The many names of God.

[Captain Jackson]

Why are there so many names for God? I've heard him refered to as Yahweh, Jehova, Elomin, the Trinity, plus a few others I can't remember at the moment.

The one that I learned about most recently is "Hosanna." Where did this name come from? Why does one being need so many identities?

 

[marc]

The names in the bible usually have important signifigance. For example when it was prophecied that Jesus would be born it said they will call him "Emmanuel". Emmanuel means God is with us. So they aren't nessesarily names but descriptions or character references. If you get a hebrew dictionary or a study bible you can look up all the different names and they will have some descriptive meaning. Knowing the meanings behind the names really makes bible study come alive. The hebrew language isn't precise like english, it is much more descriptive. Maybe a hebrew scholar will give you a more thorough answer.

 

[Rafael]

How many words can describe the awesome glory and beauty of God. The call of Hosanna goes out to the King of Kings to save us now, we besseech! Be propitious. It can also be as a shout of victory that is attained because of Him.

Save now! or Save, we beseech, #Mt 21:9 This was a customary form of acclamation at the feast of Tabernacles. (Comp.) #Ps 118:25

5614 wsanna hosanna ho-san-nah’

of Hebrew origin 03467 and 04994an-evwh; TDNT-9:682,1356; interj

AV-Hosanna 6; 6

1) hosanna

2) be propitious

How many words are there and what language of man can give due excellence to the glory of God? The idea of Him having special ability and numerous descriptions is not surprising to me at all. God's glory and love usually only finds limitation inside the arrogance of man's proud unregenerate mind, but God has mercy to change that when the wild heart submits to the gentle hand.

 

[Jinn_Ku]

One person sees Him as a "friend that sticketh closer than a brother" so that is how he refers to Him. Another knows He is a "high tower," another knows He can heal every affliction, so He is Jehova Rophe. EL SHADDAI is found 31 times in the book of Job, and means "God All Sufficient." In Job's life, God was sufficient.

His names are more like descriptions, and no one description is enough to describe Him. I found this site very helpful: http://www.ldolphin.org/Names.html

 

[Captain Jackson]

Where did the names originate? What do each of them mean?

 

[Jinn_Ku]

Follow the link.

 

[Athanasian Creed]

Why are there so many names for God? I've heard him refered to as Yahweh, Jehova, Elomin, the Trinity, plus a few others I can't remember at the moment.

The one that I learned about most recently is "Hosanna." Where did this name come from? Why does one being need so many identities?

In Genesis 1:1 the Hebrew word for God used is "Elohim" which literally means "Gods" It is used to help us understand God's Being as being Triune (Trinity) in nature. God is revealed to us as One God who is at the same time 3 Divine Persons who the Bible reveals to us as 1) the Father who sits on the throne in heaven 2) the Word of God (the Son), the One who is at the Father's right hand who we know in the flesh to be Jesus the Christ who was God from all eternity who was made flesh and 3) the Spirit Who proceeds from the Father and the Son Who is known as the Spirit of God and also as the Spirit of Christ.

Yahweh & Jehovah differentiate the true & living God of Israel from the gods of the Gentiles. Both are translations of Who God revealed Himself to be to Moses in the burning bush "I AM THAT I AM"

The Jews came to realize that the God of heaven was a God that could be described in many different ways - hence, the many names/titles of God that the Bible uses to describe a particular attribute or "position" that God has/holds. For instance, the prophet Isaiah says that the Child born, the Son given (Jesus) would be the wonderful Counselor, mighty God, Father of eternity, Prince of peace !! This is but a few of the titles of Christ !

Hope that helps,


Ray

 

[lared]

It is important not to confuse names with titles.

Your title may be Judge, President, or Teacher. But your name may be Jack.

Lord, God, Elohim, Almighty, or even Trinity are titles....but they are not names.

The creator has given himself his name. In ancient Hebrew it was YHWH, appearing some 7,000 times in the most ancient manuscripts.

In modern day common English it is pronounced Jehovah. Some prefer Yahweh, but Jehovah is the commonly used modern pronunciation. In other languages it may be pronounced differently, just as Mary is pronounced Maria in Spanish.

If you travel through Europe, you can find Almighty God's name Jehovah in many old churches and cathedrals.

You may also like to look at Psalm 83:18 in older King James Bibles. The newer King James Bibles have followed the trend to remove the divine name in favor of the titles LORD or GOD in all capital letters, as if to hide it.

You can see this point made clear by a close examination of Psalm 110:1 which makes a clear distinction between the two individuals Almighty God Jehovah and his son Jesus.

 

[theseed]

All the names reflect God's charactor. When Moses asked, God said t call him "I am" which is what Yeweh means (Jehova is the english of Yewah).

 

[Svt4Him]

People would meet with God, and name Him after His character. Call Him God, Lord, Jehovah, Yahweh, Father, LORD, or G-d. Jehovah's witnesses usually get hung up on the name, but Lord translates pretty good. And if someone got healed by God, they'd call Him "The God who heals me". If someone received something "God who provides my needs" etc.

 

[lared]

One time I met a lady at the door and told her that I wanted to talk to her about God.

She said..."Oh yes, ....Buddha?"

She was Asian.

 

[PRMan]

I'm just wondering how many questions we have to answer calmly before Captain Jackson changes his signature?

 

[onikirimaru777]

anyone else heard of God being called Adonai?

 

[PRMan]

Yes, Adonai is Hebrew for "Lord". When Jews read the Scriptures, they substitute Adonai every time they see YHWH.

 

[har megiddo]

Check out this site: blueletterbible.org/study/misc/name_god.html

Oh yeah... Adonai and YHWH aren't the same. Adonai just means lord, and Yahweh and Jehovah are less holy forms of the word God than Elohiym. Elohiym (another name for God) is a holy word to jews. It is the name they keep hallowed like in the ten commandments.


Ever heard of the son 'El Shaddai'? it has adonai, El elyon, El shaddai, and more. It's a good song.

 

[Svt4Him]

I'm just wondering how many questions we have to answer calmly before Captain Jackson changes his signature?

None. They'll be answered, then posted somewhere else in hopes that the original posters don't see it again. Fundie Atheist is a good term I like to use.

 

[Salvatore Gonzales]

"I am what/that I am" aka in spoken Hebrew is something
like "Ayeh asher ayeh." It is untranslatable to some extent,
though, and somewhat circular (how appropriate for the
nature of God).

YHVH are initials of God and to know the "full" name of
God is impossible for us mortals. To even try to comprehend
the name of God would be like my cat trying to comprehend
what I'm typing right now.

The Jews use these initials and titles (El Shaddai aka "The
Mighty Mountain", etc) because to use more would not show
proper humility. That is why in English, the Jews will even
write "God" as "G-d."

 

[lared]

"I am what/that I am" aka in spoken Hebrew is something
like "Ayeh asher ayeh." It is untranslatable to some extent,
though, and somewhat circular (how appropriate for the
nature of God).

YHVH are initials of God and to know the "full" name of
God is impossible for us mortals. To even try to comprehend
the name of God would be like my cat trying to comprehend
what I'm typing right now.

The Jews use these initials and titles (El Shaddai aka "The
Mighty Mountain", etc) because to use more would not show
proper humility. That is why in English, the Jews will even
write "God" as "G-d."

Numbers 12:3 tells us that Moses was the meekest of all men, and yet he regularly used God's name Jehovah. David was also a humble man, admitting his mistakes, and he composed songs using Jehovah's name. Jesus Christ was a very humble man and yet he used and made known God's name.

Many Jews have long since forsaken God's name, not due to humility, but rather superstition. And now even to an even more extreme novelty of not even spelling out the title God.

 

[Jinn_Ku]

Ever heard of the son 'El Shaddai'? it has adonai, El elyon, El shaddai, and more. It's a good song.

By Broken Walls?

 

[Salvatore Gonzales]

Numbers 12:3 tells us that Moses was the meekest of all men, and yet he regularly used God's name Jehovah. David was also a humble man, admitting his mistakes, and he composed songs using Jehovah's name. Jesus Christ was a very humble man and yet he used and made known God's name.

Many Jews have long since forsaken God's name, not due to humility, but rather superstition. And now even to an even more extreme novelty of not even spelling out the title God.

Again, these are not the "real" names of God as no one but
God knows it. Moses was also not allowed to see all of God
other than the burning bush, because to see more would have
destroyed him. Even the little bit he saw forever changed
his appearance. His reflected radiance was so much that
not even the other hebrews could look upon him.

Many of us Christians, nominal at best, have also forsaken God's
name by continuous sinning and hypocrisy. We understand very
little of the beginning (Genesis) despite Jesus's admonition
that to know the end, we must know the beginning first.