Names Of God, Part 2
God shows us His character and who He is by revealing His Names. In this series, we will learn the Names Of God and why they are so important.
One of my favorite things to study is the names of God. In the Bible, God reveals His character and who He is through His names. In this post, The Names Of God, part 2 we will learn what God calls Himself and why these names are important to us.
In ancient times a person’s NAME was associated with their character. Even today our names carry with them mental images about who we are and what we do. So, when God reveals Himself through a specific name we get to know something very special about Him.
THE NAMES OF GOD is a three-part series to introduce God’s revealed names in the Old Testament.
If you have not read THE NAMES OF GOD PART 1, you might want to start there.
Today we will look at four more revealing names of God…
Last week we discussed seven names of God that show us His character. These names give us a reason to cling to our great God not only in our times of need but with every breath we take. And the bible stories entwined around the revelation of His name tell us who God is and give us a glimpse of what He can do.
Today we are going to look at more of God’s names in the Old Testament so we can know our One and only God better.
JEHOVAH RAPHA (yeh-ho-vah’ rah-fah’) THE LORD THAT HEALS
We see God revealing Himself as Jehovah Rapha in Exodus 15: 26. God’s people, the Israelites, have been released from their bondage in Egypt by the hand of God bringing on plague after plague upon the nation that enslaved them. The last of the plagues was the Angel of Death.Â
The Israelites journeyed for three days without water in the wilderness and finally, when they came to Marah they found the water there was undrinkable because it was “bitter”. The Israelites began to grumble and Moses cried out to the Lord and the Lord told him to throw a branch into the bitter water and it became drinkable.
There God made a statute and said, ” If you give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God (Yahweh Elohim), and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your Healer.”
Are you in need of a healer? Physically, mentally, spiritually, or emotionally? Turn to God for he is the Great Physician. Cry out to Him with your needs.
JEHOVAH NISSI (yeh-ho-vah’ ni-see’) THE LORD MY BANNER, THE LORD MY MIRACLE
In ancient times when armies fought against one another, their respective front lines would hold up a banner. This was not a flag as we think of today (but carries the same idea) rather it was a long pole with an insignia or something shiny at the top so the armies could see it. This banner would show the army the path to take to correctly attack the enemy. It was a sign of encouragement. The armies would rally around their banner.
The name Jehovah Nissi appears one time in the Bible, Exodus 17:5. We see the Amalekites as the first and constant enemy of the Israelites as they wandered through the wilderness on their way to the promised land. You can read this story in Exodus 17.
Many scholars believe Amalek is a picture of our human flesh and how it wants what it wants and is in a constant battle against the will of God. Amalek did not fear (reverence, respect, be humble) God and neither does our flesh.
We must have our eyes constantly on Jehovah because He is our Nissi or banner. He will give us victory over the enemies of God and our flesh. He will show us the way.
JEHOVAH MEKODDISHKEM (yeh-ho-vah’ M-qadash’-kem) THE LORD WHO SANCTIFIES YOU, THE LORD WHO MAKES HOLY
Holy is the idea of setting something apart from everything else. When God is referred to as holy this truth means that God is set apart or “other than” everything else. Everything! He is in His own league!
When it is used for man, it means God sets us apart to be used for His purposes and we are not to be defiled. Defiled by our own whims or desires and not to be defiled by others. We are a special group set apart unto God Himself.
The word Medoddishkem comes from the Hebrew word qadash meaning sanctified, holy, and dedicated. So the meaning of Jehovah Mekoddishkem is “the LORD who sets you apart”.
Jehovah Medoddishkem is used twice in the Bible with the first mention in Exodus 31:13.
JEHOVAH SHALOM (yeh-ho-vah’ sha-lome’) THE LORD IS PEACE
Shalom is a very deep and amazing word. Far more complex and nuanced than the word we think of as “peace”.
Shalom comes from the Hebrew root word, shalem which means to be whole, complete, and sound. It carries the idea of every single aspect of our lives being totally whole. Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually! To be complete and sound and whole in all areas would certainly give us something totally beyond what we think of as peace.
Shalom is God’s kind of peace, not man’s.
Shalom is a word to study and live by!
Jehovah Shalom appears in Judges 6:24. This reference appears in a time Israel needed the peace of God! They needed to be whole and at rest. The Bible is full of scripture that tells us about the peace of God.Â
So far we have looked at…
ELOHIM- GOD, CREATOR, JUDGE
EL ELYON- THE MOST HIGH GOD
EL ROI- THE OMNIPRESENT GOD
EL SHADDAI- THE ALMIGHTY GOD, THE SELF-SUFFICIENT ONE
ADONAI- LORD
YAHWEH- LORD, JEHOVAH, THE SELF-EXISTENT ONE, GOD’S MEMORIAL NAME TO ISRAEL
JEHOVAH RAPHA- THE LORD WHO HEALS
JEHOVAH NISSI- GOD IS MY BANNER
JEHOVAH MEKODDISHKEM- THE LORD WHO SANCTIFIES, THE LORD WHO MAKES HOLY
JEHOVAH SHALOM- THE LORD IS PEACE
Last week’s post about THE NAMES OF GOD, part I, can be seen HERE.
Next week we will finish the names of God in the Old Testament. These names can be a great blessing to us.
God reveals Himself in His names. They are amazing glimpses of His character. He does not change but is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Use the names of God when you pray. Yahweh is listening and loving you.
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I just wanted to thank you for this beautiful post. I learned something here, but mostly it was just a comfort to read.
Hi Dianna, I’m so glad you found comfort in our Great God’s names!
Look forward to your posts but for some reason for the last 2-3 weeks they have been delivered to my junk box. Has anyone else had this problem?
Lynn, take one of the newsletters and put them in you inbox and then they will start coming to your inbox.
Thanks, Yvonne, for another wonderful post. I have really enjoyed this study! Bless you for always bringing us your Sunday devotionals. There is always something we can take and put into practice in our walk with Him!
Thank you for sharing these lessons with us and I look forward to Part 3. May you experience GOD blessings as you teach others. ??????
Thank you and God bless you!