Psalms 9:10 "And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee."
Proverbs 18:10 "The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe."
I have two reasons for preaching to you this evening. First and foremost,, I want to exalt, magnify, extol, honor, praise, and glorify the name of the Lord our God. In the house of God, we must honor God, nothing and no one else.
I have every reason to magnify the name of God before you. With the Psalmist, my heart is resolved. "I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me: and Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell."(Ps. 86:12-13).
God's great mercy toward me compels me to magnify his name alone. As I think of the mercies of the Lord, my heart cries,"not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake"(Ps. 115:1). God's mercy toward us is great!
Truly, his mercies are great!! "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed"(Lam. 3:22). Therefore "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad." And I say, to you who know my God, "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together"(Ps. 34:1-3).
That is my first motive in preaching this message. I want to exalt and magnify the name of our great God.
Secondly, I want you to trust the Lord. The surest way I know to persuade you to trust him is simply to tell you who he is. If, by the power and grace of God the Holy Spirit, I can show you who he is, I am confident that you will trust him. If you knew my God, you would trust him. All who ever knew him trusted him. "This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent"" (John 17:3). It is written,"They that know thy name will put their trust in thee" (Ps. 9:10).
No single word in human language is sufficient to serve as a name for our God. Therefore, there are several words by which he is known. It will be instructive and edifying for me to simply give you some of the many the names by which God reveals himself in the Holy Scriptures, and tell you what those names mean.
1. The first revelation of God is found in Genesis 1:1––"In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heaven and the earth." The name of God given there is "Elohim."
"Elohim" means "to worship." This is the name of our God. He is The Worshipped One. He is the only object of true worship, praise, adoration, and trust. The word "Elohim" is given in the plural, though is refers to one God. The significance is obvious. We worship one God who is three distinct Persons in one glorious Being, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (I John 5:7).
2. Another name of God is "El" or "Eli."
Genesis 12:7-8 "And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. (8) And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth-El, and pitched his tent, having Beth-El on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD."
The Lord appeared to Abraham, and made a covenant with him. Abraham built an altar there and called the place "Beth-El," which means "the house of God." This is the word our Lord used, when he cried, "Eli, Eli, lama sa-bach-tha-na?" that is to say, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"(Mt. 27:46). This name, "El", means "strong, or mighty God." It is expressive of the power of God.
3. Next, God reveals himself under the name "Eliom" in Genesis 14:18-22. (Melchizedec)
Genesis 14:18-22 "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. (19) And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God (ELIOM), possessor of heaven and earth: (20) And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. (21) And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. (22) And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,"
"Eliom" means "the most high God." It is expressive of God's supremacy and majesty. Our Lord Jesus is called "the Son of the Highest"(Luke 1:32). Eliom is the high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity.
4. God also revealed himself to Abraham by the name "Shaddai," which we translate "Almighty" (Gen. 17:1).
Genesis 17:1 "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD) appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God (SHADDAI)); walk before me, and be thou perfect."
"Shaddai" means "God all-sufficient." It expresses more than the power of God alone. It expresses the power and sufficiency of God to bestow his grace and fulfill his promises. El-Shaddai is God able to save, able to do his will, able to shed his blessings upon his people.
5. In Genesis 15:2, Abraham called upon God by the name "Adonai," to give him the promised covenant seed.
Genesis 15:2 "And Abram said, Lord GOD (ADONAI) what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?"
"Adonai" means "the Cause," or "the Support." Truly, Adonai is a suitable name for our God. He is the original cause of all things (Rom. 11:36). Our God supports and maintains all things (Heb. 1:3). He upholds his saints with the right hand of his righteousness (Isa. 41:10).
6. In Exodus 3:13-14, the Lord appeared to Moses as "Ejeh," which means "I AM that I AM."
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? (14) And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM (EJEH) hath sent me unto you."
"Ejeh" refers to the immutability of our God and Savior (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8). With our God there is no variance and no shadow of turning. He is eternally the same. "I AM" is God who changes not.
7. In I Samuel 1:9-11, we see Hannah calling upon "the Lord of hosts" in her deep distress.
1 Samuel 1:9-11"So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD. (10) And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. (11) And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts (SABAOTH)), if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head."
"The Lord of Sabaoth" (James 5:4) is our God. This name is expressive of God's sovereign dominion and power over all his creatures. The Lord of Hosts has his way in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what doest thou?
8. In the New Testament, the word by which our God is most often revealed is "Lord," the Greek word is "Kurios."
"Lord" simply means, God who is sovereign. It refers to God's dominion, power, authority, and right of ownership over all things. This is the word commonly used to describe Christ our Mediator King (Acts 10:36; I Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:4). When believers use the word Lord, "Kurios," it is used as a term of both reverence and endearment. We delight to call him Lord, Master, our King.
9. And the word translated "God" in the New Testament is "Theos."
"Theos," God, is one who is holy, who sees all things, and knows all things, and disposes of all things. God who is light is perfectly holy. He sees all things with perfect clarity. And he disposes of all things as he will.
10. Another name given for God in the New Testament is "Despotees."
2 Peter 2:1 "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord (DESPOTEES) that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."
This is the word from which we get our word despot. This is a title given to our Lord Jesus Christ, seated upon his throne. It is here used by Peter to describe our Lord's dominion over all men by right of his obedience to God as a man, as our Mediator. Not only did Christ purchase God's elect by his death at Calvary. He also bought the right to rule over and dispose of all men as he will. The God-man, Jesus Christ is the absolute, sovereign Despot of the universe. This particular word, despotees, is used only five times in the Word of God.
In Luke 2:29, Semeon prayed, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:"
It is used in Acts 4:24, where the disciples rejoiced and gave thanks to God for having moved their enemies to release his servants, Peter and John, from prison. "And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:"
In Jude 1:4, it is used to set forth God's total sovereignty even over false prophets and reprobate men. "For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."
In Revelation 6:10, Christ, the Judge of all, is called the Despot, (He is the only Despot there is!), as his saints plead for him to come in judgment, to avenge his honor by avenging their blood upon their persecutors. "And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?"
These ten names of God tell us that God is infinite, eternal, almighty, self-existent, self-sufficient, ineffably glorious and holy. This great God is a God to be feared, worshipped, and obeyed. He is a consuming fire, unapproachably glorious. Let me have nothing to do with this God; "who only hath immortality dwelling in light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see!" I am a frail, fickle man of sinful flesh. Should I ever meet this God, great majestic, glorious, and holy, his sovereign power would consume me more quickly than dried grass is consumed in a blazing furnace.
Is there then no hope for sinners? Is there not a daysman to stand between me and God? Is there not One with holy hands and a pure heart who has never lifted up his soul unto vanity, who can approach God in my stead, and stand before him to plead my cause? Indeed there is! Blessed be God, there is a Substitute, who is himself God! He is constantly revealed under a eleventh name of God throughout the Scriptures.
God's glorious redemptive name is Jehovah.
Exodus 6:3 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."
The word "Jehovah" means "Savior" or "Deliverer." God in Christ is God mighty to save! Jehovah, essentially means "to be." And our Lord Jesus Christ declares that he is the One "which is, which was, and which is to come" (Rev. 1:4). He is the eternal God of salvation, redemption, and deliverance.
The Jews had such reverence for this name that they would not allow it to be spoken in common conversation, read aloud, or even written. When the scribes would write the word Jehovah in copying the scriptures, they would bathe themselves before writing it. I would not have us given over to Jewish superstitions. But I do pray that God will give us a true reverence for his name.
"This glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD" (Duet. 28:58) is not to be taken in vain, used in common speech, or spoken with any levity. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who taketh his name in vain"(Ex. 20:7). He that sent redemption to his people and commanded his covenant forever is to be reverenced by us."Holy and reverend is his name"(Ps. 111:9).
Now, let me give you ten names by which the Lord Jesus Christ, our Divine Savior, reveals himself in Holy Scripture. I will give them to you very briefly; but I pray that God the Holy Spirit will graciously use what I have to say to inspire your heart to trust him for the glory of his great name.
I. JEHOVAH-HOSEENU - "THE LORD OUR MAKER."
Psalms 95:6 "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker."
He who is the Lord our Maker, not only made us, he has made us his people.
1 Samuel 12:22 "For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people."
II. JEHOVAH-JIREH- "THE LORD WILL PROVIDE."
Genesis 22:13-14 "And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. (14) And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen."
Just as the Lord God provided a substitute for Isaac on Mt. Moriah, so he provides all things for his elect in Christ our Substitute. This is the message of the gospel.
A. The Lord saw our need.
B. The Lord provided a substitute to fill that need.
NOTE: Jehovah-Jireh is the constant object of our faith in both salvation and providence.
III. JEHOVAH-RAPHA - "THE LORD THAT HEALETH THEE."
Exodus 15:26 "And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee."
The Lord made the bitter waters of Marah sweet for the children of Israel and declared, "I am (Jehovah-Rapha) the Lord that healeth thee."
Isaiah 53:5 "With his stripes we are healed."
Our lives were bitter until the cross of Christ, the glorious doctrine of the cross, made them sweet by his grace.
Believers in this world have many bitter waters to drink. Cast the cross of Christ into those bitter waters and they will be both sweet and refreshing to your soul.
IV. JEHOVAH-NISSI- "THE LORD OUR BANNER."
Exodus 17:8-15 "Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. (9) And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. (10) So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. (11) And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. (12) But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. (13) And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. (14) And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. (15) And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi:"
A. Moses and the children of Israel fought with the Amalekites and won the victory through the strength of Christ.
B. So, too, we prevail only by Christ.
1. While we are in the world, we will struggle with sin, Satan, and the world.
2. As Moses lifted his rod to defeat the Amalekites, let us lift up the cross of Christ as a banner for the rallying of God's army.
V. JEHOVAH-M'KADDESH - "THE LORD THAT DOTH SANCTIFY YOU."
Exodus 31:13-14 "Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.. (14) Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people."
Sabbath observance was a declaration that the sanctification or salvation of a sinner is altogether the work of God.
Leviticus 20:7-8 "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I AM the LORD your God. (8) And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I AM the LORD which sanctify you."
It is our salvation by God's grace alone that inspires our obedience to him and causes us to set ourselves apart to his service, his will, and his glory. Our sanctification is God's work. It is a threefold work of grace. We are sanctified…
When Gideon saw the angel of the Lord he feared that he would die. But "the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die."
Judges 6:24 "Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites."
Jesus Christ is our Peace. By the blood of his cross, we have peace with God, peace from God, and the peace of God.
Psalms 23:1 "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."
Christ is our Shepherd. We are his sheep.
Jeremiah 23:6 "In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
The Lord Jesus Christ is made of God unto us righteousness. He is our righteousness; and we are the righteousness of God in him.
Ezekiel 48:35 "It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there."
Matthew 1:21 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."
He who is the incarnate God has a people in this world. They were his people long before he came into the world. These people were given to him in eternity by his Father. He came here specifically to save his people; and save them he shall. - Everyone of them!
These are the names of our God and Savior, as he reveals himself in Holy Scripture. He is Jehovah-Jesus, The Lord who will save (Matt. 1:21).
1. Call upon the Name of the Lord, and you shall be saved.
Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
2. The Name of the Lord is a strong tower, run to it for refuge.
Proverbs 18:10 "The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe."
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