Verse: Exodus 3:13-14
Theme: The Revelation of God’s Eternal Name, Divine Self-Existence, and the Foundation of Covenant Relationship
“Moses said to God, ‘Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” Then what shall I tell them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: “I AM has sent me to you.”‘”
— Exodus 3:13-14, New International Version (NIV)
“But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”‘”
— Exodus 3:13-14, English Standard Version (ESV)
“Moses said to God, ‘When I go to the Israelites and tell them that the God of their ancestors sent me, they will ask me what his name is. So what should I tell them?’ God said, ‘I AM WHO I AM. When you go to the people of Israel, tell them that the one who is called “I AM” has sent you.'”
— Exodus 3:13-14, Contemporary English Version (CEV)
“Moses said to God, ‘When I go to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,” they will ask me, “What is his name?” What should I tell them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am. Say this to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.'”
— Exodus 3:13-14, Common English Bible (CEB)
Meaning of Exodus 3:13-14
You know that feeling when someone asks you a perfectly reasonable question, and you realize the answer is going to completely blow their mind? That’s exactly what happens here when Moses asks for God’s name, and God responds with what might be the most profound two-word statement in human history: “I AM.”
Moses isn’t just being curious about divine titles. In the ancient world, knowing someone’s name meant having access to their power and understanding their character. Names weren’t just labels; they revealed the essence of who someone was. Moses knows the Israelites will demand credentials, and “the God of your fathers” might not be specific enough for people who’ve been slaves for four centuries.
But God’s response transcends every category of naming that has ever existed. Instead of giving Moses a title to write down or a description to memorize, God reveals the fundamental nature of His existence: “I AM WHO I AM.” It’s not a name you can put in a database or engrave on a business card. It’s a declaration of absolute, independent, eternal existence.
Think about it: every other being in the universe exists contingently. We exist because of parents, circumstances, biological processes, and countless other factors. We’re constantly becoming something else, changing, dependent on external forces for our continued existence. But God simply IS. No conditions, no dependencies, no qualifications. Pure, absolute existence.
The Hebrew phrase “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh” carries this sense of active, ongoing existence. It’s not static being but a dynamic, living presence. God isn’t just revealing His name; He’s revealing the foundation of all reality. Everything else exists because He exists. Everything else changes because He remains constant.
When Moses asks, “What shall I say to them?” God essentially responds, “Tell them that the One who simply IS has sent you.” That’s either the most arrogant claim ever made or the most important truth ever revealed. Given what follows in the Exodus story, I’m going with the latter.
Popular Words of Wisdom from Exodus 3:13-14
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
— John the Apostle, Biblical Writer
“I think, therefore I am.”
— René Descartes, French Philosopher
“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”
— King Solomon, Biblical Wisdom Writer
“He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.”
— Lao Tzu, Chinese Philosopher
“God is not what you imagine or what you think you understand. If you understand you have failed.”
— Augustine of Hippo, Church Father
“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
— Socrates, Greek Philosopher
Explaining the Context of Exodus 3:13-14
Moses’s question about God’s name reflects practical concerns about establishing credibility with the Israelites who have been in Egyptian bondage for generations.
This revelation comes at the crucial moment when God is preparing to demonstrate His power over Egypt and fulfill His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The name “I AM” establishes God’s absolute authority and independent existence as the foundation for everything He is about to accomplish in Israel’s deliverance.
This divine self-revelation provides the theological foundation for understanding God’s covenant relationship with Israel and His ultimate sovereignty over all creation.
The simplicity of the name contrasts sharply with the elaborate titles and attributes of Egyptian gods, emphasizing the uniqueness of Israel’s God.
Explaining the Key Parts of Exodus 3:13-14
“What is His name? what shall I say to them?”
Moses’s question reveals the importance of divine names in ancient cultures, where names carried authority and revealed essential character traits.
The practical concern shows Moses thinking ahead to the challenges of convincing skeptical Israelites of his divine commission.
“I AM WHO I AM”
This self-designation reveals God’s absolute, independent existence without beginning, end, or dependency on external factors for His being.
The repetitive structure emphasizes the completeness and self-sufficiency of divine existence, distinguishing God from all created beings.
“I AM has sent me to you”
The shortened form “I AM” becomes God’s covenant name, emphasizing His present, active existence rather than abstract philosophical concepts.
This designation connects God’s eternal nature with His immediate involvement in Israel’s historical situation.
Lessons to Learn from Exodus 3:13-14
1. God’s Nature Transcends Human Categories of Understanding While Remaining Personally Accessible
The name “I AM” reveals divine transcendence while being given in response to Moses’s very practical question about establishing credibility.
2. Divine Identity Is Rooted in Self-Existence Rather Than Relationship to Created Things
Unlike human names that often reference family, location, or characteristics, God’s name reveals His independent, eternal existence.
3. God’s Revelation of His Name Establishes the Foundation for All Covenant Relationships
Knowing God as “I AM” provides the theological basis for trusting His promises and understanding His unchanging character.
4. The Simplicity of God’s Self-Revelation Contrasts with Human Complexity and Pretension
“I AM” cuts through elaborate religious systems and philosophical speculation to reveal the fundamental reality of divine existence.
5. God’s Name Connects His Eternal Nature with His Present Activity in Human History
The name reveals both God’s transcendent being and His immediate involvement in Israel’s circumstances.
Related Bible Verses
“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'”
— John 8:58, Revised Standard Version (RSV)
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
— Hebrews 13:8, Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
“For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.'”
— Acts 17:28, Good News Translation (GNT)
“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
— Psalm 90:2, New Living Translation (NLT)
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
— James 1:17, Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
How This Verse Points to Christ
Exodus 3:13-14 points to Christ through God’s self-revelation as “I AM,” which Jesus directly applies to Himself multiple times in the Gospel of John.
Christ’s “I AM” statements (bread of life, light of the world, good shepherd, etc.) connect His identity with the divine name revealed to Moses.
The eternal, unchanging nature revealed in “I AM WHO I AM” finds perfect expression in Christ as the eternal Word who became flesh while remaining fully divine.
God’s self-existence, demonstrated in this name, points to Christ’s pre-existence and His role as the source of all created life.
The personal accessibility of God revealed in giving His name to Moses foreshadows the ultimate accessibility of God through Christ’s incarnation.
The foundation for the covenant relationship established by God’s name revelation reaches its fulfillment in the new covenant established through Christ’s sacrifice.
Closing Reflection
Sometimes the most profound truths come wrapped in the simplest packages. When God reveals His name as “I AM WHO I AM,” He’s not trying to be mysterious or evasive. He’s giving us the most fundamental truth about reality that can possibly be expressed in human language.
Every other answer God could have given would have been somehow limiting or inadequate. Any descriptive name would have focused on one aspect of His character while potentially obscuring others. Any title would have placed Him in a category with other beings. Any explanation would have made Him dependent on the very concepts He created.
But “I AM” cuts through all of that and gets to the heart of what makes God uniquely God: absolute, independent, eternal existence. It’s the one thing that can be said about God that can’t be said about anyone or anything else in quite the same way.
What strikes me most is how this revelation connects divine transcendence with practical accessibility. The same God who exists beyond all categories and limitations is the God who responds to Moses’s very human question about what to tell skeptical Israelites. The infinite “I AM” is also the personal God who enters into a covenant relationship with finite people.
When Moses returned to Egypt with this name, he wasn’t just carrying new information about divine titles. He was carrying the revelation that the universe itself rests on the foundation of God’s absolute existence. Every promise God would make, every miracle He would perform, every covenant He would establish would be backed by the full weight of pure, unlimited being.
Say This Prayer
Eternal God,
Your name, “I AM WHO I AM,” reveals the mystery and wonder of Your absolute existence. Thank You that the foundation of all reality rests in Your unchanging, independent being.
Help us find security in Your eternal nature when everything around us seems uncertain and temporary. Remind us that because You simply ARE, we can trust Your promises completely.
Thank You that Your transcendent existence doesn’t make You distant from our daily concerns but instead guarantees that You have the power to fulfill every commitment You make to us.
When we struggle with doubt or uncertainty, we anchor our faith in the reality that You exist beyond all the changing circumstances that affect our lives.
Help us live with confidence knowing that the One who sent Moses to Pharaoh with Your name as his only credential is the same God who walks with us through our challenges today.
Give us wisdom to understand that knowing Your name means entering into a relationship with the source of all existence, truth, and goodness.
May our lives reflect the stability and faithfulness that flow from Your eternal nature.
Through Christ, who perfectly reveals Your nature, Amen.
Evang. Anabelle Thompson is the founder of Believers Refuge, a Scripture-based resource that helps Christians to find biblical guidance for life’s challenges.
With over 15 years of ministry experience and a decade of dedicated Bible study, she creates content that connects believers with relevant Scripture for their daily struggles.
Her work has reached over 76,000 monthly readers (which is projected to reach 100,000 readers by the end of 2025) seeking practical faith applications, biblical encouragement, and spiritual guidance rooted in God’s Word.
She writes from personal experience, having walked through seasons of waiting, breakthrough, and spiritual growth that inform her teaching.
Evang. Thompson brings 12 years of active ministry and evangelism experience, along with over 10 years of systematic Bible study and theological research.
As a former small group leader and Sunday school teacher, she has published over 200 biblical resources and devotional studies.
She specializes in applying Scripture to everyday life challenges and regularly studies the original Hebrew and Greek texts for a deeper biblical understanding.