The Names of God

 
What was God's Name in Ancient Israel?

Throughout the ancient world God revealed himself to the Israelites through many names. Since God is not like us He would be a complete mystery if He did not reveal Himself. Man only knows things of this world but God transcends this world and the things of this world.

As Isaiah said:
Isaiah 55:8-9 "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways...for as high as the heavens are above the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." 

Prov 18:10 "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe."

What name could fully describe God? Anything that we can think of poses some form of limitation, he is this and not that, or he is here and not there. But the God of the Bible is revealed as someone that the heavens cannot contain. He is beyond limitation, and no man can fully describe him. The Bible indicates that the prophets only knew in part. But it is a full word of God, his full revelation from beginning to end that can give us a faith and an understanding of God and his purposes. Apart from his word we are in darkness and there is no knowledge of God, of who God is.

Below are some MP3 audio files regarding 16 of the names of God revealed to ancient Israel, taken from an interview with my friend Shahar from Jerusalem.

Introduction, Jehovah, Elohim, Adonai, El Elyon, El Shaddai, El Olam, El Roi, Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Rapha, Jehovah Sabaoth, Jehovah Shalom, Jehovah Tsidkenu, Jehovah Rohi, Jehovah Shammah, Jehovah MiKadishkim

Introduction to the Names of God (MP3 - 5.46 MB)

Jehovah (MP3 - 4.31 MB)

Exodus 3
13 - And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
14 - And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
15 - And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

Elohim (MP3 - 4.32 MB)

Genesis 1
1 - In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Adonai (MP3 - 3.05 MB)

Genesis 15
1 - After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
2 - And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
3 - And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

El Elyon (MP3 - 3.91 MB)

Genesis 14
18 - And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he [was] the priest of the most high God.
19 - And he blessed him, and said, Blessed [be] Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20 - And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

El Shaddai (MP3 - 3.31 MB)

Genesis 17
1 - And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
2 - And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
3 - And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4 - As for me, behold, my covenant [is] with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

El Olam (MP3 - 3.34 MB)

Genesis 21
33 - And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.

El Roi (MP3 - 2.44 MB)

Genesis 16
13 - And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
14 - Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, [it is] between Kadesh and Bered.
15 - And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.

Jehovah Jireh (MP3 - 2.89 MB)

Genesis 22
13 - And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind [him] a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
14 - And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said [to] this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

Jehovah Nissi (MP3 - 2.44 MB)

Exodus 17
15 - And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:
16 - For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn [that] the LORD [will have] war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Jehovah Rapha (MP3 - 2.82 MB)

Exodus 15
26 - And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

Jehovah Sabaoth (MP3 - 2.31 MB)

1 Samuel 17
45 - Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

Jehovah Shalom (MP3 - 3.75 MB)

Judges 6
23 - And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
24 - Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Jehovah Tsidkenu (MP3 - 2.58 MB)

Jeremiah 23
6 - In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this [is] his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Jehovah Rohi (MP3 - 4.31 MB)

Psalm 23
1 - The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 - He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 - He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Jehovah Shammah (MP3 - 2.53 MB)

Ezekiel 48
35 - It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.

Jehovah MiKadishkim (MP3 - 2.70 MB)

Leviticus 20
8 - And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.