Exodus 3

Angel of the LORD

Angel of the LORD — the Messenger of Jehovah, who speaks as Jehovah Himself

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. Exodus 3:2

The Angel of the LORD appears in the burning bush, and in the next verses the voice from the bush says "I am the God of Abraham." The Messenger who is also God points to the premortal Christ appearing to Moses.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a traditional type, cited

• the same event in Acts 7:30-32 — Stephen: an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush, and the voice of the Lord came unto him.
• the same title in Genesis 48:16 — Jacob's "Angel which redeemed me."
• the same event in Moses 1:17 — Moses recalls that God "called unto me out of the burning bush."

Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. Exodus 3:4–6

Jehovah speaks to Moses face to face from the bush and names Himself the God of the patriarchs. Nephi teaches that this very God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the one who would be crucified, so Moses is hearing the voice of the premortal Jesus Christ.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it · the chapter heading names Him · another scripture interprets it of Him

• interpreted by 1 Nephi 19:10 — "The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself... to be lifted up... and to be crucified."
• quoted by Matthew 22:31-32 — Jesus quotes "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
• quoted by Mark 12:26 — Jesus cites God's words to Moses "in the bush."
• quoted by Luke 20:37 — Jesus: "even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."

Jehovah the Deliverer

And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; Exodus 3:7–12

Jehovah says He sees His people's affliction, knows their sorrows, and has come down to deliver them. The Lord who knows our sorrows and comes down to rescue is the same Christ who would later carry our sorrows in the flesh.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · the chapter heading names Him · another scripture interprets it of Him

• interpreted by 1 Nephi 19:10 — The God who led the fathers out of Egypt yields Himself to be lifted up and crucified.

I AM

I AM THAT I AM — Hebrew 'ehyeh 'asher 'ehyeh, "I am who I am" / "I will be what I will be": the self-existent, eternal One; the root of the name Jehovah

And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? Exodus 3:13–14

When Moses asks God's name, He answers "I AM THAT I AM." Jesus used this name of Himself ("Before Abraham was, I am"), and in modern revelation He calls Himself "Jesus Christ, the Great I AM."

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it · another scripture interprets it of Him · the chapter heading names Him

• alluded to by John 8:58 — "Before Abraham was, I am."
• interpreted by D&C 38:1 — "Thus saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I AM."
• the same title in D&C 39:1 — "Hearken and listen to the voice of him who is from all eternity to all eternity, the Great I AM, even Jesus Christ."
• interpreted by Doctrine and Covenants 29:1 — "Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I AM."

Jehovah

LORD — YHWH, Jehovah, "He is" / "He who causes to be," formed from the same verb as I AM

And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. Exodus 3:15–16

God gives Moses His covenant name, the LORD (Jehovah), as His name forever, and says He appeared to Moses. Latter-day Saints know Jehovah as the premortal Jesus Christ.

How we know: another scripture interprets it of Him · the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him

• the same title in Exodus 6:3 — "By my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them."
• the same title in Abraham 1:16 — "My name is Jehovah."
• interprets D&C 110:3-4 — The voice of Jehovah declares, "I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain."

Jehovah the Deliverer

And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. Exodus 3:17–22

Jehovah continues to promise that He will bring Israel out of bondage with His outstretched hand. The deliverance from Egypt is a pattern of the greater deliverance from sin that Christ brings.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him