INTROUDUCTION:

Late last Fall, I asked for suggestions from you about what subject you would like me to preach about over the next few weeks. I received six specific suggestions… The Names of GOD, The Names of Jesus, the Names of the Holy Spirit, Angels, Can GOD die? and The Epistle of First John.

As the LORD allows, between now and Palm Sunday (3/24) I will preach on these subjects in the order that I received them.

EXPOSITION: The Names of GOD!

We know WHO GOD is because HE has chosen to reveal HIMSELF to us through Creation, the Conscience, the Content of Scripture, and Christ!

** Since there are so many Names by which GOD is called in the Bible, I will limit the sermon today to 6 of the most common: God, Father, Holy One, Creator, LORD, and The Angel of the LORD.

#1. The primary Name by which GOD has revealed HIMSELF is “GOD.”

Each of the occurrences of the word, “GOD” in these verses, and in almost every occurrence in the Old Testament, is a translation of the Hebrew word “Elohim” which is the plural masculine form of   the noun אֱלהִים “Eloah” which means “Divine Being.”

It appears 2,598 times in the Old Testament.

It is plural because GOD exists eternally as ONE BEING yet THREE DISTINCT PERSONS.

It is masculine because GOD exists eternally as “The Father.”

In Exodus 3:14, GOD revealed HIMSELF to Moses as אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה “EH-YEH” which means, “I AM.”

It is the first-person singular of the verb “to be.”

In the Greek translation, which Jesus applied to HIMSELF) it is, ἐγὼ εἰμί  “ego eimi.”

Mark 14:61b-62

(61b) “Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” (62) And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

John 8:24 “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

#2. GOD has revealed HIMSELF as the “HOLY ONE!”

“Holy” is from the Hebrew adjective, “קָדוֹשׁ” “qadosh” which means, “apart” or “other.”

Psalm 71:22 “I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.”

Leviticus 11:45 “For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

1^st Peter 1:15-16

(15) “but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, (16) since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

#3. GOD has revealed HIMSELF as the CREATOR!

“Creator” is from the Hebrew verb בָּרָא (Bara) which means, “to shape” or “to create.”

Isaiah 40:28 “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.”

Theological Note: In the creation passage, GOD reveals HIMSELF with the plural noun Elohim because all THREE PERSONS OF THE GODHEAD were actively involved in creation.

John 1:1-3

(1) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.”

Colossians 1:15-17

(15) “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (16) For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things were created through him and for him. (17) And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

#4. GOD reveals HIMSELF as, “FATHER.”

GOD is revealed as “FATHER” 15 times in the Old Testament and 165 times in the New Testament.

The title of “FATHER” is used in the context of relationship revealing GOD as the Progenitor, Head, Provider, and Savior/Protector of the human race.

“Father” is from the Hebrew noun אבות “abot”. This word, (usually given as “ab”) appears 1,212 times in the Old Testament.

Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

The Greek πατήρ “Pater” appears 418 times in the New Testament!

Matthew 6:9 “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…”

#5. GOD reveals HIMSELF as, “LORD.”

This comes from the Hebrew יְהוָֹה “YHWH” (usually called, “the Tetragrammaton”, “the four letters”) since it is held by Jews to be too holy to write or pronounce.

Grammatical Note – In order to communicate the Name of GOD, the Jews (including Messianic Jews) took the vowels from the word “Adonai” (lord) and interposed them into YHWH and created the word “YaHoWaHi” which in English is “Jehovah!”

In your English Bible, when you see the word, “LORD” (all upper-case letters) it is translating the word, “JEHOVAH” and when you see the word “lord” (using lower-case letters) it is translating the word, “Adonai.”

#6. GOD reveals HIMSELF as, “The Angel of the LORD.”

While this often speaks of GOD, HIMSELF, it sometimes describes an angel serving as a Messenger of GOD…

Genesis 22:11-12

(11) “But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” (12) He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

Luke 1:11-13, 19

(11) “And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. (12) And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. (13) But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. …

(19) And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.”