One of the richest fields of revelation, which God has given concerning His own being, is that which pertains to the names of God. A name in Scripture is often significant of the nature of a person. The names of God show forth His character and attributes.
The names of God are basically divided into two groups: Creatorship (Elohistic) and Redemptive (Yahwehistic).
Creatorship or Elohistic Names of God
“The Elohistic names of God are those names which have to do with the relationship of God to His creation. The name “El” signifies to be “strong, powerful or mighty”. “Elohim” is the plural form and speaks of the plurality of the divine persons of the Godhead.” Foundations of Christian Doctrine, Kevin J Conner
El – Elyon The Most High God. Genesis 14:18
El – Roi The God that sees. Genesis 16:13-14
El – Shaddai God Almighty, God the many breasted all sufficient one Genesis 17:1
El – Olam God the Everlasting. Genesis 21:33
El – Beth – El God of the House of God. Genesis 31:13, 35:7
El – Elohe – Israel God, the God of Israel (Prince with God) Genesis 33:20
Eloah The One God Deuteronomy 32:15, Daniel 2:11
El – Gibbor The mighty or great God, the hero Isaiah 9:6, Jeremiah 32:18-19
Elohim – Elyon God, the Most High Psalm 91:1-2, 78:56
Adon or Adonai Lord, Master or owner, Ruler of all Psalm 86:12
Immanu – El God with us, God made flesh. Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:21-23
The Redemptive or Yahwehistic Names of God
The redemptive names of God, revealed as Jehovah or Yahweh, are God’s own personal and distinct names. The name Yahweh appears in the Bible about 6,823 times and is generally translated LORD. The Hebrews referred to this name as the incommunicable, holy name of God. The Hebrew letters for this name are four, the English letters are JHVH or YHWH. These are spoken of as the four letter tetragrammaton.
Yahweh is the I AM THAT I AM. It signifies “to be” or “I will be all that I will be”. It tells us that God is the Eternal, the Unchanged and Unchanging One.
The redemptive names of God are linked in some way with the need of man, and so Yahweh will be all that His people ever need Him to be.
He says of Himself, “YHWH is my Name forever and this is My memorial to all generations.” Exodus 3:14-15, Isaiah 42:8
Foundations of Christian Doctrine, Kevin J Conner
NOTE The name “Jehovah”
This is essentially a phoney name although we all know to whom it refers.
It comes from the time when the Old Testament was being translated into
Greek. The word Yahweh was in the scrolls as Y-h-w-h. This word ‘Yahweh’
which means the “I Am” or “I Am He” depending on the tense in which it is used, was not written out or spoken for many years. When the readers in the temple or synagogue read a passage using this word they said the word “Adonay” instead which is another word for God, but not His name.
What happened was that someone put the vowels from Adonay into the word Yahweh and produced the word Yahowah which has become Jehovah.
Because of the trouble this caused at the time the Greek word Kurios was eventually used which we translate as Lord…or LORD when denoting Yahweh.
Yahweh – Elohim The LORD God, the Redeemer and Creator. Genesis 2:4
Yah or Jah Abbreviated form of Jehovah. Psalm 68:4
Yahweh – Elohim – Sabaoth. LORD God of Hosts. Psalm 84:8, Jer 15:16.
Yahweh – Jireh The LORD will provide. Genesis 22:14
Yahweh – Rapha The LORD that heals. Exodus 15:26
Yahweh – Nissi. The LORD my Banner. Exodus17:15
Yahweh – Mekaddesh. The LORD who sanctifies. Ex 31:13, Lev 20:8
Yahweh – Shalom. The LORD our Peace. Judges 6:24
Yahweh – Shaphat. The LORD is Judge. Judg 11:27, Gen 18:25
Yahweh – Sabaoth. The LORD of Hosts. 1 Sam 1:3, Ps 24:10
Yahweh – Rohi (Raah). The LORD my Shepherd. Psalm 23:1
Yahweh – Tsidkenu. The LORD our Righteousness. Applied to the Messiah. Jeremiah 23:6, 33:16
Yahweh – Hosenu. The LORD our Maker. Psalm 95:6
Yahweh – Shammah. The LORD who is there, ever-present. Ezekiel 48:35
The name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST
The name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST is the greatest redemptive name to be revealed. Jesus (Yeshua ) means “Yahweh is Salvation”.
He is the Christ, the Anointed one, the Messiah.
“You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
Matthew 16:16
He is also our Master, owner and Lord.
“Therefore God has highly exalted Him, and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:9-10
