The Many Names for God
What's In a Name II
Genesis 1 - Revelation 22
When we meet someone new, we always want to know that person's name. Jokingly, we'll say it's because we'd rather call them by name than say, "Hey, you!" But more seriously, it allows us to have some way to identify that person and separate him/her in our minds from all the other people we know.
As we draw nearer to December 25th, when we'll be celebrating the birth of Jesus, it might make that celebration more meaningful if we know more about he names - or more accurately, "titles" - and thus the character of both the Father and the Son. As the writers of the Bible recorded God's Word, they used many different titles to identify them both - each of which denotes one specific quality that is a part of the infinite nature of God.
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God has only one "name" - the one He shared with Moses on the side of that mountain when Moses was confronted by that burning bush. "I AM." But the number of other "names" (titles) He is given in His Word reveals just how vast His character truly is. Today, let's look at just a few of those many names, and in the process, draw nearer to God through better understanding of His Word. (For the sake of simplicity, we'll call these many titles "names," although He really only has one name!)
As mentioned earlier, in Exodus 3:13 (NIV), Moses asks God what His name is - saying, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" And God answered, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM' has sent me to you.'" This was the name by which God wanted to be known and worshipped - the name that expressed His character as the dependable and faithful self-existent God who desires the full trust of His people. Later on, in John 8:58-59, we find that Jesus applied this same name to Himself, thereby claiming to be God - an action that incited the people to a frenzy and made them want to stone Him for blasphemy.
I AM WHO I AM. This name also reveals God as the Being who is absolutely self-existent, and who, in Himself, possesses essential life and permanent existence. To the Hebrew, "to be" does not just mean to exist, but to be active, to express oneself in active being. God is the One who acts. When you understand this, the imperfect tense of the verb becomes clear. God's manifestation to Israel is in the future at the time of the burning bush incident. The "I AM" or "I will be" is God's promise that He will redeem the children of Israel. The people wanted to be reassured that this God would meet them in their time of need, proving His Character and promises.
I AM WHO I AM. So simple, and yet so profound. He had no beginning and has no end. I AM. He requires nothing and no one to be Who He is. I AM. The Hebrews called Him Yahweh (which is often incorrectly spelled "Jehovah"), which means simply, "HE IS." So when God speaks of Himself, He says, "I AM", and when we speak of Him, we say, "HE 9IS".
But the names of God don't stop there. His character is so vast that it's impossible for our finite human minds to describe Him with just one name. So, the Hebrews gave Him many names, each of which describes just one facet of his infinite character. However, when we read God's many names in our English Bibles, sometimes we don't get the full impact of His many names. So let's take a look at just a few of them, and go back to the original Hebrew, just to get a broader picture of how many different aspects there are within our God - so many more than one can see by just reading the Bible in English.
For instance, if you use a KJV or NIV Bible, you'll see three different terms that are used most often in the Old Testament - God, LORD, and Lord. There's not much distinction between the three, is there? However, when you go back to the Hebrew, you'll discover the full impact of these three simple words. When you see the name God, the Hebrew word is "Elohim", or "El", or "Elah". The name LORD (printed in all caps) is translated from the Hebrew Yahweh or the misspelling of that name - Jehovah. And the name Lord (caps and lower case) is translated from the Hebrew Adonai.
The name Elohim - which means "the supreme God" - occurs 31 times in Genesis 1, where it emphasizes His strength and creative power. This particular term is used 2,570 times in the Old Testament. It is a plural noun that, when used as a name of God, is used with a singular verb. It denotes plurality (or intensification) of majesty and power. not plural gods, as some have misunderstood it. The verb "bara", which is used for "created" in Genesis 1:1, is a singular verb. So in the very first sentence in the Bible, the Triune nature of God - the Trinity - is first revealed.
When Elohim is combined with other Hebrew words, even greater meaning is revealed. In Deuteronomy 33:27, the name is Elohay Kedem - "God of the Beginning." In 2 Samuel 5:10, it's Elohay Tz'vaot - "God of Hosts" or "God of Armies." In Nehemiah 9:17, it's Elohay Selichot - "God of Forgiveness." In Jeremiah 23:23, it's Elohay Mikarov - "God Who Is Near." In Psalm 18:47 and Psalm 25:5, David calls Him Elohay Yishi - "God of My Salvation." And in Jeremiah 10:10, He's Elohim Chaiyim - "Living God."
"El" is another word that is translated as "God" in the Old Testament, and it's used 200 times to reveal even greater depths to the character of God. Some of these you might recognize from popular Contemporary Christian music. For instance, El Shaddai is "God the All Sufficient" (Genesis 17:1). El Olam (Genesis 21:33) is "The God of Eternity." El Elyon (Genesis 14:18) is "The Most High God." Emmanu El (Isaiah 7:14) means "God Is with Us." And El Kana (Deuteronomy 4:24) is "The Jealous God."
El Echad (Malachi 2:10) means "The One God". The use of this name is yet another place in the Old Testament where the Triune nature of God (the Trinity) is revealed through the use of the word "Echad" in God's name. Deuteronomy 6:4 says, "Hear O Israel, the LORD Our God, the LORD is One." Literally translated back to the Hebrew names, that verse would read, "Hear O Israel, Yahweh (or Jehovah) Our Elohim, Yahweh (or Jehovah) is One." It's interesting to note here that there are two Hebrew words used in the Bible to denote "One". The first is "Yachiyd," which means "absolute one." The other is "Echad", which means "united one." In this verse (Deuteronomy 6:4), the word "Echad" is used, meaning "united one." These are just two of many examples, but it is glaringly clear that the Hebrew writers were not referring to God as an absolute one, but as a "united" one - the Trinity.
The name Yahweh (Jehovah) is most often used to express God's self-existence, particularly in relation to humanity. In fact, its definition is "self-existent one." Its first use is in Genesis 2:4. It is the most significant name for God in the Old Testament, appearing 6,823 times. The name refers to God as the self-existent active one, as it is related to the verb "to be" in Exodus 3:14. It also indicates Israel's Redeemer in Exodus 6:6. This name is associated with God's holiness in Leviticus 11:44, 45, His hatred of sin in Genesis 6:3-7, and His graciousness in providing redemption for all in Isaiah 53:1, 5, 6, and 10. In contrast to Elohim, which is used to the exclusion of other names for God in Genesis 1 and indicates His omnipotence, the name Yahweh (Jehovah) emphasizes His care and personal concern for His creation and His intimate and close relationship to it.
Adonai means "master" and underscores the authority of God. In Genesis 18:27, Abraham uses the term Adonai (printed in your English Bible as Lord). It is not the intimate name LORD. Rather, Abraham is appealing to Adonai as "Judge of all the earth."
Sometimes, two names stand together to refer to God, as in Yahweh Sabaoth (LORD of Hosts or LORD Almighty). When the term El Shaddai is used, it is translated God Almighty.
Today, you've just seen the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to the many names of God in the Bible. And I know it took more than the normal "minute" to read. But it is such an important subject, I hope you'll forgive the added length and focus on the amazing, vast nature of our holy God.
Tomorrow, we'll take a look at the names of Jesus. So, today, spend some time meditating on the greatness of God, and - if you are able - seek even more names than we can reveal here in just two days. Praise Him because of His greatness, and worship Him throughout this blessed season.
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