Names of God:Understanding the Hebrew names of God

Why do we have different names of God? When we pray or refer to God it is usually as the Lord, God or our Father. But did you know that God actually refers to Himself in the Bible with other titles? There are many Hebrew names that are linked to the specific circumstances of how God is revealing His power and glory to His people. The Lord's name stands in for His purpose, reflecting His qualities,character and attributes. For instance, if we are praying for a healing we would use the title Jehovah-Rophe or Jehovah-Rapha,"the Lord God heals".(Psalm 147:3)God wants to heal not only our sicknesses and physical health but also our emotional health or even our 'land' can be healed.

'Rapha' means restoring something to it's normal state. Another of the names of God we call on is El Roi. We use this name if we are seeking God to open our eyes and reveal to us that even though men may not see our good deeds, God sees it all. El Roi or "the God of seeing" means God sees the afflictions or suffering of His people and if we humble ourselves and call on Him, He will come to our aid.(Hebrews 2:18)

God is also referred to as the Jehovah-Sabaoth or the Lord of Hosts which is the title of "the Commander to the Angelic Host and the Armies of God". We may call on Jehovah-Sabaoth if we have lost all hope and are defenseless and in trouble, feeling trapped like we have an army of enemies surrounding us on all sides.(Isaiah 36-37) As you can see, we use the specific names quite frequently to help us in our current circumstances. If we are having difficulties making ends meet we would call on the Jehovah-Jireh or "the Lord will provide". Because God always provides for our needs at the appropriate time. Abraham named the place on the mountain where he was ready to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac "The Lord will Provide", because at the last moment God provided a ram to sacrifice in place of Isaac.(Gen 22:1-19)

Here are some other Hebrew names of God that we can call on at the appropriate times:

El Shaddai- "God all sufficient" This could be used in unison with Jehovah-Jireh because God supplies all our needs at the prescribed time according to His riches and Glory in Christ.

Jehovah-Nissi- "The Lord our Banner" This often refers to the banner of God on the battlefield. His banner over us signifies His presence, His power and His provision. Remember Songs 2:4 which refers to His banner over me is love?

Jehovah-Shalom- "The Lord our Peace" The way we gain God's peace over our lives is by trusting Christ and obedience to His commands which results in a 'wholeness' in our relationship with God and with others. Sometimes this is called a 'peace that surpasses all understanding'.(Romans 5:1)

El Elyon- "The most high God" God is sovereign which means that God is in charge of the entire universe ALL the time. God is so in control of our lives that nothing can happen without His permission.(Psalm 57:2) No fortunes, evil dictator's plans or worldly circumstances can thwart His plans.

For more detailed information on the names of God, you may be interested in the link below:

Additional names of God resources

Used by permission of Beth Rimstidt www.child-bible-lessons.com

All requests for other uses will be considered. Please ask.