Names of God

THE NAMES OF GOD used in the Bible act as a roadmap for learning about the
character of God. Since the Bible is God's Word to us, the names He chooses in
scripture are meant to reveal His true nature to us.



ELOHIM: “Elohay” is the first name for God found in
the Bible, and it's used throughout the Old Testament over 2,300 times. Elohim
comes from the Hebrew root meaning "strength" or "power",
and has the unusual characteristic of being plural in form. Right from the
start, this plural form for the name of God is used to describe the One God, a
mystery that is uncovered throughout the rest of the Bible. Throughout
scripture, Elohim is combined with other words to describe certain
characteristics of God:

·
Elohim: "Creator" Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth.”

·
Elohay Elohim: “God Of Gods” Deuteronomy
10:17, Numbers 23:19, Psalms 19:1

·
Elohay Chaiyim: “Living God”
Jeremiah 10:10

·
Elohay Kedoshim: “Holy God”
Leviticus 19:2, Joshua 24:19

Elohay Kedem: “God of the Beginning”
Deuteronomy 33:27

·
Elohay Mauzi: “God Of My Strength” Psalm
43:2

·
Elohay Marom: “God Of Heights” Micah 6:6

·
Elohay Mikarov: “God Who Is Near” Jeremiah 23:23

Elohay Mishpat: “God
Of Justice” Isaiah 30:18

·
Elohay Selichot: “God Of Forgiveness” Nehemiah 9:17

·
Elohay Tehilati: “God Of My Praise” Psalm 109:1

·
Elohay Yishi: “God Of My Salvation” Psalm 18:47,
25:5



"EL" is another name used for God in the Bible,
showing up about 200 times in the Old Testament. El is the simple form
arising from Elohim, and is often combined with other words for descriptive
emphasis:

El Shaddai: "God
Almighty" Genesis 17:1

·
El HaNe'eman: “The Faithful God” Deuteronomy 7:9

·
El HaGadol: “The Great God” Deuteronomy 10:17

·
El HaKadosh: “The Holy God”
Isaiah 5:16

·
El Yisrael: “The God Of
Israel” Psalm 68:35

·
El HaShamayim: “The
God Of The Heavens” Psalm 136:26

·
El De'ot: “The God Of
Knowledge” 1 Samuel 2:3

·
El Emet: “The God Of
Truth” Psalm 31:6

·
El Yeshuati: “The God Of My
Salvation” Isaiah 12:2

·
El Elyon: “The Most High
God” or “God Most High” Genesis
14:17-20

·
Immanu El: “God Is With
Us” Isaiah 7:14

·
El Olam: “The God Of
Eternity” Genesis 21:33 or "Everlasting
God" Isaiah 40:28-31

·
El Echad: “The One God”
Malachi 2:10

El Roi: "Strong One Who
Sees" Genesis 16:13:



"ELAH" is another name for God, used about 70
times in the Old Testament. Again, when combined with other words, we see
different attributes of God:

·
Elah Yerush'lem:
“God of Jerusalem” Ezra 7:19

·
Elah Yisrael:
“God of Israel” Ezra 5:1, Isaiah 1:4

·
Elah Sh'maya:
“God of Heaven” Ezra 7:23

·
Elah Sh'maya V'Arah: “God
of Heaven and Earth” Ezra 5:11



YHVH is the Hebrew word that
translates as “LORD” in our English Bibles (all
capitals). Found more often in the Old
Testament than any other name for God, approximately 7,000 times. The title is
also referred to as the "Tetragrammaton," meaning the "The Four
Letters". The name of God, too sacred to be uttered, abbreviated ( . . .
.) or written "YHWH" without vowel points.



YHVH is the covenant name of
God. YHVH comes from the Hebrew verb "to be" and is the special name
that God revealed to Moses at the burning bush. "And God said to Moses,
I AM who I AM; and He said, thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has
sent me to you... this is My eternal name, and this is how I am to be recalled
for all generations'" (Exodus 3:14-15).

Therefore,
YHVH declares God's absolute being - the source of everything, without
beginning and without end.

The
Jews stopped pronouncing this name by about 200 A.D. out of fear of breaking
the commandment "You shall not take the name of YHVH your God in
vain" Exodus 20:7. Although some pronounce YHVH as "Yahweh",
or “Jehovah” scholars really don't know the proper pronunciation.

Jehovah
/ YHWH: Genesis 2:4: “When the Lord God made the earth and the
heavens…”Jehovah - Elohim: “LORD
God” Genesis 2:4, Exodus 6:2-3 Jehovah - Jireh:
"The Lord will provide" Genesis 22:14: Jehovah - Maccaddeshem:
"The Lord your Sanctifier" Exodus 31:13Jehovah - M'kadesh: “The
LORD Who Makes Holy” Ezekiel 37:28 Jehovah - Nissi: "The Lord our Banner"
Exodus 17:15 Jehovah
- O'saynu: “The LORD our Maker” Psalm 95:6Jehovah - Rapha: "The Lord our Healer"
Exodus 15:26 Jehovah - Rohi: "The Lord my Shepherd"
Psalm 23:1 Jehovah - Sabbaoth: "The Lord of Hosts" Isaiah
6:1-3, I Samuel 1:3 Jehovah - Shalom: “The
LORD of Peace” Judges 6:24 Jehovah - Shammah: "The Lord who is Present"
Ezekiel 48:35Jehovah - Tsidkenu: "The Lord our Righteousness" Jeremiah
23:6, 33:16Jehovah - Yireh: “The
LORD who Sees and Provides” Genesis 22:13-14



The LORD who revealed Himself as YHVH in the Old Testament is revealed as
Yeshua (Jesus) in the New Testament.



John
8:12-18 Jesus presents himself as the "I AM." When challenged by some
Jewish leaders regarding His claim of seeing Abraham, Jesus replied, "Truly,
truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM."

Philippians
2:9-11 “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name
that is above all every name that at name of Jesus every knee should bow, in
heaven and earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord…”


Psalms 8:1 “O Lord, our
Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!