The Names of God

 

In the ancient world, knowing another person’s name was a special privilege that offered access to that person’s thought and life.  That name defined who they were and their purpose.  (Do you know what your name means?)  Our God is the same way.  God favored His people by revealing Himself by several names in the Bible which offer special insight into His love and righteousness.  

 

If we understand the names of God, we will begin to know and understand who He is and His character.  There is a natural order or progression on how God revealed Himself in the Old Testament.  And if we can grasp this, we will know Him better and draw closer to Him.

 

The first name ELOHIM we find is in Genesis 1:1-3>“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”

ELOHIM means the All Powerful One; Creator; the plurarity of God.  In order for us to have a real relationship with God, we must first acknowledge that He is the Creator of all things.  We cannot believe in the “Big Bang Theory” and Evolution and say we believe in God. 

The next name EL ROI is found in Genesis 16:11>“And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.”

EL ROI means the God who sees me.  There is no circumstance or problems that we have that God is not aware of.

EL OLAM is found in Genesis 21:33>“And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.”

EL OLAM means Everlasting God.  Our God is forever.  He is the Alpha and Omega.  Everything begins and ends with Him.

JEHOVAH JIREH is found in Genesis 22:14> “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.”

JEHOVAH JIREH means The Lord will Provide” God will always provide for His people who are obedient to His will.  There’s always a “ram in the bush.”

JEHOVAH OR YAHWEH (YHWH) is found in Exodus 3:14>“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.”

JEHOVAH OR YAHWEH (YHWH) means “I am who I am” and “I will be who I will be” God is Self Existent.  He is not a created being, He is because He was and He will always be.

The next name is EL SHADDAI which is found in Exodus 6:3>“And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”

EL SHADDAI means God Almighty.  He is the all powerful, omnipotent God.

JEHOVAH RAPHA is found in Exodus 15:26>“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.”

 

JEHOVAH RAPHA means the Lord who heals.  He is the great Healer and He promises to heal all of our diseases if we do His will.

 

JEHOVAH NISSI is found in Exodus 17:15>“And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah Nissi.”

 

JEHOVAH NISSI means the Lord is my Banner.  God is our supporter, our advocate who will stand up for us.

 

JEHOVAH SHALOM is found in Judges 6:24>“Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovah Shalom”

 

JEHOVAH SHALOM means The Lord is Peace.  In the midst of it all, God will give us a peace that surpasses all understanding.

JEHOVAH ROHI is found in Psalms 23:1-3>“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”

JEHOVAH ROHI means The Lord is my Shepherd.  God will lead us, guide us and protect us.  He will even find us if we stray from His flock.

JEHOVAH TSIDKENU is found in Jeremiah 23:5-6>“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.  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.”

JEHOVAH TSIDKENU means The Lord our Righteousness.  God is so loving toward us that He will make us right with Him because He is righteous.

These are just some of the names of God that has been revealed in the Old Testament.  Get to know Him by His names and you will experience a different side of our Father that you’ve never known.