God shows himself in the Old Testament as God, who created the world out of love and remains faithful to men even when they have fallen away from him into sin.
God makes it possible to experience him in history: With Noah he establishes a covenant to save all living things. He calls Abraham so as to make him “the father of a multitude of nations” (Gen 17:5b).
and to bless “all the families of the earth” in him (Gen 12:3b).
The people Israel, sprung from Abraham, becomes his special possession. To Moses he introduces himself by name. His mysterious name יהוה→ YHWH, usually transcribed Yahweh, means “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex 3:14).
He frees Israel from slavery in Egypt, establishes a covenant with them on Sinai, and through Moses gives them the Law. Again and again, God sends prophets to his people to call them to conversion and to the renewal of the covenant. The prophets proclaim that God will establish a new and everlasting covenant, which will bring about a radical renewal and definitive redemption. This covenant will be open to all human beings.
