Some Names Of God (Part 1)

by J. Rodgers, Toronto, Canada | Category: Some Names Of God | Jan 1986

God is made known to us in the Scriptures through various names. In many instances the names are self-explanatory, and sometimes the context of the passage in which the particular name occurs imparts an understanding as to the reason for it, and the purpose of its usage. The manifestation of God through His various names does not detract from the important truth that God is One and His name One (see Zech. 14:9).

We propose, in what follows, citing some of the names by which God is revealed, and show links which lead through Abraham to the New Testament revelation of God as "The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ".

God (Elohim)

There are several words which are translated God in the Scriptures; Elohim is the most frequently used name, occurring approximately 2500 times in the Old Testament. The Hebrew word Elohim is the word used in Gen. 1:1, "In the beginning God which presents to us the One who is the Eternal God, but also, since Elohim is a plural word, meaning more than two, it contains the truth which is constantly verified throughout the Scriptures, of God being triune (a three-in-one God) and this is consistent with New Testament revelation of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God Almighty

In the early chapters of Genesis God is spoken of under several names, thus His works and words are made known. In 17:1 we have the record of

God revealing Himself to a man, saying "Walk before Me and be thou perfect". God, as a holy God, desired a reflection of His perfect and holy character in His creatures. This was sadly lacking in the early history of the human family. Nevertheless, from amidst the continuous ruin caused by sin, several men emerged who brought pleasure to God, men such as Abel, Seth, Enoch and Noah. However, God had a broader purpose in view than that, throughout succeeding generations, only individual saints should walk with Him. This purpose had its commencement in Abram with a view to its fuller fulfilment in Israel. Alas! Israel, as God's people, fell well below the standards of God's expressed desire, "Be ye holy; for I am holy". The prophets foretell of that being realized in the future; e.g. "In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holy unto the LORD' The pots in the house of the Lord will be holy but also every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy unto the Lord of hosts (see Zech. 14:20,21). Their commercial, spiritual and domestic life will be dedicated to the Lord. Then shall holiness, which becomes the house of God, adorn the people of God. Does this present a challenge to the people of God in this dispensation?

The end purposes of God were in view when He chose Abram, saying, "Walk before Me and be thou perfect". Perfection is certainly not an element of human nature, but God speaks, and reveals Himself to Abram as God Almighty (El-Shaddai), the Nourisher, Provider, Strength-giver; the One who could impart the essentials to achieve the seemingly impossible perfection which God requested. Abram was ninety-nine years old, the vigour of youth had passed, more than half of his life had gone; from a natural viewpoint his usefulness, as well as his abilities had ceased. Only through the power of "God Almighty" could he accomplish the desire of God and grasp the related promises, so although "he considered his own body now as good as dead ... he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God" (Rom. 4:19,20).

The God of Abraham

The word of the Lord to Abram in Gen. 17, "Walk before Me", was a commandment with promise. Five times in this chapter the Lord says, "I will" promises of God which were conditional upon Abram's compliance with His expressed will. God confirmed His covenant to Abram, changed his name to Abraham; established circumcision as the seal of the covenant between Him and Abraham and his seed after him; promised that he would be the father of many nations; and declared that He would be a God unto him. Thus is introduced a personal God-to-man relationship which was the basis for the title, which has since spanned the ages, "The God of Abraham" (Gen. 26:24). The continuity of this individual relationship with God is manifest in such titles as, The God of Abraham, The God of Isaac, The God of Jacob, The God of Elijah, The God of Daniel, etc.

The God of Israel

When Jacob returned from Paddan-aram, upon the expiry of his service with Laban, he eventually arrived at the river Jabbok, on the border of Ammonite territory, gathered together his wives and family and sent them, together with all his possessions, over to the other side of the river (see Gen. 32:21-24). As he was left alone Jacob came to one of the greatest of his lifetime experiences; such valuable experiences frequently occur when we are left alone with God. He wrestled with a man all night (till the break of day), then the man touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh and as he passed over Penuel the sun rose and Jacob halted upon his thigh. He bore the mark of that wrestling for the remainder of his life, in his lameness; but the sun rose, a new day dawned bringing with it a new dimension to his life, the foundation of which was embodied in his being re-named Israel. The contrasts and comparisons of the subsequent usage of the names, Jacob (the man after the flesh) and Israel (the man after the Spirit) are a profitable study. The first personal application of his new name was in the erecting of an altar which he called El-Elohe-Israel, i.e. God, the God of Israel (Gen. 33:20). This name "The God of Israel" later reaches beyond the individual and is expanded to embrace a nation, in accord with the promise made to Abraham, to be a God to him and to his seed after him (Gen.17:7).

The God of the House of God

In obedience to the command of God (Gen. 35:11) Jacob went up to Bethel and there built his second altar and called the name of the place El-Bethel or God of the house of God (see Gen. 28:19; 35:15). The time which elapsed between the building of the two altars was approximately seven years; they appear to have been years of learning for Jacob. We too can learn from his experiences, for instance:

1.The worship of God must be at the God-given time and in the God appointed place (cp. Deut. 12:13,14).

2.The house of God was greater than Israel and is greater by far than any individual associated with the house.

3.The house of God, although necessarily inclusive of the altar was much more extensive than the altar. He named the place El-Bethel.

Worship associated with the house of God is of prime importance; thus the spiritual house of this dispensation, although initially "built up a spiritual

house... to offer up spiritual sacrifices (I Peter 2:S),yet its responsibilities

extend to additional service, as outlined in the remainder of the chapter.

As we have already seen, in the early history of man the knowledge of God was, in the main, as the God of creation (Gen.1) and the God of the human family (Acts 17:26,28). Through faith Abram obeyed God, left his country, kindred and home, to journey under the direction of God to a land which he knew not. Such obedience of faith was rewarded by the manifestation of God Almighty and ultimately the identification of God as the God of Abraham. As promised, God blessed Abraham's seed, His objective being to have a people separated unto Himself and thus be identified as the God of Israel.

God was not satisfied until Jacob's vision became a reality and He was revealed as "the God of the house of God". This, the summit of God's purposes, is reached in Israel complying with the divine request, "let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (Ex. 25:8). Its importance is obvious in that every aspect of Israel's life was regulated by the presence of God, represented in the Tabernacle which, together with the cloud by day and the fire by night (Ex. 40:38), governed their camping, marching, trading (the shekel of the sanctuary was their trading currency) and their spiritual life. Only by a people to whom God had so fully revealed Himself could this high objective be reached.

J. Rodgers, Toronto, Canada | Jan 1986
Some Names Of God