The names of God part 7
The Names Of God
Part 7
By: Brian Jennings
Subject: NAMES OF GOD
This is continuing on in the theme from Theology area …
While still in Genesis, there are three words that stand out that to us in English sound very much like one and the same word but are very different in the Hebrew. These words are CREATED, MADE, and FORMED.
The word for CREATE in the Hebrew means to be made from something invisible. It comes from a Hebrew word meaning to generate, and is related to the word son. God gave of Himself to bring it into being.
MADE means something that is fashioned or made as we know it to mean. A carpenter can make a chair from a tree, but he cannot make a tree. It covers something made from something visible.
FORMED in the Hebrew is connected very much with the word destiny. You are formed for a purpose. You can be created into being, and then made into something, but you are formed or called of God. Our higher calling is to do the will of Him who created and fashioned us by His own hands. We are made in His image and this is interesting as it is a literal mirror image, but it has a 3d aspect to it. It is the exact replica of what you are looking at. We are called to be an exact replica of God. A mirror image of His thoughts and actions, etc.
An example of what we are to be is found in Exodus ch7v1 where Moses appeared to pharoah as God. We are to reflect the characteristics of God to our generation. God desires to make us as God to the people around us where we can come in the authority, and the compassion, and the love of God, (and teach, and show people into the kingdom). This is not a light explanation, but the heartcry of a loving heavenly Father.
Our personal prayer should be, Father, fashion me into the man or woman of God that you want me to be. Gently wrap your hands around me and mold me, make me new, a willing and usable vessel for Your Glory ………………… Amen!
Wed 21 Mar 90 10:17p By: Brian Jennings
To: All
Re: NAMES OF GOD
In Genesis ch2v5 we start to see Lord (Jehovah) God (Elohim). There is a moving away from the (Elohim) God who created, fashioned, and pre-destined man. Now we see a God who must judge sin. When we first become born again, all we realize is God’s love toward us, but as we go on and mature a little we start to realize that God hates sin.
There are times in my Christian experience where, as much as I love to seek after righteousness, I choose to sin. This particular lot of messages will be an encouragement to the other desperados out there that think they have blown it. God does not throw us on the scrap heap because we sin. Yes, He does hate sin a lot, but He does not scrap the sinner because of sin. This breaks the fellowship with the Father, but not relationship. Now I know that this is bordering on once saved always saved (this is not what I am saying, and it is a separate subject on its own). It is possible to sin so that your name is blotted out of the book of life, but this is blatant sin. When you realize that it is wrong and wilfully choose to sin and throw Jesus blood back in His face and say, You did not do enough. If you are concerned that you have committed the unforgivable then rest easy. If you feel that way then you haven’t. A person who has done this knows and doesn’t care. To be in right standing with God is to repent. As long as a person can repent then they a candidate for heaven.
Looking at this God who loves relating and hates sin in ch2v7: The Lord God formed man. Here it would seem is a contradiction. In ch1v26-27 it says that man was created, but in ch2 man was formed (think back to a previous message on CREATED, MADE, and FORMED). Man was created by the Elohim God, but he was formed by the Jehovah God. When man was created by the redeeming God He blessed him, and He blesses him more than He can contain. Straight after Jehovah God FORMED man. He then proceeds to command him.
Man is placed in the garden of Eden by the Jehovah God and given a commandment. It is this part of His character that is interested in the destiny of man. We are formed to serve, or to be a Bond-Slave of righteousness.
Walk as a son of the Most-High God. I cannot stress this enough for it is the power of God outworked in our lives. I am the righteousness of God in Christ AND THE DEVIL CANNOT COME WITHIN COOEE OF IT. The Fathers heart goes out to His creation. Take the time to stop from business and spend time relating with God. The Jehovah God must judge sin, but the Elohim God must have a relationship with each one of us.
PRAY: Father, I am coming home to You, as without You I am nothing. Take me, fashion my life to be your Son (or daughter). Make me to know Your love, and help me to pour it out on a dying hurting world. Lord, I want to carry the water of Your word out into the desert, to see her flourish under the rain of Your Spirit.
Lord, start with me. Pour out upon me that I may boldly day, “I know Him, Whom to know is life eternal”.
Reach out and touch the Lord of Glory where you are with all your heart. When He calls “Where are you”, say with strength of conviction “Here am I Lord, send me in the power and Spirit of Your name”.
Thu 29 Mar 90 8:34p By: Brian Jennings
To: All
Re: NAMES OF GOD
continued…
Into ch5 we are still with Elohim and we follow again the law of repetition. When God has something repeated over and over again we need to pay close attention or we will miss something. The phrase “All the days of…” appears nine times. It is speaking of man being formed for a destiny, and once that destiny was fulfilled, then they died.
A brief look at the names of the men in this chapter reveal an interesting concept. Seth … “appointed”; Enos … “mortal” (they were very much aware of their short comings as mortal man dealing with an immortal God); Cainan … “acquired” or literally redeemed (they knew they were only mortal beings that needed to be redeemed); Mahalaleel … “a praiser of God; Jared” … descending or the days are closing in (they knew that something was about to happen and they were running out of time); Enoch … “consecrated” or one who walks with God; Methuselah … (this name is a complicated one and has to do with the throwing of a javelin, but more than that. It is the distance travelled, and the target hit, but it also means that “in the year that he dies it will happen”).
Remember Cainan means “descending” and working through to Enoch, they knew they had to be consecrated to God. By the time Methuselah was around they knew that it was to happen in the year he dies. When he died the flood happened. Then we get to Lamech which has two meanings. 1/. “a wild man” (or a man who lacks direction) Genesis ch4. 2/. “overcomer” (it goes into the overcoming of the problem) Genesis ch5. This is related to Revelation where it said: “To them who overcome, He will make to be a pillar in the temple”.
By the very meaning of their names, they were aware that God was doing something. A name is not just something that you hang on something as a handle, but the meaning of the name will be intrinsic to the nature of the thing named. Whether man or beast etc., makes no difference then or now.
Noah then appears and his name means “comforter”. Noah was a preacher of righteousness. Elohim God was so concerned that man should not perish that He forewarned them. He is not just the judgemental type who splats you when you do something wrong. There is a loving God there who forewarns, and gives ample time before He meets out judgements. If man still does not respond then he is as the Bible says … “Without excuse”. Each name was unfolding the plan and purpose of God. God reveals Himself just the same by His very name.
Fri 30 Mar 90 6:02p By: Brian Jennings
To: All
Re: NAMES OF GOD
Man must see that God is patient and loving. Death is a form of judgement on sin but if you know your Bible well, you see the patience of God. Even though unhappy with the route man takes at times, He still gives him 70 years to live and repent. Let’s face it, if seventy years is not long enough to repent, then there is no hope. Repentance only takes a few seconds, minutes at the most, to decide on heaven or hell and then live accordingly after you have confessed the same with your mouth. I will stress here that no confession or willful decision to follow Christ, you automatically place yourself in the camp of the devil.
A little later in Genesis we see that it repented God that He had made man because no amount of love and patience would keep him straight. When you read the words “it repented God” or “God repented”, it is not in the same sense that we repent. The term when applied to God means that the wickedness of men cut Him to His very heart, so much the hurt. But noah comes alone and walks righteously before Jehovah. Now remember that it is Jehovah that hates iniquity and must judge sin. This God who sees the iniquity of the world around Noah and was about to judge it, saw and love the man Noah.
Looking at the names of God around Noah we see that Noah had a relationship with Elohim God, but Jehovah God saw and loved his righteousness. Elohim was providing a way of escape for Noah by instructing him to build an ark, then makes a covenant with him. It is Elohim that is the Redeemer. His concentration is on salvation. It was Elohim that commanded that two of every kind of animal be put on the ark. Jehovah on the other hand wanted seven of every clean animal. One is concerned with the propagation of species, the other in sacrifice to maintain righteousness. If only two were taken on, they would be wiped out pretty quick with sacrifice. We need to understand the relationships within each name to us and how to handle them. There is a need to learn how to associate with the God of our relationship, but not exclude the God of our righteousness. When we are tempted by the devil, he usually tells us that God (Elohim) will forgive us. What we are never reminded of, is that the Lord (Jehovah) will require sacrifice to cover the price of sin.
Sat 31 Mar 90 11:51p By: Brian Jennings
To: All
Re: NAMES OF GOD
We need to know that God is a God that dearly loves us. He absolutely loves to fashion and mold us, who dearly loves to stamp His image upon our lives. But also, that same God requires righteousness of our lives. He will punish iniquity regardless of what we think, or how we try to rationalize or justify ourselves. This is the very reason why Christ had to go to the cross.
God’s desire is for us to partake of the tree of life. As we come to know Him, (and He places circumstances in front of us so we come to know Him by His names), then we are drawn closer and closer to the cross. If anyone has done any studies on the tabernacle, you will see the shape of three crosses with an aerial view.
If we don’t come to Elohim God as our redeemer and the God of relationship, then we will face Jehovah God as Judge. The salvation message of the cross is found in Genesis in embryo form. One day we will stand before Him and give account of our lives. I pray very sincerely from the heart that you face Him as redeemer and receive your reward for servitude, rather than Judge, jury, and executioner. The end result of the latter is eternal separation from God. Choose this day whom you will serve. If God be God then serve Him with your whole heart, but if the devil be god then serve him with all your heart. The Bible puts it that it is better to serve one or the other than to sit on the fence. God says of those who try to do this that He will spew you out of His mouth as something worse than devil worship. At least if you serve the devil you are still a candidate for salvation and God will move heaven and hell to try and save your soul. Serve God today and live…
Sun 1 Apr 90 7:25p By: Brian Jennings
To: All
Re: NAMES OF GOD
Exodus ch3, Moses is inquiring of God what name to take with him to the sons of Israel, and God said, I am who I am. God told him to say to the sons of Israel that “I AM” has sent you. The Lord went on to say that this is My name forever even to all generations. If anyone comes to us claiming to be God by any other name, we can put a big question mark alongside of them.
It is interesting that Moses had to ask the name of the God he was talking to. The children of Israel were so caught up in the idolatrous worship of Egypt that they were even including it in there own worship. The main reason for the plagues was to destroy this. Each of the plagues that God used depicts the downfall of a demon god.
The god of the Nile was the goddess of fertility, the Nile flowed through the land causing her to bring forth her fruit. Each god in turn had to be brought down before the children of Israel to be set free. Because the Israelites were caught up in this worship, they had given themselves over to the various gods. God had to bring to nought the strongholds that these false gods had over Israel, then Moses could bring them out of Egypt.
God will again work His wonders in our day. He will raise up the ministry of Moses and Joseph again. Moses ministry was that of getting the people out of the world. God’s word says that we are to be in the world, but not of it. There will be an evangelistic thrust such as this world has not seen to combat the flood of sin and inquity. Joseph’s ministry added to this was that of going back into Egypt. Men will be raised up as (Joseph’s) i.e. teachers, prophets, and apostles, and go back into the world and bring more sons unto the kingdom. These men will establish strongholds for the kingdom of God right where satan already has a stronghold.
The last level that satan was defeated on was the death of the firstborn. The strongest god in all of Egypt was pharoah himself. By killing the firstborn, all that was pharoah was being brought down. That is also why it was God’s firstborn that came and conquered all enemy gods. Satan if you like was trying to return the act, but it came unstuck for Christ arose. Christ Jesus was the firstborn from the dead of many brethren. He overcame the very last enemy which was death. Through Him and faith in the power of His name we have eternal life. He is the son of God. Very God of very God is Christ Jesus, our Redeemer.
Mon 2 Apr 90 3:55p By: Brian Jennings
To: All
Re: NAMES OF GOD
God has said that He will always be called by the name I AM. John ch8v58 shows Jesus using the I AM. Grammatically we do not see the name of God being used oft times. I must admit myself as to having reservations occasionally. Our western thinking gets in the way at times because even though we may not see it, it is there. The Jews were going to stone Him for blasphemy, here and other occasions. The Roman guards who came to arrest Him in Gethsemane fell backwards at the name. If this might uproar was only over something grammatical then why were the Jews ready to stone Jesus. Why, if Jesus was only answering a question with a casual “I am He”, did the Roman guard fall backwards under the power and authority of the words. It does not compute. If only the casual use of a phrase then it would be evidence by others receiving the same penalty. How many people have you answered with “I am he (or she) and had them fall under the power of your words. Or for that matter, had people ready to stone you for blaspheme.
Jesus never spoke as if He was earth born. He continually said “I am from above”, or “I am the Son of God”. His words repeatedly affirm that He was God in the flesh. He has the power to forgive sins (which the Jews knew that only God could do). He had the total authority over sickness and death. No natural man has this power and authority. All this comes from God alone or is a satanic counterfeit out to deceive as many as he can.
Micah ch2v5: But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from old, from ancient days.
The thought in the entire passage is from eternity past (v5) to eternity future (v4). Every appearance of the Angel of the Lord where men thought that they had seen God, who was it. It could be none other than the revelation of God to man in the person of Jesus Christ before His incarnation.
In John ch8v27 the Jews did not understand that Jesus was speaking of the Father. When He spoke of God, it was from the standpoint of Sonship, and the relationship that He had from eternity past. When using the term “I AM”, it was either a claim to be God or very bad grammar. If only bad grammar then why try to stone Him for blaspheme. All the Jews saw was a man claiming equality with God and as such was condemned to stoning by the law.
All the world will come to know that Jesus is very much God, and bow before Him as the I AM of old.
Wed 4 Apr 90 6:24p By: Brian Jennings
To: All
Re: NAMES OF GOD
Jesus, the man. He was fully God, even while in the form of man. Demons called Him Jesus, His friends and enemies called Him Jesus. The pharisees and the saducees did it in contemptuous form by calling Him Jesus of Nazareth, because they thought that no good thing could come out of Nazareth. They taunted Him when they said “aren’t thou Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter’s son”. This was not just a statement but a real taunt at the same one who was claiming to be I AM. Jesus is the name of God’s humility and mankind’s redeemer.
Quite often in scripture you will read interchanges. Sometimes it will be Jesus Christ, other times Christ Jesus. The reason for this is simple. With Jesus first, the emphasis is on His humanity. The content of the passage being read at the time refers to His humanity.
When Christ is used first (Christ is not actually a name but is a title, or the anointing). When Samuel was looking for a king in the Old Testament, three types of anointings were there. These were prophets, priests, and kings. When Samuel was looking for David and found him, he anointed him with a horn of olive oil. It would pour over him and literally soak him. That pouring over or anointing was significant in that God had called him to the office of a king. (This was the Christos) and Christ literally means the anointed one. He was mankind’s Jesus, but He is God’s anointed. He is anointed without measure whereas our anointing has a limit to it.
Christ used first bears reference to His deity. The context of any passage around this has to do with His Divine attributes. He was God’s Christ and when God spoke of Him he always called Him My beloved Son. At the public anointing of Christ, when God the Father publicly anointed His Son, and the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove. The voice from Heaven said “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”.
If this file has assisted you and you have questions please feel free to drop a message by private netmail to the writer, Brian Jennings (680/804) or Ken Richards (680/803.1) or Marilyn Simmons (680/803.6).