I. God Revealed Himself To In The Old Testament Through His Names

A. Elohim

1. Elohim is the name God uses as He relates to all people.

2. Elohim reveals His greatness, power, glory, and sovereignty.

3. (Genesis 1:1, NIV) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

B. El-Shaddai

1. El-Shaddai is translated “God Almighty” and first seen in Genesis 17:1 when the LORD revealed Himself to Abram.

2. (Genesis 17:1, NIV) When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; ...

C. Adonai

1. Adonai is a title of authority and honor and is translated “Lord”.

2. Adonai refers to a master (it can be used in reference to man as well as God); it signifies honor, majesty, and sovereignty.

3. In reference to man it is always singular (adon); in reference to God it is always plural (which references the Trinity)

4. (Genesis 15:2, ESV) But Abram said, O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, ...

D. YaHWeH (LORD): God’s personal, proper name; this was the name God used in His covenant relationship with Israel.

1. (Genesis 2:4, NIV) This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

2. Known by early generations: (Genesis 4:26, NIV) ... At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.

a. Abraham: (Genesis 12:8, NIV) ... he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.

b. Isaac: (Genesis 26:25, NIV) Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord. ...

c. Jacob: (Genesis 28:16, NIV) Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.

3. Yet the LORD didn’t fully reveal the significance of His Name YaHWeH until later.

a. (Exodus 6:2–3, NIV) God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself fully known to them.

b. They knew the LORD’s name, but they didn’t have a full revelation of what it meant!

E. I AM

1. Exodus 3:14

a. (NIV) God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

b. (Tanakh) And God said to Moses, “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh.” [variously translated: I Am That I Am; I Am Who I Am; I Will Be What I Will Be; etc.] He continued, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites, ‘Ehyeh [I Am or I Will Be] sent me to you.’”

2. Moses lived in a polytheistic culture; he knew the name of a god was significant; that’s why Moses asked God His name!

a. (Exodus 3:13–15, NIV) Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.

b. I AM who? ... I AM the LORD (YHWH)! The God who revealed Himself to your fathers; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!

F. The LORD Continued To Gradually, Yet Gloriously, Reveal More About Himself To His People Using His Covenant Name

1. LORD-Jireh: (Gen. 22:14) ... The Lord Will Provide. (Revealed to Abraham when Isaac was to be sacrificed.)

2. LORD-Rophe: (Ex. 15:26) ... I am the LORD, who heals you. (Revealed to the Israelites in the wilderness.)

3. LORD-Nissi: (Ex. 17:15) ... The LORD is my Banner. (Revealed when the Israelites defeated the Amalekites.)

4. LORD-M’Kaddesh: (Lev. 20:8) ... I am the Lord who sanctifies you. (Revealed in the wilderness.)

5. LORD-Shalom: (Judges 6:24) So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. ...

6. LORD-Rohi: (Psalm 23:1) The Lord is my shepherd, ...

7. LORD-Tsidkenu: (Jer. 23:6) ... And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

II. The LORD’s Name Is Fully Revealed In the Lord Jesus Christ

A. “God” And “Lord” In The Septuagint (LXX)

1. The LXX uses Theos for YHWH and Elohim (God) ... and Kyrios for Adonai (Lord)

2. Both these divine names are attributed to Jesus in the NT

a. (John 20:28, NIV) Thomas said to him, “My Lord (Kyrios) and my God (Theos)!”

B. Throughout The New Testament Jesus Referred To Himself As The “I AM”

1. (John 8:24, NASB95) “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

2. (John 8:28, NASB95) So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.

3. (John 8:58, NIV) “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

4. (John 18:4–6, NASB95) ... “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. 6 So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

C. Jesus Said That He Had Been Given The Name Of The Father

1. (John 17:11, NIV) ... Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, ...

a. Jesus fully revealed the Father; the Name of the Father was given to Him: i.e. LORD

b. Jesus fully revealed the Spirit; the Name of the Spirit was given to Him: i.e. Christ (Anointed One)

2. The fullness of God ... the full revelation of God is revealed in the Name of Jesus!

a. (Colossians 2:9, NIV) For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,

b. (Hebrews 1:3, NIV) The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, ...