{"id":631,"date":"2017-07-02T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-07-03T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hanoverbaptistchurch.org\/blogpastor\/?p=631"},"modified":"2017-07-01T15:05:38","modified_gmt":"2017-07-01T20:05:38","slug":"what-does-the-bible-say-about-the-names-of-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hanoverbaptistchurch.org\/blogpastor\/2017\/what-does-the-bible-say-about-the-names-of-god\/","title":{"rendered":"What does the Bible say about the names of God?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\u201cPraise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, Praise the name of the LORD! Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its going down the LORD\u2019s name is to be praised.\u201d Psalm\u00a0113:1\u20133<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It is good to make a regular habit of reviewing the names by which our Lord reveals Himself. I capitalize the word name when it is used to refer to God because God\u2019s name is God Himself. He reveals Himself in His works. His names often reveal what He is and what He is intent upon doing. When you live each day in humble reverence to the name of the LORD you will be living the truth of Psalm\u00a0113.<\/p>\n

Names distinguish one person from another. In God\u2019s case, there is no other god and so His names do not distinguish Him from any other real being. All the pretenders, real and imagined (Satan and emperors or gods and idols), attempt to purloin and tarnish God\u2019s good name.<\/p>\n

I heard a story about an election precinct where three voters shared not only the same name but also shared the same residence. During voting day, each man came into the precinct to vote and caused a bit of a stir. In their case, the name did not distinguish between the men since there was no sr., jr., or Roman numeral after each name. The distinguishing factor was the unique birthdate. In a similar fashion, the biblical names of God are a purposeful expression of His nature or His position, as opposed to distinguishing Him from any other god. In the biblical stories where a new name of God is revealed, there is often a new fact revealed, a new feat\/victory accomplished, or a new relationship being initiated. Each occurrence of a name of God, in its context, deserves careful inspection and thought.<\/p>\n

The first name God uses in the Scriptures is Elohim<\/em>, found in Genesis\u00a01:1. It occurs 2,570 times in the Scriptures. The name is actually plural, meaning superlative in majesty, power, and might. Certainly God\u2019s creative power is a most apt illustration of His glory. Psalm\u00a019:1 states, \u201cThe heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.\u201d When you think upon your Creator you are meditating on the fact He is Elohim.<\/p>\n

The Scriptures also employ a general word for God (just as unsaved people are apt to refer to God). The word El<\/em> is translated God. This name is indicative of \u201cthe Mighty One.\u201d Many times the Old Testament combines the name El<\/em> with some other qualifying aspect. One compound name is El\u00a0Elyon<\/em>. It means \u201cthe Strongest One, the Highest One. \u201c Especially since there is no other equal to the true God, He is uncontestedly the strongest of all. Genesis\u00a014:17ff states, \u201cBlessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Surprisingly\u2014or perhaps not so surprising due to the blinding, irrational effects of sin\u2014Satan chose this very quality of God to go to war on God\u2019s ground. Isaiah\u00a014:13f reads, \u201cI will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.\u201d How chided our hearts ought to be when we recognize we also tend to put our self-interest above the Almighty God! Sin and self always subvert and supplant submission and service.<\/p>\n

Other compound names include El\u00a0Roi<\/em>, meaning \u201cthe Strong One who Sees\u201d (Genesis\u00a016:13); El\u00a0Olam<\/em>, meaning \u201cthe Everlasting God\u201d (Isaiah\u00a040:28ff); and El\u00a0Shaddai<\/em>, meaning \u201cthe Almighty, the Nourishing One.\u201d This later name appears 48 times in the Old Testament (Genesis\u00a017:1, Exodus\u00a06:3). It is a name which carries with it the impression of a mother drawing a child to her chest. Psalm\u00a091:1 reads, \u201cHe who dwells in the secret place of the Most High [El\u00a0Elyon<\/em>] shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty [El\u00a0Shaddai<\/em>].\u201d<\/p>\n

The name El<\/em> appears in another well-known combination. Immanuel means \u201cGod with us.\u201c This truth is revealed first in Isaiah\u00a07:14, \u201cTherefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel\u201d (Isaiah\u00a08:8, 9:6; Micah\u00a05:2). This name speaks of none other than our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew\u00a01:23)!<\/p>\n

We will address several more names of God next time. We must not forget Adonai<\/em>, Jehovah, or Jesus!<\/p>\n

The Westminster Catechism makes good use of God\u2019s self-revelation granted us by the names He has made known to us. \u201cThere is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His Own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; and withal most just and terrible in His judgments; hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since His names graciously reveal to us who He is, it is necessary that we get to know His names, and know them well. Isaiah\u00a057:15, \u201cFor thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: \u2018I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.\u2019\u201d Trust and obey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cPraise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, Praise the name of the LORD! Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its going down the LORD\u2019s name is to be praised.\u201d Psalm\u00a0113:1\u20133 It is good to make a regular habit of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hanoverbaptistchurch.org\/blogpastor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/631"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hanoverbaptistchurch.org\/blogpastor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hanoverbaptistchurch.org\/blogpastor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hanoverbaptistchurch.org\/blogpastor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hanoverbaptistchurch.org\/blogpastor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=631"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.hanoverbaptistchurch.org\/blogpastor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/631\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hanoverbaptistchurch.org\/blogpastor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hanoverbaptistchurch.org\/blogpastor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hanoverbaptistchurch.org\/blogpastor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}