The Names of God

Introduction

God is called seven single names in the Word of God.

These names give us a progressive revelation about His nature.

1. In Genesis 1:1, He is called (God). This comes from the Hebrew word (Elohim) which means the strong and faithful one and usually deals with Him as the Creator.

In the beginning, God. What a way to start! No lengthy explanations or arguments, just a simple few words that show God was always there. Questions like “Who made God?” or “What was there before him?” are shown here to be as irrelevant as they are silly. God is, was, and always will be the beginning of all things.

2. In Genesis 2:4, He is called (LORD). This comes from the Hebrew word (Jehovah) which means the self-existent one that revealeth Himself and usually deals with His work in Redemption. In the KJV Bible this word is written with all capital letters.

3. In Genesis 14:18, He is called (the Most High God). This comes from the Hebrew word (El Elyon) which means the Highest One, and deals with Him as the possessor of Heaven and Earth.

4. In Genesis 15:2, He is called (Lord). This comes from the Hebrew word (Adonai) which means master and deals with His authority.

5. In Genesis 16:13, He is called (God). This comes from the Hebrew word (El Roi) which means the God that sees, and deals with Him watching over all his children.

6. In Genesis 17:1, He is called (the Almighty God). The word almighty points to the omnipotence of God; namely, that He is all powerful and able to do anything and everything at any given time. This comes from the Hebrew word (El Shaddai) which means "the one mighty to nourish” or “the one mighty to supply.” It reveals God as all-sufficient, all-satisfying, and all-sustaining.

7. In Genesis 21:33, He is called (the everlasting God). This comes from the Hebrew word (El Olam) which means infinite in time and age and deals with Him as one existing through all ages.

Looking at the Hebrew language, we find eight compound names by which God reveals Himself to His people.

These names are not all mentioned in the text of the Word of God, but there are incidents that reveal Him as such to us.

All of these are connected to the word Jehovah and generally deal with His redemptive work.

1. Jehovah-Jireh

Genesis 22:14 KJV 1900

14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

This means the God of pre-vision and provision. This deals with God seeing our needs before they arise and having the provision ready when we need them. In Genesis 22, God manifests Himself by providing the ram for a burnt offering.

2. Jehovah-Nissi

This means the Lord our banner and deals with the Lord fighting our battles for us against the enemies that we face in our lives.

In Exodus 17:8-16, God delivered Israel from Amalek, and promised them that He would "have war with Amalek from generation to generation." Moses then built an altar there and called the name of it Jehovah-Nissi to remind Joshua and the children of Israel that it was not Joshua, but God who won that battle.

3. Jehovah-Rapha

This means the Lord that healeth thee. This deals with God as both our spiritual and physical healer.

Exodus 15:23–26 KJV 1900

23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 25 And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, 26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

4. Jehovah-Shalom

This means the Lord our peace. God reveals himself in this manner to Gideon in Judges 6:23.

Judges 6:23 KJV 1900

23 And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

Judges 6:24 KJV 1900

24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.

To us, this deals with the fact that God alone could reconcile the sinner back to Himself, thus making peace between the sinless God and sinful man through the blood of Christ...

Colossians 1:20 KJV 1900

20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

5. Jehovah-Saboath

This means the Lord of hosts. This presents Him as a mighty warrior protecting us. It also pictures Him as being over the host of angels that serve us and minister to us...

1 Samuel 17:45 KJV 1900

45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

God is pictured in this manner many times through the Bible, especially in Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

6. Jehovah-Rohi

This means the Lord, my shepherd. This is pictured for us so wonderfully in Psalm 23, and deals with the Lord guiding and guarding His sheep. He is also portrayed as protecting and providing for us as His sheep.

Psalm 23 KJV 1900

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

7. Jehovah-Tsidkenu

This means THE LORD, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. In Jeremiah 23:6 we see these words prophetically dealing with the restoration of Israel, when the Lord Jesus shall reign in righteousness.

Jeremiah 23:6 KJV 1900

6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Today it also speaks of God imputing His righteousness to us. He is our righteousness!

The Psalms consistently focus on the righteousness of God. In Psalm 85, the psalmist cries out for restoration and revival...

Listen to this beautiful description of restoration:

Psalm 85:10–13 KJV 1900

10 Mercy and truth are met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; And righteousness shall look down from heaven. 12 Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; And our land shall yield her increase. 13 Righteousness shall go before him; And shall set us in the way of his steps.

The Lord is our Righteousness!

8. Jehovah-Shammah

This means the Lord is present. In Ezekiel 48:35 we read, "And the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there."

This teaches us that some day we will be in His presence there, but it also speaks of Him being present with us now.

Conclusion

In conclusion tonight, it is very interesting when you put the meaning of all these compound words together and see God's plan of redemption, and how His provisions for the redeemed ones are revealed.

As Jehovah-Jireh, with His Pre-vision; God sees our need for a Saviour before we were ever born and in His provision, God provided Christ as a lamb slain before the foundation of the world.

As Jehovah-Nissi, we see Christ battling Satan over the souls of mankind, winning the war at Calvary.

As Jehovah-Rapha, we see Him healing our sin-sick souls with salvation as is spoken of in I Peter 2:24.

1 Peter 2:24 KJV 1900

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

As Jehovah-Shalom, when God saves us, the result is peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

As Jehovah-Saboath, we see Him as a mighty warrior protecting us against the enemies of our souls, keeping us saved.

As Jehovah-Rohi, we see Him as the great shepherd watching over His flock, guiding and guarding us, walking with us, and talking with us.

As Jehovah-Tsidkenu, He imputes His righteousness to us. This deals with the settling of our account in heaven. God not only imputed Christ's righteousness to us, but He also imparted His righteousness to us whereby He enables us to live a holy life.

Finally, as Jehovah-Shammah, we see that one day Christ will come and catch out His church from this world...

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 KJV 1900

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.