God's Promises!  2 Peter 1:4        2 Corinthians 1:20 

                       

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                                    The Names of Gods  

In the days of the Bible, names were given that fit perfectly with the life of the person. For example, Abraham means "father of multitudes," Joseph means "God will increase," and the name Jesus means "Jehovah is salvation."

In the same manner, God has chosen to reveal Himself to us through His names recorded in Scripture .  I do not believe there are any names to fully describe the Eternal One, yet God has revealed much about His nature through His Word.

Here are the twelve Hebrew names of God found in the Old Covenant. The First Name of God: Elohim –"God our Creator."

Elohim is the name that introduces God in Genesis 1:1. The word can be divided into two parts. The first part, El, means God and is connected to His might, power, majesty, glory, and authority. Ohim speaks of plurality, so we can clearly see in this first scripture God is introduced as the mighty Trinity. The name Elohim is always connected to God’s acts. The angels know Him by this name . 

The Second Name of God: Jehovah – "Our Eternal God."  Jehovah is the name of relationship and covenant. God introduced Himself to Adam as "Lord God" in Genesis 2. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground." (Genesis 2:7) Jehovah is connected to the creation of man, to the making of a covenant, and to the atonement. It is Jehovah who reveals Elohim. God is always worshipped as Jehovah – and one cannot worship Him without a relationship through the covenant.

The Third Name of God: Jehovah El Shaddai – "God our Supplier."  The name El Shaddai means the God of might, nourishment, bounty, and blessings. God revealed Himself to Abraham as El Shaddai when He promised him a son. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when El Shaddai "The Almighty God" made a covenant with him to "multiply you exceedingly." (Genesis 17:1-2)

The Fourth Name of God: Adonai – "Master, Lord."  Adonai was spoken by Abraham in Genesis 18:3 when God came and told Abraham what He was about to do to Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham became the great intercessor. This shows us that the name Adonai is connected to God’s ownership and Lordship over our lives, and to revelation of the future and intercession.

The Fifth Name of God: Jehovah-Jireh – "God my Provider."  This name was revealed in Genesis 22:14 when Abraham was about to offer up Isaac and the Lord stopped him and provided a lamb...the substitute for Isaac. This powerful story reveals Jesus and the work of the cross. The name Jehovah-Jireh speaks of the Lord God providing His Son for our redemption and being our provider for all that we need.

The Sixth Name of God: Jehovah-Rapha – "God my Healer." Exodus 15:22-26, when the children of Israel came to Marah in the wilderness and could not drink the water because it was bitter, discloses the name Jehovah-Rapha. The Lord made a covenant of healing with His people and said that if they would keep all His commandments, He would be their health and healer continually. "... for I am the Lord that heals you." (Exodus 15:26)

The Seventh Name of God: Jehovah-Nissi – "God my Banner." This name was made known when Moses lifted up the rod of victory, in prayer, for an entire day as a battle with the Amalekites was fought (Exodus 17:15). The Hebrew word "Nissi" means my banner, or my covering, my protection and, also, my victory.

The Eighth Name of God: Jehovah-M’kadesh – "God my Sanctifier."  The Lord declared He would be the sanctifier of Israel, if they would obey Him (Exodus 31:13). The word M’kadesh, our sanctifier, was also connected to being set apart for service and belonging wholly to the Lord.

The Ninth Name of God: Jehovah-Shalom – "God my Peace." This name was revealed to Gideon, in Judges 6:23-24, when the Lord made him into a great warrior by showing him that only through dependence upon the Lord and reliance upon His name can we know His peace which will bring about triumph over all our enemies.

The Tenth Name of God: Jehovah-Tsidkenu – "God my Righteousness." God told the prophet Jeremiah to declare that a "righteous Branch" of David would come, and "Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness." (Jeremiah 23:6) In this revelation we are told that Jesus is our righteousness and that only through Him can we live righteously before the Lord.

The Eleventh Name of God: Jehovah-Rohi – "God my Shepherd."  In Psalms 23, God is revealed as our Rohi – our Shepherd. This was spoken as David declared, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." (Psalm 23:1) The name Rohi speaks of both leadership and close intimacy. Once we know the Lord as our Shepherd, our Jehovah-Rohi, all the promises of Psalms 23 will become reality in our daily walk.

The Twelfth Name of God: Jehovah-Shammah – "The Abiding Presence." The book of Ezekiel concludes with these words: "... and the name of the city for that day shall be, The Lord is there." (Ezekiel 48:35) The Hebrew translation is Jehovah-Shammah – speaking of God’s abiding presence. The Lord desires that we walk with Him daily. The word abide means to stay, not to visit.  What a wonderful Lord we serve.

He introduces Himself to us at first as Elohim, and as we continue to know Him, He becomes the Abiding Presence in our life.