"The Eight Names of God"

Posted: 2013-11-27 16:10:47 by: David Nelson

The Eight Names of God, Is God Really Like That?     By David Nelson     11-21-13

I would like to take you through these eight names of God but not really in the order they appear in Scripture. I would like to present a picture of God’s character and His excellent love towards us.

In Exodus 17 Moses held the rod of God up over his head as he stood on the top of a hill.  When he held it high the Amalekites were defeated by Israel below the hill, but when his hands drooped down the Amalekites prevailed over Israel. At one point Moses grew so tired that he had to sit down on a rock and have two of his best leaders hold up his hands one on each side till the going down of the sun. (Ex. 17:8-15) And finally there was victory over the Amalekites. Then Moses built an altar and called its name, THE LORD IS MY BANNER (JEHOVAH-NISSI). One way to look at this is Lord being like a great flag on top of a hill proclaiming that the hill belongs to the Lord, that He is over us, that He is the great leader of His nation. The flag or banner represents that we are devoted to Him alone. He is like a banner over us of great beauty and majesty. But He is invisible and cannot be represented by any colors or words or physical representation. He is over us and we look to Him at all times and we together need each other as we keep honoring Him alone and raising Him up and recognizing and giving praise to Him.

In Psalm 46:7 it says that THE LORD OF HOSTS IS WITH US and He is our refuge (JEHOVAH-SABAOTH). He who rules angels, rules the stars, rules the elements, and who rules the hosts of heaven, He is on our side. (from www.holybible.com, Eight Redemptive Names of God) We can take refuge in Him, in Him we are safe, He is our ally. If God is for us, who can be against us? (no one will have a chance to prevail over us, no army can beat one person with God by his side). Woe unto those who fight against us, they shall flee like smoke when He gives the word to scatter them. (PS. 68:1,2) He is our protector, the Lord of hosts is with us.

In Ezekiel 48:35 it says that the City of God with its 12 gates (each gate named after the 12 tribes of Israel) will be named from that day, THE LORD IS THERE. (JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH) Is God not with us every where we go, He is omnipresent? The Lord has said to us, I will never leave you nor forsake you. He is “there” for us. He will always be “there” for us. He knows what we need before we ask. He knows. He knows each of us. In Is. 60:19,20 the Lord will be our light 24 hours a day, there will be no need for the rise or setting of the sun, no need for the moon, the Lord will be our everlasting light. In Rev. 21:3,4 it has always been God’s desire for us to be where He is and for He to be where we are. Behold the tabernacle of God is with us and He will dwell with us, God Himself will be with us and will be our God. (sitting in His lap as He wipes away every tear, all our fears and problems).

In Psalm 23:1 it says that THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD I shall not want. (JEHOVAH-ROAH) Our Shepherd tenderly leads us, loves us and will keep us safe. He is our feeder, our keeper, our companion, our friend, our pastor, and our herdsman (from www.holybible.com, Eight Redemptive Names of God)

In Jeremiah 23:6 it says that the Lord will gather the true remnant, He will give us shepherds (after His own heart) to feed us, and He will give us a righteous Branch from David, a King, and His name will be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (JEHOVAH-TSID KENU). If we were to say this Jehovah name in English it sounds like Jehovah sit canoe (it kind of makes you think of sitting in a canoe). The Lord Jesus, who is our righteousness, who is our strength, who is our salvation, our forgiveness from all sins, picture  Him for a moment sitting with us in a canoe made for two, He is at the lead, with paddles in hand, he will never sink, we are safe till the end of time together with Him. (Of course, the Hebrew is not saying all this, but doesn’t it give you comfort to know that Jesus is everything to us and that He is guiding us to the end?)

In Judges 6:11-24 it says that Gideon was hiding from the Midianites and that he was troubled about the future of Israel. Then the Lord appeared to Gideon but Gideon was not sure who he was. When Gideon realized that he had seen the Angel of God face to face (probably an epiphany of Jesus Himself), he feared he would die. But the Lord comforted Gideon when He said to him, Peace be with you Gideon, do not fear, you will not die. Isn’t it amazing that God would say to us too, Peace be to you (David or your name), and all your fears like the waves of the sea would be still. And so Gideon built an altar and called it THE LORD IS PEACE (JEHOVAH-SHALOM). The Lord is our perfect peace, our perfect rest, He is kind to us, He comforts us and relieves our fears.

In Exodus 15:22-26 it says that Moses brought the people of Israel a 3 day journey into the wilderness but that they found no water. When the people came upon bitter waters at Marah they complained, and Moses cried out to the Lord. The Lord then showed Moses a tree and he was to cast it into the waters, and the waters became sweet.

Then the Lord said to Moses, if you heed my voice, do what is right, and keep my commandments I will put none of the diseases on you which I put on the Egyptians. For I am THE LORD WHO HEALS YOU. ( or I am THE LORD YOUR HEALER) (JEHOVAH-RAPHA). We too can claim this good promise of the Lord if we sincerely are seeking to follow Him. Doesn’t it sound good to say the Lord is my Healer!

Finally in Genesis 22:14 it speaks of Abraham who was asked by God to do a hard thing, to offer up his precious son Isaac. At times too we are asked by God to do very hard things or to bear hard things. But God will give us strength and provisions to do what He asks. At the last moment as Abraham was obeying God he saw a ram caught in a thicket by the horns, and so he did not have to offer his son Isaac. A sacrifice was provided for Abraham. When God did this for Abraham he called the place THE LORD WILL PROVIDE (JEHOVAH-JIREH). The Lord has provided Jesus as a substitute offering for us so that we do not have to die and be separated from God forever because of our sins. God will always make a way giving us strength and provision to do His good will. This is His name forever THE LORD WILL PROVIDE. He has said, “I am at work in you both to desire and to do My good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13)

Isn’t the Lord good to us! Is He not kind, compassionate, patient, loving, always present, always knowing what we need, and giving us good things, always guarding, protecting, providing? The Lord is always there for us, He will be with us through our whole journey in the canoe, all the way to the end, always leading. He speaks peace to all our worries and turmoils. He even said He would heal us when we are sick. Can we trust in Him and believe all these good things about our Lord? He wants us to. He wants us to know that this is what He is like.