Neville Goddard on Exodus 3:15

Executive Summary

Neville teaches that the scripture “This is my name for all generations” refers to “I AM.” This is not the name of an external God, but the name of your own awareness of being. Your consciousness, the feeling of “I AM,” is God. This is your true, fundamental name, preceding any name given to you in the world. Recognizing this identity is the key to using your creative power, as the one who desires and imagines is this very same “I AM,” or God.

Key Concepts

• God's eternal name, for all generations, is "I AM."
• This "I AM" is not an external being but is your own consciousness, your awareness of being.
• Addressing God as an external "Thou" or "You" is to create and believe in a false god.
• Your awareness of being, "I AM," is inescapable; you cannot go anywhere and not be aware that you are.
• "I AM" is your true name, which precedes any earthly name like John or Mary.
• The power that desires and creates within you is this "I AM."

Detailed Explanation

Neville Goddard's interpretation of Exodus 3:15 is that it reveals the true name and nature of God. The scripture states that God's name forever is "I AM," and this is the name by which he must be known throughout all generations. For Neville, this is not a name for an entity outside of yourself. Instead, "I AM" is your very own consciousness, the fundamental awareness of being that is always with you.

This understanding fundamentally shifts the concept of God from an external creator to an internal one. To address God as "Thou" or "You" is to create a false god, separate from yourself. The only true God is the "I AM" within. This awareness is inescapable; no matter where you go, you cannot escape the consciousness that you are. This sense of being is God's name.

This name, "I AM," is more fundamental to your identity than any name given to you at birth. Before you can say, "I am John," you must first be aware of "I AM." This awareness is God's name, which you had before you had any other. This "I AM" is also identified as the creative power in man, the "potter" who shapes the clay of life through the human imagination. When you feel a desire, the one desiring is "I AM"—which is God—and since all things are possible to God, this is the starting point of all creation.

Important Quotes

The minute you say, “Thou,” that’s a false god. If you address Him as, “You,” that’s a false god. The only God is “I AM.” “That is my name forever, and by this name I must be known throughout all generations.”

— God Given Talent

You can’t get away from I AM. How are you going to get away from it? Where would you go that you are not aware of I AM? I don’t care where you go; you cannot go any place and not be aware that you are. That is God’s name forever and forever.

— The Potters House

God’s name forever and forever and forever is I AM. He said, “That is my name forever, and by that name I shall be known throughout all generations.”

— Order Your Conversations Aright

who is desiring? Well, I am. Well, who is “I am”? That’s God. “That is my name forever and forever,” as we are told in the book of Exodus.

— Imagination

Related Concepts

• I AM: This teaching is the core definition of "I AM" as God's eternal name, which is your own consciousness.
• Imagination: The creative power of God, the "Potter," is identified as one's own human imagination. Since God is I AM, your imagination is the creative activity of your own consciousness.
• Desire: Desire originates from "I AM." When you desire, it is God desiring in you. Recognizing this is the first step in consciously creating, because all things are possible for God (I AM).
• States: To realize a goal, you must enter into the state of its fulfillment. This is an act of your "I AM," your consciousness, which has the power to make subjective states objective realities.

Common Misunderstandings

The primary misunderstanding this teaching corrects is the belief in an external God. Addressing God as a separate being, using terms like "Thou" or "You," is considered a mistake that creates a false god. The only true God is the inescapable consciousness of being within each person, whose name is "I AM."

Practical Applications

The practical application is to recognize that the power to create your reality lies within your own consciousness. When you have a desire, you must identify the desirer as God, your own "I AM." Since all things are possible to "I AM," you can set any goal for yourself. The method is to know what your life would be like if your goal were already realized and then enter into that state in your imagination, assuming it to be true. By dwelling in the state of the wish fulfilled, your "I AM" makes that subjective state an objective fact.

Frequently Asked Questions

According to Neville, what is God's eternal name from Exodus 3:15?

God's eternal name for all generations is "I AM." This is not the name of an external being but is your own consciousness, your awareness of being.

Is it wrong to pray to God as an external being?

Yes, based on this teaching. To address God as "Thou" or "You" is to interact with a false god. The only true God is the "I AM" within you.

How does the concept of "I AM" relate to desire?

When you feel a desire, the one who is desiring is your own consciousness, which is "I AM" or God. This is the starting point of creation, as all things are possible to God.