A. THE THREE NAMES FOR GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
1. God is Elohim, the most common designation. Comes from El, “strong one” and Ohim “to swear or bind with an oath.” Used 2,500 times.
• First mentioned in Scripture, Gen. 1:1. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
• Usually used with creation or inanimate objects. “From everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Ps. 90:2).
• Elohim is plural implying His Trinity.
2. LORD is Jehovah, personal also called the Great I AM. “What is His name? . . . God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex. 3:13-14). God’s Persons in the Godhead identification; One who keeps His covenants.
3. The Master, Adonai, also called Lord (only capitalize first letter). “And Abram said, ‘Lord God what will You give me?’” (Gen. 15:2).
• Suggests the Lord’s ownership
• Shows our relationship to God, and service is the issue
• Implies control by the master of the servant
THE NAMES OF GOD IN SCRIPTURE
Elohim (God) El-Shaddai, El-Elyon, El-Olam
Jehovah (LORD) Jehovah-Sabaoth,
Jehovah-Jireh,
Jehovah-Rapha,
Jehovah-Nissi,
Jehovah-Shalom,
Jehovah-Tsidkenu,
Jehovah-Shammah
Adonai (Lord or Master)
B. THE TRINITY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
1. The names of God imply Trinity. A plural pronoun. “Let us make man in our image” (Gen. 1:26). “The man is become one of us” (Gen. 3:22). “Let us go down” (Gen. 11:7). “Who will go for us?” (Isa. 6:8). Jews call this “plural majesty.”
2. Three names imply three Persons in the Godhead, “For thy maker (Father) thy husband, the Lord of hosts (Spirit) is His name; and thy redeemer (Son) the Holy One of Israel” (Isa. 54:5).
3. Trinitarian formula. “Holy, Holy, Holy” (Isa. 6:3). Jacob repeated the blessing for his children three times. The Aaronic blessing, “The LORD bless thee and keep thee, the LORD make His face to shine upon thee . . . the LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace” (Num. 6:24-26). “The Lord our God is one God” (Deut. 6:4).
4. The Old Testament distinguishes between God (Gen. 19:24). The LORD had a Son (Ps. 2:7). The Spirit distinguished from God (Gen. 1:1- 2).
5. Clear statement of Trinity. “I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I; and now the Lord God (Father) and his Spirit (Holy Spirit) hath sent me (Son)” (Isa. 48:16).
C. WHO IS GOD?
1. God is a Person. Hegel says God is an impersonal being . . . a plate on the table.
a. As a person, God has self-awareness. “I AM THAT I AM” (Ex. 3:13-14).
b. God has intellect. He speaks, listens, understands, and has memory.
c. God has emotion. He has love, hatred, sorrow, and kindness
d. God has will. He decides.
2. God is Spirit (John 4:24). This means
a. God is an incorporeal being (non-physical).
b. God is invisible (John 1:18; Col. 1:15) and,
c. God is pure (quality and quantity).
3. God is life. “The living God” (Matt. 16:18). What is life? Life is energy. God is the energy that holds together the atoms and molecules.
4. God is without limits. “His infinity in revelation to His being.” Not based on His will. “He who exists by reasons of His nature, rather than His volition, must always have existed and must continue to exist.”
5. God is unchangeable.
a. All change is for better or worse; God cannot improve or deteriorate.
b. Since God is uncaused by His nature, He must continue in an unchanging existence.
c. When God appears to change (God repents), the change is not in God but in man. God is always consistent with His nature in His reaction to man.
6. God is unlimited in time and space.
a. Time is the sequence of events and God exists beyond events.
b. Space is the distance between objects and God exists beyond the last object.
7. God is One (The unity of God). “The LORD our God is one LORD” (Deut. 6:4).
APPLICATION
1. Who is God? God is a Person who is spirit in nature, who is the source of life, who exists in Himself, from eternity. He cannot change, is unlimited by time and space and is consistently one in all; He is and does.
2. To curse by His name or take it in vain is to reject Him and His control of your life.
3. The more you learn about His many names, the more you will know Him and His names.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord,
I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
For more information on the TRBC Pastor’s Bible Class, log on to the Internet www.itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-elmer-towns.
Dr. Towns’ email: eltowns@liberty.edu
Dr. Towns’ web address: www.elmertowns.com
