CENTRAL THOUGHT
God’s Names reveal His covenant relationship with His people.
HYMN: Take the name of Jesus with you.
TEXT: EXODUS 6:1-8
INTRODUCTION:
Jehovah or Yeweh is the covenant name of God most prominent in connection with His relationship with the nation Israel. The name Jehovah is combined with other words which form what we know as the Jehovah titles. They are of great significance and our desire to understand their meaning will help in knowing that our God is limitless. These names do not only serve as revelation of what God can do and did on different occasions but show the various covenant relationships with His people.
From our text we find God becoming interested in our individual situations. He is not a “distant” God sitting there in heaven but can become involved in our individual needs each day. It is therefore our prayer that as you go through this study you will get these revelations which can
have a life-changing impact upon your life.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study are:
- To list the compound names of God.
- To know the meaning and significance of each of the names.
- To know that each of these names describes the covenant relationship between God and His people.
- To know that each believer can partake in this covenant relationship.
BIBLE TRUTH:
Q1. WHAT ARE THE COMPOUND-NAMES OF GOD?
JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU-THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS:
This compound name refers to God as “The Lord our Righteousness”. It also means “The Lord does what sis right”. (Jer.23:6; 33:16).
The context of Jeremiah’s message is gloomy with the imminent fall of Jerusalem to the army of Nebuchadnezzar and the subsequent carrying away many of the Hebrew people into exile in Babylon. Despite this gloom which was coming to them because of their sins, God reaffirmed His covenant with them that no amount of their unrighteousness will change His righteous relationship with them. God’s nature is so righteous that nothing we do can change it, but that righteousness can gloriously change us. We can never defile God, but He can, and will make us holy.
The Lord does what is right tells us that all the ways of God are just and upright. Moses sang, “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he”, (Deut.32:4). His thoughts towards us are pure, His purposes are permanent, and His love is constant. His righteousness is never subject to situational ethics, (Jer.29:11). The righteous nature of God was a constant source of rejoicing to David, (Ps. 96:11-13). God being a righteous God also implies that He always makes righteous provision. For Jesus Christ has become our righteousness before God and man.
God has never revealed any aspect of His nature to hinder our worship. He wants us to know that He is available to us. When we are made aware of our unrighteousness, He invites us to approach the Throne of Grace in His righteousness. When we cannot come to Him in righteousness, we should come to Him for righteousness. He is a loving God who is touched by our inadequacies.
Q2. JEHOVAH-RAPHA (THE LORD YOUR PHYSICIAN)
This name also means “I am the Lord that heals you” (Exodus 15:25-26).
Here God reveals Himself as our healer and in a healing covenant with us. He has promised to heal us at all times. God showed the power of this covenant of divine health to the Israelites soon after their deliverance from Egypt. When the people out of their thirst found that the waters of Marah were not only bitter, it also produced diarrhea. They murmured against Moses, and God is response changed the water and made it sweet. Furthermore, He made a covenant of divine health with them, Ex 15:26.
This same covenant of healing and divine health is available for each believer who cares to accept and enter into it with God. We have the following scriptures among many we choose to believe in order to partake of this covenant.
“He sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions”, Ps.107:20.
Jesus told the leper, “be thou clean, “Mark 1:40-41 “and with His stripes we are healed” Isa.53:5, 1 Pet.2:24.
“The prayer of faith shall save the sick. James 5:13-16.
It is important for all believers to make God our healer in times of infirmity and sickness and also believe Him for divine health. Let us make our lives a testimony to the efficacy of this covenant.
Q3. JEHOVAH-SHALOM: THE LORD OUR PEACE. THIS ALSO MEANS “THE LORD SENDS PEACE”. JUDGES 6:23-24.
Before this time, there was ancient belief that if one sees God or an angel he/she will die but God assured (Gideon) that seeing Him will not bring death, vs.23. The Hebrew word shalom means peace, perfection, compensation or recompence. It also implies wholeness to body, soul, and spirit.
“Peace” is not the absence or cessation of hostility or war but harmony between God and man plus rest, contentment, serenity, and prosperity that follows that relationship. It is more than a feeling of serene, satisfaction or calm in the face of obvious adversity, turbulence, and deprivation. It is not a concept, it is a condition, more than feeling good, it is a fact. It is dependent upon our relationship with God. Peace is received not achieved. It is a gift that affects relationship. We receive it when we allow Christ to rule our spirit, soul and body. “For He is our peace, who hath made both one”, (Eph.2:14), so “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also you are called in one body; and be ye thankful”, (Col.3:15).
The world today is in dire pursuit of peace through economic, political, and social emancipation. The end result of these has been more confusion and trouble because all these are happening outside of the Prince of peace. Sadly, we find believers believing and living this lie as well. Peace can only come from Him who is peace, (Luke 24:36; John 14:27; Rom.16:20; Phil.4:9). His peace in us is far more powerful than the pressure, persecution, and deprivation in the world. It sets a guard to protect our hearts and minds from the disturbing thoughts the enemy loves to project to us. It is not what happens to us that disturbs us as much as how we react to that happening. When’s God peace rules and guards the inner thoughts and emotions, outside forces cannot enter the inner sanctum of life.
Q4. JEHOVAH-JIREH: THE LORD PROVIDES (GEN 22:14)
God commanded Abraham to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice on Mt. Moriah to Him as a demonstration of his obedience to God. When his son, Isaac wanted to know what animal they would sacrifice, Abraham’s response was that God will provide Himself a lamb for the sacrifice, (vs 8). At the nick of time after Abraham had demonstrated his obedience and loyalty to God, God indeed provided a lamb for the sacrifice, vs.13.
The scripture teaches that God has faithfully kept His part of this covenant by providing for all those who know Him as the great provider. For forty years as the children of Israel traveled through the wilderness, the people lacked nothing; for God provided all they needed (Deut.2:7). God was Elijah’s provider by using ravens and then a widow to feed him during the three and half years of famine, (1 Kings 17:6, 16). By first providing for Elijah’s needs the widow had an unlimited supply during difficult years. Again, as he fled from the wrath of Jezebel, God provided for him (1 King 19:6). The multitude that followed Jesus all day were fed with only five loaves of bread and two fishes with twelve baskets of the left over (Matt.14:17, 20). Paul in Phil.4:19 declared, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”.
The clear message here is that we have the Almighty God as our provider. All our needs can be met by Jehovah-Jireh. No other power or person can. Let us therefore look up to Him who is able to meet ALL our needs. He is Jehovah-Jireh.
Q5. JEHOVAH-ELOHIM; SELF-EXISTENT GOD.
This means self-existent or eternal creator, the Elohim in covenant relationship with His people. Jehovah really means the Eternal. To Abraham He is the “God who lives forever”, to Moses “I AM THAT I AM” (Ex.3:14), and Jehovah (Eternal), Ex.6:3. In Ps.83:18, He is revealed as the Most High and severally as Jehovah, (Isa.12:2; 26:4).
The meaning of this title/covenant name is that God is immutable, eternal, He who was and is and is to come (Rev.1:17-18). Our God spans all eternity. He was before, and will remain after the end of the world. In this covenant dealing with His people, being eternal means that we can trust Him as our strength and hope. Nothing exists without or outside Him and He is in control of all situations. Being Elohim should spur us to be devote worship and adoration. He is also unchanging. (Mal.3:6) and all powerful (Jer.32:17). We serve a God that was not created and therefore cannot be manipulated by the whims and caprices of man with all his scientific development. It also means He “Which doeth great things past finding out; yea wonders without number”, (Job 9:10). Believers should be glad that our God existed then, now, and forever. He neither seeks counsel from anyone nor is He involved in committee meeting when we come to Him. He responds by Himself in His love and grace.
Q6. JEHOVAH-NISSI: THE LORD OUR BANNER.
After Joshua defeated the Amalekites at Rephidim, Moses set up an altar and called the place Jehovah-Nissi (The Lord is my Banner). Because “I lifted my hands towards the Lord’s throne. The Lord will fight against the Amalekites forever” (Ex.17:16, New Century version). Wherever this title covenant name was used in Scripture, it had to do with warfare; Ehud, (Judges 3:13-15), Gideon, (Judges 6:3). In other words, the Lord our Banner is the Lord who will fight for us. He is not just the symbol of our Strength, but He is our Strength. How many battles do we fight each day with the enemy and his cohorts?
He can become our banner when we know Him as the God of Battles and enter into that covenant relationship with Him. Moses told the Israelites to stand still for the Lord will fight for them, Exodus14:13-14. This same sentiment was echoed by Jehoshaphat when he faced the children of Ammon, Moab and Mt. Seir, 2 Chron.20:17. Rejoice the Lord is your banner, your strength, defense and victory. “With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah, King of Judah”, 2 Chron.32:8.
Q7. JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH: THE LORD IS PRESENT.
This also means the Presence of the Lord. Ezek.48:35.
“The city will measure about six miles around. From then the name of the city will be The Lord is there”, Jehovah-Shammah. This city must be the new Jerusalem as the land of Canaan had already been divided among the twelve tribes. Above all it is signified the very presence of the Lord.
The Lord throughout scripture promises the believers of His divine presence. In Gen.28:15, He told Jacob “And behold I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest”. Moses was also assured, “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest”, Exo.33:14. His presence is also assured in the daily battles we face and this guarantees our victory, (Deut.20:1), His presence is also a comfort in trials, (Isa.43:2), and with us whenever we gather, Matt.18:20. Thus the Lord is with us always because He is Jehovah-Shammah.
The sad thing is that most believers are not conscious of the very presence of God. Consequently, they live in fear, anxiety, and defeat, never attaining the victorious life in Christ assured by His presence. Similarly, because of the lack of awareness, others live a life of recklessness and sin. What a difference it will make if we know the Lord is present in our assemblies, worship, homes, offices, schools, market-places, and in our individual lives. The Lord is present, ever present now, not just in the past nor in the future but now where you are this day.
Q8. JEHOVAH-ROHI: THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.
The best way to fully grasp this title and covenant is to study Psalm 23 and appreciate the caring character of God. We suggest that you read/study this Psalm over and over again until it becomes a part of you. In this Psalm we see the manifestation of all the title/covenant name of the Lord in one. As Jehovah-Rohi, He demonstrates His loving and caring character to all those who will trust in Him. Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd; the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep”, (John 10:11). As the good Shepherd, He leads, provides, protects, heals, cares and is ever present.
Q9. JEHOVAH-ELOHEENI: THE LORD OUR GOD. PSALM 99:5, 8,9
As the Lord our God, He is to be worshipped and adored. He is not only our God but Lord, master, and ruler of our life. As Eloheeni, we are saying that He owns us and we belong to Him in totality. Our lives are to be lived for Him and Him alone. This title and covenant name draws from us servanthood and obedience. It recognizes His authority and Lordship over our lives. In the words of the Psalmist “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our maker, For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hands”, Ps. 95:6-7. When Thomas recognized Him, he said “My Lord and my God”, John 20:28.
Q10. JEHOVAH-ELYON: THE LORD MOST HIGH
This means elevated, high, exalted, the Most High, the Supreme Being. Our God is exalted above all others. “I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me:….”Isa.45:5. No other God can be compared with Him in authority, power, grace, love, and faithfulness. The Psalmist says that he will praise Him because He does what is right, (Ps.7:17). This name speaks of His greatness and therefore we are to worship Him as the Most High.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION:
We have seen in this lesson the various covenant names of the Lord God. They also reflect His covenants-relationship with His people. He is our peace, healer, provider, banner, righteousness, shepherd, ever present and the Lord the Most High. The revelation of these titles/covenant names came about due to the experiences of men of God. There were personal manifestation to them on a number of occasions. They were expressions of their personal knowledge of God.
As a believer, what name of God will be revealed through your lifestyle? To some of us, He is God-The complain hearer, to others no name because their lifestyle does not conform to the character of God. The good news is that God wants to manifest Himself in All of these titles and covenants in our individual lives.
God desires to be involved in a personal way in our daily lives. He says “Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me”.
Memory Verse:
Exodus 6:3
“And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them.”
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:
Monday: Covenant of Righteousness:
Ps.45:7; Isa.11:5; 59:16; Jer.23:5-6, 33:16.
Tuesday: Covenant of healing:
Exo.15: 25-26; Deut.7:15: Jer.30:17; 1 Pet.2:24.
Wednesday: Covenant of Peace:
Ps.29:11; 119:165; Isa. 26:3; John 14:27; Eph.2:14.
Thursday: Covenant of Provision:
Gen.22:4; Joel 2:24; Mal. 3:10; Mat. 14:20.
Friday: He is our eternal Father:
Gen.21:33; Exo.3:13-14; 6:3; Ps.83:18
Saturday: The Good Shepherd:
Ps.23:1-6.