Before Abraham, before Sinai, before a single word of Genesis was committed to writing, Moses stood face to face with God and received something that would change how he read everything that followed.

He received a covenant title.

“Thou art my son!”

God spoke this to the man named Moses, whose name in Egyptian means “son” (Moses 1:4).

Moses is the “everyman” who represents each one of us as a child (son) of God.

This phrase “Thou art my child/son” is a grant formula.

In the ancient world, “son” was the technical language by which a Great King formally adopted a lesser king into a covenant relationship, extending to him royal dignity, access to the Great King’s presence, and a share in the Great King’s authority.

Moses was not receiving a compliment.

He was receiving a covenant identity.

And what Satan did immediately afterward will make complete sense once you understand what the title meant.