the God of my fathers

Exodus 3:1-22    

4  When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”  And Moses said, “Here I am.”

5  “Do not come any closer,” God said.  “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

6  then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”  At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

15  God also said to Moses,” Say to the Israelites, ’T he 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, the name you shall call Me from generation to generation.

16  “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘’T he LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.

The Israelites knew about the LORD God by how He related to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  They would have no problem identifying which God Moses was referring to.  Up to this point, they knew God had performed miraculous births on all their behalf, led small-scale victories over their enemies, and initiated life-changing relationships with each patriarch.  Now they were going to know God as the God of power and might, worthy to be praised and worshiped, able to take on the most powerful ruler in the ancient world.  They were going to experience His awesome deliverance and jaw-dropping miracles—something the patriarchs never saw for themselves.  They were going to know another side of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

When we pray to God, He just may reveal to us another side of His holy character.  That’s why God was given so many names and titles throughout the Bible: the God who sees me(Gen. 16:13-14), King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16), wonderful Counselor (Is. 9:6), Emmanuel(Matt. 1:23), etc.   Through our experiences with God and our God-given answers to prayer, we can know another dimension of God.