The Names of God - Grace-eBooks.com

1 The Names of God By Don Fortner 2010 The Names of God 2 1 The Names of the Lord Psalm 9:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Throughout the Word of God Names were given to children that had special meaning and significance. Sometimes a person s name would be changed or a name would be ascribed to him, either by God or by someone else, indicating radical change of life.

2 Here are some examples: Adam means red earth, indicating his being created by God from the dust of the earth. Jacob means cheat, supplanter; but God changed his name to Israel, which means prince with God. Moses means drawn forth. He was named that because Pharaoh s daughter drew him out of the water. In the Bible, the name given to a person said something about that person. The same thing is true concerning the Names of the Lord our God. However, no single word in human language is sufficient to serve as a name for him.

3 Therefore, there are several words or Names by which he has made himself known. The Names applied to God in Scripture describe his glorious character, reveal his great attributes, and display his redemptive purpose. In this study we will simply look at the Names by which God reveals himself in the holy Scriptures and their meaning. There are ten specific Names ascribed to our God in holy Scripture. 1. The first revelation of God is found in Genesis 1:1- In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

4 The name of God given there is ELOHIM. Elohim means to worship. This is the name of our God. He is THE WORSHIPPED ONE. He is the only object of true worship, praise, adoration, and trust. The word Elohim is given in the plural, though is refers to One God. The significance is obvious. We worship One God who is three distinct The Names of God 3 Persons in One glorious Being, Father, Son, and holy Spirit (I John 5:7). 2. Another name of God is EL or ELI.

5 In Genesis 12:7-8 the Lord appeared to Abraham, and made a covenant with him. Abraham built an altar there and called the place Beth-El, which means the house of God. This is the word our Lord used, when he cried, Eli, Eli, lama sa-bach-tha-na? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matt. 27:46). This name , El , means strong, or might God. It is expressive of the power of God. 3. Next, God reveals himself under the name ELIOM in Genesis 14:18-22.

6 Eliom means the most high God. It is expressive of God s supremacy and majesty. Our Lord Jesus, of whom Melchizedek was at least a type, (if he was not (as many suggest) Christ himself in one of his many preincarnate manifestations), is called the Son of the Highest (Luke 1:32). Eliom is the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity. 4. God also revealed himself to Abraham by the name SHADDAI, which we translate Almighty (Gen.)

7 17:1). Shaddai means God all-sufficient. It expresses more than the power of God alone. It expresses the power and sufficiency of God to bestow his grace and fulfill his promises. El-Shaddai is God able to save, able to do his will, able to shed his blessings upon his people. 5. In I Samuel 1:9-11, we see Hannah calling upon THE LORD OF HOSTS in her deep distress. The Lord of Sabaoth (Isa. 6:3; James 5:4) is our God. This name is expressive of God s sovereign dominion and power over all his creatures.

8 The Lord of Hosts has his way in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what doest thou? Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be loosing, The Names of God 4 Were not the right Man on our side, The Man of God s own choosing. Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He Lord Sabaoth His name , From age to age the same And He must win the battle! 6. In Genesis 15:2, Abraham called upon God by the name ADONAI, to give him the promised covenant seed.

9 Adonai means the Cause, or the Support. Truly, Adonai is a suitable name for our God. He is the original cause of all things (Rom. 11:36). And our God supports and maintains all things (Heb. 1:3). And he upholds his saints with the right hand of his righteousness (Isa. 41:10). 7. In Exodus 3:13-14, the Lord appeared to Moses as EJEH, which means I Am that I Am. Ejeh refers to the immutability of our God and Savior (Mal. 3:6; Heb.)

10 13:8). With our God there is no variableness and no shadow of turning. He is eternally the same (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8; James 1:17). I Am is God who changes not. 8. In the New Testament, the word by which our God is most often revealed is LORD, the Greek word is Kunios. Lord simply means, God who is sovereign. It refers to God s dominion, power, authority, and right of ownership over all things. This is the word commonly used to describe Christ our Mediator King (Acts 10:36; I Cor.