LORD GOD ALMIGHTY
THE NAME OF GOD? May 21, 2013
Christians today do not fully understand God, and therefore do not submit to the will of the Father, the Lordship of the Son, or the working power of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of this work is to give a better understand of God, His essence, and His complete Lordship over all things.
Today we do not address God with the reverence, holiness and fear He deserves and demands. We use His name with no consideration when we say: “For God’s sake”, “For the love of God”, “Oh my God” and many others. He is called the man upstairs, His name is used in common everyday conversation, and without consideration that He is the source of all that is or ever will be. God is infinite, absolute truth, all knowing, and ever present, and cannot be given a name or a title.
God does not give Himself a name. Moses asked God who shall I say sent me? God told Moses “I Am that I Am; tell them I Am sent you”. (Ex 3:14) The Hebrew word for ‘I AM’ (HaYaH) means to be, to exist. God is explaining to Moses that He, God, is the God of all. He is the God of the past, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: He is also the God of the future, I have come to deliver you.(Ex 3:8)
We do, however, apply names to Him that describe His attributes and actions. How we perceive God depends on the name we apply to Him. When we need to describe His power, we use a name which describes His power; (Elohim: the powerful One) when we need to describe His healing power, we give Him a name; (Yhwh Rapha: The LORD who heals) when we need to describe His Lordship, we give Him a name. (Adoni: The great LORD)
The names we give Him illustrate how we experience and understand Him. The problem is the way the world and many Christians perceive Him. The world sees Him as a god, not The God, leaning over the banisters of heaven with a bolt of lightening in his hand waiting to strike at anyone who does wrong. Many Christians see Him as a “Jack-in-a-Box” that pops out when there is an emergency, or when it is convenient to ask for His help, or as a way out of trouble. Many see Him as someone to call on when they get caught.
A better understanding of God will allow us as Christians to submit to His Will, His Lordship and His working power in our lives. A better understanding of God to non Christians may start them on the road to salvation.
