The 'I Am' statements reveal God's eternal self-existence and covenant relationship with Israel, and in John's Gospel they identify Jesus as the same Jehovah God of the Old Testament.
In the Old Testament, God revealed Himself to Israel through seven distinct Jehovah titles that met Israel's needs, including provider, healing, banner, shepherd, righteousness, and "I am there." In John's Gospel, Jesus uses the same "I AM" seven times—bread of life, light of the world, door of the sheep, good shepherd, resurrection and life, way/truth/life, and true vine—thus claiming to be that same Jehovah. Les Feldick also points to an eighth "I Am" in Revelation 22, where Jesus is the bright and morning star.
Exodus 3:14 — God declares His name as 'I AM THAT I AM,' the foundation of all the 'I Am' statements.
John 8:58 — Jesus applies the same 'I AM' to Himself, claiming to be the eternal God of the burning bush.
John 6:35 — The first of Jesus's seven 'I AM' sayings in John's Gospel: 'I am the bread of life.'
The Bible reveals God's name to Moses at the burning bush: "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you" (Exodus 3:14). In John's Gospel, Jesus takes this same title for Himself: "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58). Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus makes seven "I AM" declarations: "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35), "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12), "I am the door of the sheep" (John 10:7), "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11), "I am the resurrection, and the life" (John 11:25), "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), and "I am the true vine" (John 15:1). In Revelation 22:16 Jesus also says, "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."
Les teaches that the name Jehovah stands for the "I AM." In the Old Testament, there were seven distinct needs of Israel, each met by a seven-fold operation of Jehovah—Jehovah-Jireh (provider), Jehovah-Rapha (healing), Jehovah-Nissi (banner), Jehovah-Rehah (shepherd), Jehovah-Sidkenu (righteousness), and Jehovah-Shammah ("I am there"). These names are intrinsic to God's dealing with the nation of Israel. In the Gospel of John, Les points out, Jesus uses the same "I AM" seven times, fitting so perfectly with the seven Old Testament I AM's. Examples Les cites are "I am the bread of life," "I am the light of the world," "I am the door of the sheep," "I am the good shepherd," "I am the resurrection and the life," "I am the way, the truth, and the life," and "I am the true vine." Les says this ties Jesus to the person of Jehovah all the way back to the Old Testament. Les also identifies Revelation 22:16 as the eighth "I Am"—"the bright and morning star"—which he connects to new beginnings and eternal day. All these names, Les says, are wrapped up in that one name Jehovah: He is everything to the nation of Israel.
Les describes seven distinct needs of Israel fulfilled by seven names of Jehovah. From the clips, he expressly identifies Jehovah-Jireh ("God is the provider"), Jehovah-Rapha ("I AM your healing"), Jehovah-Nissi (our banner), Jehovah-Rehah (Jehovah the Shepherd), Jehovah-Sidkenu (Jehovah our righteousness), and Jehovah-Shammah ("I am there"). These names are tied to Israel's covenant relationship with God, and the last one, Jehovah-Shammah, looks forward to Christ ruling on earth in the Kingdom.
Les points to seven instances of Jesus using the "I AM" in John's Gospel. The ones he names are: "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35), "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12), "I am the door of the sheep" (John 10:7), "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11), "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25), "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), and "I am the true vine" (John 15:1). Les notes that Jesus never backed away from being the I AM.
Les calls the statement in Revelation 22:16 the eighth "I Am": "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." He connects it to "new beginnings" and says, "Night is past, eternal day is coming."
Les explains that Jehovah stands for the I AM. The Old Testament seven I Am's were intrinsic to Israel's needs, and the seven "I AM" statements in John's Gospel are the same I AM's. Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I am," claiming to be the I AM of the burning bush and of all Scripture. Les concludes that these I AM's tie Jesus to the person of Jehovah all the way back to the Old Testament.
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I don't think He lorded it over the other kids, because being God, even in the body of a child, He was still able to be in control of the whole situation, and He acted like an ordinary child. And you see, even in His earthly ministry that carried on. He never, and I've always emphasized that, He never let His deity overtake His humanity under circumstances that would have benefited Him.
Seven Old Testament Jehovahs and Seven John I AM's
Les explains that just as there were seven distinct Jehovah titles meeting Israel's needs, Jesus uses the 'I AM' seven times in John's Gospel, with examples like 'I AM the way, the truth, and the life' and 'I AM the bread of life.'
The I AM of the Burning Bush
Les notes that Jesus's 'Before Abraham was, I am' is a claim to be the I AM of the burning bush and of all Scripture, and that John's seven I AM's fit perfectly with seven Old Testament I AM's.
Jehovah-Jireh and Jehovah-Rehah
Les points to Jehovah-Jireh ('God is the provider') and Jehovah-Rehah ('Jehovah the Shepherd') as examples of the seven names of Jehovah intrinsic to God's dealing with Israel.
John's I AM List and the Eighth I Am
Les lays out several of John's I AM statements, including bread of life, light of the world, door of the sheep, resurrection and life, and true vine, then calls Revelation 22:16 the eighth 'I Am'—the bright and morning star.
Jesus Tied to Jehovah
Les says John's I AM statements tie Jesus to the person of Jehovah from the Old Testament, and he quotes 'I AM the door of the sheep' and 'I AM the Good Shepherd.'
Jehovah-Shammah and the Seven in John
Les identifies Jehovah-Shammah ('I am there') as the last of the Old Testament seven I Am's, and says John's Gospel also has seven I Am's, just like the Old Testament.
Jehovah-Nissi, Jehovah-Sidkenu, and Jehovah-Shammah
Les names Jehovah-Nissi (our banner), Jehovah-Sidkenu (Jehovah our righteousness), and Jehovah-Shammah ('I am there'), noting that all these names are wrapped up in Jehovah, who is everything to Israel.
Exodus 3:14: And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
This is the foundational revelation of God's name as 'I AM.'
Psalm 23:1: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Les connects this to Jehovah-Rehah, 'Jehovah the Shepherd.'
Ezekiel 48:35: It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.
Les identifies this as Jehovah-Shammah, meaning 'I am there.'
John 6:35: And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
This is the first 'I AM' statement Les mentions in John's Gospel.
John 8:12: Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Jesus takes the 'I AM' title and applies it to being the light of the world.
John 8:58: Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
This is the verse where Jesus explicitly claims the 'I AM' name from the burning bush.
John 10:7: Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
One of the seven 'I AM' statements Les identifies in John.
John 10:11: I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Les quotes this as another 'I AM' statement that ties Jesus to Jehovah.
John 11:25: Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Another 'I AM' statement in John that reveals Jesus's divine power.
John 14:6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Les references this as one of the seven 'I AM' sayings in John.
John 15:1: I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
The seventh 'I AM' statement Les counts in John's Gospel.
Revelation 22:16: I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Les calls this the eighth 'I Am,' connected to new beginnings and eternal day.
Yes. God told Moses, 'I AM THAT I AM' (Exodus 3:14). Les Feldick notes that Jesus later took that same name in John 8:58: 'Before Abraham was, I am.'
Because Jehovah stands for the I AM. Les sees seven Old Testament Jehovah names corresponding to Israel's needs and seven 'I AM' sayings in John's Gospel in which Jesus claims the same identity.
Les calls Revelation 22:16 the eighth 'I Am,' where Jesus says, 'I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.' He says this points to new beginnings and eternal day.
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