“I am Yahweh. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El-Shaddai, but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them.” Exodus 6:2-3
You Can Have God's Forgiveness, Deliverance, and Guidance
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The idea of names being given to represent something is a custom largely lost in Western culture, but it was not always this way. In other countries, parents have given names to children because the name given represents something important. There’s something important about God’s name mentioned in Exodus 6:2-3.
God calls Himself by different names at different times.
Sometimes, God announces Himself as Elohim; sometimes, He is El-Shaddai; sometimes, He is Adonai; sometimes, He is Yahweh; and still other times, He chooses other names.
He chooses other names because each name reveals something different about Him. The name He chooses for Himself at any given interaction with people is how He wants those people to think of Him during that time period. It’s like He is saying, “This is my name; this is what my name means for you right now.”
In Exodus 6:3, God referred to Himself as El-Shaddai, which means God Almighty.
However, in Exodus 6:2, God calls himself Yahweh, which means I am present, accessible, and near to those who call on Me for forgiveness (Psalm 25:11), deliverance (Psalm 107:13), and guidance (Psalm 31:3).
It’s interesting to note that God says to Moses…
“…I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them.”
However, He does reveal His name as “Yahweh” to Moses.
WHY DOES GOD CHANGE HIS NAME IN EXODUS 6:2-3?
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob needed to know God during their lives as El-Shaddai—God Almighty, but now Moses and God’s people need to know God as Yahweh—present, accessible, near, forgiving, delivering/freeing/rescuing, and guiding.
Again, “Yahweh” means God is present, accessible, and near to those who call on Him for forgiveness (Psalm 25:11), deliverance (Psalm 107:13), and guidance (Psalm 31:3).
Forgiveness. Deliverance. Guidance.
Those are the three things happening to God’s people at that time.
God offers…
FORGIVENESS to His people for their disregard of and disobedience to Him. He saw their suffering and heard their cries to Him, and He not only offers them His forgiveness, and He is not only compassionate toward them, but He acts on His forgiveness and compassion by giving His people…
DELIVERANCE, freedom, and rescue from their suffering under Pharaoh and the Egyptians. And He gives them His….
GUIDANCE as to how to act, where to go, when to go, etc.
WHAT’S MY POINT?
When God mentions His name to humans, it is the same as Him swearing an oath by His name that He will act toward those humans in the way that His name means. He swears by His name because no one is greater on which to swear.
“For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name…” Hebrews 6:13
Here’s my point: Do you need to know Yahweh for His forgiveness, deliverance, or guidance?
He is present.
He is accessible.
He is near to those who call on Him.
