God With Us...?

"I will be with you," is more than a promise. It is an identifier. Immediately after receiving this assurance of God's presence, Moses moves to the question of God's name, Exodus 3:11-15. If the Hebrew slaves knew Moses was representing the God of their fathers, why was His name so important?

In the ancient near east, name changes were not uncommon. They marked attributes and life transitions. In one ancient Hebrew commentary on scriptures, the Lord declares, "If you want to know my names, they are revealed in my actions." If Moses and the Hebrews understood God as the one who reveals Himself through His actions, Moses asking who he should say sent him was akin to asking, "How are you going to do this?" The LORD does not even seem to address the questions Moses is clearly raising. Instead, He offered His name and a promise. "God with us," is more than a Christmas greeting. It is the enduring promise of every covenant in scripture, and it is just as true today. It is the truest reality of our darkest loneliest hours, and that is Worth Remembering.