Theology Thursday - The Names and Titles of God

Lesson Abstract Today we’re exploring The Names and Titles of God—why they matter and how they shape our relationship with Him. In Scripture each name reveals a facet of God’s character—His creativity (Elohim), His covenant faithfulness (Yahweh), His sufficiency (El Shaddai), His lordship (Adonai), and in the New Testament, Jesus as the Logos and Kyrios. Grasping these names helps us move from a vague “god” to a deeply personal, trustworthy God who knows us, empowers us, and invites us into intimate friendship. By the end of this session, you’ll see how calling on the right Name in prayer anchors your faith, fuels your hope, and equips you to share the Gospel with confidence.

[Opening “Hey everyone, welcome back to Theology Thursday! I’m Rick—well, channeling Rick Warren’s style today—and I want you to imagine you’re meeting someone new at a party. You wouldn’t just call them ‘Hey you!’—you’d learn their name, because a name carries identity. In the same way, God’s names aren’t just labels; they reveal who He is and how He loves us.

Opening Prayer: Father, thank You for revealing Yourself by name. Open our eyes to see who You are and transform our hearts by Your truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Introduction

Think of God’s names like the chapters of a best‑selling book, each one reveals a new side of His amazing character. When the Bible says simply “God” or “Lord,” it is like seeing His power and authority on full display. But when He introduces Himself as “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Exodus 3:15), He’s reminding us of His unbreakable promises, which carried a father through doubts, a son through struggles, and a grandson through success.

Then there are those compound names: think of them as the subtitles that explain the main title. “Almighty God” tells us He has all the strength we’ll ever need. “Everlasting God” means He’s been around before time began and will still be here when the stars burn out. Each title isn’t just a label; it’s a life‑giving promise you can claim in your toughest moments.

So next time you pray, don’t just say “God.” Call Him by the Name that speaks to your heart: “Jehovah‑Shalom” when you need peace, “Jehovah‑Rapha” when you need healing, “El Elyon” when you need the Highest One to lift you up. These aren’t fancy titles—they’re personal invitations into relationship with the One who knows you by name.

Theological Definition Divine Names are God’s self‑revealed titles by which He discloses His character, authority, and relationship to us. They invite us to know Him, trust Him, and call on Him in every season.

The Primary Name - “GOD”

Here’s something interesting: the word we use every day, ‘God,’ actually comes from an old Anglo‑Saxon word meaning ‘the Good One.’ But when the Bible was first written in Hebrew, God went by names like El, Elah, and Elohim, and in the Greek of the New Testament, He was called Theos.

El literally means “Strength,” so whenever you see El in Scripture, you’re being reminded that God is the “Strong One” (see Deuteronomy 10:17).

Elohim is the most common name for God in the Old Testament—over 2,500 times! It’s actually a mash‑up of El(“Strong One”) and Elah (“to swear”), so it paints a picture of a “Faithful, Strong One.”

Here’s the mind‑blowing part: Hebrew scholars call Elohim a “uni‑plural” word. In Genesis 1:26, it sounds plural—“Let us make man in our image”—but by Genesis 1:27, it shifts to singular—“So God created man in his image.” It’s like the Bible’s way of hinting at the mystery of one God in three Persons.

And every time you read “God” in Genesis chapter 1, you’re seeing that title—Elohim—introduced over thirty times, underscoring His role as Creator (Genesis 1:1–2; Psalm 100:3). So when you call Him “God,” you’re not just using a title—you’re invoking His strength, His faithfulness, and His power to bring everything into being.

The Primary Name - “LORD”

Jehovah

Let’s dive into the meaning behind one of the most powerful names of God—Jehovah.

You’ll see Jehovah sprinkled throughout Genesis, but it isn’t until Exodus 3:13–14 that God spells out what it means: “I AM THAT I AM.” Think about that—He’s saying, “I exist by My own power. I have no beginning and no end. I’m the Alpha and the Omega.”

The Hebrew letters JHWH come from the root “hayah,” which means “to become.” Picture a sunrise that never stops unfolding—always revealing more light. In the same way, Jehovah is “the Self‑Existent One who continuously reveals Himself.” That’s His character in a name.

Jehovah shows up over 1,700 times in the Old Testament. All that the name “Jesus” means to us today—our Savior, our refuge—Jehovah meant to Israel. And it’s no accident the New Testament ties them together: in John 8:58, Jesus says, “Before Abraham was, I AM,” claiming the very name Jehovah for Himself.

Fun fact: “Jesus” is the Greek form of “Yeshua” (Joshua), which literally means “Jehovah‑Savior.” So when you pray to Jesus, you’re calling on the same Self‑Existent One who spoke to Moses from the burning bush—now living, loving, and saving you by name.

Next time you whisper “Jehovah” or “Jesus,” remember you’re invoking the God who exists outside time, who continually reveals Himself, and who came to rescue you by name.

2. ADONAI - This is the possessive Name of Deity, denoting soverignty, and primarily means “master”

3. KURIOS - The word “Lord” in the New Testament is used of God in the context of both “Lord” (Master) and “Lord” (Jehovah).

A. Old Testament Examples

Elohim (God, Creator) - The One who Made me (position — Creator)

Genesis 1:1 (KJV) – “In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heaven and the earth.”

Insight: Plural form emphasizing His majesty and creativity.

Yahweh (The LORD, Covenant‑Keeper) - The One who Saved me (personality — Covenant)

Exodus 3:14 (KJV) – “And God said unto Moses… I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”

Insight: Reveals self‑existence, faithfulness to promises.

El Shaddai (God Almighty, All‑Sufficient) -

Genesis 17:1 (KJV) – “I am God Almighty (El Shaddai); walk before me, and be thou perfect.”

Insight: God meets every need—spiritual, physical, emotional.

Adonai (Lord, Master, Redeemer) - The One who Owns me (possession — Master)

Psalm 8:1 (KJV) – “O Lord (Adonai) our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”

Insight: His authority over creation and our lives.

Jehovah‑Jireh (The LORD Will Provide) - the One who provides for me (provision — Source)

Genesis 22:14 (KJV) – “In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen… That in the mount the Lord will provide (Jehovah‑Jireh).”

Insight: In our greatest tests, God is our Provider.

Transition: Every Old Testament name points to a different hope we can cling to—Creation, Covenant, Provision, Authority.

B. New Testament Examples

Logos (The Word, Jesus as Divine Self‑Expression)

John 1:1,14 (KJV) – “In the beginning was the Word (Logos)… and the Word was made flesh.”

Insight: Jesus is God’s full revelation—His wisdom, character, and will articulated to us.

Kyrios (Lord, Sovereign Ruler)

Romans 10:9 (KJV) – “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord (Kyrios) Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart…”

Insight: Jesus has absolute authority; confessing His Name saves.

Christos (Anointed One, Messiah)

Matthew 16:16 (KJV) – “Thou art the Christ (Christos), the Son of the living God.”

Insight: Jesus fulfills the promises, inaugurates God’s kingdom.

Immanuel (God with Us)

Matthew 1:23 (KJV) – “Behold, a virgin shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

Insight: God’s Name comforts—He is present in our struggles.

Iēsous (Jesus, Savior)

Acts 4:12 (KJV) – “Neither is there salvation in any other… for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Insight: The Name above all names secures forgiveness and new life.

Transition: In Christ, the fullness of God’s names and titles converge—Creator, Covenant‑Keeper, Provider, Lord, and Savior.

[Historical & Systematic Theology Insights—5:00]

Irenaeus (2nd c.): Argued that knowing God’s Name is knowing God Himself.

Augustine: Taught that every biblical name of God invites trust—each title carries a promise.

Thomas Aquinas: In Summa I, Q. 12, explains that God’s names reveal aspects of the divine essence to finite minds.

Relation to Other Attributes:

Sovereignty: As Adonai, God’s rule is absolute.

Immutability: His Name never changes (Malachi 3:6 - “6 For I am the Lord, I change not; Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” ).

Love & Mercy: As Jehovah‑Raah (The LORD My Shepherd), He leads with compassion.

Apologetics Clarifications

Objection 1: “Aren’t these just ancient titles with no relevance today?”

Answer: Each name communicates timeless truth—our need for Creator, Covenant‑Keeper, and Savior never changes. Using these Names anchors us in realities that transcend culture and time.

Objection 2: “Why can’t we just call Him ‘God’?”

Answer: “God” is generic; biblical names personalize relationship. Just as you’d feel distant calling someone “person,” knowing God’s specific Names builds intimacy and trust (John 10:3–4 - “3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.” ).

3. Hebrew Israelites Objections

Objection 1: “The Hebrew Israelites argue that only ethnic Israel (their community) may rightly call on the Name Yahweh or Yeshua, and that Gentiles must adopt a new identity before approaching God.”

Response: The Bible repeatedly opens God’s Name and covenant to all nations.

Joel 2:32 (KJV): “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.”

Acts 2:21 (KJV): Peter applies Joel’s promise at Pentecost to Jew and Gentile alike—“whosoever.”

Romans 10:13 (KJV): Paul echoes, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”These verses show God’s sovereign Name transcends ethnicity and is accessible to every person who calls in faith.

Objection 2: “They insist that the New Testament ‘Jesus’ is a corrupted Greek name, and only the Hebrew ‘Yeshua’ is valid.”

Response: While “Yeshua” reflects the Hebrew, the New Testament authors wrote in Greek and used Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous) as the inspired form.

Philippians 2:9–11 (KJV): “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name… that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…”The power isn’t in a transliteration but in the Person—the incarnate Word. Whether “Jesus,” “Yeshua,” or “Iēsous,” the Bible affirms this Name alone secures salvation (Acts 4:12).

Objection 3: “Hebrew Israelites claim Gentile believers must become proselytes under Mosaic law to fully access God’s covenant Names.”

Response: Scripture teaches that the new covenant in Christ supersedes the old legal requirements for Gentiles:

Ephesians 2:11–13 (KJV): Gentiles, “having no hope and without God in the world… are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

Galatians 3:28 (KJV): “There is neither Jew nor Greek… for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”The Name of God is extended by grace, not by ethnic proselytization. Every believer—Jew or Gentile—stands equal before God under the Name above all names.

Conclusion: God’s Names—Yahweh, Elohim, Jesus—are rooted in His sovereign will to reveal Himself and to draw all people into relationship. Any teaching that confines His Name to a single ethnicity or demands extra-biblical rites misunderstands the New Testament’s clear witness: the Name of the Lord is a universal refuge for everyone, applied by faith alone.

Practical/Pastoral Application

For Pastors:

Teach congregation to call on “Jehovah‑Shalom” in anxiety, “El Roi” (the God who sees) in loneliness.

For Laypeople:

Personalize prayer: “Yahweh‑Rapha, You heal me” when you pray for health.

Use “Immanuel” in worship to remind yourself God is with you today.

Group Discussion/Reflection Questions

Which Name of God resonates most with your current season, and why?

How might calling on a specific Name of God change your prayer life this week?

In what ways can our church incorporate God’s Names into our songs, liturgy, or outreach?

Closing Prayer: “Father, thank You that Your Names reveal who You are and how You love us. Help us to lean into each Name—Yahweh, Elohim, Adonai, and especially Jesus—as we walk through every high and low. In His Name we pray, Amen.”

Benediction: “Go in the peace of Jehovah‑Shalom, the LORD our Peace. May the God who sees you (El Roi) comfort you, and may you carry the Name of Jesus, your Savior, to a world in need. Amen.”