Who is God in the Bible? Or, who is the God of the Bible? Those two questions seem to be common these days. Fewer people are growing up attending church and as such God is often a mystery to them. Fortunately, the Bible is packed with perfect information about who God is!
God has a multitude of Biblical names describing His magnificence. He is our Father, our Healer, Deliverer, Protector, the One who provides salvation, our ultimate victory, our peace, our Shepherd, and the One who is always there for us.
Our infinite Creator revealed several of His characteristics to us through His interactions with Moses and other heroes of the faith. Through His Word, we can get a glimpse of who He is.
In today’s post, I want to provide a high-level overview of several of the names of God and His character. Hopefully, our hearts and minds will expand in an attempt to better understand our King and His majesty.
ELOHIM
God is revealed to us as Elohim in the first chapter and the first verse of the Bible.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Elohim created the heavens and the earth. God is referenced as Elohim approximately 2,500 in the Old Testament.
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
Genesis 1:26 is a theologically rich scripture. It mentions “Us” which I take to mean the Holy Trinity. It was God, Elohim, who decided to create the human race.
EL ELYON
This Name is my “go-to” name for God. I don’t actually use the Hebrew term of El Elyon but the English translation which is God Most High or the Most High God.
It means high, elevated, exalted, The Most High. It reflects omnipotence and overwhelming majesty.
Psalm 57:2 I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me.
El Elyon is the highest and the ultimate! Not us. El Elyon is the Most High.
EL OLAM
Isaiah 26:4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God, is an everlasting rock.
This often underrepresented name reflects God’s everlasting faithfulness.
I’m amazed on most days when I realize that God has not given up on me. Personally, I would have kicked myself to the curb long ago! Not El Olam, though. He is the Everlasting God! He does not change but remains firm.
EL ROI
Genesis 16:13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”
Hagar definitely got a raw deal in my opinion. She would be considered to many as a legitimate victim. If Hagar were to complain about how she was treated, few of us could deny that she was treated unfairly.
God saw her mistreatment and stood in the gap. Perhaps the next time you’re genuinely mistreated, for any reason, remember El Roi, the God who sees. He’s not blind or indifferent to your plight.
EL SHADDAI
Genesis 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before Me and be blameless.
El is typically combined with another word to provide a complete reflection of who God is in a specific situation. El, in the Bible, can simply be defined as God.
Shaddai comes from a word that is translated as breast. Mothers can fully sustain and nourish their infants. El Shaddai is often referred to as the God who blesses, sustains, and meets the needs of His children.
El Shaddai blessed Abraham, Isaac, and even Jacob. The blessing that was pronounced upon Abraham even found its way to those of us who were grafted into the vine!
ADONAI
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Adonai was often used interchangeably with Jehovah or Yahweh. It’s believed that Adonai was used so not to blaspheme and break the third commandment.
The prophet Ezekiel seemed to love the name Adonai. It was used approximately 200 times in the book of Ezekiel!
JEHOVAH
I find many Bible encounters humorous. Crazy things happen and it’s not even addressed! For example, Balaam’s donkey talked to him one day. He didn’t even bat an eye!
God introduced Himself to Moses in the desert one day — through a burning bush. Moses didn’t flinch an inch! He continued the conversation like a boss!
God instructed Moses to return to Egypt and to confront Pharaoh. Moses continued his conversation with God and finally asked Him, “What shall I say to them when they ask me who You are?”
It’s a fair question that deserved a solid reply.
God then revealed Himself as Jehovah — The Great I AM.
Exodus 3:14-15 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God furthermore said to Moses, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is the name for all generations to use to call upon Me.
Jehovah Jireh
Genesis 22:14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
Abraham was heading up the mountain with Isaac, some wood, and a big knife. He didn’t have an alternate plan. If need be, Isaac would be the sacrifice. Imagine the nervousness of Isaac! Yikes!
Jehovah Jireh provided an acceptable sacrifice—just as He did with Jesus. Abraham was willing to do the unthinkable but he also had an unwavering faith in God at this time. Even if a sacrifice was necessary, Abraham was confident that God would resurrect his son (Hebrews 11:19).
Sound familiar?
Jehovah Rapha
Exodus 15:26 And He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and listen to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”
Healing is available to us as Christians. God revealed Himself to our Hebrew ancestors as Jehovah Rapha—the Lord our Healer.
I have experienced the healing power of God in my life and my family has even experienced miracles.
Unfortunately, we’ve also experienced pain, anguish, and death in our family. Despite what some preachers say, we all will deal with pain and agony on earth. Don’t allow these hyper-faith brothers and sisters to guilt you into thinking your faith is inadequate.
We pray, stand firm, trust God and walk with Him no matter what comes our way.
Jehovah Nissi
Exodus 17:15 Moses built an altar and named it The Lord is My Banner.
Contextually, Israel had just defeated Amalek. Banners were typically flags that would fly in a war to bring encouragement to the fighters.
Jehovah Raah
Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
This is quite possibly the most cherished name for God—the Lord my Shepherd. Even those who are unfamiliar with the Bible have often heard Psalm 23.
Jehovah Raah is the Shepherd who makes war with the lion, the bear, and the wolves. He’s the One who leads us beside still waters. When we’re overwhelmed and anxious He restores our soul.
This Psalm has the latent power to engage an adolescent and provide enough theological firepower to keep a seminarian quite busy. Don’t discount this exquisite piece of poetic beauty.
Jehovah M’Kaddesh
Sanctification is a supernatural work that happens on the inside of God’s people. We cannot work ourselves into a state of holiness or purity.
Leviticus 20:8 So you shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.
Jehovah M’Kaddesh has the difficult job of sanctifying us and our part is to walk it out in our daily lives. This process will continue until we put off this mortal body.
Jehovah Shalom
Judges 6:24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The Lord is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Gideon was not the boldest and bravest and yet God, in His infinite wisdom, decided that Gideon was the right person for the job. The Angel of the Lord showed up and scared the daylights out of Gideon.
Gideon was certain that he was a dead man but he was wrong. He was so convinced that when he didn’t fall over dead he built an altar to the Lord and called Him, Jehovah Shalom—the Lord Is Peace.
Jehovah Tsidkenu
Jeremiah 23:6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’
Paul reminds us in Romans that none of us our righteous. Our righteousness is as filthy rags. The only righteousness we have is a gift from God.
Jeremiah provides a glimpse of this free gift. None of us can earn righteousness. It can’t be bought and it cannot be generated by human effort.
II Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Jehovah Sabaoth
Haggai 2:6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.
Far too often we think of God as either a lovey-dovey pushover or as a ruthless ogre who only wants to mete out punishment. Our view of God is often clouded by society. It’s time for us to take back the descriptions of God from a Biblical view!
Jehovah Sabaoth is used over 200 times in the Bible. The minor prophets loved using this particular name. Nine of the twelve used it in their books.
Jehovah Sabaoth could be translated as the Lord of the Armies, or the Lord of Hosts. The Lord is a Warrior and He controls the armies of heaven and earth.
Yahweh
Genesis 2:4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven.
Yahweh is an extremely common name for God in the Bible as it is used over 6,500 times.
In the 3rd Century, many Jewish people ceased using the Name out of fear of violating the 3rd commandment. The spelling of the name was changed from Yahweh to YHWH to help people stay on the straight and narrow pertaining to the 3rd commandment.
Benediction
I hope this extremely high-level post on the names of God in the Bible has been helpful. This could be a life-long study. I encourage you to dig deeper into His Names!
I Timothy 1:7 To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.