Did you know that God has over 600 names and titles in the Bible (KJV)? More than one for almost every letter of the alphabet.

Did you ever wonder why God would have so many names? I did! And was awed by the revelation that was given ––because–– My people have so many needs and I am the fulfillment of every one of them.

“God looks down from on High to do acts of grace, to hear the groaning of the prisoner which many desire to be out of the hearing of  ––and not only to hear but to help them.”

How we think of God and believe Him to be is critical to our state of being. It will drive our attitudes, decisions and ultimately affect the way we live our lives. That is why God wants us to know Him ––and know Him by name. He is concerned for our state of being!

Nathan Stone points out that we can only enjoy God to the degree that we know Him and the greater our knowledge of Him the greater our joy ––we will glorify Him and enjoy Him only in proportion as we know Him.

He knows our name, shouldn’t we know His?

Among the names of God ––”Elohim” is the first name to be revealed (Gen 1:1) as the triune Creator and Sovereign of the universe of life and of all nations ––the strong and mighty One. He created everything by merely speaking a word. God speaks and it is done! So we see right from the beginning Gods word is trustworthy! He has the power to perform it! Elohim also has the unusual characteristic of being plural in form. It is a picture of the triune nature of God and how God is a God of relationship. He is God the Father in relationship to God the Son, in relationship to God the Holy Spirit and they exist together in perfect harmony. “God has a voluntary relation to everything He has made”––A.W. Tozer. What makes God a God of relationship? Because He is Love. Love needs an object and He has created us to be the objects of His Love and affections. God did not send His Son Jesus into the world to start a religion but to restore our relationship with Him. He died to have one with you!

”Jehovah” is the name that identifies His self-existence, the One who always exists, eternal and unchangeable––the living God. The existence of God has been made known through the ages and has made a full and final revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ. Moses was able to see the back parts of God when he said, “Please, show me Your glory” (Exodus 33). But now we have seen Gods face–– in the face of Jesus Christ (Col 1:15). He walked among us and we beheld His glory (John 1:14). He exists and ever lives to make intercession for you! (Rom 8:35)

”I Am” is the ultimate name of God and contains some of the most important truths about God. His limitlessness, His ever presence and who graciously relates Himself to sinful man. A name imposes some limitation, but the name “I Am” imposes no limitations. “I Am” A-Z and everything in between! Jesus presents Himself as the “I Am” in John 8:56-59. “I was” is in the past, “I will be” is in the future but––“I Am” is always in the present!! He would give Himself a name to assure us that we are never a moment without His presence! May that give you fresh insight to the scripture “I will never leave you nor forsake you!” (Heb 13:5)

“Jehovah-jireh” means The Lord Who provides. This name is found in Genesis 22 when Abraham was asked––’take now your son, your only son Isaac, WHOM YOU LOVE, and go to Mount Moriah to offer him as a sacrifice there. This is the first mention of love in the Bible and its between father and son, connected with the idea of the sacrificial offering of the Son of God. This dramatic event was recorded for us between Abraham and Isaac that we may have a glimpse into the heart of God concerning the cross and the awful cost to Himself of the sacrifice for sin that He was prepared to provide for the redemption of mankind. “He who did not spare His own Son (WHOM HE LOVED) how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things:” (Rom 8:32). If the primary reason for this name of God has to do with mans greatest need of salvation and God’s glorious provision how shall we doubt He will not provide for our every need thereafter!

“Jehovah-shammah” means The Lord is There. Have you ever heard that song, “Already there?” He goes before us always ––preparing the way for us. How comforting to know He’s already there! He’s already got the solution, already knows the outcome! His thoughts toward you are thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you a future and a hope! (Jerm 29:11). “From where You’re standing Lord, You see a grand design ––that you imagined when You breathed me into life ––And all the chaos comes together in Your hands, like a masterpiece of Your picture perfect plan. When I’m lost in the mystery, to you my future is a memory, Cause You’re already there.” You can trust an unknown future to a known God! “God’s past faithfulness demands our present trust” ––Spurgeon.

“Jehovah-rohi” means The Lord is My Shepherd. This is the best known and most loving office of Jehovah and “no other name has brought more comfort to the heart or sounded sweeter to the ears of the saints than this beautiful expression.” He is not only the Shepherd of His people, He is my Shepherd, to whom every sheep of the fold is precious and in His diligent and particular care. David expresses in Psalm 23, “I shall not want because I shall be supplied with whatever I need, and if I have not everything I desire, I may conclude it is either not fit for me or not good for me or I shall have it in due time.” Jesus said He was the door of the sheep. Pens in that time period had one entrance. The door for those sheep pens was the Shepherd Himself. He laid his body across the entrance to keep the sheep in and protect them from sudden danger. Why then fear? You are in the Shepherds watchful care!

These are just a small fraction of the names of God and yet how full and glorious the revelations! In light of these names of God, what are your thoughts of Him and how has it affected your state of being? May joy have filled your soul at the knowledge of His Love and personal care for you! Call upon His name ––You have the captive audience of Jehovah!

“If Jehovah be our God, what can we desire which we may not be sure to find in Him? He is neither fickle nor false, neither weak, nor mortal: He is God and not man, therefore there is no danger of being disappointed in Him.”

In His Love,

Tina DiGangi

(on behalf of Karen Pulley and the Women’s Ministry)

“We wish to see Jesus”
 ––John 12:21