Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him ...
John 8:58-59a
In the passage above Jesus was in a heated debate with the religious leaders. He had just finished telling them that the devil was their father! Tough words! But it was the truth they needed to hear ... truth that could have helped them escape the snare of the devil if they would have been listening. But like most of us in an argument, they were only focused on winning the argument and being right. So Jesus dropped the biggest "I AM" bomb on them.
Way back in the Old Testament the children of Israel were in bondage in Egypt. It was a tough time of hard labor and oppression. They cried out to the Lord to deliver them. A deliverer was born--Moses--a Hebrew. Through amazing circumstances Moses was raised up as a prince in the house of Pharoah, but his heart was with his people who were oppressed--the children of Israel. Unfortunately he murdered a guard, was found out, and had to flee to the desert where he spent a lot of years in exile. God wasn't done with Moses. He appeared to Moses in a burning bush and told him that Moses was going to lead the children of Israel to freedom. God told Moses to tell them "I AM has sent me to you." (Exodus 3:14)
The religious leaders in Jesus time memorized the first five books of the Old Testament. They knew this story like the back of their hand. When Jesus told them, "before Abraham was, I AM", they tried to kill him on the spot because He had just told them that He was the One whom Moses spoke to in the burning bush. He is the great, I AM. He is the Word who was in the beginning with God and was God. He is the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us! This was an epic revelation! God in human form standing in their midst!
In looking at the big picture of this gospel, the Apostle John clarifies that he has written these things so that we might know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and that believing we might have life in His name! (John 20:31) It is only by believing that Jesus is the Great "I AM" that we are saved. There is no other name given under heaven by which men must be saved! (Acts 4:12) He is the True God!
Blessings to you!
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