Yahweh Shalom
"The Lord is Peace". This name stems from an interesting event in the life of Gideon. God has called him to serve and he [Gideon] has just realized that he has been speaking face-to-face with the angel of the Lord. Needless to say, Gideon was completely terrified and afraid he was going to die. That's when God says to him, in verse 23, "Peace to you. Don't be afraid for you will not die." It is after this, in Judges 6:24, that we see this name used.
Well, what this means for us: we have the ability to know true peace for our God is peace. whatever the situation, we are able to have peace through Him.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
6 Apr. 2012 - Yahweh Rapha
Yahweh Rapha
God himself identifies, in Exodus 15:26 as "The God Who Heals". This statement follows a purifying of a bitter spring and a statute and ordinance given - that if Israel obeyed God completely and explicitly, God would not inflict upon them what He did to the Egyptians.
Who is this being who claims power over sickness and health? Simply, it is God. After all, He created the entirety of the universe, so surely He has the power to cure or afflict His creation. Add to this the fact that this name is a name given to God not by man, but by God Himself. God is a healer God, providing for our needs.
God himself identifies, in Exodus 15:26 as "The God Who Heals". This statement follows a purifying of a bitter spring and a statute and ordinance given - that if Israel obeyed God completely and explicitly, God would not inflict upon them what He did to the Egyptians.
Who is this being who claims power over sickness and health? Simply, it is God. After all, He created the entirety of the universe, so surely He has the power to cure or afflict His creation. Add to this the fact that this name is a name given to God not by man, but by God Himself. God is a healer God, providing for our needs.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
5 Apr. 2012 - Yahweh Nissi
Yahweh Nissi
"The Lord is my Banner".
Tis name occurs after the Israelites were attacked by and victorious over the Amalekites in Exodus 17:15. I find this name interesting because of the use of a banner.
When I think of a banner, two main usages come to mind:
"The Lord is my Banner".
Tis name occurs after the Israelites were attacked by and victorious over the Amalekites in Exodus 17:15. I find this name interesting because of the use of a banner.
When I think of a banner, two main usages come to mind:
- A rallying point. This banner was a standard, a symbol to which warriors in a battle could look and fins the rest of their troop, rally around it and press forward. It was also an emblem of hope and many superstitions arose surrounding various standards (particularly the eagle of the Roman legions).
- A banner was a tapestry of sorts. It recounted the victories of a particular ruler or people for a set period of time. It remembered and commemorated the events of the past.
Both of these can apply to God. Firstly, in our war against sin and temptation, and against the powers and principalities present in this world, God is is the point around which we, as Christians, should be rallying. He is our source of hope and He is truly the bringer of victory. Secondly, when we look to the Lord, we should be reminded of His love for us, His sacrifice, and the recent impacts He has made on our lives.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
4 Apr. 2012 - Yahweh Yireh
Yahweh Yireh
Yahweh is the personal name of God, I AM THAT I AM. This is the name given to Moses in Exodus 3 as a proof to the Israelites in Egypt.
Yahweh Yireh (some of you might know it as Jehovah Jireh, well Jehovah is a mistransliteration of the Hebrew - Hebrew, particularly Yahweh, is written as consonants and I believe the vowels are merely diacritics, but I could be wrong. So, YHWH = Yahweh, not Jehovah).
Anyway, this name means "The Lord Will Provide". We see this name occur in Genesis 22:14. In this passage, Abraham was told to give Isaac as a sacrifice to God. As Abraham is about to lay the fatal wound, God stops him and provides a sacrifice.
We can apply this in our own lives. God is a god who provides. After all, did He not make everything which we use or consume? Beyond that, He is a god who gives gifts of various kinds. I have seen spiritual gifts, monetary gifts, gifts of providence and more come into play because God gave them and they were a blessing.
Yahweh is the personal name of God, I AM THAT I AM. This is the name given to Moses in Exodus 3 as a proof to the Israelites in Egypt.
Yahweh Yireh (some of you might know it as Jehovah Jireh, well Jehovah is a mistransliteration of the Hebrew - Hebrew, particularly Yahweh, is written as consonants and I believe the vowels are merely diacritics, but I could be wrong. So, YHWH = Yahweh, not Jehovah).
Anyway, this name means "The Lord Will Provide". We see this name occur in Genesis 22:14. In this passage, Abraham was told to give Isaac as a sacrifice to God. As Abraham is about to lay the fatal wound, God stops him and provides a sacrifice.
We can apply this in our own lives. God is a god who provides. After all, did He not make everything which we use or consume? Beyond that, He is a god who gives gifts of various kinds. I have seen spiritual gifts, monetary gifts, gifts of providence and more come into play because God gave them and they were a blessing.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
3 Apr. 2012 - Elohei-Shammayim
Elohei-Shammayim
This name means "The Lord, The God of Heaven".
Now, unfortunately, the source from which I've been reading as provided a verse which brings no mention to God at all, let alone this name. Still we can look at this name and see it's imports.
The biggest thins is that here, God is named the God of heaven. Most cultures accepted that there was a god/pantheon of gods that existed in a supernatural location known as heaven (or by various different names, but the concept is the same). Since God is named God of heaven, he is automatically exalted above any other gods as he is the god of their realm. Again, we see God's primacy and superiority over the foreign, false gods.
This name means "The Lord, The God of Heaven".
Now, unfortunately, the source from which I've been reading as provided a verse which brings no mention to God at all, let alone this name. Still we can look at this name and see it's imports.
The biggest thins is that here, God is named the God of heaven. Most cultures accepted that there was a god/pantheon of gods that existed in a supernatural location known as heaven (or by various different names, but the concept is the same). Since God is named God of heaven, he is automatically exalted above any other gods as he is the god of their realm. Again, we see God's primacy and superiority over the foreign, false gods.
Monday, April 2, 2012
2 Apr. 2012 - El Gibbor
El Gibbor
El Gibbor means "The Mighty God" and He is most definitely mighty. How many beings do you know that can create something from nothing, existence from word, or even man from dust? Our God is a God of strength, uplifting and protecting the weak and poor, yet punishing and destroying the sinful and immoral.
We can see in Isaiah 9:6 that God, specifically the saviour to come, Jesus, is called Mighty God. Why? For He shall destroy the link between sin and death and defeat sin and Satan. The former has already happened - Christ's sacrifice on the cross - and the latter will be finished at the end of time. This mighty God has has made it possible for us poor, broken sinners, to finally have a means to be restored to a right relationship with God.
We can see other instanced of God's might: Jesus calming the storm, Jesus casting a demon into a flock of pigs, or even the Holy spirit freeing Peter and John from prison. We serve a Holy, Mighty God
El Gibbor means "The Mighty God" and He is most definitely mighty. How many beings do you know that can create something from nothing, existence from word, or even man from dust? Our God is a God of strength, uplifting and protecting the weak and poor, yet punishing and destroying the sinful and immoral.
We can see in Isaiah 9:6 that God, specifically the saviour to come, Jesus, is called Mighty God. Why? For He shall destroy the link between sin and death and defeat sin and Satan. The former has already happened - Christ's sacrifice on the cross - and the latter will be finished at the end of time. This mighty God has has made it possible for us poor, broken sinners, to finally have a means to be restored to a right relationship with God.
We can see other instanced of God's might: Jesus calming the storm, Jesus casting a demon into a flock of pigs, or even the Holy spirit freeing Peter and John from prison. We serve a Holy, Mighty God
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