Category Archives: Names of God

Names of God – Jehovah Nissi

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Philippians 2:5-11

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jehovah Nissi – The Lord our Banner

Exodus 17:8-16 – Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; for he said, “Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

  • Rod of God – Moses stood on top of the hill with the rod of God.  This was a simple shepherd’s crook.  This was the one that in Egypt Moses threw on the ground and it became a snake.  It was a symbol of the cross on top of the hill Calvary.
  • Three men – Moses, Aaron, Hur – symbolic of Christ and the two thieves on the cross.
  • When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed in battle.  When we lift up the Lord in prayer, we will prevail.  John 12:32 – And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.  When we slack off in prayer, the enemy begins to prevail.
  • Moses’ hands became heavy so he sat down.  Aaron and Hur supported his hands.  In the garden, Jesus was weary in prayer.  James, John and Peter could not watch even one hour.  Sometimes we need to have help and support in prayer by others when we become weary with care.  Sometimes we need to help and support others when they become weary with care.
  • Jehovah Nissi – The Lord is Our Banner – Isaiah 59:19 says “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.”  That standard is Jehovah Nissi – The Lord is Our Banner.  USA has a standard – we pledge allegiance to it.  Jesus is our standard – Jehovah Nissi.
  • Moses built an altar – praised and worshipped God.  When we are victorious, we should want to praise and worship the Lord also.
  • The enemy in this passage was Amalek – symbolic of Satan, of Satan’s hostility toward God and every Christian who walks with God.
  • God declared “I will utterly destroy – blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”  In the meantime, Amalek was a thorn in the flesh of Israel.  This constant battle with Amalek also represents the spiritual war we fight with Satan even today.  Satan is hostile toward you if you belong to Jesus.  But remember – Jehovah Nissi – the Lord’s Banner will prevail.  Satan will ultimately be destroyed. 

Amalek was the grandson of Esau, Jacob’s brother.  Esau was a despiser of holy things.  He sold his birthright (Genesis 25). 

  • God despised Esau because of his wickedness. 

Malachi 1:3-4 – But Esau I have hated, and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness.  Even though Edom has said, “We have been impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places,” thus says the Lord of hosts:  “They may build, but I will throw down; they shall be called the Territory of Wickedness, and the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever.”

  • Why did Amalek constantly come against Israel?  To destroy the seed that would produce Christ.  Satan is against things holy.  But the Lord – Jehovah Nissi – our banner over us, our standard bearer, is with us.
  • We see conflict again with Amalek when God pronounced judgment on Israel for not wanting to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 14).  This was a spiritual low for Israel, a time of doubt, not claiming God’s promises.  When we turn our faces from God, Satan comes after us too.  No more banner of protection.  We have turned our backs on God; we do not have His protection.  You need to walk under the banner and protection of the Lord.  He is your only hope.

Next time we see Amalek is when Saul refused to kill Agag, the Amalekite’s king (1 Samuel 15).  Samuel took a sword and killing Agag himself saying,

1 Samuel 15:22 – to obey is better than sacrifice.

Later David battled the Amalekites.  Still later, Hezekiah also battled them.  You see, Satan never gives up, but God’s standard is lifted high for those who choose to follow the Lord in obedience.

Haman, in Queen Esther’s day, was a descendent of Agag.  What was his role?  He wanted to destroy all the Jews, all of Israel.  Again, an attempt to destroy the “seed” Christ Jesus.  Did he succeed?

NO!  The banner, the standard of God prevailed.  Queen Esther made the statement, “Who knows if I have come to the throne for such a time as this?”  She lifted the standard high and God prevailed.

1 Peter 5: 8 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Why did Israel have constant problems with Amalek?  Because they continued to sin, to do their own thing.

1 Corinthians 10:11 – Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Paul is telling us “all the wars, the battles, the conflicts happened to Israel for our instruction.  In other words, follow the standard, swear allegiance to the banner – Jehovah Nissi (Christ Jesus). Make up your mind to serve and trust God.  God will win the battle for you.  You have no need to fight – the battle is not yours, but the Lord’s.

Ephesians 6:12 – For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Stay rallied around the banner, the cross, the standard that will prevail.  He is faithful that promised.

Zechariah 3:7 – Thus says the Lord of hosts:  “If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command,

then you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk

among these who stand here.”

Names of God – Emmanuel

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Philippians 2:5-11

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

IMMANUEL (EMMANUEL) – God with Us

Matthew 1:23 – Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, “God with us.”

Isaiah 7:14 – Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

What should we think when we read this verse?  What does it mean?

G         Grace (Gift, Gospel)

Ephesians 2:8-10 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

O         Offering

Hebrews 10:10 – we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

D         Dwelt

John 1:14a – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us

W         Word, Witness

John 1:1-3 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

I           Inheritance

Ephesians 1:11-12 – n him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

T          Temple

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

H         Holy, Holiness

Hebrews 3:12- So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.”

U         Unbelief

Ephesians 1:8-10 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.Romans 11:19-21- You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.

S          Savior

Luke 2:11 – For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Challenge:  What’s in a name?  Everything, if it is the Name above every name—the Name by which every man must be saved!

Introduce your friends to Jesus (God with us)!!

Names of God – Jehovah Jireh

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Philippians 2:5-11

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jehovah Jireh – The Lord Who Sees and Who Provides

Jehovah reveals God as the eternal, self-existent one, the God of revelation, the God of moral and spiritual attribute, of righteousness, of holiness, of love, and most of all redemption.  Jehovah stands also for the special covenant relationship to Israel.  To Israel He is Jehovah.  To all other nations He is Elohim, a more general name for God and His relationship to them.  Jehovah with additional names is a compound name further revealing Him in specific ways.  When Jireh is added, we see this eternal God revealing Himself to Abraham as the Lord who sees and who provides.

This name, Jehovah Jireh, brings up a message and revelation to us.  He is not just a God who sees our need; but He is a God who, after seeing our need, provides.  This name, Jehovah Jireh, is probably the most misunderstood and misused of all the names of God.  There are so called “faith teachers” who tell you to claim what you want and God, who is Jehovah Jireh, will give it to you.  God is not some puppet on a string. 

The man to whom Jehovah-Jireh is first revealed was a man who walked with God in integrity, in holiness, in obedience.  God does not reveal Himself to men because of some superficial whim of the moment.  We must be women and men of integrity, of holiness, of obedience.

  • Integrity – a firm belief and practice of moral incorruptibility.  In other words, you do not get down in the pig pen of life and wallow with the hogs.  Your word is true.  You are undefiled in your relationships with others.
  • Holiness – holy, upright and pure as God would have you to be.  Not some set of rules man would have you obey.  Not some dress code, etc. but Christ-like.
  • Obedience – putting into practice what the Word of God says to do. 

Genesis 22:7-14 – But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!”  And he said, “Here I am, my son.”  Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”  And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.  Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.  But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”  So he said, “Here I am.”  And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”  Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.  And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

For three days Abraham, his only son, Isaac, and two servants had journeyed to the place where an offering was to be made.  Isaac was to be the sacrifice.  What do you think was going through Abraham’s mind?  He did not comprehend, but he trusted God’s provision. 

The answer is in verse 8 – My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.  This God Abraham spoke of was the El Elyon that had been revealed to him earlier.  El Elyon, the God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.  He was also the El Shaddai that had been revealed to him, the God All Powerful and All Sufficient.  He recognized now, finally in his old age, that this God who had revealed Himself over and over, again and again, was who He said He was.  This was his child of promise, the child long waited for.  He did not know how, he did not know when, but he believed God and obeyed Him without questioning.

  • How long does it take us to get to that point in our lives?
  • How many times do we have to go through the same exercise before we finally get the message God is God and He will provide?  He is the great Creator, Possessor of Heaven and Earth – El Elyon.  He is the All Powerful and the All Sufficient – El Shaddai.  He is the God who sees and the God who provides – Jehovah-Jireh.
  • When will we get that in our heart and mind?

Philippians 4:19 – And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

He did not say “all your wants.”  However,

Psalm 37:4 – Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

If you delight yourself in the Lord in obedience, in integrity and holiness, you are not going to ask for frivolous things.  God will delight also in you for your walk with Him and bless you as you live for Him.

The greatest thing about this story is that God, like Abraham, did not flinch at giving His only Son.  Jesus provided that example as the “lamb caught in the bush.”  Jesus was the sacrifice for our sins on the cross.  Just like this lamb took the place of Isaac, Jesus took our place.  He provided atonement.  He saw our need and He provided the remedy.

Names of God – (Jehovah Rohi) – The Lord is My Shepherd

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Philippians 2:5-11

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jehovah Rohi – The Lord is My Shepherd

 Psalm 23:1 – The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

            He lifts me up when I get down,

            He restoreth my soul.

            He picks me up when I fall,

            He watches over me in times of stress,

He doesn’t say, “You are the weakest link – goodbye.”  He keeps following after us, drawing back into the straight and narrow.

I do not think I could relate to a fold of fleecy, white sheep who never face any troubles.  I would not know what to do if I were part of a flock where the sheep smiled all day long, showing off pearly white teeth.  I do not know if I could handle going to a church where nobody ever cried or experienced pain.  I would go crazy if I lived among people who were never sick, never in need, never tempted, never depressed, never downcast or discouraged.  If I were mixed in with that kind of flock, I would be a complete misfit, a black sheep.  And I would be miserable, because my life is not like that at all. 

We all have difficulties.  I get downcast at times.  I go through periods of discouragement.  I have experienced times of great confusion.  Do not misunderstand; I have God’s peace.  But I do not carry a Colgate grin everywhere I go.  Why?  I have been through the mill.  Often the trials of life do not make me happy.

I have been on mountaintops and down in the valleys.  I have been through times of testing, trial and sorrow.  On many occasions, God has had to come after me.  He has had to pick me up, bind up my wounds and give me a bath.

Where are you Lord?  David asked, in Psalm 43:2 – For You are the God of my strength; why do You cast me off?  Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?  This man could not help wondering why he faced such trouble from his enemies.  Yet David identified clearly what his trouble was – “This is an oppression of the enemy.”

Every time I set out to do something I believe will have an impact for eternity on people’s lives I can predict what is going to happen.  The devil is going to come in like a flood and seek to overwhelm me.

At other times, I experience great physical and mental oppressions for no apparent reason.  I believe this is just what David was going through when he wrote this verse.  He had been assailed by something unexplainable, some oppression of soul that had no clear origin.  He had no idea why it was happening.  That is why he asked God why he felt so cast off.  Something had overcome him, and he had no idea what to do about it.

Perhaps you have been through this.  You woke up one day with a cloud of depression hovering over you.  You had no idea where it came from, or why it fell upon you.  You thought, “I’ve never felt this down or condemned in my life.  Why is this happening to me now?  What’s going on?”  You examined your heart endlessly.  Yet you could not get to the bottom of what you were going through or why.

Every true follower of Jesus faces this ordeal.  David was a true man of God; yet he was unable to explain the sudden despair that flooded his soul.  It came upon him at a time when his soul was hungering deeply for the Lord.

David was well acquainted with oppression.  At various times, he had been physically wounded, diseased in body, broken in spirit, cast off of Israel’s throne, driven out of Jerusalem, scattered to the hills, lost.  He also was corrupted by grievous sins and powerful, overwhelming lusts.  At times David was forced to wander across the land, fleeing across valleys, hiking up hillsides and hiding in caves.

But David had a caring, loving shepherd.  Each time David was battered and wounded, Jehovah Rohi went after him, picked him up and carried him to a quiet place of rest.  Then the Lord made David lie down, so his soul could be restored.

God’s sheep are no different today.  Time after time, our shepherd comes after us, fetches us and takes us to a place of rest.  He continually makes us lie down for a time of healing and restoration.  Yet we so easily move away from the Lord’s rest.  We fail to realize that the Lord’s rest is like the food we nourish our bodies with daily; we cannot retain its value unless we keep coming back to the table.

Exodus 29:45 – And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.

The Hebrew word for “dwell” here is “shekinah,” meaning to abide or to settle down beside.  This word signifies not just a passing presence, but a permanent one, a presence that never leaves.  In short, the Shekinah glory of God is not a vanishing imprint that disappears from our hearts like invisible ink.  No, it is something God imprints permanently on our soul.  It is His very near and eternal presence.

This picture here is glorious.  Our shepherd offers to come to us in the midst of our pain and depressed condition, and to sit by our side.  He promises to bind up our wounds and strengthen the parts of us that have become sick and diseased.

That is the Shekinah glory of God; the abiding, everlasting presence of the Lord.  We often experience it when we are in the midst of trouble.  Our great shepherd tells us, “I want to restore you.  I’m going to do it by being present with you even in the valley and shadow of death.  My presence will be with you through everything the devil throws at you.  Even if you try to run from Me, I am going to chase after you.  When I catch you, I am going to take you in My arms and carry you back to My rest.  I will bind up your wounds and heal all your sicknesses.”

Scripture tells us the following about our one true shepherd.

  • Jesus states in John 10:14 – I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
  • Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:19 – Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, the Lord knows them that are His.  And, let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
  • Jesus declares in John 10:27-28 – My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither any man pluck them out of My hand.

Simply put, our great shepherd knows who His sheep are.  David was familiar with this aspect of the Lord’s character because He had experienced it personally.  Throughout the Psalms we read:

  • Psalm 103:14 – For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
  • Psalm 44:21 – Shall not God search this out?  For He knows the secrets of the heart.
  • Psalm 94:11 – The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

David was saying in essence, “The Lord knows what I am really like, deep down.”  David realized that God knew his heart often strayed from His divine love and rest.  Yet even though David knew this, he fully understood that his shepherd still loved him.

By his own admission, David was a man whose iniquities piled up so high, they went over his head.  As he faced the long list of his trespasses, David said it became a burden too heavy for him to carry.

Psalm 38:3-4 – There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.  For mine iniquities are gone over mine head; as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

Do these sound like the words of a healthy, fleecy-white, strong, obedient sheep?  Hardly.  David continued:

Psalm 38:5-10 – My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness.  I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.  For my loins are full of inflammation; and there is no soundness in my flesh.  I am feeble and severely broken; I groaned because of the turmoil of my heart.  Lord, all my desire is before You; and my sighing is not hid from You.  My heart pant, my strength fails me; as for the light of mine eyes, it also has gone from me.

This was obviously the cry of a troubled man.  As David acknowledged:

Psalm 69:5 – O God, You know my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from You.

In Psalm 119, after writing 175 “spiritually correct” verses extolling God’s word and faithfulness, David concludes with this verse:

Psalm 119:176 – I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.

David is saying, in essence, “Please Lord, seek me out, the way a shepherd searches for a lost sheep.  In spite of all my biblical knowledge, I have strayed from Your love.  I have lost the sense of rest I once had in You.  All my plans have failed.  Now I realize I am totally helpless.  Come to me Father.  Seek me out in this awful, dry place.  I cannot find You on my own.  You must find me.  I still believe Your word is true.

You cry out:

Psalm 13:5-6 – But I have trust in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.  I will sing unto the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 3:4-6 – I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill.  Selah.  I laid me down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me.  I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about.

Our great shepherd loves every sheep who has gone astray because of testings, trials, hurts and wounds.