The Names of God

I was listening to a worship CD recently and the singer said something about our God being so great that no one name would ever define him. I’ve probably heard this CD a dozen times, but that statement had never caught my attention before. It was something new to me – even though I have been schooled in the largeness and greatness of God. So, I decided to ask several friends of mine what their favorite name for God is. The answers I received were varied and wonderful. I’m sure that most everyone here is familiar with these names. But, here they are:

Abba (Father)
Adonai: (Master, sovereign ruler)
Comforter
Counselor
Creator
El Shaddai (God Almighty)
Jehovah Jireh (God Our Provider)
Jehovah MeKaddish (The Lord, my Sanctifier)
Jehovah Rohi (The Lord, my Shepherd)
Jehovah Rophe (The Lord Who Heals)
Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
Prince of Peace
Strong Tower
Yahweh (I Am)

These names – while they are powerful and defining – only give us a small glimpse of Who God really is. We are limited in our understanding with our fallen human minds. We are limited in our primitive vocabulary (I think that’s why God uses so many visions and word pictures for us, to bypass our limited vocabulary).

My favorites are (today – subject to change as I need to know God in different ways):

1. Yahweh – I am. Rene Descartes set out to provide (empirically) the existence of God. He failed. The only thing he could prove for certain was expressed as Cogito Ergo Sum (I think – therefore, I am). God simply “is” – no action needed or required for His being. It seems like nice irony on His part that one of His names stands in contrast to the beginnings of the oh-so misinformed (yet beloved by me) Enlightenment movement. I do love a good irony.

2. Jehovah-Shalom – The Lord Is Peace. Gideon (weakest member of the weakest clan) was called by God to defeat the enemies of Israel. He was a man sent to war; a war that he could not win naturally. He could only win it in God’s power. To honor God – before one battle had been fought, he made an alter with the words Jehovah-Shalom. Was this prophetic? Did he see that God had already provided his victory and all he needed to do was go out and claim it? Was this faith? Did he have a trusting knowledge that the battle was already won and he was at peace again? Or, was this something else? Is even war fought in the arms of God peace for his children? We – much like Gideon – are called to war. In our own power, we can do little against our enemies. But, in Him, we have peace – against the attacks of the devil, the temptations of the world, even as our flesh rages against us. We can learn from Gideon that true Peace comes only from God.

3. Abba, Father – Jesus himself revealed this name of God. Jesus called out to Abba, Father when He was in the garden. He wanted to have “this cup” (the cross – and all that it entailed) taken from him – but He trusted His Father enough to let Him make that decision. But, God could not do this for His Son – and Jesus knew it. God had to bring discipline into this sinful world. And, He had to bring it through the only perfect sacrifice. As hard as it must have been for Jesus to take His punishment, I have never before thought about how hard it must have been for Abba, Father to pour out His Holy Wrath upon His sinless Son. But, as God has shown me recently, His discipline is love. It is an example that I try and use with my own boys.

Paul uses Abba, Father to describe how we – as newly adopted children – should call out to God. Can there be a greater feeling of love than that of our salvation? Can we know any greater love from an adoptive Father than the moment we are brought into His family? Abba, Father is the name that we call God when we most need Him as Father. It is a tender and intimate name.

Still, as a Father, it is an example, a conviction, and a calling. I can remember running, head-long into my own father’s arms and having him hug me. I knew that I was safe with him; I knew that he would never harm or cause harm to come to me. But, I still broke my arm three times and had countless other minor injuries when I was a kid. Did my father fail? Was my faith in him misplaced? Certainly: every earthly father fails; but my faith in him was not misplaced.

Despite his failures and weaknesses, he was given authority by God over me (and the rest of his house). He was my covering until I chose to leave and strike out on my own. My faith in my dad was faith in the position of “Father” that God gave my dad (and now has given to me). This faith in an earthly father is modeling the pattern of faith we need with our heavenly Father. It is now a pattern that I am called to help my own boys learn. They have two Fathers, and I should only be pointing the way to their true father – God.

This last little bit is not my original thought. It is the thought of my wondrous friend C_Rob who helped out with her favorite names.

What are the names of God – really? They are only some of the adjectives we can use to describe His attributes – and His nature. Each Name creates provision for a need in our spiritual walk. As such, we are to do everything that we do in “His Name” – which could also be said in “His Nature”.

When the demons said to the Son’s of Sceva, “Jesus, I know; I know about Paul, but, who are you?” You have to wonder if they weren’t onto something. They knew (and know) what we have a hard time accepting as truth. When we say the words, “In Jesus’ Name”, but are not identified with Jesus’ Nature, we have no power. In fact, we are taking Jesus’ Name in vain and sinning against God. However, when we apply the Nature of Jesus to our prayers and our faith, we create a powerful alchemy – the true power of the Church. And in that power, we will, as Jesus said, “do even greater things than this”. (John 14:12-13).

Thanks for reading and for those who sent me their favorite names of God – thank you even more.

Peace – out – Andy

Quick update: Someone just sent me this name - "shomer Yisrael" (One who guards Israel). In this time of unrest there. It is so wonderful to know that there is an unchanging God who protects His people and His Holy Land. Someone else, just put in this name - which is just another great example of our God - Baal Perazim (Lord of the Breakthrough). Man - I need that in a God. (am - 23 August 2006)