Who is God?

Get to know God by seeing what He says about himself.  Here are snapshots of the “I am” statements God has made about himself…

Genesis 6:7

I am sorry that I have made them.

1. “made them”:  He is our creator
2. “sorry”:  He has not made a mistake – we have, and he calls it SIN.  Sin is anything we do that isn’t allowed by God.  But it runs deeper than that – sin damages the soul of man (hereditary defect), and all our descendants are damaged alike.  Our permanent damage (sin) posed a real problem for us, and the solution God knew we need saddened Him so much, that He regretted creating us.  We are like a rebellious teenager – loved deeply, but SO difficult to keep in the house.

Genesis 26:24

I am the God of Abraham

1. Abraham is a bookmark in the story of God’s love for humanity, and God points us to Abraham’s story to learn more about Him.  We are all descended from Abraham, and God promises certain things to His people…
   • protection
   • land to live on
   • …

Genesis 35:11

I am God Almighty

1. “almighty”:  having complete power; omnipotent.  He can do any task in His nature.

Genesis 46:3

I am God

Singular, definitive – there are no substitutes, and nothing else compares.

Exodus 3:14-15

I am who I am.

I am

The Lord

Not to be confused with any other deity imagined by men, or claims made by demons or Satan; God seems to be pulling the curtain back even further, revealing His timelessness and singularity.

Exodus 15:26

I am the Lord, your healer

Not only does He heal the sick, but He also can prevent us from getting sick even when others around us die.

Exodus 22:27

I am compassionate – if he cries to me, I will hear

God will provide a blanket, to a person in need, who calls on Him.

Leviticus 11:44, and Leviticus 20:8

I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy

I am the Lord who sanctify you

1. “consecrate”:  His people/we are to be dedicated for special service/purpose
2. “holy”:  perfect, uncontaminated, without fault, requiring special approach, treatment and honor
3. “sanctify”:  free from sin; purify.

God frees US from sin.  God purifies US.  We cannot do it ourselves…

Leviticus 20:24

I am the Lord your God, who have separated you from the peoples

Why? He wants us set apart from evil-doers, so we are not influenced by them, and judged with them.  But at the same time, He wants us to be a light in that darkness.

Isaiah is full of references:

I, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am He

I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to graven images.

I am He. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.

I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.

“I am God, and also henceforth I am He; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work and who can hinder it?”

“I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

even to your old age I am He, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.

For I know their works and their thoughts, and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and shall see my glory

Mark 14:62

Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” ⁶² And Jesus said, “I am; and you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

John 8:58

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

John 11:25

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live

Revelation 22:16

“I Jesus have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.”