Chapter 2

God

His Names Describe Him

In the first chapter we began discussing the various names that God used to reveal Himself to us. The name of God used most often in the Old Testament is Jehovah, especially in His relationship to man and man's need of salvation. When the name "LORD" is printed in capital letters, it is a translation of this Hebrew name. The book of Jonah tells us plainly that, "Salvation is from the Lord" [Jehovah] (Jonah 2:9). Now, we will find out more about the salvation God has provided for us by understanding His name "Jehovah."

The Name Jehovah — I AM

This name comes from an Old Testament word which means "to be" or "the state of being." When God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery, He appeared to him in the burning bush that was not consumed with fire. This is an account of God's revelation of Himself at that time:

Exodus 3:13-14 (KJV)

13. And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
14. And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

God's name, "I AM THAT I AM," is an English translation of a word that is related to the name Jehovah. It shows us that God is completely independent of His creation. This name alone is enough to show that the widespread idea that everything in nature is part of God is wrong. He needs no one else and nothing else in order for Him to exist. If everything in the universe vanished into nothing, God would still be there. Nothing came before Him and nothing caused Him to come into being. He exists simply because He exists.

The Compound Names of Jehovah

God has bound Himself in a covenant of personal salvation to all who trust in Him and in His Word. In His relationship to man as Savior, God has revealed Himself to us by using at least eight compound names made up of Jehovah in combination with another name. Each of these eight names of Jehovah God shows us a different aspect of the salvation He has provided.

Jehovah-Jireh: the Lord Will Provide — Jehovah-Jireh was the first compound name God used to reveal Himself to Abraham. It means "The Lord Will Provide" (Genesis 22:14). God made the meaning clear to Abraham: "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering" (Genesis 22:8).

Isaac was Abraham's only son by Sarah, the wife whom he loved. In order to test Abraham's faithfulness, God ordered him to sacrifice Isaac on an altar. The New Testament says Abraham had faith to believe God would raise his son from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19). Therefore, he obeyed His command. Abraham took Isaac to Mount Moriah, built an altar, bound him, and laid him on it. As he raised the knife to sacrifice him, an angel of the Lord stopped him with a call from heaven. Then God provided a ram caught in a bush for the sacrifice. Thus, Abraham experienced first- hand Jevovah's provision of the necessary sacrifice for his offering.

John the Baptist said about Jesus, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). Thus God, who provided the sacrifice for Abraham on Mount Moriah, also provided the sacrifice for the sins of the world in the person of Jesus Christ. It is more than chance that the Mount upon which Abraham started to sacrifice his son is the same one upon which Jesus was crucified some 2,000 years later. It is God who takes the first step in our salvation by providing the necessary sacrifice for our sins in the person of Jesus.

Jehovah-Rapha: the Lord that Healeth Thee — God also revealed Himself to mankind as the one who heals. Jehovah-Rapha means, "I am the Lord that healeth thee" (Exodus 15:26 KJV). God promised the children of Israel that they would not have the diseases of Egypt if they would listen to Him and do what was right in His sight (Exodus 15:26). It is clear that God was speaking primarily of physical healing. In Psalm 103 David blesses the Lord because He is a healer of those who put their trust in Him.

Psalm 103:1-3

1. Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;
3. Who pardons all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases.

Throughout Scripture, God is active in healing both spiritually and physically. Jesus Christ healed time and time again in response to faith and in answer to prophecy concerning Him in the Old Testament. Matthew wrote about the healing of Peter's mother-in- law by Jesus:

Matthew 8:14-17

14. And when Jesus had come to Peter's home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever.
15. And He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she arose, and waited on Him.
16. And when evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill
17. in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, "He Himself took our infirmities, and carried away our diseases."

We should not make the mistake of saying that we do not need doctors. God has given us natural means of healing through the practice of medicine and through the efforts of science and research. However, there are times when the best that the wisdom of men can produce is not enough. God is the only one who can heal what is to us an incurable disease.

Jehovah-Nissi: the Lord Is My Banner — God also revealed Himself as the source of victory in the believer's life. To Moses, Aaron, and Hur, God revealed Himself as Jehovah-Nissi, meaning, "The Lord is My Banner" (Exodus 17:15).

They were in a war with Amalek, a picture of the sinful nature of man. As long as Moses held his hands high with the rod of God, the battle went in favor of the Israelites. When he grew tired and his hands dropped, the battle went in favor of Amalek. That's when they found the value of mutual support in the struggles of life. With Aaron and Hur holding up Moses' hands, Israel won the victory. When the battle was over, Moses built an altar and named it, "The Lord is My Banner" – Jehovah-Nissi.

A banner is a battle flag. It was very important in war because the troops united around it. If the flag were dropped, another man would quickly pick it up and hold it high so that the troops would not be scattered. "The Lord is My Banner" means God is my Defender, my Deliverer, and my Victory. He is the one around whom we rally when life gets hard. This fact puts fear to flight because victory is certain with God.

Jehovah-M'kaddesh: the Lord Who Sanctifies — Jehovah-M'kaddesh, "the Lord who sanctifies," is revealed in Leviticus 20:8. Sanctify means to set apart for God, or to make holy and pure. We hear much teaching about deeper Christian life and sanctification. Sanctification is shown in this name of God to be a work of God Himself. It is God who sets us apart for Himself and enables us to live a life pleasing to Him. He is the one who makes us pure. It is not something we can do for ourselves. We should enter into it with thanksgiving and cooperation.

In another sense, however, we do have a part in sanctifying ourselves. We turn from sin to serve God. Sanctification is both instantaneous and progressive – instantaneous when God sets us apart for Himself at salvation, and progressive as we set ourselves apart for Him on an ongoing basis through holy living. This subject will be dealt with in more detail later.

Jehovah-Shalom: the Lord Is Peace — God revealed Himself in the book of Judges as Jehovah-Shalom, "The Lord is Peace" (Judges 6:24). God offers peace to mankind in two ways. First, He offers peace with Himself through the sacrifice which He has provided. When we accept that which God did for us in Jesus Christ, then we have peace with God. But there is another aspect of peace which we need – peace of mind, heart, and soul. God is absolutely supreme over all, nothing ever takes Him by surprise, nothing can ever change Him. Therefore, He is at perfect peace within Himself. He offers us that same kind of personal peace if we will trust Him. Paul tells us in Philippians:

Philippians 4:6-7

6. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Jehovah-Raah: the Lord Is My Shepherd — Because God offers us personal peace, Psalm 23 takes on deeper meaning. There He is revealed as Jehovah-Raah, "The Lord is my shepherd" (Psalm 23:1). God calls those who love and serve Him "the sheep of His pasture" (Psalm 100:3). We are His sheep. The Good Shepherd is Jesus Christ who leads His flock and calls each one by name (John 10:1-18). You and I are known personally by God. In fact, Isaiah tells us that God has engraved our names on the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:16).

Jehovah-Tsidkenu: the Lord Our Righteousness — In Jeremiah 23:6 God is called Jehovah-Tsidkenu, "The Lord our righteousness." When Jesus died on the Cross He did more than pay for the guilt of our sins. He provided a positive righteousness which is ours because the Lord is our righteousness. That which we cannot obtain for ourselves is provided for us by Jesus Christ our Lord. Because God gives us His righteousness, we are fit for heaven.

Jehovah-Shammah: the Lord Is There — Finally, Ezekiel reveals that God is Jehovah-Shammah, "The Lord is there," or the Lord who is present (Ezekiel 48:35). God is with us even when we do not feel His presence. Jesus promised, "lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). We can count upon the presence of Jesus Christ in every circumstance, at all times, without exception. He is always with us to help us. Do not rely upon how you feel to determine if the Lord is or is not present. Instead, rely on what He has told you in His Word – the Lord who is present is His name.

Make It Personal

The various names of God reveal who He is. He is the Creator, almighty in power and greatness. He has covenanted to supply the needs of His creation. In the case of mankind, the greatest need is that of salvation. He fulfills that need in marvelous ways as shown in the eight different names of Jehovah-God. Jehovah has provided for the salvation, healing, defending, and sanctifying of His people. He is our peace, our shepherd, and our righteousness. He is always with us.

Psalms 9:10

10. And those who know Thy name will put their trust in Thee; For Thou, O LORD, hast not forsaken those who seek Thee.

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