseph, son of Jacob. Yet many people think his last name was Christ! Not true. He was never called Jesus Christ! JESUS was believed to be the Messiah, which in Hebrew Māšîaḥ means “the anointed one.” The Greek word for the oil used to anoint someone is “khrisma”, and the person so anointed is “Χριστός - Khristos” in Greek, “Christus” in Latin, and “CHRIST” in English.

The Eternal Nature of God In Matthew 16:16, Peter's profession “Thou are the Christ" identifies JESUS as the MESSIAH. However, in modern times, "CHRIST" became viewed as a name, one part of "JESUS CHRIST", but originally it was a title, "JESUS the ANOINTED.“ In reality, since JESUS had been considered someone deserving of anointing, HE would have been called JESUS the Anointed, or Jesus the CHRIST. There never was a person named JESUS CHRIST! His first name wasn’t JESUS and his last name wasn’t CHRIST.

Divine Names In Revelation 1:17, the text shows clearly that the LORD JESUS was the speaker, and distinctly calls Himself “The First and the Last.” Now this, beyond any question, is a divine name, for in Isaiah 44:6 we read, "Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." In Revelation 22:12-13, Jesus says that “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”

In Psalm 24:8-10 David asks, “Who is this King of glory?” Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:8 speaks of Jesus as “The (crucified) Lord of glory.“ (John 20:28) Thomas addressed Jesus as Lord and God. (Titus 2:13) Jesus is spoken of as “our great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” (Romans 9:5) Paul tells us that “Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever.” Divine Names

There can be no doubt to anyone who goes to the Bible that JESUS (יהשוה‎- Yĕšhuă) is spoken of by various names and titles that beyond a question imply deity, and that HE is really God (אלהים-’ĕ·lō·hîm) . Divine Names

The second line of proof that Jesus Christ is God is that all the distinctively divine attributes are ascribed to Jesus Christ; “all the fullness of the Godhead” (Colossians 2:9) is said to dwell in Him. These divine attributes: • Omnipotent (All-Powerful) • Omniscient (All-Knowing) • Omnipresent (Everywhere at once) • Eternal (Un-originated and Everlasting) • Immutable (No Variability) Divine Attributes

First of all, omnipotence is ascribed to Jesus Christ. Not only are we taught that Jesus had power over diseases and death and winds and sea and demons, that they were all subject to His word, and that He is far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to come (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:17-23); and it is said that He (Jesus) " [upholdeth] all things by the word of his power" (Hebrews 1:3). Divine Attributes

Omniscience is also ascribed to Him. We are taught in the Bible that Jesus knew men's lives, even their secret history (John 4:16-19), that He knew the secret thoughts of men, knew all men, knew what was in man (John 18:4; Mark 2:8; Luke 5:22; John 2:24, 25), which knowledge we are distinctly told in 2 Chronicles 6:30 and Jeremiah 17:9-10, that God alone possesses. We are told in so many words in John 16:30 that Jesus knew "all things," and in Colossians 2:3 we find that in Him “is hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Divine Attributes

Omnipresence is also ascribed to Him. We are told in Matthew 18:20 that “where two or three are gathered together in His Name, that He is in the midst of them,” and in Matthew 28:20 that wherever His obedient disciples should go, He would be with them. In John 14:20 and 2 Corinthians 13:5 we are told that He dwells in each believer, in all the millions of believers scattered over the earth. In Ephesians 1:23 we are told that He "filleth all in all." Divine Attributes

Eternity is also ascribed to Him. John 1:1 tells us that "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." These words consummate the identification of Jesus as "God’s only begotten," which He hath declared Him to be the personal manifestation of the whole Deity (image) (Hebrews 1:3). This stresses the nature and character of Jesus as the Shekinah glory (i.e., open manifestation) which is used todenote the dwelling presence of God (Colossians 2:9). Divine Attributes

(John 8:58) Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM." Note that Jesus did not merely say that "before Abraham was, “I WAS," but that "before Abraham was, I AM," thus declaring Himself to be the eternal "I AM." Even in the OT we have a declaration of the eternity of the Christ who was to be born; Micah 5:2, "yet out of thee (Bethlehem) shall he come forth…that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." (Hebrews 13:8) "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Divine Attributes

His immutability is taught in Hebrews 1:10-12. We find that while even the heavens change, the Lord Jesus does not change. The exact words are, "They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as cloth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.“ Also, Hebrews 13:8 teaches that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Divine Attributes

There can be no doubt to anyone who goes to the Bible that all the (five) distinctively divine attributes – Omnipotence, Omniscience Omnipresence, Eternity and Immutability– dwell in Jesus (YHWH). Therefore, He is really God (Elohim). Divine Attributes

There is a third unanswerable line of proof that JESUS is God, namely, all the distinctively divine offices are ascribed to Jesus Christ. The distinctively divine offices (i.e., things that God alone can do) are: • Creation • Preservation • Forgiveness of Sin • Raising of the Dead • Transformation of Bodies • Judgment • Bestowal of Eternal Life. Divine Offices

Creation is ascribed to Jesus. In Hebrews 1:10 “And, Thou, LORD, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands.” The context clearly shows that the LORD addressed is the JESUS. In John 1:3 and Colossians 1:13-16, we are told that “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Divine Offices

Preservation of the universe and of everything is also ascribed to Him in Hebrews 1:3 where it is said of the Lord Jesus, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person [God's], and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Divine Offices

The forgiveness of sin is ascribed to JESUS. He Himself says in Mark 2:5-10 when His power to forgive sins was questioned, because that was recognized as a Divine power, “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins.” The future raising of the dead is distinctly ascribed to him in John 6:39, 44, “And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day; …and I will raise him up at the last day.” Divine Offices

The transformation of our bodies is ascribed to JESUS “who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21). In 2 Timothy 4:1 judgment is ascribed to Jesus. We are told that He shall “judge the quick and the dead.” Jesus declared that He would be the judge of all mankind and emphasized the fact of the divine character of that office. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honor the Father” (John 5:22-23). Divine Offices

The bestowal of eternal life is ascribed to Jesus. In John 10:28 He Himself says, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand,” and in John 17:1- 2, He says, “Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” Divine Offices

Here then, we have the seven distinctively Divine offices all predicated of JESUS. This alone would prove that He is GOD, and we might rest the case here, but there are still other proofs of His absolute Deity. Divine Offices

The word translated "worship" is the Greek word which denotes an act of reverence. The “worship” of God is not confined to praise; broadly it is be regarded as the direct acknowledgement to God, of His nature, attributes, ways and claims, whether by the outgoing of the heart in praise and thanksgiving or by deed done in such acknowledgment. Worship then is understood as showing reverence and respect for God, and who He is, (the Lord Jesus Christ). Divine Worship

Jesus Himself distinctly says, using exactly the same Greek word, “thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,” and on the other hand He says in John 5:23 that “all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.” And in Revelation 5:8-13, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders are represented as falling down before the Lamb and offering worship to Him just as worship is offered to Him that sits upon the throne, that is, God the Father. In Hebrews 1:6 we are told that the angels of God worship Him. Divine Worship

The Deity of Jesus Jesus, the second Person of the Godhead (אלהים-’ĕ·lō·hîm) is equal to the Father in nature, separate in person, yet submissive in duties; as such, He is God. The arguments for His deity are His applying the titles of deity to Himself, His speaking of God as uniquely His Father, His making claim to deity, His using the YaHWeHistic “I AM,” and His claiming to be equal with God in nature. Bottom Line: Jesus is God!

The Deity of Jesus There is no room left to doubt the absolute deity of Jesus Christ. It is a glorious truth. The Saviour in whom we believe is God, a Saviour for whom nothing is too hard, a Saviour who can save from the uttermost and save to the uttermost. We should rejoice that we have no mere human Saviour, but a Saviour who is absolutely God in all of His fullness and perfection. So, denying the Deity of Jesus Christ does not make His Deity any less a fact.

The Eternal Nature of God GOD’s name (YaHWeH ) is intimately related to GOD’s character and nature (the intrinsic or essential qualities of GOD; His basic state of existence, untouched and uninfluenced byanything outside of Himself), which gives us an idea of who and what He is. YaHWeH then by definition signifies that ’ĕ·lō·hîm is (1) Un-Originated, (2) Self-Sustained, (3) Eternal, and (4) Immutable.

The Eternal Nature of God GOD’s “Eternal Nature” – uncreated life existing through all time, lasting for all time without beginning or end (thus eternal in His Being) Deuteronomy 33:27; He is “eternal life.” GOD’s “Eternal Nature” goes on forever without end; everlasting (Genesis 21:33). Does not have a point of origin reference to exist from, or conclude at/or in, therefore from everlasting to everlasting. He is indeed very GOD (Deity/Holy Eternal Being) (Psalm 41:13; 90:2)!

The Eternal Nature of God GOD’s “Eternal Nature” is unchanging, unaffected by the passage of time. Therefore like Himself, His word never changes. There is nothing to cause it to change that His eternal nature has not accounted for even before the inception of human life.

The Eternal Nature of God Again, some attributes may be termed “relative” because they are related to time and space. The eternity of GOD is usually understood as related to time. By definition it means that GOD is not limited or bound by time; with GOD there is no succession of events; He is above all temporal limitations. With Him there is no distinction between the present, past, and future; but all things are equally and always present to Him. His eternity (or Eternal Nature) is expressed in Psalm 90:2, “from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art GOD.”

The Eternal Nature of God GOD’s eternal nature extends backward to infinity and forward to infinity. Moreover, GOD’s eternity is also related to His eternal rule in His universal kingdom (Psalm 102:12).

The Deity of Jesus Jesus (יהשוה‎- Yĕšhuă) , the second Person of the Godhead (אלהים-’ĕ·lō·hîm) is separate in person and yet equal to the Father in nature (Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Eternal, and Immutable). The arguments for His deity are His applying the names, titles and characteristics of deity to Himself, His speaking of God as uniquely His Father, His making claim to deity, His using the YaHWeHistic “I AM,” and His claiming to be equal with God in nature; as such He is GOD.

The Eternal Nature of GOD “ I AM that I AM” Exodus 3:14