What’s in a Name?

Digging into the names of God deepens our understanding of His glory. Reverence for His name and praise for who He is keeps us in His presence. We trust this new series will increase your awe for the wonderful God who loves you so much!

Elohim is the first name used for God in Scripture, and it focuses on God as the supreme, strong Creator. Elohim appears over 2,500 times in the Bible, and El — referring to the power of God — combines with other divine attributes for greater revelations we’ll explore in future pieces.

But the first name God applied to Himself is Yahweh, which is why it is known as the personal name of God. Jewish people consider the name Yahweh so sacred that they never speak it aloud. As His divine name, Yahweh presents God’s relational nature. He’s passionate for us to know Him. Yahweh is used 6,828 times in Scripture (typically printed as Lord).

Yahweh replies to Moses when He says, “I am who I am.” As theologian Brevard Childs translates Exodus 3:14, “I am there, wherever it may be — I am really there.” The comforting, powerful truth God wants conveyed through His name Yahweh is this:

Yahweh is all we need, and He is always with us.

Before God used Yahweh to describe Himself, the writer of Genesis applied the name to God too. This reveals a beautiful truth. We know God by name — at a distance. But when we relate to Him personally, we can know Him by heart. God longs for each of us to draw close to Him so we can truly grasp who He is and how He acts.

Ask God to reveal Himself to you as the Great I AM … as the sovereign, supreme LORD who is always by your side!