What’s in a Name?A look at the Names of God

in Scripture

Ihsou$Xristo$ Qeou Uio$ Swthr

What’s in a Name – why so important?

The Basics – El, Elohim, YHWH, Adonai

Compounds – El Shaddai, Jahweh Jireh

etc.

New Testament Names

The Name, Character & Relationship with

Man

The Agenda

Little significance in modern culture

Name communicates character.

Important

Personal Character of a Name

Naming Power; esp. re-naming

Names & Relationship – NB God revealed

His Name to His people

Why so important?

El - la God “mighty, strong, prominent”

250 times in OT Elohim – <yhla plural of El but with

singular verb YHWH/Yahweh / Jehovah – 6,800 יהוה

times in OT, never of pagan deities Adonai – y/da lord, master, owner,

superior, sovereign. 300 times; 215 times of men

The Basics

El Berith – God of the Covenant Judg 8:33 & 9:46

El Elyon – Most high God Gen 14:18

El Gibbor – Mighty God – all powerful One Isa 9:6

El Olam – Everlasting God Gen 21:33

El Roi – The God who sees Gen 16:13

El Shaddai – Almighty God – All-sufficient One Gen 17:1-2

Putting them together

First Name given for God in the Bible (Gen 1:1)

Plural word, singular verbs! Majesty; Trinity?

God, gods, rulers, judges, angels. Cf. Jn 10:34;

Ps 82:6. 2,570 times in OT

Elohim is holy, righteous, jealous, merciful,

gracious, great & terrible, forgiving & faithful

Elohim יםQהRֹלTֱא

Most English translations YHWH = LORD

caps ‘I am who I am’ and thus ‘the self-

existent One’ (Ex 3:13–15 ) I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to

Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name Yahweh I was not known to them. (Ex 6:3)

JEDP hypothesis – different authors? Suggestion: Yahweh used in covenant

relationship; Elohim = Creator & Lord

Yahweh / Jehovah ה[ \הRו י

Jehovah-jireh: The Lord will Provide. Gen. 22:14 Jehovah-ropheka (also spelled Jehovah-

Rapha): The Lord Who Heals. Ex. 15:22-26. Jehovah-nissi: The Lord Our Banner. Ex. 17:15 Jehovah-m'kaddesh (also spelled Jehovah

Mekoddishkem): The Lord Who Sanctifies. Ex. 31:13 Lev. 20:8

Jehovah-shalom: The Lord Our Peace. Jud 6:24 Jehovah-tsidkenu: The Lord Our Righteousness

Jer. 23:5–6 33:16

Jehovah Names

Jehovah Elohim: "LORD God" Gen. 2:4

Jehovah-rohi: "The Lord Our Shepherd" Ps 23

Jehovah-shammah: "The Lord is There" or the

“Jehovah the Existing One” (Ezek. 48:35).

Jehovah-sabaoth: "The Lord of Hosts" or “the

Lord of Powers” or “The Lord of the Armies.”

�ה ֶא�ה�ֶי ֶא#ֶׁש!�ר �ה Ehyeh ֶא�ה�ֶיAsher Ehyeh

Jesus = Yehoshua or Yeshua = Yahweh

saves Christ = anointed = Messiah Alpha & Omega = A & W –beginning & end) GOOD SHEPHERD John 10:11 GREAT HIGH PRIEST Hebrews 4:14 GREAT SHEPHERD Hebrews 13:20 WORD OF GOD Revelation 19:13 Qeo $ Kurio$ Despote$ God Lord Master

New Testament Names

ABBA (Dad) Romans 8:15 BREAD OF LIFE John 6:35 CHRIST Matthew 16:16 DELIVERER Romans 11:26 END Revelation 21:6 FAITHFUL ONE Revelation 19:11 GREAT HIGH PRIEST Hebrews 4:14 HEAD OF THE CHURCH Ephesians 5:23 IMAGE OF GOD II Cor. 4:4 JESUS Matthew 1:21 KING OF KINGS I Timothy 6:15 LORD OF ALL Acts 10:36 MESSIAH John 4:25 NAZARENE Matthew 2:23 OMEGA Revelation 22:13POWER OF GOD I Cor. 1:24 RIGHTEOUS ONE I John 2:1 SAVIOUR Luke 2:11 TRUE WITNESS Revelation 3:14VINE John 15:5 WORD OF GOD Revelation 19:13

Is He your

Most High God & All sufficient One Master, Lord of Peace The Lord Who Will Provide Your Father? Ra’ah, the Lord our Shepherd.

God knows us by our name, shouldn't we know Him by His?

Who is God to you?