Yahweh: The Personal, Unchanging, and Merciful God

Devotional

Day 1: Yahweh Is a Person Who Reveals Himself

Yahweh is not an impersonal force or distant deity, but a personal God who reveals Himself to people and desires relationship. In the encounter with Moses at the burning bush, God calls Moses by name and speaks directly to him, showing that He is intimately involved in the lives of His people. This personal nature of God is seen throughout Scripture, from His fellowship with Adam and Eve in the garden to His guidance and care for individuals like Cain and Moses. Yahweh is not a distant creator who set the world in motion and left; He is present, speaking, and inviting us to know Him personally. [09:42]

Exodus 3:1-4 (ESV)
Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Reflection: When was the last time you sensed God personally calling your name or inviting you to draw near? How might you intentionally listen for His voice today?

Day 2: Jesus Is Yahweh—God With Us

Jesus is not merely a great teacher or prophet; He is the eternal God, Yahweh, who took on flesh and dwelt among us. The New Testament writers, including Paul, affirm that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament revelation of Yahweh, applying passages about Yahweh directly to Jesus. In Philippians 2, Paul describes Jesus’ humility in becoming human and His exaltation to the highest place, declaring that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. This means that the same God who spoke to Moses from the burning bush is the one who came to save us in the person of Jesus Christ. [12:39]

Philippians 2:6-11 (ESV)
Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Reflection: In what ways does recognizing Jesus as Yahweh—God Himself—change how you approach Him in prayer and worship today?

Day 3: Yahweh Is Holy and Makes a Way for Us

God’s holiness is overwhelming and awe-inspiring, causing even the greatest prophets to recognize their own unworthiness. When Isaiah and John glimpsed the throne room of God, they were confronted with His utter holiness and their own sinfulness. Yet, God in His mercy provides a way for us to stand before Him: for Isaiah, a coal from the altar cleansed his lips; for us, it is Jesus, the Lamb who was slain, who ransoms people from every nation. We cannot stand before God on our own merit, but through Jesus, we are made holy and welcomed into His presence. [24:25]

Revelation 5:9-13 (ESV)
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel unworthy to approach God? How can you rest today in the truth that Jesus has made a way for you to stand before a holy God?

Day 4: Yahweh Is Eternally Immutable—He Never Changes

Unlike people who change constantly, God is eternally the same—His character, promises, and purposes never change. When God tells Moses that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He is declaring that He is faithful across generations and that His plans will always come to pass. This unchanging nature of God is a source of great comfort, for it means that our salvation and hope are secure, not because of our performance, but because of His steadfastness. Even when circumstances shift and we falter, God’s word and His love remain constant. [27:10]

Exodus 3:6 (ESV)
And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Reflection: Where in your life do you need to be reminded that God’s promises to you have not changed, even if your circumstances have?

Day 5: Yahweh Is Merciful and Delivers His People

God’s mercy is seen in His willingness to hear the cries of His people, deliver them from bondage, and lead them to a promised future. Despite Israel’s repeated failures and complaints, God remained faithful to His promise, rescuing them from Egypt and bringing them to the Promised Land. In the same way, God’s mercy is extended to us through Jesus, who delivers us from the slavery of sin and brings us into eternal life. We are hidden in Christ, shielded from judgment, and invited to rejoice in the mercy and goodness of Yahweh, who knows us by name and shows us His glory. [33:09]

Exodus 33:17-23 (ESV)
And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

Reflection: Think of a time when you experienced God’s mercy despite your own shortcomings. How can you respond in gratitude and worship to Him today?

Sermon Summary

Today’s focus is on the unique and personal nature of God as revealed in Exodus 3, where God discloses His name to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM”—Yahweh. This name is not just a label, but a declaration of God’s eternal, self-existent, and unchanging nature. Unlike the worldviews of pantheism, polytheism, deism, agnosticism, or atheism, the God of the Bible is not distant, impersonal, or one among many. He is the one true God, intimately involved in His creation and in the lives of His people.

The name Yahweh, often rendered as Jehovah due to a historical blending of Hebrew consonants and vowels, is a sacred name that the Israelites treated with utmost reverence. This name encapsulates God’s being—He is the source of all existence, the uncreated One, and He is personal. God’s encounter with Moses at the burning bush is not a mystical hallucination, but a real, personal interaction. Throughout Scripture, God consistently reveals Himself as a person who engages, speaks, and relates to His people.

This personal God is also holy. When Moses approaches the burning bush, he is told to remove his sandals because he is standing on holy ground. God’s holiness is not just a distant attribute; it is a reality that shakes the very foundations of heaven, as seen in the visions of Isaiah and John. In the presence of such holiness, human inadequacy is exposed, yet God Himself provides the means for us to stand before Him—first through the symbolic cleansing of Isaiah’s lips, and ultimately through the sacrificial work of Jesus.

Yahweh is also eternally immutable—He does not change. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, faithful across generations. This unchanging nature is a source of profound comfort, for God’s promises and purposes are not subject to the shifting sands of human performance or circumstance.

Finally, Yahweh is merciful. He hears the cries of His people, delivers them from bondage, and leads them to the promised land—not because of their merit, but because of His steadfast love and mercy. This deliverance finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, the “angel of Yahweh,” who through His death and resurrection makes it possible for us to stand in the presence of God, forgiven and accepted.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s Name Reveals His Nature The revelation of God’s name as “I AM WHO I AM” (Yahweh) is a profound declaration of His self-existence, eternal presence, and unchanging character. This is not a distant or abstract force, but a personal God who invites us to know Him by name. To meditate on Yahweh is to remember that our lives are grounded in the One who simply is, and who always will be. [04:45]
2. The Personal God Engages with His People Yahweh is not a mere cosmic force or an impersonal principle. He is a person who speaks, calls, and relates to individuals—walking with Adam and Eve, warning Cain, and calling Moses by name. This personal engagement is most fully revealed in Jesus, who is the visible image of the invisible God, the “angel of Yahweh” who enters our world and our story. [09:42]
3. Holiness Both Exposes and Cleanses Encountering God’s holiness reveals our own unworthiness, as seen in Isaiah’s vision and John’s weeping in Revelation. Yet, God does not leave us in despair; He provides cleansing and atonement, first symbolically through the coal to Isaiah’s lips, and ultimately through the blood of Jesus. True worship is born from both awe at God’s holiness and gratitude for His grace. [24:25]
4. God’s Unchanging Nature Secures Our Hope Yahweh’s immutability means that His promises, purposes, and love are not subject to change. Unlike us, God does not learn, grow, or adapt—He is perfect and constant. This assures us that our salvation and future are secure, not because of our faithfulness, but because of His. [27:10]
5. Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment God’s mercy is not earned by human effort, but flows from His own character. He delivers His people from bondage, not because they are deserving, but because He is merciful. In Jesus, the ultimate act of mercy is accomplished: our sin is removed, we are hidden in Christ, and we are welcomed into God’s presence forever. [33:09]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:47] - Worldviews and the Uniqueness of Christianity
[04:45] - The Sacred Name: Yahweh and Jehovah
[07:22] - Created in God’s Image
[09:42] - Yahweh is a Person: The Burning Bush
[12:39] - Jesus as the Angel of Yahweh
[15:10] - The Holiness of God in Isaiah’s Vision
[18:30] - Holiness in Revelation’s Throne Room
[22:36] - The Scroll and the Worthy One
[24:25] - Jesus, the Lamb, and Our Access to God
[27:10] - Yahweh’s Immutability and Our Security
[29:00] - God’s Mercy in Deliverance
[31:04] - Moses’ Request: Show Me Your Glory
[32:01] - Hidden in the Cleft of the Rock
[33:09] - Jesus, Our Rock and Our Righteousness

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

1. Exodus 3:1–15 (ESV) — > Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
>
> Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
>
> Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.”

2. Isaiah 6:1–7 (ESV) — > In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

3. Revelation 5:1–14 (ESV) — > (For brevity, read at home or in group: The vision of the scroll, the search for one worthy to open it, and the worship of the Lamb who was slain.)

Observation Questions

In Exodus 3, what is unique about the way God appears to Moses, and what does God tell Moses to do when he approaches the burning bush?
According to the sermon, what does the name “I AM WHO I AM” (Yahweh) reveal about God’s nature?
In Isaiah 6, how does Isaiah react when he sees the holiness of God, and what does God do in response to Isaiah’s confession?
In Revelation 5, why does John weep, and what changes his sorrow to worship?

Interpretation Questions

Why is it significant that God reveals His personal name to Moses, rather than just a title or description? How does this set the God of the Bible apart from other worldviews mentioned in the sermon?
What does the burning bush episode teach about God’s desire for a personal relationship with people, as opposed to being a distant or impersonal force?
How does the vision of God’s holiness in Isaiah 6 and Revelation 5 help us understand our own unworthiness and God’s provision for us?
The sermon says that God’s unchanging nature is a source of comfort. Why is it important for believers that God’s promises and character do not change, even when circumstances or people do?

Application Questions

The Israelites treated the name Yahweh with deep reverence, even avoiding saying it aloud. How do you personally treat God’s name in your daily life, speech, or worship? Are there ways you could show more reverence?
God told Moses to remove his sandals because he was on holy ground. Are there “holy ground” moments in your life where you sense God’s presence? How do you respond in those moments?
When Isaiah saw God’s holiness, he was immediately aware of his own sinfulness. Is there an area in your life where God’s holiness is exposing something you need to confess or change? What would it look like to bring that to God?
The sermon emphasized that God is unchanging and His promises are secure. Is there a promise of God that you struggle to trust right now? What would it look like to rest in God’s faithfulness this week?
God’s mercy led Him to deliver Israel from slavery, not because they deserved it, but because of His love. Can you think of a time when you experienced God’s mercy in your own life? How did that change you?
The ultimate fulfillment of God’s mercy is in Jesus, who makes it possible for us to stand before God forgiven. How does knowing this affect the way you approach God in prayer or worship?
The sermon mentioned that God hears the cries of His people. Is there a situation in your life or someone else’s where you need to cry out to God for help or deliverance? How can the group support you in prayer?

Sermon Clips

And this is in your Bibles, in the English translation now, when you see Lord in all caps, capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D, that is the word Yahweh, okay? And that is to remind us that the name of God is holy, and it was holy to the nation of Israel and to the people, so they didn't even say it. They didn't even speak it. [00:05:48] (24 seconds) #HolyNameUnspoken

What's correct is Yahweh is a person, and he shows up in a personal way through this image of this burning bush and speaks directly to Moses. It's an incredible thing. He's not just the creative force or a force behind all of existence. He is the source of all existence. He is the uncreated one, and he is a person. And all throughout the scriptures, he engages with people in a personal way. [00:10:39] (29 seconds) #YahwehPersonalPresence

This angel of the Lord is 52 times mentioned in the Old Testament. It's a very unique word or combination of words because it seems as if this is more than just your typical angel. It's angel means messenger, and this is the messenger of Yahweh. But many times this messenger of Yahweh, this angel of the Lord, speaks in a authoritative way. He speaks as if he is Yahweh, as if he is the Lord. He gives instructions. He receives worship in the Old Testament. This is more than just an angel sent from God. This is the angel of Yahweh. [00:11:44] (42 seconds) #AngelOfYahwehAuthority

What I believe is that this is the pre -incarnate Jesus Christ. Do you know that Jesus Christ was alive before he was born in Bethlehem? 2,000 years ago yeah he existed eternally with the father with father god and so he is the angel of yahweh i believe when you see it in the old testament another place you see a fourth man show up in the fiery furnace with shadrach meshach and abednego there's a fourth man walking around who is that an angel of the lord yahweh is a person. [00:12:33] (29 seconds) #PreIncarnateJesus

Here Jesus Christ in his incarnation he humbled himself he was born as a baby he had to be cared for by human parents he had to be he had to have his diapers changed he had the humiliation of being a human entering into the world that he created not only that he went to his death death on a cross from people that he created that he loves that he cared for he they're made in his image and yet he freely gave his life for them as they murdered him this is a humiliation of god becoming man of the angel yahweh angel of yahweh becoming a man. [00:14:19] (34 seconds) #GodBecomesMan

Now in some sense God is ever present and he is but there are special circumstances where he shows up in time and space in a personal way and his presence makes the place holy his presence makes this place holy as well and we come before his presence to worship him as our holy God. [00:17:22] (21 seconds) #HolyPresenceTransforms

God, in his mercy, saved them and delivered them and took them to a promised land. It's the same for you and for me. God has a plan to save you from the slavery of sin, death, and the power of the devil and deliver you to a promised land as his son, as his daughter, eternally saved, looking forward to a future with him, to rule and reign with him and God's people forever. This thing can only happen because God is merciful. Only God, Yahweh, could have rescued Israel and only he can rescue you. [00:30:04] (35 seconds)

Jesus, the angel of Yahweh, in His death and resurrection on the cross, He fulfilled, He paid for our sin so that the wrath of God would not go on us that we deserved. And He removes our sin and He gives us His perfection so that we can stand before Yahweh as holy. And so our lives are hidden with Christ. [00:33:09] (25 seconds)

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