What Is Your Name?
Proverbs 30:4
Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended?
who hath gathered the wind in his fists?
who hath bound the waters in a garment?
who hath established all the ends of the earth?
what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?
1. God’s Names:
A name in the Bible is who a person is, what they represent, basically their character. Every time God revealed a new name to His people, He was showing them more of what He could do in their lives. He was showing them who He was, and what He could do for His people, in them, and through them.
One of my favourite passages in the New Testament is:
Romans 5:3-5 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Please click here for a breakdown of this passage.)
All the trials we go through, all the promises we claim, all the names of the Lord given in the various seasons of our lives teach us more about the character of God.
In Exodus, when God was calling Moses to lead His people out of slavery, we see Moses asking the Lord a very important question:
Exodus 3:13-14 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? 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.
Exodus 6:2-3 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
Jehovah means “I am that I am”, the LORD, the self-existent God. This is the name God chose to reveal Himself by to the Israelites, and it occurs over 6500 times in the Bible. The other main name or title used for the Lord is literally the Hebrew word for God: Elohim, a singular noun with a plural meaning. (The "im" ending signifies that the word is plural. For example, cherub and cherubim, seraph and seraphim, etc.) This Hebrew word in effect shows the Trinity or the Godhead all throughout the Old Testament - one God in three persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We see many names of God in both Testaments. In Exodus 34, we see a very intriguing sevenfold description of His name:
Exodus 34:5-7 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God,
1) merciful and gracious,
2) longsuffering,
3) and abundant in goodness and truth,
4) Keeping mercy for thousands,
5) forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,
6) and that will by no means clear the guilty;
7) visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
There are sooo many names and titles of God in the Bible. I tried doing some research on how many, and all the numbers I found varied. In Nave's Topical Bible, it gives approximately 253 names of the Lord Jesus Christ, and some I could think of were not even listed. Add that to the multitude of names for the Father and the Holy Spirit and you have a manifold treasure chest of wonder.
Asking several friends the last few weeks about their favourite names for God and I was given a wide variety. Names such as: Immanuel, meaning “God with us”; Abba, Father; The Comforter - John 14:16-17; The Desire of Nations. In that list, no doubt, are several of the compound names of the Lord. There are 9 of them, the most well known and most loved are Jehovah-Jireh (the LORD my provider), the LORD my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1). Some love the LORD my Banner (Jehovah Nissi) or the LORD my healer (Jehovah Rapha).
The nine compound names and their translations into English are as follows:
1) Jehovah-Jireh, The LORD my Provider (Genesis 22:8,13-14)
2) Jehovah-Rapha, The LORD my Healer (Exodus 15:26)
3) Jehovah-Nissi, The LORD is my Banner (Exodus 17:15)
4) Jehovah-Qadash, The LORD thy Sanctifier (Exodus 31:13)
5) Jehovah-Shalom, The LORD our Peace (Judges 6:23-24)
6) Jehovah-Raah, The LORD my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
7) Jehovah-Sabaoth, The LORD of Hosts (Isaiah 6:3)
8) Jehovah-Tsidkenu, The LORD our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6)
9) Jehovah-Shammah, The LORD Is There (ie. Present) (Ezekiel 48:35)
The name “Jesus” means “the LORD our Salvation,” a further revelation of the magnitude of the LORD. Remember the name the LORD means "I Am That I Am, or I Am." In The New Testament, we see Jesus claiming to be God, claiming to be the I Am of the Old Testament.
John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Jesus’ 7 I Am statements in John:
1) The Bread of Life - John 6:35, 48, 51
2) The Light of the World - John 8:12; 9:5
3) The Door of the Sheep - John 10:7, 9
4) The Good Shepherd - John 10:11, 14
5) The Resurrection and the Life - John 11:25
6) The Way, the Truth, and the Life - John 14:6
7) The True Vine - John 15:1, 5
Through the many names of God, He reveals to His people that He is everything they could ever need or want in this life, and in eternity.
2. Jacob’s Name:
Sum up Jacob’s history:
Genesis 25:20-34. Prophecy of the two sons, their character, Esau despised his birthright.
Genesis 27, especially verses 33-36. Jacob and Rebekah's deception of Isaac and the taking of the blessing. This disrupted their family and led to Jacob fleeing to Haran, where his uncle Laban lived.
Genesis 28, especially verse 11-22. Verses 13-15 contain a sevenfold promise to Jacob. Jacob is saved here, names the place Bethel (the house of God), and makes a covenant with God.
Genesis 29-31. Jacob learned how to manipulate people during the 20 years he lived with and worked with his uncle, Laban. Working 14 years for his two wives (being tricked to marry Leah, then working seven more years to get the wife he loved). Six more years of working with his uncle, where we find Laban changed his wages ten different times. Then one day, Laban and his sons were no longer favourable to Jacob. That was when the Lord called Jacob to return back home to the land of his fathers. Genesis 29:3. God promised to protect Jacob and his family, cautioning Laban from doing Jacob any harm.
Genesis 32:1-2. Jacob encounters a host of angels, then he sends messengers to Esau, only to find out shortly that Esau was coming with 400 armed men to meet him. Ever the manipulator, Jacob divides his family into two, rationalizing that if one of his wives and children are killed, he still has the other. Then in desperation, he prays. The Lord confirms that He will keep His promises to Jacob, to make His family prosperous and numerous. He sends a large gift of his cattle to appease Esau, and camps for the night. Living by his wits, by his ability to work each situation to his advantage, to manipulate others.
Genesis 32:21-32
Verse 25. God took away Jacob's physical strength.
Verse 27. Jacob is confronted with who he really was (a supplanter, a deceiver) - and the Lord changed his name to Israel (a prince or contender with God, having power with God).
Verses 29-30 Jacob asked the Man what His name was - but the Lord did not answer. Verse 30 indicates he knew he was wrestling with God, but did not know His personal name.
This encounter with the Lord God changed Jacob forever, and is referred to in Hebrews 11:21.
3. The Angel Of The LORD’s Name:
During the time of the Judges, when the nation of Israel was oppressed by the Philistines, God promised them another deliverer. The Angel of the LORD sought out Manoah and his wife, and said that He will give them a son who would be a Nazarite from the womb.
Judges 13:1-3. The Angel gives them the instructions on how they were to raise their child, then we see them wondering who this Angel of God was. Manoah prays to the Lord to send the messenger to them again, and He does.
Verses 15-23. After their encounter with the Angel of the LORD, they realize He is actually God, and were fearful because they had seen Him face to face. When they asked Him His name, He said it was secret.
Judges 13:18 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
Secret here is Strong's #6383, from 6381. The word wondrously in verse 18 is 6381. It wasn't time yet to reveal the Angel of the Lord's name...
Psalm 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. A secret is something you share with a close friend or confidant, someone you trust.
Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
God will reveal things to His people over time, and we find further revelations of Himself at various times in their history.
4. God’s Character:
Later, in the book of Jeremiah, we learn that the nation of Israel would be judged and carried away captive by Babylon, and their lands would lie abandoned for seventy years. However, the Lord moves Jeremiah, the kinsman redeemer, to buy his uncle's property. After going through all the legal proceedings (which is an interesting type to study out!), we are given these promises by the Lord.
Read Jeremiah 32:13-27.
Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Strong’s #6381
Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? Strong’s #6381
In Genesis 18:9-14, Abraham and Sarah, who was barren, and who were both past childbearing age, are promised that their desired son will at last be born within the next year.
Genesis 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Strong’s #6381
The phrase "too hard" is a different form of the same word that was translated as "secret" in Judges 13. Nothing is too hard for the God of all creation, the God of all flesh. He has all wisdom and power to bring about His will in our lives. Just like He could bring the nation of Israel back to the Promised Land after their seventy year captivity, and could provide the promised miraculous son to a couple that was past their natural childbearing years, so too can He help His children in the trials and struggles we face day by day.
5. The Secret Name Revealed:
In the time of the Assyrian invasion, the nation of Israel was discouraged due to the judgment by the Lord for their sins. They were fearful and seemingly without hope.
We read about this sad situation in Isaiah 8:20-9:7.
Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Jesus’ name is Wonderful: Strong’s #6382
Mark 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
Nothing is too hard for God, nothing is impossible, nothing is too wonderful for the Lord God to do in our lives, if we will just walk with Him and trust Him with all our needs and cares, trust Him with all we face day by day.
We can trust Him:
With the salvation of our loved ones. Romans 1:4; 8:32
The following is from Spurgeon's sermon entitled Is There Anything Too Hard For The Lord?:
Apply this to any case of great sin. Select anyone whom you knew to be especially hard-hearted and pray for him earnestly and hopefully. Choose out some glaring sinner, or special heretic, or fierce hater of religion and pray for him. You say to yourself, "I will choose an easier case." Do not. "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Will you, in your judgment, set anyone beyond the reach of mercy and out of the bounds of grace? Make an application of our text to the most desperate and loathsome sinner and believe that nothing is too hard for the Lord. O chief of sinners, if you are here this morning — blasphemer, swearer, thief, drunkard, whoremonger, harlot, take home this question to yourself — Thus says the Lord, "Is anything too hard for Me?"
If you believe in the Lord Jesus, God has saved you, saved you now. He can and will wash every believing sinner from all his sins through the blood of Jesus and He will graciously blot out all his iniquities. Remember how He forgave David and Manasseh and the dying thief and Saul of Tarsus and the woman that was a sinner? May the Holy Spirit make a personal application of omnipotent love to each of you who now feel your sins! Salvation is not too hard a thing for the Lord.
With a family that glorifies the Lord.
With a transformed life.
With anything you face day by day.
All that you could ever need is found in the Lord;
He’s the First and the Last, the Beginning And The End.
The Lord Jesus Christ is God With Us - Immanuel -
The Messiah is my Beloved, and my True Friend.
He’s the Precious Rock on which I build my life,
The Sure Foundation and the Corner Stone;
The Lamb of God who died for all my sins;
The Shepherd who will never leave me alone.
Jesus is the King of kings and the King of Glory;
The Desire of Nations is God's Only Begotten Son;
He is the Ancient of Days, and the coming Prince of Peace;
He is the Branch of Righteousness, and the Holy One.
He is my Comforter, my Shield and my High Tower;
In Jesus Christ, I have grace and eternal favour;
There are oh, so many names for the Bishop of my Soul -
Some call Him the Almighty God - but I call Him my Saviour.
Poem written December 18th, 2024
Sermon written December 21, 2024
Jerry Bouey
