Exodus 6:3-4 What's in a Name?

Exodus 6:3-4

I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name LORD (YHWH) I was not known to them. I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers. NKJV

Moses has just completed his first interview with Pharoah, King of Egypt, upon Moses' return from a self imposed 40 year exile. The interview did not go according to plan, at least as far as Moses was concerned. Fully expecting that Pharoah would capitulate under the decree to "let my people go", Moses and Aaron would not have been prepared for what followed next. Instead of recognizing the divine message, Pharoah instead increased the burden of Israel by no longer providing straw for the Jewish workmen to create bricks. The Jews were to divert manpower from brick production in order to acquire the needed raw material without diminishing the daily quota of bricks. The net effect was demoralizing both to Moses and to the nation he sought to deliver. Fortunately, Pharoah's brilliant polictical manuever, while initially disheartening for Israel, did not achieve its desired end which was to stifle any notion of national liberation.

God then encourages Moses and reminds him that deliverance is at hand. Not only will Israel be delivered, but it will be done with a spectaculare penache and display of miracles, signs and wonders. In the midst of this forecast, God recalls the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The promise made is about to become the promise fufilled. What is striking is the words God uses to comfort and strengthen Moses' resolve.

During the Patriarchal period God revealed Himself as God Almighty (El Shaddai). This term indicates God's sovereignty, power and complete dominion over creation. There are no competing powers or persons that can unseat God from His total rule. In Exodus 6, the same God of the Patriarchs, who is still the absolute monarch reveals another dimension to His person and character. Not only is God the Sovereign Ruler, He is a Sovereign Ruler who is not undetached from His subjects. God is an intensely personal being and He reveals this through a small expression in verse 3 but by name (YHWH) I was not known to them.

In the ancient Near East, affixing names to persons was not merely a mechanism to distinguish one human being from another. Naming someone or something always conveyed either theological or political importance. The one doing the naming, or in some cases renaming, was exercising his power, control, dominance or ownership over the individual who received the new label. This is demonstrated in a number of examples in both Testaments.

At creation, corgenency is conferred to the primal pair, Adam and Eve. They are commanded to name the assorted animals as they paraded before our first parents. In Genesis, Avram and Sarai are renamed Abraham and Sarah by God as God establishes His covenant. In the New Testament, Jesus renames Simon to Peter (Petros the rock) theologically symbolizing the (Petra) the bedrock confession that Jesus is the Son of God. There are numerous other examples that could be cited, but they demonstrate the truth that naming a person was more than just placing a catchy label on a person.

Earlier in Exodus, Moses first encounters God on Mt. Sinai. Moses is to convey to Israel that the El Shaddai of Genesis, is about to fufill His promise to their Patriarchal ancestors. The question is posed, if they should ask what is His name? What shall I say to them? The answer comes in the form of the 4 letter tetragrammaton YHWH. In Hebrew, this is literally the verb to be. God's personal name is the verb that indicates existence. Down through the centuries, theologians have rightly taught that this somewhat cryptic response indicates not only God's holy name, but within the holy name, an essential attribute of God is delineated. He is the God that is; the self existent one.

More importantly, this name sets YHWH apart from the pantheon in Egypt and the larger pagan world in which Israel lives. The names of pagan Gods indicated something of their character, nature, limitations and tribal affiliation. YHWH alone not only declares that He is God Almighty but also that He is self existent and defines existence without having beginning or end. None of the competing idealogies could make such a statement about their gods. Because YHWH is self existent He is beyond human control, dominion or cohersion. He will not be manipulated or manouevered to do anyone's bidding save His own. As an aside, part of how we are to understand that we are not to take the Lord's name in vain is that God's name is not to be used as a talisman or lucky charm to bring our own desires into fruition.

Most importantly, Moses records that it is by the name YHWH that He is to be known now. This indicates that there is more here than theological posturing taking place. To know, in the Old Testament is not simply the acquisition of knowledge. To know someone can also convey the idea of intimacy as in the intimacy shared by husband and wife in sexual union. It is intensely personal. There is a foreshadow taking place here of the husband and wife symbolism that so marked the writings of the New Testament. It also indicates that God is not merely an all powerful ogre that demands obligatory allegiance from His subjects. He is one who is intimately involved with His people. He is interested in worshippers, but more than worshippers, He desires personal fellowship from those who are devoted to Him. Isaiah, the great prophet whose ministry coincided with the fall of Jerusalem, predicted that Messiah (Jesus) would be known by that great name Emmanuel (God with Us). This has been fufilled in part with the coming of Pentecost. Everyone who is a born again believer, has the Holy Spirit of God dwelling within. The ultimate Emmanuel will take place at the close of Revelation when the earth is consumed, the church (bride) is united with Christ (bridegroom) and the heavenly Jerusalem is revealed from heaven.

Soli Deo Gloria