Hi there
Today’s Holy Nougat is a nugget of a nougat for those who are challenged about God’s purpose for us. Please also read the reflection carefully if the nougat requires an extra chew.
“ “And God said to Moses, “I am Yahweh—‘the Lord.’ I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty’ —but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them.” Exodus 6:2-3 NLT
From the onset, Moses’ relationship with God was special. Apparently he was marked before birth (like Jeremiah), since Exodus 2 says he was special (delightful), and he was successfully hidden when others didn’t escape pharaoh’s murderous madness In the river. Despite his past, God met with him and convinced him – after much persuading and self revelation – to return and rescue the Children of Israel from pharaoh.
What is interesting is that at that meeting in Exodus 3, God self-introduced by the very meaning of the name YHWH, and not as El Shaddai. Also interesting is that El Shaddai refers to God’s might (Almighty), whereas YHWH tends to reflect God’s place OVER time (ever-present in time and space and ever creative Force throughout eternity). My human logic expects that, given the circumstances, Moses would have met God as El Shaddai, All Mighty. That was how God was revealed to THE Forefathers of the faith. It stands to reason for me!
I believe with all my heart that it boils down to the nature of their call. The journeys Abram and Jacob had taken necessitated their experience of God’s might in battle. Moses needed to first experience God IN and OVER time, as he had to confront his Past in the Present in order to face an unknown Future. And he, Moses, NEEDED the assurance that God Was, Is and Will Be.
For you see, our God is Immanent. God is With Us through time and space and place; even when our eyes cannot physically behold God. Yet God is Transcendent. Yes, Our God, YHWH exists Outside of time and space and place. For God CREATED all three. Moses, like the pharaoh then, needed to know that God was there AT the Time he made the fatal decision in Egypt. The very same God was WITH him all throughout his exile and met him in the Wilderness. The very same God Who CHOSE him to face and overthrow pharaoh!
God cares about each of us. About our Past, and is With Us now in the Present. But MOST IMPORTANTLY, God desires to Shape our Future. With us. For us. Before us. So we need not fear.
And God also self-revealed as El Shaddai to Moses when God told Moses that Almighty is how the Forefathers experienced YHWH! So Moses was also assured that the Commander of the Hosts of Heaven would accompany him all the way. Many of us have experienced God as El Shaddai in the inexplicable victories we face along life’s way.
God has not changed in might or consistency since the beginning of time. Not at all. The God Who was, is the same God Who is, and will be the very same God Who shall be! Isn’t it proof that we ought to continue trusting God?
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
