Introduction: A Name That Refuses to Be Contained
The most profound moment of divine self-disclosure in the Bible occurs at a desert shrub. When Moses asks for God’s name at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14), the answer—Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh—defies simplistic translation. While often rendered "I AM WHO I AM," the Hebrew grammar and narrative context reveal something far more dynamic: "I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE."
This name is not a philosophical statement about God’s being, but a promise of presence—one that unfolds across salvation history, reshaping how we pray, suffer, and engage the world.
I. The Grammar of Revelation: Why "I WILL BE" Matters
A. The Hebrew Tense That Changes Everything
The verb ehyeh (אֶהְיֶה) is in the imperfect tense, denoting incomplete action. In biblical Hebrew, this often implies:
Future orientation ("I will be")
Continuous action ("I am being")
Intentionality ("I choose to become")
Scholar Walter Brueggemann notes: "Yahweh’s name is not a label but a verb—an active commitment to show up in ways that defy expectations" (Brueggemann 1997, 182).
B. The Anti-Idolatry Function
Ancient Near Eastern religions tied gods to fixed domains (Baal=storm; Dagon=harvest). Yahweh’s name rejects this:
No limits: He will be deliverer, lawgiver, suffering servant.
No manipulation: Unlike idols, He cannot be controlled by rituals (Isaiah 43:10-13).
II. The Story of "I WILL BE": Covenant as Divine Improvisation
A. Patriarchs: The God of Unfolding Promises
To Abraham: "I will be your shield" (Genesis 15:1).
To Jacob: "I will be with you wherever you go" (Genesis 28:15).
B. Exodus: Liberation in Real Time
God’s name precedes His acts:
"I will be with you" (3:12) → Leads Israel out.
"I will be your healer" (15:26) → Provides in wilderness.
C. Jesus: The Ultimate "I WILL BE"
In Christ, God becomes what we most need:
Bread (John 6:35)
Light (John 8:12)
Resurrection (John 11:25)
III. Praxis: Living With the God Who Will Be
A. Prayer as Expectant Dialogue
Lament: "How will You be just in this injustice?" (Psalm 74).
Intercession: "Be their comfort as You were mine" (2 Corinthians 1:4).
B. Justice as Covenantal Partnership
If God will be defender of the oppressed (Psalm 146:7), His people must:
Advocate for marginalized (Isaiah 1:17).
Create spaces where His future shalom is glimpsed today.
C. Suffering With a Future
When life fractures, the "I WILL BE" God:
Does not always explain.
Does pledge His presence (Isaiah 43:2).
Conclusion: The Unfinished Name
Yahweh’s refusal to be pinned down is our greatest hope. In a world of chaos, we follow the God who:
Was faithful.
Is present.
Will be more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
Prayer:
"God, You are not trapped in my small ideas of You.
You will be my provider in lack,
my peace in chaos,
my hope in despair.
As I walk forward, open my eyes to how You are becoming
everything You’ve promised to be. Amen."
Bibliography
Brueggemann, Walter. Theology of the Old Testament: Testimony, Dispute, Advocacy. Fortress Press, 1997.
Cassuto, Umberto. A Commentary on Exodus. Magnes Press, 1967.
Fretheim, Terence E. Exodus: Interpretation Commentary. Westminster John Knox, 2010.
Moltmann, Jürgen. The Coming of God: Christian Eschatology. Fortress Press, 1996.
Moberly, R.W.L. Old Testament Theology: Reading the Hebrew Bible as Christian Scripture. Baker Academic, 2013.
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