I Will Be With Thee
God's name isn't just a title - it's a promise.
Read Time: 8 minutes
There have been countless theological debates about God’s name. Often, these discussions seem extremely deep, even technical, as we attempt to understand what the original Hebrew indicated or how to pronounce the memorial name. But what is the context of God’s memorial name? What did it mean to Israel as they were about to be freed from the shackles of slavery in Egypt? What does it teach believers today about His name’s fundamental message and purpose?
Revealed to Israel
The God declared to Moses was primarily intended to carry meaning and purpose. Did God, who is eternal, have a specific “name” like we do in the present creation? When Manoah, the father of Samson, asked the angel that appeared to him what his name was, the angel replied, “It is beyond understanding.” (Judges 13:18 NIV). The name Yahweh, which we show reverence to, is intended for mortal minds to capture the purpose of God rather than to limit his identity.
The context of “I AM THAT I AM” in Exodus 3:14 is critical. Moses is in Midian, where he has been for forty years. As a shepherd, Moses must have had long periods to wonder about God’s purpose in his life. Instead, he had left the “riches of Egypt” to live a very unexceptional life in relative obscurity. Was God done with him? Would he ever reunite with his siblings? Would God hear the groaning of His people, Israel?
Out of a bush, the angel of the LORD appears to Moses through a flame of fire. The bush itself was not consumed. It is here that God, through the angel, reveals Himself to Moses. God was manifested in this destitute, unpopulated area, where life was hardly apparent. God tells Moses He had heard the cry of Israel and was now “come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians.” (Exodus 3:7-8).
The angel told Moses about God’s enormous plan to deliver the people from Egypt. He wondered if he was up to the task as the leader. “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:11). We might also be overwhelmed by such an assignment. Pharaoh was the most powerful man on earth, with a standing army and great riches.
God’s answer to him is the context for the memorial name. “And he said, Certainly I will be with thee.” (Exodus 3:12). That’s it, what Israel needed to know about the name of God. It is to communicate that God would be with them. He would be with Moses, putting His words into Moses’ mouth. God would bring great plagues against Egypt. He would harden Pharaoh’s heart.
God understood what Israel needed to have confidence in as they escaped bondage and entered the wilderness. Every time they repeated the memorial name it was a reminder He would be with them.
This theme is further developed in Exodus 3:15.
By being the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He reminded them of the covenant He had made with the patriarchs. But the theme of “I will be with thee” is a common thread through the lives of the patriarchs. God told Abraham when he left his family in Haran:
Each time God extended the covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, “I will” is prominently spoken. It is said to Isaac in Genesis 26:3-4 and repeated to Jacob.
During their pilgrimage, the patriarchs of Israel learned that God was with them. They needed not to establish fenced cities for defense, for God encamped around them. He would bring them through all the hardships and fears. This promise is precisely the lesson Israel needed to learn and depend on during the wilderness journey. It remains so for believers today.
Therefore, what they were to remember about the name of God was the same lesson that their fathers had learned. Despite the adversaries and giants they would face wherever they were, God would be with them.
As Moses prepared to give way to his successor, Joshua, his last words called to mind the importance of the memorial name.
As Israel entered the promised land, they would encounter adversaries who would challenge their faith. But Joshua reminded them of the meaning of the memorial name.
What, then, did the name of God convey to His people? “Surely, I will be with thee.” The memorial name In Hebrew is ehyeh asher ehyeh—I will be.
God Manifested
As we follow Israel through the conquest of the land, the times of the Judges, and later the kings, we see the assurance that if Israel would turn to God, He would be with them and prosper their ways.
Isaiah introduces the Immanuel prophecy.
Understanding the significance and context of God’s memorial name, we now learn of a promised son to be conceived of a virgin. This son, Immanuel, will refuse evil and choose the good. We know this to be a prophecy of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Matthew 1:23, we read the angel’s message to Joseph of the child to be born to his espoused wife, Mary, as well as the translation of Emmanuel.
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Israel would know that God’s memorial name was “I will be.” But a son was to be born that would be the manifestation of “God with us.” As Hebrews states:
Jesus, then, demonstrated to all men and women of faith what life governed by “I will be with thee” looked like. It was manifest in his flesh.
Make Our Abode
The life of Jesus is undoubtedly a demonstration of “God with us.” From birth, his Father kept him safe (Psalm 22:9-10). No man knew the depth of comfort and assurance our Lord knew in his relationship with the Father. When Lazarus was raised, Jesus thanked God for hearing him. But he clarifies this by saying,
The presence of Jesus to the disciples in the days of his flesh was hugely important. They leaned on him. He fed them the precious words of the gospel message. He demonstrated the character of his Father. They followed him, and he led.
But Jesus was soon to be taken from them. He knew that if he were to abandon them, they could potentially become scattered sheep. But just as the Father was to be with Israel, so the Lord Jesus assured his disciples that he, too, would be with them.
The boldness of Jesus’s words in John 14-15 reassures us of an intimate, enduring relationship with the Father and the Son. Jesus said he would make a “place” (Hebrew: mone) for them, an abiding place where they could find refuge. Later in John 14, he speaks of what God requires to be with us.
Through the work of Jesus, we who were far off can now draw nigh. Those who were once residents of the darkness of Egypt are changing into God’s children. Jesus left his disciples on the Mount of Olives with this promise:
Ultimate Fulfillment
The strength this provides for our mortal journey is always knowing God is with us through Christ. Whatever we encounter in the wilderness of life, our God is there with us, providing for our needs and bringing us safely to the promised land. This scenario is the very essence of faith.
But the work of Jesus is far from over. His return will bring about transformational change in the world. He will rule in the presence of all flesh, and all will glorify him. The Lord’s ultimate purpose is to deliver the world to his Father, where all rule, authority, and power will be put under his feet. When sin and death are finally eliminated from this earth, God’s plan and purpose for a world filled with people who manifest His righteousness will finally be realized. Revelation 21 speaks of that wonderful day.
Understanding the context of God’s name to Israel helps us understand our Lord’s role and place in that plan. Glory be to God for His love and this unspeakable gift. He will be with us. We will not be left as orphans.
Dave Jennings