Literally, “I am Yahweh,” a name derived from the verb “to be,” “to become” (see on Ex. 3:14, 15; see p. 172). It means “the Existing One,” “the One who causes to be” (see p. 172). When, therefore, Jesus said to the Jews of His day, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), they understood that He was claiming to be “the LORD” of the OT. This explains their hostility and their attempt to kill Him (John 8:59). It was Jesus Christ, the second person of the Godhead, who was the “God” of the Israelites throughout their history (Ex. 32:34; John 1:1-3, 14; 6:46, 62; 17:5; 1 Cor. 10:4; Col. 1:13-18; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 1:17, 18; PP 366). It was He who gave them the Decalogue; it was He who declared Himself to be “Lord also of the sabbath” (Mark 2:28). The Gr. hē zoē, “the living One” (Rev. 1:18, RSV), is equivalent to the Heb. Eyeh ’asher ’ehyeh, “I am that I am,” of Ex. 3:14.

God proclaimed His holy law amid thunder and lightning, whose roll seems to find an echo in the imperatives “Thou shalt” and “Thou shalt not.” The terrors of Sinai were designed to bring vividly before the people the awful solemnity of the last great judgment day (PP 339). The exacting precepts of the Decalogue stress the justice of their Author and the strictness of His requirements. But the law was also a reminder of His grace, for the very God who spoke the law is the One who led His people forth from Egypt and set them free from the yoke of bondage. It is He who gave the precious promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

 Since the Scriptures make Egypt symbolic of the state of sin (see Rev. 11:8), the deliverance of Israel from Egypt may appropriately be compared to the deliverance of all God’s people from the power of sin. The Lord liberated His people from the land of Pharoah in order that He might give them His law (Ps. 105:42-45). Likewise, through the gospel, Christ frees us from the bondage of sin (John 8:34-36; 2 Peter 2:19) in order that we may keep His law, which in Him is translated into true obedience (John 15:10; Rom. 8:1-4). Let those who teach that the gospel of Christ frees us from the holy commands of the Decalogue reflect on this truth. Deliverance from Egypt was to provide the motive for obedience to God’s law. Note the order here: the Lord first saves Israel, then gives them His law to keep. The same order is true under the gospel. Christ first saves us from sin (see John 1:29; 1 Cor. 15:3; Gal. 1:4), then lives out His law within us (Gal. 2:20; Rom. 4:25; 8:1-3; 1 Peter 2:24).