The Names of Yahweh or Jehovah

The Names of Yahweh or Jehovah

 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens. 

Genesis 2:4

 This verse is the first place in the Bible where the name Jehovah or Yahweh is mentioned. In the New International Version that we use it is translated as LORD. Jehovah or Yahweh is by far the most used name for God in the Bible. It is found 6,519 times in the Old Testament. Yahweh is the name of the Lord used by the Jews. It is actually spelled YHWH without the vowels. This is because the Jews believed it was too holy to speak. We no longer know how YHWH was pronounced. During the third century AD, the Jewish people stopped saying YHWH because they were afraid of violating the commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain."  English speakers added the vowels for their own pronunciation. The word Jehovah was substituted for YHWH in the first English Bibles such as the Geneva Bible or the King James version. The first place in the Bible where God as Jehovah appears to someone is to Moses in Exodus.

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up." When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." 

Exodus 3:1-4

LORD is the word Jehovah here. In many cultures, names have been given to people based on what they did or certain characteristics of that person. The name Jehovah means "the existing one" or "self-Existent or eternal." This by itself is an accurate description of God. However, there are many other names that describe God. In fact, people have found hundreds of names for God in the Bible. We cannot possibly cover even a fraction of those in this study. About 40 years ago, I hired a woman to type up some of my Bible studies. In appreciation for my hiring her, she made me a framed picture on parchment paper that listed seven names of God. I still have this picture hanging on my bedroom wall to remind me of some of the great qualities of God. So, we will look at these seven names of God all found in the Old Testament and how they apply to us today as Christians.

Jehovah-Shammah

The first name is Jehovah Shammah. This name is translated "Yahweh is there." It is found in Ezekiel where the new Jerusalem is being described.

"The distance all around will be 18,000 cubits. "And the name of the city from that time on will be: THE LORD IS THERE." 

Ezekiel 48:35

In his vision, Ezekiel describes the new Jerusalem that God would be creating in the future. In it, there will be a temple and Jehovah will return to the temple and dwell in the midst of His people.

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 

Revelation 21:2-3

In Revelations, the new Jerusalem is described as coming down from heaven adorned as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. The church is also described as that bride.

After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 

Ephesians 5:29-32

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst? 

1 Corinthians 3:16

God is living in each Christian. We are God’s temple. Hence, the name of God, "Yahweh is there" applies to Christians today and is one that we enjoy.

Jehovah-Shalom

The next name is Jehovah Shalom, "Yahweh is peace." It is used in the book of Judges where the story of Gideon is described.

So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Judges 6:24

In this story, the Midianites were oppressing the Israelites. God heard their prayers and appeared to Gideon. He told Gideon that he was mighty warrior. God was going to send him to save Israel. Gideon was not so sure that he should be the one to send. He came from the weakest clan of Israelites and was the least in his family. So, he asked God for a sign.

The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did so. Then the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared. 

Judges 6:20-21

It was after this that Gideon built an altar to the Lord and called it The LORD is Peace.  Afterward, Gideon with the Lord's help, defeated the Midianites. For some time after that there was peace and the Israelites were no longer oppressed. God continues to be a God of Peace in our time. He knows that there will be times of trouble. But Jesus came to give us peace. He gave this message to his disciples.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 

John 14:27

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." 

John 16:33

Jehovah-Jireh

Our next name is Jehovah Jireh. This name means "Yahweh sees." The name was given by Abraham to the place where God provided a ram for a sacrifice instead of having Abraham sacrifice his son Isaac.

When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."

Genesis 22:9-14

The idea is that God sees and will provide for his children what they need. In Abraham’s case, he went up the mountain to sacrifice his son to the Lord. However, God saw his faith and provided a ram thereby saving Abraham's son Isaac. God sees and provides our needs even better than we could hope.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 

Matthew 6:25-33

Jehovah-Nissi

The next name Jehovah Nissi means "Yahweh is my banner." This name comes from the time of Moses. The Israelites had just left the Desert of Sin and were now encamped at Rephidim. There was no water there, so the people complained to Moses. God told Moses to take his staff and strike a rock. Then water would flow out of the rock for the Israelites to drink. Moses did this and there was water for everyone. Shortly after this, the Amalekites attacked them. Joshua led some of the Israelites against them. This was the first battle for the Israelites. They had never been taught how to fight. Moses went up a hill with Aaron and Hur. When he lifted his staff above his head, the Israelites would be winning. But if he lowered his hands, they would begin to lose. Aaron and Hur steadied Moses hands until sunset and the Israelites won.

As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. 

Exodus 17:11-13

It was after this victory that Moses built an altar to honor the Lord. He called it "Yahweh is my banner."

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven." Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner. He said, "Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the LORD, the LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation." 

Exodus 17:14-16

There are really two messages here. First, when an army fights a battle, they usually have some kind of banner. When the battle ensues, the army rallies around the banner. The Israelites worked together with God to win the battle. The church which is the body of Christ functions the same way. Everyone has a different role to play but we all work and rally together to win the battle.

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

1 Corinthians 12:12-14

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

1 Corinthians 12:27-30

The other message we get from this story is that Moses named the altar he built "Yahweh is my banner as a remembrance of the battle that took place where God had given the Israelites the victory. God told Moses that the name of the Amalekites would be erased. So, the Lord wanted there to be a remembrance so future generations of Israelites would remember what the Lord had done there. One of the ways that we as Christians grow is to constantly remember what God has done for us in the past. We need to rehearse the victories that we have had.

Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds."

Psalm 77:10-12

Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, 

Psalm 105:4-5

Paul explained to Timothy the importance of remembering the prophecies once made about him. If Timothy was going to fight the battles well, he was going to have to remember what God had told him before.

Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 

1 Timothy 1:18-19

Jehovah-Tsidkenu

Our next name is Jehovah Tsidkenu. This name means "Yahweh our righteousness." It comes from the book of Jeremiah where it is used to describe the future king who would rule over the restored Israel.

"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior. 

Jeremiah 23:5-6

This verse references the coming of the King, Jesus Christ, who will reign forever as our righteous Savior. For Christians today, we know that Jesus Christ is our righteousness.

God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

1 Corinthians 1:28-30

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2Corinthians 5:20-21

Jehovah-Rapha

The name Jehovah Rapha means "Yahweh who heals." This name goes all the way back to when God freed the Israelites from Egypt. After they had left Egypt, God gave them a promise.

He said, "If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you." 

Exodus 15:26

God showed himself then to the Israelites as a healer. God continued to keep them healthy as the wandered in the wilderness. From their time until today, God has been a healer to his people.

LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. 

Psalm 30:2

God told his people through the prophet Isaiah that he would send a man who would be punished and crushed by our iniquities. By his wounds we would be healed. This man is Jesus.

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 

Isaiah 53:3-5

Jesus came and walked the shores of the Sea of Galilee. As he traveled he healed the lame, the crippled, the mute, and many others who sought him. Jesus continues to heal people today.

Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. 

Matthew 15:29-31

"He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed." For "you were like sheep going astray," but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 

1 Peter 2:24-25

Jehovah Ra-ah

The last name we will look at for this study is Jehovah Ra-ah. This name means "Yahweh is Shepherd." Most people recognize this name from the twenty third Psalm.

A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. 

Psalm 23:1-3

Jesus explained to the Pharisees that he was the good Shepherd. The shepherd guides the sheep to green pastures and calm water. He protects them from harm even to the point of giving his life.

Therefore Jesus said again, "Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 

John 10:7-15

Jesus is still our Shepherd today. He is guiding and protecting us. Through Jesus, we are being equipped every day to do his will.

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

Hebrew 13:20-21

The many names of God give us a great opportunity to focus on who our God is. They remind us what He does for us every day. So, as you read and study the Bible take a moment to think on his names and give praise to the great Jehovah.

I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:2

Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. 

Psalm 30:4