By Dr. Roy Blizzard
Here is an article from a few years ago that has been requested by many of our readers. The nature of God can best be understood by the numerous names of God in the Hebrew text of the Bible. The best place to start is with the most important words, the word One. We could go as far to say that it is one of the principal words in the Bible, reflecting one of the most important concepts of the God of the Bible. That God concept is monotheism. Monotheism comes from two Greek words, mono (one) and theos (God), and means one God. The central theme of Biblical faith is that God is one. Monotheism is such an important biblical God concept and is so radically different from the God concepts of the other great nations and peoples of the Bible, that is stands as a marvelous indication of the internal evidences for inspiration contained in the text itself. In other words, this concept of monotheism is so radically different from all other prevailing religious systems that it cannot be accounted for on purely natural grounds. It demands the supernatural to explain such a lofty concept. And it is this concept that becomes the foundational tenet upon which Biblical faith is based” “Hear O Israel, The Lord your God is One.” This the Shema, as it is known, is still recited twice each day by religiously observant Jews.
However, this one God has manifested Himself in history in so many multifaceted ways. He is known by a myriad of names, during many varied circumstances, and for many different reasons or purposes. A clear picture of Him begins to emerge only when we examine the names by which He is known, as each will reflect some aspect of His nature.
Although God is known by many names it is of the utmost importance to stress that He is One. Many parallels can be found in this concept of Oneness. For example: Law. Law is one, and it is God’s revelation of Himself and His will for man to man. However, there was the Law God gave to Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel before the flood. There was the Law God gave Noah after the flood. There was the Law God gave to Moses at Mt. Sinai. It consisted of: 1: The Written Law, consisting of the Moral aspect of Law (10 commandments); the Ceremonial Law (daily, Festivals, Sabbaths) and the Civil Laws. 2: The Oral, consisting of Haggadah (telling’s, stories, legends) and Halacha (pathway Laws).
But it was all ONE. The One Law of the One God.
As God is One, the Law is One, and so also man is One. The Biblical concept of man is that God created man in His image. Therefore, as God is, so man is. God is one, so man is one. Although man consists of a body (of earth or earthly) and a spirit (of the heavens), the two form an inseparable unity. The spirit and the flesh will never be separated, but the both are made for eternity. This idea of man constituted a basic belief of Jesus, the Pharisees, and the Apostle Paul, who all taught on the resurrection of the dead. Although flesh and blood will enter the eternal realm of the World to Come (Olam Haba), “we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and this mortal shall put on immortality and this corruptible shall put on incorruptibility'' (I Corinthians 15). Scientifically we know that once matter has been created it can never be destroyed. Only its form can be changed.
This concept of ONE as the coming together of two or mere parts to constitute a whole first introduced to us in the first chapter of Genesis: "And there was evening and there was morning, ONE day'‘ (Genesis 1:5). Notice it takes both the evening and the morning, two parts, to come together or to be joined together, to form the one day.
Let's look now at some of the over 50 names I have chosen to share with you. Each reflects some attribute or characteristic of the ONE God of the Bible.
The first name for God we want to note is the simple Semitic name El. The word El in Semitic languages seems to reflect strength or power. El is the God of strength and power.
YHWH, the tetragrammaton (4-lettered) name for God is often transcribed and vocalized in English as Yahweh and transliterated as Jehovah (an incorrect transliteration as there is no letter J in Hebrew.) However, the name YHWH was not to be pronounced except on special occasion, so the four-letter name of God is usually vocalized as Adonai, or Lord. As used in the Bible, YHWH reflects the covenant attribute of deity, as it is always YHWH who is entering into covenant relationships.
YHWH is used hundreds of times in the Bible and is usually translated into English as Lord, though one must be careful because other words, such as Adon and Baal are also translated as Lord. Let me suggest that if you do not have Young's Analytical Concordance, you get it. I personally find it more helpful in many ways than Strong's and will, in this article, give you the English word under which you can find the entry in Young's Analytical Concordance.
Elohim is a plural masculine noun used for the one God of the Bible. Some scholars have associated Elohim with the singular El, but this association is not without problems. However, regardless of the root, Elohim is used for the One true God, the Omnipotent, creative God. It is Elohim who, in the creative aspect of His nature, is calling the universe into existence simply by the words of His mouth in
Genesis 1. Elohim is also used hundreds of times in the Biblical text, and is usually translated in the English as God. The singular form El, mentioned below, is also used many times and is also translated as God.
In many instances YHWH and Elohim are joined together as in Genesis 2, YHWH Elohim. When used thusly, is appears to reflect the totality of all that God is. It is used hundreds of times in the Bible. An even more expressive form is the union of all three of the most commonly used names in the El Elohim YHWH, the all-powerful, creative, covenant God.
A host of construct names follow, each beginning with the word El and joined with another word that reflects an attribute or characteristic of God which serves to illuminate our understanding of His nature.
El Brit: the God of the covenant. The God who makes covenants with His people, i.e., Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Israel, and ·also, with us. Although the proper name, El Brit, appears in Judges 9:46, possibly as the name for a Canaanite god; nonetheless, in Psalm 78:10 and again in II Chronicles 34:32 God is sees as one who makes a covenant with His people.
Ha El HaNe'eman, used with the definite article: the faithful God. The one who is faithful to His word, His covenant, His creation, His people. (Deut. 7:9)
Ha El HaGadal: the Great God. (Deut. 7:21, 10:17; Jer. 32:18; Dan. 9:4, Neh. 1 :5, 9:32; Ps. 95:3)
Ha El Hakadosh: the Holy God. (Is.5:16)
El Yisrael: God of Israel. (Rs. 68:36)
El HaShamayim: God of the heavens. (Ps 136:26)
El Sali: God is my rock. (Ps. 42:10)
El Simchat Gili: God who is joy of my exaltation. (Ps, 43:4)
El Ro'i: God who allows me to see Him to understand, to know Him. How? Through His word, His deeds and in the lives of His people. (Gen.16:13)
El HaKavod: God of glory, respect, or honor. (Ps. 29:3)
El De'ot: God of knowledge; omniscience. (I Sam. 2:3)
El Olam: eternal, or everlasting God. He who is without beginning and without end. (Gen. 21 :33)
El Ha'oneh Oti Beyom Tzarati: the God who answers me in the day of my trouble. (Gen. 35:3)
El Emet: God of truth. (Ps. 31 :6; II Chron. 15:3)
El Emunah: God of faith. (Deut. a2:4)
El Yeshuati: God of my salvation. (Is. 12:2.; Ps. 88:2)
El Chaiyai: God of my life. (Ps. 42:9)
El Echad: one God. (Mal. 2:10)
El Rachum: God of compassion. (Deut. 4:31; Ex. 34:6; Ps. 86:15)
El Nashah: God who forgets (forgives). (Gen. 41 :51)
El Chanun: gracious God. (Jonah 4:2; I Chron: 19:2)
El Kana: jealous God. He is a God who demands love, worship, honor, praise. There is no room in our lives for anyone or anything else (as an object of worship). (Deut. 4:24, 5:9, 6:15; Ex. 20:5, 34:14)
El Tzadik: righteous God. Only God is Holy. But man can be righteous, and He demands we be righteous as He is righteous. Often, this righteousness is reflected in not what we do to or with God, but what we do to our fellow man. (Is. 45:21)
El Shaddai: the all-sufficient God, or possibly the God who nourishes and sustains me by suckling me from His breasts. If so, this would reflect the female aspect of deity in a very profound way. (Gen. 17:1, 8:3, 35:11, 43:14, 48:3; Ex. 6:3)
El Elyon: the highest God. (Gen. 14:18-19, 14:20,22; Ps. 78:35)
Elohay Kedem: the God who was before, or the pre-existent God.
(Deut. 33:27) Elohay Tzur: God of Rock. 01 Sam. 22:47)
Elohim Kedoshim: Holy God. Again, only God can be holy. A place or a thing, or a person can be holy only if God resides there. It is He who makes the place. thing, or person to be holy. (Lev. 19:2; Josh. 24:19)
Elohim Chaiyim: Living God. (I Sam. 17:26; Jer. 10: 10)
Elohay Tzva'ot: God of hosts. 1 Sam. 5:10; I Ki. 19:10, 1.4; Jer. 5:14, 15:16; Amos 3:13; Ps. 89:9)
Elohay Mishpat: God of judgment. (Is. 30:18; Mal. 2:17)
Elohay Selichot: the God of forgiveness. (Neh. 9: 17)
Elohay Marom: God of heights (on high). (Micah 6:6)
Elohay Mikarov: God who is near. (Jer. 23:23)
Eiohay Chasdi: God of my kindness (of men to men, piety). (Ps. 59:11, 18)
Elohay Mauzi: God who is my strength. (Ps. 43:2)
Elohay Tehelati: God who is my praise. (Ps. 109: 1)
Elohay Yish'i: God of salvation. (Micah 7:7; Hab. 3:18; Ps. 18:47, 25:5, 27:9)
Elohay HaElohim: God of Gods. (Deut. 10:17)
Elohay Kol Basar: God of all flesh. (Jer. 32:27)
El Elohay Haruchot Lekol Basar: God, the God of the spirits of all flesh. (He is the one who gives life to all flesh.) (Num. 16:22)
Ruach Elohim: Spirit of God, i.e., the Holy Spirit. The empowering aspect of deity. Found in such places as: Gen. 1 :2, 41 :38; II Chron. 24:20; Ex. 31:3, 35:31; Num. 24:2; I Sam. 10:10, 11 :6, 16: 14, 16:23, 19:20,23)
Adonai YHWH: Lord God, i.e., the God who is ruler or master over my life. (Gen. 2:4,5,7,8, 3:8)
YHWH Mekadesh: God who causes me to be holy. (Ez. 37:28)
YHWH Yireh: the God who sees, i.e., the all-knowing or omniscient God. (I Sam. 16:7)
YHWH Nisi: God who is my banner or standard, or the God who Is my miracle. The God who leads me and in so doing sustains me by his miracles. (Ex. 17:15)
YHWH Shalom: God who is peace, i.e., wholeness and/or completeness. (Judges 6:24)
YHWH Tzidkenu: God who causes us to be righteous. (Jer. 23:6, 33:16)
YHWH Shamma: God who is there. Actually, a synonym for the city Jerusalem. However, it reflects the omnipresence of God. He is there, He is everywhere. (Ez. 48:35)
YHWH Tzva'ot: Lord of Hosts. Again, the one who leads His people into battle and to victory. (I Sam. 1: 11, 4:4, 15:2, 17:45; II Ki. 19:31; Jer. 11 :17,20, 20:12, 27:18; Zee. 12:5)
Yah: an abbreviated form of YHWH used in poetry; especially in the Psalms, as in Psalm 104:35,
hallelu-Yah, "Praise ye Yah the Lord."
Moshiah: savior. This word is used in dozens of forms and reflects the saving or redeeming aspect of deity. In Exodus 14:13, and in II Chronicles 20:17, we see the phrase alluded to in Luke 3:6: Ve ra'u kol basar et yeshuat Elohim (And all flesh shall see the salvation of God, or God's salvation). In Exodus 14:13, we read, Re'u et yeshuat YHWH. (See the salvation of YHWH.) In this context Yeshuat Elohim and Yeshuat YHWH are construct names for God, referring to the redemptive or saving aspects of His deity. In Psalm 149:4, God is known as the one who will beautify the meek with salvation.
Yefaer anavim bishuah: In this context He is called the one who will beautify the humble or meek, i.e., those who are "righteous," with His salvation. (Ps. 149:4)
I hope this special study will be beneficial to you in assisting you to understand more about the nature of God as reflected in His names. We have noted over fifty different names for God in this study and have not nearly exhausted all the possibilities. There are many additional names I did not use because of time and space. In addition, in Hebrew there are many euphemisms that are used for God, such as Hamakom, the place, or Hashamayim, the heaven. The nature of God is such that we simply cannot even begin to exhaust all the possibilities. Even if we studied all the names of God in the Bible looking at all He had done and was doing, there could be only one conclusion at which we could ultimately arrive, one final and ultimate truth: Our God is more than all we can know or say about Him, and He is more than enough!
