For we long for Your Yeshuah (Salvation) every day

Shemot {3:13} Moshe said to G-D, "Behold, when I come to the bnei Yisrael (children of Israel), and tell them, 'The G-D of your avot (fathers) has sent me to you;' and they ask me, 'What is his Name?' What should I tell them?" {3:14} G-D said to Moshe, "I AM WHO I AM," and he said, "You shall tell the bnei Yisrael this: "I AM has sent me to you."

Moshe had been shepherding sheep at the back side of the desert for close to forty years now. During these forty years and the years prior to that I am sure he saw, heard and did just about everything. However, now he is confronted with something totally new to him, totally unusual. Without a doubt, being a shepherd in Midian was a long way from being a prince in Mitzrayim (Egypt). He was away from the action and had plenty of time to reflect on his life. Like wine and cheese improves with age, so did Moshe. This was not the same Moshe who had run away from Pharaoh forty years earlier! He had certainly mellowed, matured and become a whole lot wiser over the years. This is evident to me, by the discussion taking place between Moshe and HaShem in this Parsha.

Therefore, because this was not the same Moshe of forty years ago we can understand when having encountered this new and strange phenomenon on top of the mountain, why he was a little sceptical. In fact, when having read the passage above, I got the impression that Moshe wanted to know the Name of this G-d who was talking to him, more for his own curiosity, than for the perceived curiosity of the bnei Yisrael he was being told to go to. I say perceived because did you notice that, as we read on in this Parsha, no one ever asked Moshe G-d's name, not even Pharaoh? All Pharaoh wanted to know was who this G-d of the Hebrews was who dared to question his authority.

In any case, Moshe was not taking anything at face value. He wanted to know more about this talking bush and I believe his question was asked for our information, why? Because there is so much speculation and interest today about the name of G-d and here in Parsha Shemot, Moshe asks the question every one of us wanted to ask "Ma Shemo" "What is His Name?" In the Hebrew G-d answers; "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh." Then G-d goes on to say; "Tell them "Ehyeh" sent you."

In our Scripture passage above and in most English translations "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh" is translated as "I Am That I Am" and "Ehyeh" is translated as "I Am." The problem with this translation is that there is no present tense in Hebrew; so "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh" can not be, if translated properly, according to proper Hebrew grammar, "I Am That I Am" nor could "Ehyeh" be translated "I Am."

It is believed that the Hebrew word used by G-d; "Ehyeh", is a derivative of the Hebrew root word "Hayah" which means "To become" or "To come to pass." Therefore if we use this translation of the word "Ehyeh", what G-d told Moshe was; "It will come to pass that which will come to pass." So what was G-d trying to tell Moshe here? Well, remember that Moshe was concerned about going back to his estranged brothers who did not accept him forty years ago and, who he felt would not accept him now. G-d knew this, so He was sending Moshe back with a reminder, a kind of divine note to the Bnei Yisrael.

As slaves in Mitzrayim, what do you believe would have kept the bnei Yisrael going in the face of all their oppression? When I look at my own life, a life I am sure much like your own, it is filled with difficulties, ups and downs, disappointments and frustrations, and I ask myself; "What is it that keeps me going?" My answer is that I remember the promises of the Bible! First the promise of my ultimate redemption, then the assurances I have in Mashiach (Messiah) Yeshua and the hope of His soon return. These promises keep me going. When Ya'acov was on his way from the land of Canaan to Mitzrayim to see his son Yoseph, upon passing through Beer-Sheva G-d spoke these words to him:

Bereshit {46:1} Yisrael took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-Sheva, and offered sacrifices to the G-D of his 'ab (father), Yitzchak (Isaac). {46:2} G-D spoke to Yisrael in the visions of the night, and said, "Ya'akov, Ya'akov (Jacob)!" He said, " Hineni." (Here I am) {46:3} He said, "I am G-D, the G-D of your 'ab. Don't be afraid to go down into Mitzrayim; for there I will make of you a great nation. {46:4} I will go down with you into Mitzrayim. I will also surely bring you up again. Yoseph will close your eyes."

These words "I will also surely bring you up again" must have been the words that kept the bnei Yisrael going all these years. They were waiting for their deliverance and G-d new it. That is why after answering Moshe's question about His Name; "It will come to pass that which will come to pass," G-d explains what He meant by this statement:

Shemot {3:15} G-D said moreover to Moshe, "You shall tell the bnei Yisrael this, 'HaSHEM, the G-D of your avot (fathers), the G-D of Avraham (Abraham), the G-D of Yitzchak, and the G-D of Ya'akov, has sent me to you.' This is my Name forever, and this is my memorial FOREVER (to all generations).

In other words, G-d was telling Moshe that the bnei Yisrael were anticipating their deliverance. So that when he tells them that their deliverance by the hand of the G-d of Avraham, the G-d of Yitzchak and the G-d of Ya'acov has come, as He promised He would, they will believe him, and they did!

Our G-d's name is still "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh," "It will come to pass that which will come to pass." He is still the G-d of Avraham, the G-d of Yitzchak and the G-d of Ya'acov, anticipate your deliverance, as He promised!

Rabbi Jack "Yaacov" Farber is the spiritual leader of Congregation Melech Yisrael in Toronto, Canada.

Copyright 2004