Adonai, like Elohim, is the plural form of the Hebrew noun. Many writers have used this as a foundation on which to build the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. Other scholars take the position that these names represent a plural of majesty, pointing out that this ONE God embodies ALL of the attributes of the many pagan gods worshipped by other peoples.
God is Lord of all lords, Master of all masters. Adonai, conveys the idea of His absolute authority and right to rule. He is the Great Master - the one to whom all honor, respect, allegiance, and obedience are due. The name also personalized the relationship between an individual and the Lord. He is not merely "the great Master" - a ruler in a far-away place - He is "MY great Master" ...mine!
When I call Him "Lord," I acknowledge that I have a close, personal, eternal relationship with Him. I acknowledge that I have a commitment to Him. He is MY Master, and I am His servant.
"Adonai" is the name that stresses man's relationship to God. Adonai - Master - Lord.
Often when we think of the relationship between a master and servant we view it from the servant's perspective. What it means to be a servant. The servant's responsibility to the master. I will speak about this a bit more a little later.
This study, with the help of the psalmists, has allowed me to focus more on the things that Adonai does for His servants... the things that Adonai does for ME.
Psalms 54:4 - He is MY helper and upholds MY life
Psalms 68:19 - He daily bears MY burdens
Psalms 86:4 - He makes ME glad
Psalms 86:5-6 - He is good to ME and forgives ME
Psalms 86:15 - He is merciful and gracious to ME
Psalms 86:15 - He is abounding in love and faithfulness toward ME
Psalms 86:16 - He give HIS strength to ME
Psalms 116:16 - He looses MY bonds
In Psalms 16:2 we find that David exclaimed to the Lord, "You are my [Adonai]; I have no good apart from you."
Why do we have such a hard time with the concept of servant? There are many that might argue that our aversion is the result of our country's history with slavery, but if feel it has more to do with what other countries may describe as our attitude of entitlement. While I thing the later probably comes closest to explaining some of our negative feelings, I believe its more than that. I believe for many the word "servant" is defined as demeaning, belittling, not something to be aspired to. It is this attitude that makes it hard for us to understand our position as servants of the Lord. Perhaps that's why we so often get things reversed, treating God as though He were there to do our bidding. That His divine power was there to further our plans.
Help me become like the servants the psalmist describes in Psalm 123:1-2
"I life my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven. Like a servant's eyes on his master's hand, like a servant girl's eyes on her mistress's hand, so [my] eyes are on the Lord [my] God until He shows [me] favor.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Elohim - God The Creator
Elohim is the first name used for God in the Bible. It is a Hebrew word that appears in the very first sentence of the Bible. In Genesis 1:1 we read, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Elohim is the plural form of El or Eloah, one of the oldest designations for divinity in the world. The Hebrews borrowed the term El from the Canaanites. Though El is used more than 200 times in the Hebrew Bible, Elohim is used more than 2500 times. Many scholars believe that the plural form is used, not to indicate many gods, but to emphasize the majesty of the one true God - the God of gods. Others believe that this plurality is the first indicator of the the Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The root of the El is thought to be ul, which means to be first, to be mighty, or to be strong.
"Genesis" is a word that can mean "birth," "history of origin," or "genealogy." In the story of creation we find that God "spoke" and "it was good" for each phase of creation, except for the creation of man. In Genesis 2:7 we read, "Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." I know I have not only read this verse, but have actually taught the story of creation a number of times, and yet, I'm still learning to understand who God is through this verse.
In Genesis 1:28 we read, "Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'" Not only did God decide to create us in HIS image, but HE took the time to form us and then to breath into us the "breath of life." It was this phrase that caught my attention today. It hit me, for years I've read, I've heard, I've taught about the "breath of life", but it had never struck me that while it did indeed bring life, it was, much more importantly, the very BREATH OF GOD. Anyone that has been blessed to be present at the birth of a child can attest to the wonder and awe that they felt with that baby's first cry. Where did that first breath come from? Just think about it - God breathed "the breath of life into his nostrils" and he exhaled the breath of God with that first cry. While just my thoughts, it does explain why many people describe not being able to find the words to describe how the experience impacted their lives.
Who am I that God would take the time to ponder me? I know that may sound very self-centered, but that is what scripture tells us. God chose to create me in His image. God chose to "form" me and breath the "breath of life" into me. These are concepts that are hard for me to comprehend. The Psalmist said in best in Psalm 139:13-14, 16; "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well... Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in you book before one of them came to be." God determined to create me even though He knew exactly who I would be. He knew everything about me and yet He chose to create me anyway.
So often we miss life's purpose, we fail to see life's beauty because we are preoccupied by what we see at its failures and flaws. I challenge you to ask the God who made you to remake your sense of awe and wonder at all He has created.
"Genesis" is a word that can mean "birth," "history of origin," or "genealogy." In the story of creation we find that God "spoke" and "it was good" for each phase of creation, except for the creation of man. In Genesis 2:7 we read, "Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." I know I have not only read this verse, but have actually taught the story of creation a number of times, and yet, I'm still learning to understand who God is through this verse.
In Genesis 1:28 we read, "Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'" Not only did God decide to create us in HIS image, but HE took the time to form us and then to breath into us the "breath of life." It was this phrase that caught my attention today. It hit me, for years I've read, I've heard, I've taught about the "breath of life", but it had never struck me that while it did indeed bring life, it was, much more importantly, the very BREATH OF GOD. Anyone that has been blessed to be present at the birth of a child can attest to the wonder and awe that they felt with that baby's first cry. Where did that first breath come from? Just think about it - God breathed "the breath of life into his nostrils" and he exhaled the breath of God with that first cry. While just my thoughts, it does explain why many people describe not being able to find the words to describe how the experience impacted their lives.
Who am I that God would take the time to ponder me? I know that may sound very self-centered, but that is what scripture tells us. God chose to create me in His image. God chose to "form" me and breath the "breath of life" into me. These are concepts that are hard for me to comprehend. The Psalmist said in best in Psalm 139:13-14, 16; "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well... Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in you book before one of them came to be." God determined to create me even though He knew exactly who I would be. He knew everything about me and yet He chose to create me anyway.
So often we miss life's purpose, we fail to see life's beauty because we are preoccupied by what we see at its failures and flaws. I challenge you to ask the God who made you to remake your sense of awe and wonder at all He has created.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Yahweh - LORD
The name Yahweh occurs more than 6,800 times in the Old Testament. It appears in every book but Esther, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. As the sacred, personal name of Israel's God, it was eventually spoken aloud only by priests worshiping in the Jerusalem temple. After the destruction of the temple the name was not pronounced. Adonai was substituted for Yahweh whenever it appeared in the biblical text. Because of this, the correct pronunciation of this name was eventually lost. English edition of the Bible usually translate Adonai as "Lord" and Yahweh as "LORD." Yahweh is the name that is most closely linked to God's redeeming acts in the history of His chosen people. We know God because of what He has done. When you pray to Yahweh, remember that He is the same God who draws near to save you from the tyranny of sin just as He saved His people from tyrannical slavery in Egypt.
A name is a tag by which a person is known; yet, it was much more than a label in ancient times. Then, a person's name told you something important about the person's identity, character, or life. For example, Moses means "to draw out (of water)," Abraham means "father of a multitude, " and Hannah means "grace." For generations the power of a name and its value has long been immortalized in prose, poetry, and religious ceremony. Everyone recognizes himself or herself by name. The question is: What does that name mean and how does it influence a person's character?
When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, Moses asked Him to reveal His name. Moses knew that it was important for the people to know who had sent him. In Exodus 3:13-14 we read, Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel...and they ask me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM" and he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
In Exodus 3:15 God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers - the God of Abraham, The God of Isaac and the God of Jacob - has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation."
For years, various rabbinical writers, afraid of profaning this covenant name of God, spoke of "The Name, " "The Great and Terrible Name," "The Unutterable Name," "The Ineffable Name," "The Holy Name," and "The Distinguished Name." It is also known as the tetragrammaton, because it is formed by the four Hebrew consonants YHWH, it was first translated as Jehovah in the Middle Ages and enshrined as such in the King James Version of the Bible. This mispronunciation was the result of tenth century Jewish scholars supplying vowels to Hebrew words, which had formerly been written without them. Since Adonai was always substituted for Yahweh in the biblical text, the Hebrew vowels for Adonai were inserted into the four letters of tetragrammaton: YaHoWaH.
When Moses first approached the burning bush, God spoke to him and said "Do not come any closer, take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground...At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God."
In the song "I Can Only Imagine", Mercy Me talks about what it might be like to be in the presence of God. Like Moses at the bush, I wonder, "Will I stand in [HIS] presence, or to my knees will I fall?" When I find myself in the presence of Yahweh, "Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all?" "Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?"
As a young child, I remember the sense of awe, the reverence that one felt simply walking into a sanctuary. During summers at my great-grandmother's, I would walk to the local church, which was never locked, and play the piano. Even then, there was an awareness of being in the presence of God. Please know that I understand that the building, is just a building, and that it is the people that make up the church. I also know that God is omnipresent and that I don't have to be at church to experience His presence. That said, I can't help but feel that we've lost something.
For Moses, it was the desert, it was a bush, but there was no doubt that he was in God's presence. With churches meeting in non-traditional settings, schools, day-cares, theaters, etc.; with sanctuaries being replaced with multipurpose rooms, that sense of "entering into God's presence" has been diminished, if not lost altogether.
I pray for a renewed sense of Yahweh - The Great I Am -
What does the name Yahweh reveal about the nature and character of God?
God is self-existent: He was not created.
God is self-sufficient: He does not depend on anyone or anything.
God is self-directed: He is free to do as He pleases.
God is eternal: He has lived and will live forever.
God is consistent: He is who He is. He is true and unchanging.
A name is a tag by which a person is known; yet, it was much more than a label in ancient times. Then, a person's name told you something important about the person's identity, character, or life. For example, Moses means "to draw out (of water)," Abraham means "father of a multitude, " and Hannah means "grace." For generations the power of a name and its value has long been immortalized in prose, poetry, and religious ceremony. Everyone recognizes himself or herself by name. The question is: What does that name mean and how does it influence a person's character?
When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, Moses asked Him to reveal His name. Moses knew that it was important for the people to know who had sent him. In Exodus 3:13-14 we read, Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel...and they ask me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM" and he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
In Exodus 3:15 God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers - the God of Abraham, The God of Isaac and the God of Jacob - has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation."
For years, various rabbinical writers, afraid of profaning this covenant name of God, spoke of "The Name, " "The Great and Terrible Name," "The Unutterable Name," "The Ineffable Name," "The Holy Name," and "The Distinguished Name." It is also known as the tetragrammaton, because it is formed by the four Hebrew consonants YHWH, it was first translated as Jehovah in the Middle Ages and enshrined as such in the King James Version of the Bible. This mispronunciation was the result of tenth century Jewish scholars supplying vowels to Hebrew words, which had formerly been written without them. Since Adonai was always substituted for Yahweh in the biblical text, the Hebrew vowels for Adonai were inserted into the four letters of tetragrammaton: YaHoWaH.
When Moses first approached the burning bush, God spoke to him and said "Do not come any closer, take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground...At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God."
In the song "I Can Only Imagine", Mercy Me talks about what it might be like to be in the presence of God. Like Moses at the bush, I wonder, "Will I stand in [HIS] presence, or to my knees will I fall?" When I find myself in the presence of Yahweh, "Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all?" "Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?"
As a young child, I remember the sense of awe, the reverence that one felt simply walking into a sanctuary. During summers at my great-grandmother's, I would walk to the local church, which was never locked, and play the piano. Even then, there was an awareness of being in the presence of God. Please know that I understand that the building, is just a building, and that it is the people that make up the church. I also know that God is omnipresent and that I don't have to be at church to experience His presence. That said, I can't help but feel that we've lost something.
For Moses, it was the desert, it was a bush, but there was no doubt that he was in God's presence. With churches meeting in non-traditional settings, schools, day-cares, theaters, etc.; with sanctuaries being replaced with multipurpose rooms, that sense of "entering into God's presence" has been diminished, if not lost altogether.
I pray for a renewed sense of Yahweh - The Great I Am -
What does the name Yahweh reveal about the nature and character of God?
God is self-existent: He was not created.
God is self-sufficient: He does not depend on anyone or anything.
God is self-directed: He is free to do as He pleases.
God is eternal: He has lived and will live forever.
God is consistent: He is who He is. He is true and unchanging.
Names of Deity
The first set of names that I will be looking at are sometimes referred to as the "Names of Deity". These names include: Yahweh, Elohim, Adonai, Rishon Va-Acharon, and Adonai Yahweh.
Before I begin looking at the individual names, I thought it prudent to first understand the idea of deity.
Dictionary.com defined deity as "divine character or nature." Merriam-Webster defined deity as "the rank or essential nature." Vocabulary.com state that the word deity means "divine nature." At Theopedia.com I feel we move beyond a definition to an explanation. It states that "The deity of Jesus is considered an essential doctrine and is a central non-negotiable belief within Christianity. Also known as the "divinity of Christ," this doctrine asserts that Jesus Christ was and is God incarnate." In Colossians 2:9 the apostle Paul writes "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,"
The first names I will be studying speak to the very nature and divine character of God. I don't believe that is is possible for us to fully realize the nature God, but I have no doubt that we can and must know HIM on a personal level. And it is that conviction that has led me to begin this study.
Before I begin looking at the individual names, I thought it prudent to first understand the idea of deity.
Dictionary.com defined deity as "divine character or nature." Merriam-Webster defined deity as "the rank or essential nature." Vocabulary.com state that the word deity means "divine nature." At Theopedia.com I feel we move beyond a definition to an explanation. It states that "The deity of Jesus is considered an essential doctrine and is a central non-negotiable belief within Christianity. Also known as the "divinity of Christ," this doctrine asserts that Jesus Christ was and is God incarnate." In Colossians 2:9 the apostle Paul writes "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,"
The first names I will be studying speak to the very nature and divine character of God. I don't believe that is is possible for us to fully realize the nature God, but I have no doubt that we can and must know HIM on a personal level. And it is that conviction that has led me to begin this study.
God is the Name My Soul Adores, Isaac Watts, 1706
GOD IS THE NAME MY SOUL ADORES,
THE ALMIGHTY THREE, THE ETERNAL ONE;
NATURE AND GRACE, WITH ALL THEIR POWERS,
CONFESS THE INFINITE UNKNOWN.
HOW SHALL POLLUTED MORTALS DARE
TO SING THY GLORY OR THEY GRACE?
BENEATH THY FEET WE LIE AFAR,
AND SEE BUT SHADOWS OF THY FACE.
WHO CAN BEHOLD THE BLAZING LIGHT?
WHO CAN APPROACH THE CONSUMING FLAME?
NON BUT THY WISDOM KNOWS THY MIGHT
NONE BUT THY WORD CAN SPEAK THEY NAME.
Introduction
I am not a Biblical scholar. I have no formal theological training. I am not a gifted writer. What I am is a christian, a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend, a teacher, etc. I am known by many names, each of those names reveals a bit of who I am and the relationship I have with the person that knows me by that name.
In the cyber-world, a person is known by a "handle." A handle, like a name, helps us to understand something about the person with whom we are interacting. It helps us to have a better grip on where they are coming from, what drives them, what their goals and intentions may be.
For some time now, I have been reading and studying the Biblical names used to refer to the Lord God. I was blown away to find that there are more than one hundred names and each name means something. Each name reveals an important aspect of His nature or reveals a yet another way He relates to us. His many names enable us to know Him better. In the words of Mary Kassian, "the prospect of getting a better grip on God fills me with awe and anticipation."
I have no idea how this project will evolve. My goal is to focus on a different name of God each week or so. I don't know where this will lead me, I have no expectation that I will include every name and title of God. My hope is that I will have a much deeper understanding of who God is and will experience Him in new, surprising, and amazing ways. If you decide to come along on this journey with me; I pray you gain something from the experience. If you have simply stopped by for a visit; I pray you find what you are looking for.
I will be referring to a number of resources; my primary resource will be the Word of God, I have found the online Bible at BibleGateway.com to be one of my favorites. I especially like the fact that I can select a verse and then see that verse in every English translation of the Bible available. The other resources I will begin this journey with are 2 books that I have found to be inspirational. They are, "Knowing God By Name", by Mary A. Kassian, and "Praying the Names of God", by Ann Spangler.
In the cyber-world, a person is known by a "handle." A handle, like a name, helps us to understand something about the person with whom we are interacting. It helps us to have a better grip on where they are coming from, what drives them, what their goals and intentions may be.
For some time now, I have been reading and studying the Biblical names used to refer to the Lord God. I was blown away to find that there are more than one hundred names and each name means something. Each name reveals an important aspect of His nature or reveals a yet another way He relates to us. His many names enable us to know Him better. In the words of Mary Kassian, "the prospect of getting a better grip on God fills me with awe and anticipation."
I have no idea how this project will evolve. My goal is to focus on a different name of God each week or so. I don't know where this will lead me, I have no expectation that I will include every name and title of God. My hope is that I will have a much deeper understanding of who God is and will experience Him in new, surprising, and amazing ways. If you decide to come along on this journey with me; I pray you gain something from the experience. If you have simply stopped by for a visit; I pray you find what you are looking for.
I will be referring to a number of resources; my primary resource will be the Word of God, I have found the online Bible at BibleGateway.com to be one of my favorites. I especially like the fact that I can select a verse and then see that verse in every English translation of the Bible available. The other resources I will begin this journey with are 2 books that I have found to be inspirational. They are, "Knowing God By Name", by Mary A. Kassian, and "Praying the Names of God", by Ann Spangler.
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