Are you motivated to learn more about God?
In this blog, I’m going to take a closer look at the name God gave Himself and many other names describing His nature.
My name, Suzanne, is expressed in several ways. My employees called me Suzanne, my niece and nephew call me Swaz, my brother and mom call me Suzie, and my husband calls me Suz. When I’m introduced to someone by my “family”, it’s hilarious.
The Hebrews used many names to describe God’s nature including: the Most High Eternal God (El Elyon), the powerful and mighty Lord of Hosts (Jehovah Sabaoth), the sanctifier (Jehovah Mekoddishem), the shepherd (Jehovah Raah), the Healer (Jehovah Rapha), our righteousness (Jehovah Tsidkenu), and the Lord who will provide (Jehovah Jireh). Other names refer to Him as peace (Jehovah Shalom), jealous (Qanna), and the everlasting God (El Olam). When you understand God’s nature, you’ll also understand what you can expect from Him.
What can you discover about God by studying His many names?
1. God Named Himself
The most important name for God in the Old Testament is the name God gave himself. In Exodus 3:14, He proclaims (to Moses) that His name is, “I AM”. Depicted in the Old Testament using all capital letters, LORD, Yahweh, or its derivatives appear thousands of times. While each name of God is unique, He chose the name LORD (I AM) to let us know that He exists and that He wants to be known (by us). Take a moment to think about that. The God of the universe is reaching out to us – through the “name” He chose for himself!
2. The Names of God Define Him
Not only does God reach out to us, He communicates His nature (to us) through His many names. He is righteous, mighty (powerful), and everlasting. He’s our shepherd who provides for us. He sanctifies us, gives us peace, and heals us. Once again, when you understand God’s nature, you’ll also understand what you can expect from Him.
3. His Names are His Promises
We can take great comfort in knowing that God is exactly who He says He is. I love knowing that Jehovah Shalom (The Lord is Peace) offers tranquility in the midst of turmoil and that Jehovah Raah (the shepherd) provides for us and protects us from harm – just as a shepherd provides for and protects his sheep. His names do, indeed, represent His promises.
In Psalm 9:10 (NIV), the Scriptures state, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
Isn’t it awesome to know that we can seek God in all situations and circumstances – calling on Him (and His promises) by name – and, most importantly, that we can trust Him to come through?
What name of God resonates most with you (and why)?
If you would like to learn more about the names of God, check out my book Rediscovering the Divine: Seeing God in a Whole New Way.
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