WHO GOD IS…HIS NAMES

Late last month we looked at who God was as He began to make Himself known to Moses at the burning bush. In stating His name as I AM THAT I AM (Ex 3:14), God then had to prove that He was all that Israel needed Him to be. After we established this need in our previous study, we then took a look at just a few of the descriptions that Moses and the Israelites needed God to be. With this ground work already laid, I want us to focus our attention on Exodus 20:7, which reads, “You are not to use lightly the name of ADONAI your God, because ADONAI will not leave unpunished someone who uses his name lightly.”
You have probably heard this better said, “Do not take the Lord’s name in vain.” The reason is because God’s name carries weight. It is in the reduction of His name that this commandment is broken and the punishment allowed to fall on the abuser. As we discussed previously, this name is so holy that it is not spoken as a name, but rather as letters in the Hebrew Bible. However, you will find in Jewish circles also that when the name is written in English, the name is still not written out fully. Again, in fear that the name may be abused, be it in speaking or spelling, a caution is put into place. As such, many will write the name as G-D, or L-RD. To them this is reverence. In fact, many believe that the name should only be spoken or written by clergy, as they are entrusted to revere God as their occupation.
It is this name then that we are commanded not to take in vain. The term in vain in Hebrew is the word LASHAV, meaning with emptiness, in vanity, consisting of nothing, or worthless. It is this name alone which holds the might of God Himself, carrying an unknown power that makes the devil wince and demons shrink back. Knowing the strength behind the name will benefit us, but how much wiser would it be for us to use His name only in the right situations, the situations of prayer and praise?
Before we dive in too far, let us talk about names. A name defines a person. Years ago when I sat down with my wife to pick out names for our children, we didn’t just open a book and chose the first name we saw. We were purposed. We named our children based on the meaning behind their name and qualities we wanted to see in them. My oldest son’s name is Nicholas, which mean Victorious Warrior. We purposefully chose his name based on the meaning and the understanding that one day God would use him as a warrior in His kingdom, whether that meant fighting spiritually on behalf of someone or redeeming those in bondage.
Likewise, my name is Daniel. The meaning of Daniel is God is my judge. Every time a person calls my name, they are declaring over me that God is my judge. Be it in a good or bad situation, God will judge me in the situation. But I have other names that I go by also that define me just as well. To my wife I am husband, to my kids I am dad/father. To my parents I am son, and to my siblings I am brother. I am still the same person, still Daniel, but fulfilling a different characteristic of who I am. I cannot be father to my siblings, nor can I be son to my wife. So the name becomes important as it speaks who I am based on the circumstance I am in.
The same is true of God. God is a God who becomes what He needs to become based on the situation facing His people. While we know Him and call Him God, He actually has many names; names that we can address Him as based on our situation. A great example of this is found in Psalm 91:1-2. The verses read, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ’He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” However, if we were to read these verses in the Hebrew, we might not find the same terms as names of God. In fact, we would read, “You who live in the shelter of ‘Elyon, who spend your nights in the shadow of Shaddai, who say to ADONAI, ‘My refuge! My fortress! My God, in whom I trust!’”
The verses didn’t change, whether read in the first or second version, but the names of God changed, perhaps bringing a more definite picture of who God is as defined by the writer. But let us take a minute to look further still at these names used in the Hebrew. The first name is ‘ELYON, defined as the LORD Most High. This name elevates God above any king, any god, and anything that could possibly think of having the top spot. Our next name is SHADDAI, translated as all sufficient, almighty, or powerful. Third we see the name ADONAI, also termed as Jehovah, which many read as God, or the existing One. Finally is the word God, which is translated from ELOHIYM, meaning divine one, true God, or godlike.
Reading these two verses in context, then, we read, “He who dwells in the shelter of the LORD Most High God will rest in the shadow of the almighty and sufficient God. I will say of the existing One, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my true God, in whom I trust.’” Again the verses have not changed, but depth has been added as to who the psalmist is speaking of, and the declaration of who God is to the psalmist. He is not just a god, or even the God. He is now the Most High, all sufficient, existing and true God. That is a God we can dwell in the shelter of, knowing that we are protected.
As we continue this study, I want us to take some time looking at just fifteen of the names of God. My purpose in this is not that you will learn a few new Hebrew terms, but that in your circumstance, be it good or bad, you will call out to God with His name. Remember, if we want to know who God is, we must know His names, characteristics, and roles.

1) JEHOVAH / YHVH – This name is defined as He was, He is, He will be, or also as the existing One. Within the Old Testament, this name alone is used over 6800 times, and is normally the true term used in versions such as in the King James Version for LORD. In Exodus 6:3, God says to Moses that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob knew Him as El Shaddai, but now He was revealing Himself as Jehovah.

2) EL SHADDAI – We touched on this name above also, but the translation is God as all sufficient, almighty, or powerful. The word Shaddai is broken up, however. Shad means breast in Hebrew, while dai means enough. The translators of the Septuagint translated the word from the root shadad, meaning to overcome or destroy, but in truth the word is defined as all sufficient, just as a mother’s breast holds all that is enough for the growth of her baby. God in turn is all we need, just as He was for Abraham in Genesis 17:1.

3) EL ECHAD – The term EL is a basic term for God meaning strength, might, or power. It is normally the next part of the name that describes God in character. The name El Echad translates as the One God. Deuteronomy 6:4 reads in Hebrew, Shema Israel, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad, translated in English as Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. In truth, this word echad means to take more than one thing and combine it to make one. A physical example of this is in marriage when the two become one. But it is also true in the spiritual sense when the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united to become one.

4) EL ELYON – Here we see God named as the Most High God, stressing God’s strength and supremacy. This ensures that there is no one who can take the position of God, or deprive God of His sovereignty. And as such, we should worship God because of this fact, as the psalmist did in Psalm 9:3, “I will be glad and rejoice in You. I will sing praise to Your Name, Elyon!”

5) EL RACHUM – While this may not be one of the more popular names for God, I feel it is one of the names we must know. The name translates into the God of Compassion. Deuteronomy 4:31 reads, “For Adonai your God is a merciful God. He will not abandon you or destroy you, or forget the covenant with your fathers that He swore to them.” Because of God’s compassion on the Israelites, He chose to not destroy them and begin afresh with Moses as He had considered. God had made a covenant with Abraham, and in compassion forgave the people. He does the same with us, allowing his compassion to override the punishment that should be ours.

6) AVI - Going along with the softer side of God is the name Father, Avi. It is in Psalm 68:6-7 that we read of God being a father of orphans, and setting the lonely in homes. Romans 8:15 uses the word Abba, stating, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall again into fear; rather, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” In both verses, God shows His fathering side by caring for those who are without homes, and bringing them under His protection.

7) ADONAI SAL’I – The term Adonai is generally LORD. In Psalm 18:3, the psalmist adds the piece Sal’i, translating the name as the LORD my Rock. “Adonai is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in Him I take refuge, my shield, my horn of salvation, my stronghold.” The picture behind this verse and name, however, is the ability to hide within a crag of a cliff. The protection that God offers is the same that one can find within a cave.

8) JEHOVAH JIREH – This name translates as God will see to it and provide it. To understand this name in full, we need to go all the way back to Genesis 22:14 to see the first time it was used. It is here that we read of Abraham ascending Mount Moriah to sacrifice Isaac as instructed by God. When Isaac questioned where the lamb for the sacrifice was, Abraham responded that God would provide (Gen 22:8). A few verses later, after Abraham had put his son on the altar in obedience to God, and was then stopped by God, Abraham looked up to see in the thicket a ram which was caught. That ram became the sacrifice and the place was called Adonai Yir’eh. God will provide for all our needs, on this we can be assured.

9) JEHOVAH ROHI – Another name for our God is Shepherd. David wrote in Psalm 23 that it was the LORD who was his shepherd. In Him there was no want. He led him to where he was able to feed and drink and rest without the fear of wolves. When he walked through the questionable valleys, his Shepherd was on the vanguard for his safety and brought him through to a place where fear no longer troubled him. This same provision made for David is stretched out to us as well, as we too are the Lord's sheep. Therefore, when we allow ourselves to see our God as Jehovah Rohi, then we allow ourselves to be led also to a place of food, water, and rest.

10) JEHOVAH SHALOM – Judges 6:24 reads, “So Gideon built an altar there to Adonai and called it ‘Adonai-shalom.’ To this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” Now there are over 6000 references in the Old Testament to the term Jehovah, and 167 for the term Shalom, but only this one occurrence where the two words are together. With this in mind, let us take a deeper look into the uniqueness of this term and how it applies to our lives today. Backed up against the wall, Gideon requested the angel provide a sign for him. With the angel's agreement, Gideon began to prepare a young goat and bread without yeast. With the meat, bread, and broth ready, he brought the meal out and offered it to the angel who was sitting under the oak. Gideon followed the instructions from that point forward concerning the meal as were given by the angel and placed the meal on a rock. Now when the angel had taken his staff and touched the meat and bread, fire burst forth from the rock and consumed the dinner. At that same moment, the angel disappeared. The Bible records that at that moment Gideon's eyes were opened and he declared, "I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!" It is here where Gideon built the altar to the LORD that he named it The LORD is Peace. Shalom in the Hebrew means peace, and wholeness. In our context of Gideon we see how God became the peace in front of Gideon's challenge, determined to help him see God's view of himself rather than his own. But we also see that without this wholeness in Gideon's life, Gideon may have continued to doubt each order in the battle plan God had marked out. For us, we need our eyes to focus on the peace God offers and the wholeness that God gives.

11) JEHOVAH TSIDKENU – The title of Tsidkenu translates as righteousness. Jeremiah 23:5-6, states, “Behold, days are coming” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign as king wisely, and execute justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell in safely; and this is His Name by which He will be called: Adonai our righteousness.” The righteous branch that Jeremiah spoke of in the line of David was Jesus Christ. Up until Jesus' death on the cross all sins were covered by sacrifices and scapegoats. But Jesus did an awesome thing in giving up His life in that He, knowing NO sin, became sin for us. We were unrighteous, and our deeds were soiled as dirty rags. Even in our sacrifices we were not able to be fully whole. Then Jesus, the spotless lamb, took our sin and erased it. It is when we confess our sin that we are made righteous again. So then, He is rightly named our Righteousness.

12) JEHOVAH RAPHA/ROPHE - When the Israelites came upon the waters of Marah in Exodus 15, the Bible records they had of mouth full of bitter water. Yet God used the waters of Marah to teach Israel a lesson; a lesson we also have the ability to learn. God brought them there to reveal Himself as Jehovah Rapha - the LORD that health thee (Ex 15:26). In this story, God revealed Himself as the healer on three different levels. The first level is the healer of troubles. When the Israelites realized that the water was bitter and began to complain, God intervened and showed Moses a piece of wood to throw in the water which made it sweet. The wood that Moses threw in the water can represent God's Son in the midst of our troubles. God revealed Himself secondly as the healer of all our sicknesses. Here God reminded Israel that He alone brought them out of Egypt, He was in command of the curses that fell on the Egyptians, and He alone was the God who healed diseases. Lastly, He revealed Himself as the healer of souls. As Romans 6:23 tells us, the wages of sin is death. As the water could not be swallowed, so our death sentence can be hard to swallow. It is the sin we embrace that sentences us to death. And without that wood in the water to make it sweet, the Israelites may have died due to thirst. But it was on a wooden cross that Christ died for us, and lifted this sentence of death that we were under. Now, life is there for those who choose to drink the sweetness of God's water.

13) JEHOVAH NISSI - In Exodus 17, the Bible records Moses leading the people of Israel against the Amalekites. Hur, Aaron, and Moses stood on the top of the hill, while Joshua and his chosen men defended themselves against an Amalek army. As long as Moses' hands were raised, Israel won the battle. When Moses' arms grew tired and weak, Hur and Aaron held them up. While this is a great illustration of accountability, it is also a great illustration of God as our banner. Neither Moses, Joshua, nor anyone in God's army raised a flag as we know it, but when the battle was over and the army of Israel was victorious, two actions were completed. The first was, God told Moses to write this down as a memory for Joshua, which is now a memory also for us. The second thing, however, was that Moses built an altar to God, naming it Jehovah-Nissi, God is my Banner (Ex 17:14-16). The word Nissi is defined in the Strong's as: flag, sail, flagstaff, signal, and standard. In that moment, God proved Himself to Israel as their standard, their flag. As a tribute to Him, they built their altar and named it for who God was in that moment.

14) JEHOVAH M’KADDESH – Is it possible for us to be holy? Honestly, no. So if it is not, how then do we stand any chance of a holy lifestyle? The answer rests in Leviticus 20:7-8, which reads, “So consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am Adonai your God. You are to keep My statutes, and do them. I am Adonai who sanctifies you.” The name Jehovah M’Kaddesh refers to God as our Sanctifier. Apart from God we can do nothing, not even live right. But through God we are sanctified; we are made a new creature. If all we can do is ask God for forgiveness, then we have done as it says in the Leviticus passage, we have consecrated ourselves. It is He that makes us holy, He that cleanses us, and He that does the work to make us a new creation.

15) JEHOVAH SHAMMAH - This name I have saved for the last in order study. Whereas the previous names tell of God's character in accordance to something He has already been or done, this name refers to something that God has yet to do. Ezekiel chapter 48:35b, tells us; "'From that day on, the name of the city will be: Adonai Is There.’” In reading this verse in context we see Ezekiel prophesying about a time that is yet to come, and for a city named Jerusalem. He will always be there for His people, and for His city. Time and time again He has both proved this and continues to prove this. Despite the disbursement of His people, still He brought them back at the time also designated per Ezekiel's prophesies, in the year 1948. And in time, His people will have complete control of the city of Jerusalem. In time, God will prove He is There.