The Name and Nature of God
How important is a
name? Is it merely a means of recognition, or is it integral to identity?
I think a name represents the qualities and characteristics that set
you apart from everyone else and those considerations are all part of
your identity. This is certainly true in the Spirit realm, when we pray
in the Name of Jesus. Charles Spurgeon said,
“When the petition is so clearly right that we dare set the name of
Jesus to it, then it must be granted”.
When we pray
“in the Name of Jesus,” our words are not based on religious tradition
but on our relationship with the One whose name
“is above every name” (Phil.2:9). We not only know that name, we
know what that name can do!
Our chief end and purpose
is to know God whom we discover through unfolding revelation.
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true
God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). God Almighty
reveals Himself to us in many revelations of His name…one name, many
revelations.
Although these revelations
were given years apart, they were recorded in perfect order by the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, and each defines with perfection the nature of an
awesome God.
ELOHIM:
My God, My Creator (Genesis 1:1)
The first of the primary names of Deity is Elohim, sometimes El or Elah, as recorded in the Hebrew text and “God” in the English form. It is a uni-plural noun formed from El=strength, or the strong one, and Alah, to swear or bind oneself by an oath, implying faithfulness. This uni-plurality implied in the name is directly asserted in Genesis 1:26 (plurality), 27 (unity); thus the Trinity is latent in Elohim.
This name is always connected
to creation, authority, power, greatness, dominion, and glory. It is
introduced in Genesis 1:1 where the Bible declares,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”. Then we
see the Trinity in John 1 where Jesus is called the Word, who spoke
the creation into being…“and God SAID”...and again in Genesis
1:2 where “the Holy Spirit moved upon the face of the water”. The
Designer is God the Father, the Creator is Jesus as the Word of God,
and the Power is God the Holy Spirit.
JEHOVAH: My Father (Genesis 2:4)
The primary meaning of the name Lord (Jehovah) is “the self-existent One”; literally, “He that is who He is, therefore the eternal I AM”. But Havah, from which Jehovah or Yahwe is formed, signifies also “to become,” that is to become known, thus pointing to a continuous and increasing self-revelation. Combining these meanings of Havah, we arrive at the meaning of the name of Jehovah. He is “the self-existent One who reveals Himself.”
Whereas the name Elohim presents God’s existence, we see His personality revealed in the name Jehovah. This name is associated with covenant relationship, fellowship, and blood sacrifice. For example, when Elohim presents love, power, mercy, or glory, Jehovah reveals each.
The angels behold God’s
glory and cry “Holy” and so will we. But the angels cannot know
Him as Jehovah, their Father. We have this privilege because of the
Cross which allows us to have the intimate father-to-child fellowship
as a result of the covenant relationship with the God Jehovah.
EL ELYON: Most High God
(Genesis 14:18)
We first encounter Melchizedek
in Genesis 14, who is a type of Christ, the King-Priest of El Elyon,
the Most High God, and is also a Gentile. The distinctive characteristic
of this Most High God, or the Highest, is possessor of Heaven and earth,
and exercises authority over both spheres.
ADON
or ADONAI:
My Lord, My Master (Genesis 15:2)
The primary meaning of Adonai
is Master and is applied to O.T. Deity. Abraham called God Master which
implies complete ownership and control. God reveals His will to those
who know Him as Adonai, as we see in Genesis 18 when God disclosed His
plans concerning Sodom to Abraham. When we regard God as our Lord, we
enter into a more intimate relationship with Him. Great intercessors
are born through intimate fellowship with God. As Abraham
“drew near,” he experienced intimacy with God Almighty and became
an intercessor.
Jehovah El-Shaddai: My Supplier (Genesis 17:1)
The Almighty God in Genesis 17:1 is introduced as El Shaddai which is both interesting and touching. God (El) signifies the “Strong One”. The qualifying word, Shaddai is formed from the Hebrew word “shad,” the breast, invariably used in Scripture for a woman’s breast. Shaddai therefore primarily means the breasted one. God is Shaddai because He is the Nourisher, the Strength-giver, and so in a secondary sense, the Satisfier who pours Himself into believing lives. As a fretful, unsatisfied babe is not only strengthened and nourished from the mother’s breast, but also is quieted, rested, satisfied, so El Shaddai is that name of God which sets Him forth as the Strength-giver, and Satisfier of His people. It is to be regretted Shaddai was translated “Almighty”. The primary name El or Elohim sufficiently signifies almightiness. “All-sufficient” would far better express both the Hebrew meaning and characteristic use of the name in Scripture.
When I researched this meaning
of El Shaddai years ago, I was talking to a friend who had been
a nursing mother. She recounted an incident
when she had left her infant at home with her husband, so she could
get out for awhile and shop between feedings. As she was filling up
her cart, somewhere in the store a baby cried, and all of a sudden her
milk “let down”. Of course, she had
to leave her buggy, and rush to the car. As we laughed at that sweet
memory, the Lord spoke to me and said that is the way He responds to
the cry of His babes…He can’t help it. His
“milk” lets down!!! It later occurred to me that all the feelings,
gentleness, instincts, womanly ways and emotions also came from God.
After all, He had them first, and we were made in His image. Amen!
We will continue this study
for the next month or two, as I feel these are important revelations
to the Body of Christ as to the name and character of our wonderful
Lord.
God Bless You All.
Pastor Moser
February, 2010
W. O. W
“Let God’s Word FILTER your conversation”. Pastor Moser
In : 2010.02 "The Name and Nature of God"
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