Names of God – Pt 3
Jehovah Jireh – “The Lord God Who Provides” (Genesis 22:14)
As we continue looking at the incredible Names of God, we’ll look at one that we all love to call upon whether we do so in the Hebrew Name or simply by our own asking. That Name is Jehovah Jireh – “The Lord God Who Provides” found first in Genesis 22:14.
It’s an incredible story of faith and the unbelievable testing of that faith of Abraham by God. God asks him to make a sacrifice on Mount Moriah to Him. The catch is that God asks that the sacrifice be his son, Isaac, the son of the Covenant that God clearly promised and seemingly had fulfilled to Abraham in Isaac.
Now when you go to make a sacrifice you go in preparation and provision with what is to be sacrificed. When Abraham and Isaac arrive at the mountain to make the sacrifice, Isaac asks his father, “where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
It is in Abraham’s answer that God reveals Himself as Jehovah Jireh – “The Lord God Who Provides” in verse 14…”The Lord God will provide.” This is something we need to remember even as it continues in that verse, “on the mountain of The Lord it will be provided.”
Now let’s look at how completely Christ has fulfilled that provision as Jehovah Jireh – “The Lord God Who Provides” in Philippians 4:19! All our needs are provided out of God’s glorious riches in Christ…no matter what the circumstances or needs may be!
El Olam – “The Everlasting God” (Genesis 21:33)
Our next Name of God comes from Genesis 21:33, “EL OLAM,” which means Everlasting or Eternal God…no beginning and no end! He has always existed and always will and we can count on that faithfulness just as Abraham did when two other family or tribal leaders in Beersheba recognized that God was with Abraham in all that he did. Abraham called on the Name, EL OLAM – The Eternal God!
We also see His everlasting nature in His never failing strength in Isaiah 40:28-31 who works His purposes at all times and gives strength to those who are weary! Thank You, EL OLAM, for Your strength and power to go on even when I’m weary!
We also know that we have El Olam as the Everlasting God in Christ…Christ is the Eternal God as we find in John 1:1-5, 14…Jesus was God and existed eternally with and as God even before creation. God in Christ has made a way for us to live eternally with Him and for that we must be ever grateful!
He also provides us with never ending strength to handle any and every situation that we may face, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
Jehovah/Yahweh – The Lord (Exodus 6:2)
In Exodus 6:2 we find the most commonly used Name for God in all of Scripture… Jehovah The Lord – Yahweh! We spoke of this in our previous article (Names of God – Pt 2) but I wanted to return as this is the text where God reveals Himself as such so we can better understand Who He Is as Lord and why this is the most used Name by The Holy Spirit in Scripture.
God not only gives Moses His Name as LORD but also explains that He did not fully express His Name and character (always the same in Scripture) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel). Now however, He was fully expressing His Name and Character as LORD because the Exodus is the central theme around which everything revolves with the people of Israel pointing to The Law of the Old Covenant and to Christ in the New Covenant.
It was and is imperative throughout Scripture that God continually revealed Himself as Lord pointing to the reality that we must know and walk with Him as Lord…there is no other!
With this in mind we look then to Christ as Lord (found in so many places in the New Testament) but in particular we look to Thomas’s moving from doubt to his declaration captured in John 20:24-28, “My Lord and My God.” All those who believe by faith and not sight are blessed (John 20:29). This again points to the priority importance that we, as believers, must recognize and walk with Christ as Lord over every part of our lives.
Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – God…and Christ…Jehovah Jireh – “The Lord God Who Provides,” and we must learn to trust Him not only to provide, but also to provide what he knows we need that is best. We can trust Him because He is El Olam – “The Everlasting or Eternal God.” His preeminence in existence and all things assures us that He will always provide us strength in Christ to accomplish what He has called us to do. Finally, we are reminded that He is Jehovah/Yahweh – “The Lord God” and is by far the most frequently used name for God in Scripture points us to the His provision in Christ to make a way for us to be in relationship with Him…and that relationship must be with Him as Lord! Do you claim to or live as though He’s just your Savior or do you walk with him as Lord? Christ paid it all to restore our relationship with God. Don’t miss that this relationship can only exist with Him as Savior and Lord!
Love and Lordship…Action Item –
- Read the Scriptures in this article and ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
- Write down what each of the Names of God in this post mean to you.
- List ways that God has shown Himself to you by His provision and presence.
- What do you need to do to know that you are walking with Christ not just as Savior but also as Lord?
Contact us at Love and Lordship to find out more about how you can know God the Father, Christ His Son and The Holy Spirit and The Lord God.
Check out this week’s Love & Lordship Mentoring Minute Video