In scripture we learn that God was given names for His various characteristics - it's pretty amazing and we can learn more about Him as we study the way people perceived Him throughout scripture.
The prefix El means mighty or strong and emphasizes the fact that first and foremost, He is mighty.
As He created the world and everything in it, He is called Elohim. It is a plural name depicting the Trinity as the creator. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit worked together to create the world. This name is used in Psalm 19:1, "The heavens declare the glory of 'Elohim'; the skies proclaim the work of His hands."
The name El Elyon is used in Isaiah 14:13 and depicts God as the Most High God, the giver of power, wisdom and might. The strong one.
In Genesis 16:63 we read that God is called El Roi by Haggar as she is cast into the wilderness by Sarah. She used that name because He is the God who saw her and spoke with her in her aloneness. Remember this one when you think that no one knows what you are going through. Our God is El Roi, who ever sees us and knows what we are enduring.
Another name is El Shaddai, the God Almighty, our protector, the all-sufficient one. This name is used in Psalm 91:1– "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High (El Shaddai) will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."
Adonai is another name for God. It means that He is the Lord and Master, the Lord Jehovah or YHWY and depicts our relationship to Him. Malachi 1:6 puts it this way, "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the Lord Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name."
One of the most well-known names for God is Jehovah, it is used more than 6,000 times in the old testament, the first being Genesis 2:4, "This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the Lord God (Jehovah) made the earth and the heavens." This name means I AM WHO I AM - God as the self-existant one - unchangeable - eternal.
We find out that He is also Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide. This is the name used by Abraham when he took Isaac to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice him. "Abraham looked up and there in the thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place 'The Lord Will Provide'. And to this day it is said, 'On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided'." Genesis 22:13-14.
God is also known as El Olam, the everlasting God, in Isaiah 40:28. "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God (El Olam), the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom."
God has many names related to the name Jehovah, He is Jehovah Nissi, the Lord my banner. "Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner (Jehovah Nissi). He said, 'For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation'." (Exodus 17:15-16)
He is also known as Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our peace. When Gideon was confronted by the Angel of the Lord and told he was going to save Israel out of Midian's hand, he was fearful to meet the Lord face to face. "But the Lord said to him, 'Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord is Peace." Judges 6:23-24
The Lord God Almighty is also known as Jehovah Sabbaoth, the Lord of hosts. "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord of Hosts (Jehovah Sabbaoth) seated on the throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory'." Isaiah 6:1-3
God is Jehovah Maccaddeshoem, the Lord thy sanctifier in Exodus 31:13 - "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy'." He is the one who sanctifies us, and it is only through our obedience to Him that we are sanctified.
He is also well-known as Jehovah Rohi, the Lord my shepherd. Psalm 23:1 makes this characteristic very clear to us. "The Lord is my shepherd (Jehovah Rohi), I shall not be in want."
Jehovah Tsidkenu, means the Lord our Righteousness and can be found in Jeremiah 23:6. "In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord our Righteousness."
The name Jehovah Shammah refers to the Lord who is present. Ezekiel had a vision of the temple in Jerusalem even though the Jewish people were taken into captivity by Babylon. He saw the city and the temple and heard the Lord speak to him about his vision. "And the name of the city from that time on will be The Lord is There." (Ezekiel 48:35b)
God is also the Lord our healer or Jehovah Rapha. "Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made a decree and a law for them, and there He tested them. He said, 'If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you'." Exodus 15:25-26.
But of all these names used to describe God and His attributes in the Old Testament, the most favorite name was used by Jesus. He called God His Father. He referred to Him as "Abba" which can be interpreted by us today as "Daddy". How amazing that Jesus told His followers to pray to Our Father who art in heaven. The Lord God Almighty, the creator, the Most High God, the God who protects us, who sees us, our Lord and Master, the self-existent one, our provider, our peace, our banner, our sanctifier, our shepherd, our healer - He wants us to call Him Daddy. Why? Because that's the kind of relationship He wants to have with each one of us. That of a loving Father, who cares enough about each one of us that He provided a way for us to come into a relationship with Him. That way is Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me." (John 14:6)
Are you looking for a loving Father? Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? If you have, then you've got a package deal, because the Lord God Almighty has adopted you into His family and Jesus is not only your King, but also your brother. Praise God for His provision. He truly is Jehovah Jireh!
The prefix El means mighty or strong and emphasizes the fact that first and foremost, He is mighty.
As He created the world and everything in it, He is called Elohim. It is a plural name depicting the Trinity as the creator. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit worked together to create the world. This name is used in Psalm 19:1, "The heavens declare the glory of 'Elohim'; the skies proclaim the work of His hands."
The name El Elyon is used in Isaiah 14:13 and depicts God as the Most High God, the giver of power, wisdom and might. The strong one.
In Genesis 16:63 we read that God is called El Roi by Haggar as she is cast into the wilderness by Sarah. She used that name because He is the God who saw her and spoke with her in her aloneness. Remember this one when you think that no one knows what you are going through. Our God is El Roi, who ever sees us and knows what we are enduring.
Another name is El Shaddai, the God Almighty, our protector, the all-sufficient one. This name is used in Psalm 91:1– "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High (El Shaddai) will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."
Adonai is another name for God. It means that He is the Lord and Master, the Lord Jehovah or YHWY and depicts our relationship to Him. Malachi 1:6 puts it this way, "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the Lord Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name."
One of the most well-known names for God is Jehovah, it is used more than 6,000 times in the old testament, the first being Genesis 2:4, "This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the Lord God (Jehovah) made the earth and the heavens." This name means I AM WHO I AM - God as the self-existant one - unchangeable - eternal.
We find out that He is also Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide. This is the name used by Abraham when he took Isaac to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice him. "Abraham looked up and there in the thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place 'The Lord Will Provide'. And to this day it is said, 'On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided'." Genesis 22:13-14.
God is also known as El Olam, the everlasting God, in Isaiah 40:28. "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God (El Olam), the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom."
God has many names related to the name Jehovah, He is Jehovah Nissi, the Lord my banner. "Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner (Jehovah Nissi). He said, 'For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation'." (Exodus 17:15-16)
He is also known as Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our peace. When Gideon was confronted by the Angel of the Lord and told he was going to save Israel out of Midian's hand, he was fearful to meet the Lord face to face. "But the Lord said to him, 'Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord is Peace." Judges 6:23-24
The Lord God Almighty is also known as Jehovah Sabbaoth, the Lord of hosts. "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord of Hosts (Jehovah Sabbaoth) seated on the throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory'." Isaiah 6:1-3
God is Jehovah Maccaddeshoem, the Lord thy sanctifier in Exodus 31:13 - "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy'." He is the one who sanctifies us, and it is only through our obedience to Him that we are sanctified.
He is also well-known as Jehovah Rohi, the Lord my shepherd. Psalm 23:1 makes this characteristic very clear to us. "The Lord is my shepherd (Jehovah Rohi), I shall not be in want."
Jehovah Tsidkenu, means the Lord our Righteousness and can be found in Jeremiah 23:6. "In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord our Righteousness."
The name Jehovah Shammah refers to the Lord who is present. Ezekiel had a vision of the temple in Jerusalem even though the Jewish people were taken into captivity by Babylon. He saw the city and the temple and heard the Lord speak to him about his vision. "And the name of the city from that time on will be The Lord is There." (Ezekiel 48:35b)
God is also the Lord our healer or Jehovah Rapha. "Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made a decree and a law for them, and there He tested them. He said, 'If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you'." Exodus 15:25-26.
But of all these names used to describe God and His attributes in the Old Testament, the most favorite name was used by Jesus. He called God His Father. He referred to Him as "Abba" which can be interpreted by us today as "Daddy". How amazing that Jesus told His followers to pray to Our Father who art in heaven. The Lord God Almighty, the creator, the Most High God, the God who protects us, who sees us, our Lord and Master, the self-existent one, our provider, our peace, our banner, our sanctifier, our shepherd, our healer - He wants us to call Him Daddy. Why? Because that's the kind of relationship He wants to have with each one of us. That of a loving Father, who cares enough about each one of us that He provided a way for us to come into a relationship with Him. That way is Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me." (John 14:6)
Are you looking for a loving Father? Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? If you have, then you've got a package deal, because the Lord God Almighty has adopted you into His family and Jesus is not only your King, but also your brother. Praise God for His provision. He truly is Jehovah Jireh!
Excellent post. God bless you. Enjoyed this compilation. The Word of God is life.It enlightens, encourages, strengthens and seals our relationship with God.
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