Let our Lenten journey begin as we look into the names of God from His Word. How does God refer to himself or how do others see Him? What can we learn about Him from these names and what impact can it have upon our daily lives through the eyes of Jesus?
The name I will start with today is El Shaddai (Hebrew word) translated God Almighty, Lord of the Mountains, All-Sufficient One. This first appears in Genesis 17:1 where God is speaking to Abraham. “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,” This term is used to refer to God 30 times in the Old Testament and 9 in the New Testament. It is an important distinction for us that God is the mighty one. He is the one to whom we can turn and the one who will provide for us. I love the verse in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” All aspects of God are sufficient to meet our needs. There is nothing or no one who is greater or mightier to whom we can turn.
Another place El Shaddai is used is in Psalm 91:1 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” This verse is particularly meaningful to me as I think of my friend Bob when I see or hear it. He was a WWII veteran who flew bombing missions during the war. He said this verse was the SOS or 911 verse for servicemen who were headed into danger. They could hold onto the truth that if you know Jesus you are under God’s wings of protection. I love that thought and image.
What does the mightiness of God and his All sufficiency mean to you? Do you claim His promises and depend upon His strength each day? Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we have assurance of His love and protection. Jesus said, in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” 1 John 5:18 “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.” Lean into God’s love and protection today as you thank Him for His great provision in Jesus!
Linda
God’s attributes gave me a glimpse into the magnificence and depth of our God. I saw God’s accessibility, grace, omniscience, as a person, His incomprehensibility, invisibility, holiness, as a preserver, merciful, a promise-keeper, righteous, sovereign, perfect, omnipotent, provider, merciful again, glorious, Savior, faithful, just, wise, Father, guide, love and eternal.
No pagan god is like you, O Lord.
Thank you for joining me this Advent. May you be blessed as you endeavor to live for Jesus and grow more and more life Him each day.
God refers to himself in the Old Testament as Your Savior in Isaiah 49:26 and 60:16. In both cases His name is linked to prophesy in regard to the destruction of Jerusalem when the Babylonians came and destroyed it and took the people off to Babylon. The city was held under siege and the people suffered greatly, at one point even resorting to cannibalism. Isaiah’s words were to be ones of encouragement that God will be evident in the dealings of His people. Isaiah 49:26
The people of Israel were to know that in both hard and good times God will be with them, He will be their Savior, Redeemer and Mighty One. We can be encouraged like they were that God alone is God, He is our Redeemer and has plans for our redemption through Christ His Son, and He alone is the Mighty One from generation to generation. The prophet pointed out specifically that God is your Savior and your Redeemer. He is a personal God who loves each one of us and wants to have a relationship with us. He desires that we accept His Son as Savior and open our hearts to His redemptive plan.
Multiple times in scripture God refers to himself as LORD. When the name Lord is written all in capital letters, it refers to the name ‘Yahweh’, YHWH which was so revered that it did not even say it aloud or write it completely as they left out the vowels. Another translation of this is Jehovah. In Exodus 3:14-15, Moses is called by God to return to Egypt, confront Pharaoh and lead the people. Moses voices several concerns to God and asks, What do I say when the people ask who sent me? “
Today meditate on the completeness of your LORD and how HE reaches down and touches you.
This name of God is referred to in Psalm 3:3. “But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.” The name O Lord is YHWH and my glory is Jehovah-Kabodhi in Hebrew. David describes God as Lord, the one of glory and the lifter of his head. Have you ever thought about what God’s glory is? The Old Testament describes the glory cloud that led them in the wilderness and the ‘Sheikinah’ glory that filled the tabernacle and later the temple as the presence of God on earth. Moses asked to see God’s glory while on Mt Sinai but God told him he could not see His face and live. But, God said hide in the cleft of the rock and I will pass by. Exodus 33:20-22 
catch a glimpse of His glory. Ezekiel, the prophet, saw a vision of the throne room of God in heaven. Ezekiel 1:28 “
of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” Here is the first part of this verse in the Amplified, “
As I have only a few days left in this month, I wanted to go back and pick up a few names of God I have not written about before. The Lord of hosts is a name of God referred to in the Old Testament and first appears in 1 Samuel 1:3. “Now this man (Elkanah) used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the 
Israel that God commanded many angelic beings and is similar to the reference to God as the God of Heaven’s armies. Jeremiah 15:16 NLT Lord of hosts acknowledges that God is Almighty, powerful and can command and use a host of beings to aid His children. I particularly love the story of Elisha in 2 Kings 6:15-17. The king was after Elisha as he had been giving information to enemy as the Lord had directed him. He and his servant had fled into the countryside to escape the king. “
young man cried to Elisha. 
every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” I can depend upon Him to be with me and carry me in whatever circumstances I find myself. Truly, He is the Lord of hosts the one who commands Heaven’s Armies and the whole earth is filled with His glory!
The names that Jesus calls himself are truly rooted in scripture, prophesies from the Old Testament. Revelation 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Jesus calls himself the root and descendant of David. We can look at Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1 and see that Jesus is descended from David. Luke 3 shows Jesus line going back to David and then onward to Abraham. Isaiah mentions the coming Messiah in Isaiah 11:1-2. “
Spirit of wisdom and understanding, 
Numbers 24:17 was part of a prophesy given by Baalem and refers to the coming of a future ‘star’ in Israel. “
people of the earth. Are you rooted and grounded in Jesus? Is He the stabilizing figure in your life giving you hope and a future? Do you allow Jesus to shine in your life, and be your star? Colossians 2:6-7 reminds us, “
our hearts as we trust in Him. “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 2 Peter 1:19
Jesus used this phrase to identify himself three times in the New Testament book of Revelation. As John opens his revelation about Jesus Christ, Jesus appears returning in the clouds and says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet and would signify the beginning of all things and the end of all things. The designation of ‘who is and who was and who is to come’ tells us Jesus was with God in the beginning of creation and will be with us in the future. He is the Almighty God. He is all knowing (omniscient), ever present (omnipresent) and all powerful (omnipotent). Only God is all these and He began all creation and will be there at the end.
At then end of Revelation, these words appear again in John’s vision. After the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:6 “He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.” Jesus, himself, will see to the creation of heaven and the new city of Jerusalem. In that city the water of life will be given freely to all who dwell there. What a glorious promise for us about our future home.
Lastly, Jesus reveals to John that He will be returning soon in Revelation 22:12-13 “
Him. I love Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” We can cling to the promises in God’s Word that He is unchanging and faithful. He will see to us in the future just as He has done in the past. Praise God!
Jesus made this I AM statement during His upper room discourse with the disciples. He was giving important teaching to guide and give them hope as He knew the cross was upon Him. He states this message twice in John 15:1 and 5 with a slightly different emphasis each time. “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. ” Knowing that Israel was often referred to in the Old Testament as the vine, Jesus is saying that He is the true vine, the Messiah, and God is the ‘gardener’ in life. As the gardener God has a responsibility to keep us healthy and growing strong and that only happens if you are carefully pruned. The goal of God has for us is to produce fruit in our lives and pruning will enable us to be more fruitful. Remaining with Jesus, walking with Him daily is the way to stay connected to Him. If we lose touch, we will not and cannot be fruitful.
In verse 5, Jesus reconfirms that He is the vine. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” Jesus identifies us as branches off Him. We are connected and grow strong through that connection. He adds that being with Him, walking with Him daily, remaining in Him will cause us to be fruitful. That fruit in our lives is not possible without Him.
This transformation is know as sanctification and is a life long process as we walk with Jesus. Galatians 5:22-23 describes some of this ‘fruit’ that God desires in our life that is made possible only through knowing Jesus. ” But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! These are always good in our life and give glory to God.
shape your character so that you grow more and more like Jesus. Keep your eyes on Jesus each day and walk with Him. “For nothing will be impossible for God.” Luke 1:3 Watch how He will transform you day by day.
Fearless Living 