I don’t know about you, but as I said in the conclusion of my last message on this topic, I was absolutely wrecked after sitting with the weight of how the Almighty had literally spelled out His own inner nature to Moses. As a result, I couldn’t just stop there. Once you start pulling on the threads of Scripture to find out exactly who God says He is and the many other verses that reveal His character, you find yourself completely overwhelmed by His magnitude.

So, I kept digging. If you are ready to keep wandering down this beautiful rabbit hole with me, let’s look at a few more profound ways the Creator of the universe self-defines His character, His heart, and His desires for us. In future messages, we will look deeper into the other verses and passages that further tell us who He is.

We’ve already looked at the burning bush, but we have to remind ourselves of the sheer weight of what happened there. When Moses asks for God’s name, He replies, “I AM WHO I AM.” Exodus 3:14. As we discovered last time, God is thus defining Himself as an eternal, self-sustaining, existent being. As such, what else does this say about His character? God is entirely self-sufficient, independent, and always present. He doesn’t change based on our circumstances, culture, or time. If He is unchanging, then that means that His faithfulness is also unchanging. Look at what He says in Malachi: “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” Malachi 3:6. In Him we can totally trust and depend because He is eternally the same.

Once again atop a mountain, this time just before giving him the Ten Commandments and other Laws for Israel, God again speaks to Moses. While God is about to give them this collection of laws that they are to follow, He does not introduce Himself as a distant dictator demanding blind obedience. Instead, He establishes His character as a relational liberator.

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”‘  Exodus 20:2

Because of His heart of love and compassion for His creation—us—another fundamental piece of His identity is tied to rescue, freedom, and breaking the chains of oppression.

As we have already discussed, God exists outside of time and space; thus, when Adam and Eve sinned, God set things in motion in this realm in order to restore mankind into a right relationship with Him. As we read through the Old Testament, we see a loving and long-suffering Creator whose heart is for restoration, not for destruction of His chosen people, Israel, no matter how many times or how badly they rebelled against Him.

‘Say to them, “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!”‘   Ezekiel 33:11

He patiently holds back His judgment, hoping and begging us to repent and return to Him. Consider the father’s response when the prodigal son returns. That is the Almighty’s response when one sinner repents!

There is one final, yet remarkable and powerful way that the Almighty revealed His character. It is found in the mind-blowing mystery of Jesus.

‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ‘    John 1:1-2, 14

JESUS WAS GOD IN THE FLESH!

If you want to know what God is like, study the nature and character of Jesus. Look at what He said to His disciples:

‘Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”‘    John 14:9

We won’t do so here, because it is a whole other study in and of itself to consider the nature and character of Jesus.

Once again, looking at the harmony of these traits leaves me absolutely undone. He is the transcendent, unchanging “I AM,” yet He is intimately involved in rescuing slaves, seeking the lost, and showing us His face through Jesus. He is holy, yet His deepest desire is for reconciliation and life.

The more we look into who He says He is, the more our hunger grows. Let’s keep chasing after Him, moving past just knowing about Him, and stepping into the beautiful experience of truly knowing Him.