Just a few of the names of God

1. Elohim – Let’s start with a common term for “God.”  In fact, it’s the third word in the Hebrew version of Genesis.  It’s used more than 2,500 times in the Old Testament alone.  Some scholars say the word comes from “strong,” while others say “fear.”  Either way it makes sense.  What’s interesting is that some scholars see it as a PLURAL word, but in the bible it is used with singular verbs and adjectives.  Think about it:  God is so big that a singular noun isn’t big enough.  And think about it some more the Old Testament does not talk about the notion of God as Trinity — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — but it uses the plural in suggesting that God isn’t singular.  If you’re into things like grammar, this is remarkably interesting stuff.
2. Adonai - which means “Lord” or “master”.  When the word was referring to a human master, such as a slave owner, it was singular.  This also was usually plural when referring to God, and the Old Testament used it more than 300 times to refer to God.  In Job 28:28: “Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom.”  The term is a reminder that we are subservient to Him, and that God owns and controls everything on heaven and earth.  It also was one way to refer to:
3. Yahweh – the name that God called Himself.  We can get close with the term “Jehovah.”  We see it first in Exodus 3, when Moses encountered God at a burning bush at a place that the Bible describes as the “backside of the desert.” READ EXODUS 3:11-15 Let’s first get past the Popeye “I am whats am I am” stuff and move into what God meant when He named Himself to Moses.  “I am who I am.”  Other commentators have defined it as “I am He who is.”  It translates from the Hebrew as “to exist” or “to be” or “to become” or even “to become known.”  If you do the tenses, you know it means all three key tenses — past, present, and future.  It describes a God who: (1) Exists — Unlike all the other fake lower-case-g gods out there, we have a God who is. (2) Is independent of everything else — God is “self-existent”  –  He is the creator, but had no creator.  He does not rely on anything or anybody for His existence, and that also means that He relies on nothing to do His will.  (3)Is Unchangeable.  Whatever He was, He continues to be, and He will continue for forever.  In a world where we are not promised tomorrow and rely on others, we pale in comparison to God’s power.  (4) Is incomprehensible.  Ever tried to explain to a toddler how a car works?  You can talk about transmissions and drive shafts and fuel explosions in pistons, but you’re wasting you’re breath.  Suffice to say “It goes!” (And that may be too complicated, too.)  The name “I am” provides a way to try to understand the mystery of God.  That’s a lot or us to wrap our heads around, because our brains are too tiny to understand it.  Could it be that “I am” means ‘I will only be understood by My own subsequent acts and words of revelation’?  And it’s also a call to faith — God simply says “I am,” and it’s up to us to respond to that.  That is so complicated to understand, and so holy, that the Jews eventually became afraid of using the name that God used to reveal Himself to Moses.  And it freaked people out when Jesus explained himself by using the same name for God: READ JOHN 8:48-59.  They wanted to kill Jesus because they believed Jesus has committed blasphemy, which was punishable by death according to Deuteronomy.  But Jesus was just pointing out that He was equal with God, and that forced the Pharisees — and us — to have to deal with it.  When you see the name LORD in upper-casein many English translations, that’s what you’re looking at — “I  AM.”  It’s used more than 6,500 times in the Old Testament alone, more than any other name for God.  Simply put, the writers took the name of the Lord seriously.  Jews by the third century AD would not even say the name believing it to be too holy for their filthy human mouths.  We tend to not do that so much, do we, in our casual uses of “OMG” and “oh my Lord,” etcetra.  Still, “I AM” is pretty difficult to wrap our heads around.  So the writers of The Bible used many different phrases to describe the attributes of God.  Some of them start with the word “El” — meaning “God” — or Jehovah:
4. “El Shaddai:  simply means all-sufficient one.  You see it six or seven times in the Old testament.  The word “Shaddai” comes from the word “breast,” and it refers to how God nourishes us and feeds us, just as a mother feeds a newborn.  Simply put, this means that God is our sustainer.  When you hear someone refer to “God Almighty,” they’re referring to El Shaddai.
5. El Elyon –  “most high.” When put together, it means “the most exhalted God.”  It’s used 28 times in the Old Testament and refers to the majesty of God and some scholars say it means “to go up.”  If you’ve ever been to a place with a real tall mountain, you begin to understand a little of what we’re talking about here.
6. El Olam –  “forever” or “everlasting God”.  The word “olam” gives us our word for “eternity”.  We live in a world where time is fleeting, and a world in which we are not promised time and a world in which we are under control of time.  But this name for God reminds us that we serve a timeless God — a God who created time and a God who transcends time.  As you worry about time — whether it be worrying about what’s going to happen to you, how long you’ll live, what will become of you, etc. — calling on the help of the Everlasting God will remind you that you worship the creator of time, who promised to sustain you.
7. Jehovah Nissi — used once in Exodus, it means “the Lord my banner” or “my miracle” in the Old Testament days, armies built banners — poles with flags attached — so they’d know where they were in relation to the rest of the battlefield and to give them encouragement.  It’s a reminder to us that God serves as our encouragement  –  our hope  –  and provides the focal point for our lives.
8. Jehovah Raah — “The Lord my Shepherd”.  It’s used just once.  In Psalm 23, which you probably know.  And, sure enough, the word “raah” means shepherd.  But the word also has a root that means “friend” or “companion”, which suggest that we serve a God who not only protects us like a shepherd but also seeks to be our friend
9. Jehovah Rapha — “The Lord our Healer.”  The word suggests healing, and also “to restore.”  It’s used once, in Exodus 15.  That “restoration” is a wonderful thing if you think about it in the context of the sin in our lives–we have a God who is willing to not only heal us physically, but to restore us after we fall.
10. Jehovah Tsidkenu — pronounced “tsid-kaay-noooo” — and means “The Lord our Righteousness.”  The word “tsidkenu” means “to be stiff” or “to be straight,” from which we get our word “righteous.”  It’s used twice in the Old Testament, both times in Jeremiah, in referring to God’s promise to save the people of Israel.  We serve a God who is straight up — a God who is perfect and just, but also shows us mercy.  The word also refers to scales used for measuring, in a time when people cheated other people by using scales that weren’t honest.  But we serve a “straight up” God whose scales of justice are balanced.  That ought to make you feel good — or frighten you — depending upon your relationship with Him and His son.
11. Jehovah Mekoddishkem  –  “the Lord who sets you apart.”  It’s used twice in the Old Testament, and both times it refers to God’s promise to the Israelites that they are His chosen people.  The Hebrew word means “sanctify,” “holy,” or “dedicate.”  It’s a reminder that God sets His people apart  –  and we are to act in holy ways so others can see that we are different because we are God’s people.
12. Jehovah Sabaoth — “The Lord of Hosts.”  This has nothing to do with a party.  The word “sabaoth” refers to armies or “hosts.”  It’s a reminder that God is king over everything, with an army of angels who are devoted to His rule over all of heaven and earth.  Isn’t it great to have a God who is in charge of the army — who can come to your rescue.
13. Jehovah Jireh  –  means “The Lord with Provide.”  The word “Jireh” means “seen” or “provide.”  The term is used once, in Genesis, when Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac and instead God made sure a ram was nearby to be sacrificed instead.  It’s a reminder that God provides for us.  The word “Jireh” also translates as “seen,” which is a reminder that The Lord looks out for us.  He sees to our needs because He holds the future and because He loves us.