Pastor Jed has taken us through a terrific series looking at the names of God. Each of the messages can be found below with the audio and Jed’s study sheets. I’ve also included links to Scripture that Jed references on his study sheets. Those links will take you to the corresponding verse(s) at Bible Gateway. Praying this series blesses you as much as it has blessed us here in Colona.
Covenant Names of God, pt. 1
Hebrews 11:3, Hebrews 1:3. He sustains all things by his powerful word. See also Philippians 2 – The Name of “Jesus.”
A name “identifies” someone; it carries significance. meaning, and history. A name reflects personal identity, familial connections, and cultural heritage. Parents often choose their children’s names for their meanings. God chose names in the OT: Adam, Eve, Abram/Abraham, Sarai/Sarah, Isaac. Also, the Names/titles of Jesus.
Why does God have so many names? It is His means of revelation: revealing Himself, His character, His attributes, His will, His works, etc. so that we might know Him, acknowledge Him, and worship Him. His names reflect God’s relationship with humanity. His names are a PLEDGE of Himself to humanity!
Genesis 1:1 – El – Hebrew for “God” which occurs over 248 times in the OT. El is the root word for Elohim which is the very first name/title of God in the Bible. It describes God’s greatness and glory and reveals His power and authority. The second part “ohim” points to His creativity/creative power. Shown in Genesis 1-3.
He is the God who makes covenants with those He has created. A covenant involves a binding agreement between two persons. God spoke His covenants.
- Genesis 5: 23-24, 27 – Methuselah means “Man of the dart” or “His death shall mean judgment.” He lived for 969 years and then came the flood, God’s judgment upon mankind. After the flood, the rainbow was a promise of His covenant with Noah to never destroy the earth again with water.
- Genesis 13:14-17 – Elohim made a covenant with Abraham. Psalm 105:8-10
- Isaiah 42: 1-2, 6-7 – The New and Better Covenant through Jesus Christ. Elohim made this covenant with all humanity through His Son who was also a perfect man. Jesus is the Mediator of this new covenant. Hebrews 8:6 and 9:15. It was a covenant sealed with blood, with His life. Last Supper: “This is the cup of the New Covenant in my blood.” (Matthew 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20 and I Corinthians 11:25).
Other references: Psalm 91:2-4, Jeremiah 32: 38-40, I Kings 8:23, Psalm 57:1-3
Covenant Names of God, pt. 2
God has many Names. This is one of the ways that God REVEALS Himself, His character, attributes, will, works, etc. so that we might know Him more fully. His names are also a PLEDGE and a PROMISE of Himself to humankind.
El – is Hebrew for “God, the One True God of Israel.”
Elohim – Sovereign, Mighty Creator, Covenant Maker Genesis 1:1
Elohe-Israel – The Personal God of Israel Genesis 32:28
Elohay – The LORD MY God Isaiah 43:1-3a
Eloheenu – The LORD OUR God Exodus 33:13
Elyon – The LORD Most High Psalm 47:2
EL SHADDAI – the All Sufficient One. Derived from (a) field which produces crops in abundance. (b) breast, i.e., the Many-breasted One meaning abundant provision, nourishment, and productiveness. God shows His all-sufficiency by turning nature around and providing miracles that are contrary to natural events.
- Abraham in Genesis 17:1-2; Romans 4: 17-21 and Isaac, Jacob, Moses
- Job in James 5:11 – the end or outcome of Job seen in Job 42:10-13, 15-17.
- See also Genesis 48:4, John 10:10, Ephesians 3:19-21, and Philippians 4:19.
ADONAI – The Master, Owner, LORD who owns His people, His servants, and protects, provides for, and directs them. This name signifies ownership and reflects our responsibilities to Him as His servants who are owned by God. We must allow Him the room to control our lives, and we then submit to, obey, and serve Him.
Exodus 21:1-6 – a “bond servant,” a freely voluntary servant for life. Adonai is the God who totally owns His people and whose servants have chosen to serve Him because they love Him. He protects, provides for and directs them. Beautiful illustration of the Father-Son relationship between God the Father and the Son.
Philippians 2: 6-8. Consider Jesus’ struggle in the garden of Gethsemane.
Romans 10:9-10 – Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer but must also be our Adonai. Other scriptures related to Adonai: Psalm 123:1-2; John 13:13-16; I Corinthians 3:5-6; Colossians 1:24-25; Matthew 10:38; and Luke 9:23-24.
Covenant Names of God, pt. 3
Exodus 3:10-15 Yahweh (Hebrew) which was the common form of the name of God used by the Jews. Verse 14 – Derived from the Hebrew chavah which means to live, to be, or being. Translated “I AM THAT I AM,” or “I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE.” This name brings Him forth (a) in the present tense, the God of the Now, and (b) in a personal way: Who He is – the One True God who is self-existent, unchangeable (James 1:17, Psalm 102:27), and eternal. He is the intimate God Who is ever revealing Himself through His Names, Word, and Spirit.
Jehovah is the Latin derivation of the Hebrew name Yahweh which precedes other Names of God that reveal His role. I AM eternally exists to be our ____________.
- Jehovah Rapha/Rophe – I AM the LORD your HEALER.
Exodus 15:26 – Revealed Himself as Jehovah Rapha and Numbers 21:4-8 – the snake on the standard is a symbol of Jesus on the cross because He became a curse for us. This Name finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. See Acts 10:38; Isaiah 53:4-5; Galatians 3:13-14.
- Jehovah Shalom – I AM the LORD your PEACE. I am your Peace.
Judges 6:22-24 – Revealed Himself as Peace is a Person and He is Peace. He is called the God of Peace as seen in Romans 15:13, 33; 16:20; II Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 4:9; I Thessalonians 5:23; II Thessalonians 3:16; and Hebrews 13:20). He is Peace, He gives us peace (John 14:27), and He gave Jesus to be our peace with God (Romans 5:1) and our peace with one another (Ephesians 2:14-15, 17).
- Jehovah Tsidkenu – I AM the LORD your RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:15-16 – Revealed Himself as Jehovah Tsidkenu.
Romans 3:10-18, 21-24 – We are all unrighteous and fall short of the glory of God. We cannot earn His righteousness through ourselves or our own good works. Jehovah Tsidkenu made it possible for us to be righteous in His sight through faith in Christ Jesus (See also Matthew 6:33; I Corinthians 1:30; II Corinthians 5:21).
Covenant Names of God, pt. 4
John 3:16 – Imagine Yahweh/Jehovah, the Great “I AM THAT I AM” had a One and Only Beloved Son and that He freely gave His Son to us and for us. John 3:16 and Matthew 3:17
Colossians 1:15-20 and Ephesians 1:19-23 describe this Son in His fullness, His glory, His power, His position of authority – all of Who He is and what He has. “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” and “raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”
Philippians 2:9-11 – “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.”
John 1:14, 16 – The Great I am Jehovah summed up everything that He that He has revealed through His many Covenant Names and put Himself in the “package” or form of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Name “Jesus Christ” itself embodies and encompasses the entire scope, significance, and power of God’s Names.
Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which mean “Jehovah is Salvation” or “Jehovah Saves.” Christ (Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew) both mean “Anointed One.” In John 18: 1-3, Jesus declared “I AM” – Yahweh/Jehovah.
Seven times Jesus said “I AM” in the New Testament:
- John 6:35 – “I am the Bread of Life.”
- John 8:12 – “I am the Light of the World.”
- John 10:7 – “I am the Gate for the Sheep.”
- John 10:14 – “I am the Good Shepherd.”
- John 10:25 – “I am the Resurrection and the Life.”
- John 14:6 – “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
- John 15:7 – “I am the True Vine.”
Covenant Names of God, pt. 5
Jesus Christ is the Name that is above every name in heaven and on earth (Ephesians 1:19-23; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-20; Matthew 28:18). The Name of Jesus is a “covenant name.” i.e., “Jehovah is Salvation.”
Acts 2:33-39 and Acts 4:12 – The Greek noun for salvation is sozo.
His Name encompasses and sums up every Covenant Name of God and includes salvation from everything that sin plagued us and provides love, grace, mercy, promise, health, power, authority, dominion over the devil, etc.
II Peter 1:2-4 – Reassures the believer that they are not missing anything essential for living a life that pleases God. As a part of our inheritance in Christ, the Father has given us access to and use of His Name: Jesus Christ.
The Name of Jesus Christ:
- The Name by which we are saved – Acts 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:9
- The Name that offers and gives life – John 10:10; 20:31; I John 3:23
- The Name that allows us to receive the Holy Spirit – John 7:37-39; 14:25-27; 15:26-27; 16:7-10, 13-15; Acts 1:4-8; 2:33-38; Romans 5:5, 8:1-39
- The Name that carries power to spread the Gospel of the Kingdom with boldness – Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 4:17-20, 27-31; 9:27
- The Name that carries authority over the devil, demons, and their work – Mark 16:15-18; Acts 16:18; Hebrews 2:14-15; I John 3:8, 4:4; Rev. 1:17
- The Name that carries power in prayer – Matthew 6:32-34, 21:21-22; John 14:13-14; 15:7, 16; 16:23-24, 16:26-27; Eph. 3:20-21; Phil. 4:6-7; James 5:13-18
- The Name that carries power to heal: Jehovah Rapha – Acts 3:6-7; 16; 10:38
- The Name that promotes unity in the Body of Christ – I Corinthians 1:10
- The Name that washes, sanctifies and justifies – I Corinthians 6:11
- The Name by which we live our lives, give thanks, and do everything in our lives – Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:17
Covenant Names of God, pt. 6
- John 1:18 – Jesus Christ was Himself God, was at God’s side, and is in closest relationship with the Father.
- John 10:30, 38 – He was One with the Father. – “I and the Father are one” and “the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”
- John 3:16-17 – The Father gave Him to/for humanity.
- John 1:14 – He came from the Father.
- John 1:18, 17:3 – His mission was to make the Father known.
- In the Gospels, Jesus introduced and spoke of Almighty God as His “Father” which was often offensive to religious Jews.
- Matthew 6:7-9 – He taught His disciples to pray “Our Father” and to relate to God as their Father.
- John 20:17 – After His death and resurrection, He said, “I am returning to my Father and your Father.”
Jesus discusses His relationship to the Father in John 14:6-12, When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we become “born again” because God the Father gives us a second spiritual birth (John 3:3-8, II Corinthians 5:17) by His Holy Spirit. God literally becomes our “Heavenly Father”, and we become His very children (Ephesians 3:14-15; I John 3:1). Unlike many earthly fathers, our Heavenly Father is now a perfect, accessible, close, loving, kind, forgiving, trustworthy “Parent” who is intimately acquainted with us, helps us, answers our prayers and wants us to know Him. (Matthew 7:7-11, John 17:3, Eph. 1:17).
II Corinthians 1:19-22 – The Father gives us the Holy Spirit to show His seal of ownership of us and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, as a guarantee of what is to come.
Romans 8:14-18, Galatians 4:6-7 – God sent the “Spirit of Sonship” into our hearts to dwell there. The Holy Spirit causes us to cry “Abba” to our Father which is a very tender, intimate name to address God, like “Daddy” or “Papa.”
Covenant Names of God, pt. 7
REVIEW: John 1:18 – Part of the ministry of Jesus Christ was to make known God as our Father. John 17:3 – Knowing the Father and the Son is eternal life. Ephesians 1: 17 – The Father has given us the Holy Spirit to know Him better.
Who is the Father? He is the Great Elohim, El Shaddai, Adonai, Yahweh/Jehovah, the God of all creation, of heaven and earth who wants to be our spiritual “Parent” and be intimately acquainted with us, help us, answer our prayers, and wants us to know Him. In fact, His nature is LOVE and He is LOVE Himself (1 John 4:8,16). He has poured out His own love abundantly upon us (Romans 5:5; I John 3:1-2).
He is depicted most accurately in the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-24. “But while he (the son) was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” V. 20. The Father clothed him in a robe. put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet, killed the fatted calf, and feasted and celebrated because “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” V. 24.
II Corinthians 1:21-22 – The Father loves us so much that in His Son Christ Jesus, “He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us (“Adonai”), and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
Romans 8:14-18 and Galatians 4:6-7 – To mark His parentage of us (i.e., His “adoption papers”), the Father poured the “Spirit of Sonship” into our hearts to dwell there. The Holy Spirit allows us to cry “Abba” to our Father which is a very tender, intimate name to address God, like “Daddy” or “Papa.” As the children of God, we also can led by the Spirit of God (See Romans 8).
Our Father has given us an eternal inheritance in the kingdom of God. With Jesus death, burial, resurrection and ascension to the Father, this inheritance has been enacted and passed onto us (Matthew 25:34; Acts 20:32; Galatians 3:26-28; Ephesians 1:3-6, 13-14; Colossians 1:12-13; Hebrews 9:15; and I Peter 1:3-5).
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