We are in chapter fourteen of Exodus with our word for today which is actually a phrase. וְיָדְע֥וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה know that I am the LORD. It is used 80 times in the Old Testament, two times in our chapter. Our phrase is used to explain the miracles that were preformed that display God’s power. Most of these are seen in the plagues against Egypt which were their intended purpose. Exodus 10:1-2 I may show these signs of mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה that you may know that I am the Lord. Our phrase is used to describe God showing himself at the tent He instructed to be set up after the exodus from Egypt. Exodus 29:44-46 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar…ְיָדְע֗וּ כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God. We find our phrase used to describe the purpose of God’s providing for the people during their wilderness wanderings. Deuteronomy 29:5-6 During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet…I did this תֵּֽדְע֔וּ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה so that you might know that I am the Lord your God. Ezekiel uses our phrase more than any other book in the Bible, 62 times. Almost every time it is in the context of judgment against sin. Ezekiel 6:10, 13-14 וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑הAnd they will know that I am the Lord; I did not threaten in vain to bring this calamity on them… וִֽידַעְתֶּם֙ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֔הAnd they will know that I am the Lord, when their people lie slain among their idols around their altars…I will stretch out my hand against them and make the land a desolate waste. וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה Then they will know that I am the Lord. Of these 62 times our phrase is used in the book of Ezekiel, 6 times it inserts the word אֲדֹנָ֥י Sovereign. Ezekiel 23:49 You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. וִידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֥י אֲנִ֖י אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord. Our phrase is used to show the result of God’s rescuing in battle. 1 Kings 20:13 Meanwhile a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, וְיָדַעְתָּ֖ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה and then you will know that I am the Lord.’” This is how our phrase is used in our chapter today.
Each time in our chapter the phrase has the word Egypt inserted into it. Exodus 14:4, 18 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, וְיָדְע֥וּ מִצְרַ֖יִם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord. Throughout the Bible we see the purpose behind God saving us from our enemies so that He can be with us. A good example of this is how our phrase is used in the book of Jeremiah which I will close with. We know God is the LORD the I Am the ever existing reality by the new heart he gives us. And knowing God is the very best thing in all of life. Jeremiah 24:7 I will give them a heart לָדַ֣עַת אֹתִ֗י כִּ֚י אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. Jeremiah 9:23-24 This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding וְיָדֹ֣עַ אוֹתִי֒ כִּ֚י אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה to know me, that I am the Lord.
