Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”  God said to Moses…” This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.'” Exodus 3:13-14

When picking names for our children, we carefully consider what we hope for in their characters. We consider our family heritage and other factors. But even if we give them meaning-packed names, they may still be called by a variety of nicknames.

God named Himself throughout scripture as a way to reveal what He is like. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and the two most frequently used names of God, Adonai and Jehovah can be difficult to translate into English with the full weight of their meanings. Each give us beautiful pictures of God’s relation to us.

Jehovah is used 6,823 times in the Old Testament and means “to be” or “to exist.”  This name was then used in combination with other terms based on periods of crisis and turmoil to reveal God’s nature in these circumstances. To Abraham, God revealed Himself as Jehovah-Jireh, “The Lord, our provider.”  To Moses, He was Jehovah-Rapha, “The Lord, the one who heals.”  To the children of Israel in the wilderness, He was Jehovah-Nissi, “The Lord, our banner.”  To David, he was Jehovah-Ra-ah, “The Lord, our Shepherd.”

Studying God’s names shows that with the passing of time, God revealed more and more of His warmth and love. He is always unveiling more of His character, through the work of His own Son, Jesus, the image of the Father Himself. Provider, Healer, Banner, Shepherd.  Which combination of God’s name would describe His love for you and revelation in your life?

 

Resource reading: Exodus 33:12-23