Know Him By Name

Jehovah – Names of God

(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph. Hope I haven’t missed much. Happy reading!)

We are a privileged people who serve a ‘Wonderful’ God! And we serve a PERSONAL God. We are not people who are vague in our minds as to who God is, because God has revealed Himself to us-each one of His children. We can KNOW Him; we can know Him by the testimony of God Himself; by names that He has declared as His character. He is a God whom we can relate to in our lives.

He is not a God who is distant and unapproachable; He is a God who is near and a God who cares for our needs. He has revealed Himself to His children in their distressing situations and changed it around just like that! In our day-to-day circumstances and in every trouble that we face, we can know Him by His name!

We have seen a few names of God last Sunday, when meditating on Psalm 103.

• Jehovah Rophe – God, our Healer

Exodus 15:26

And {God} said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you.”

In the New Testament, we read in Matthew 10:1

And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits; to cast them out and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

This year we too would have experienced His healing in our own lives. As the Psalmist says, “He heals all our diseases”. Therefore, we can know Him as God, our Healer.

• Jehovah Jireh – God, our Provider

Genesis 22:14

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”.

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

He is a God who is concerned about us; about our well-being. He provides for us just at the right time and gives us just what we needed, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. He meets us at the point of our need! For He is God-our-Provider.

• Jehovah Tsidkenu – God our Righteousness

Jeremiah 22:5, 6

Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “that I will raise to David a Branch of Righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

1 Corinthians 1:30

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God-and righteousness and sanctification and redemption

God made man and called Him to fellowship; but man fell away. God gave Law for man to keep and be righteous before Him; but man could not keep it. Therefore God who loved us, made a way for righteousness to be imputed to man-gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

Now this is the righteousness that we have before God in Christ-the righteousness of Jesus Himself; not our own righteousness, which are like filthy rags! But we have a righteousness that is by faith, and not by works or law! We need to come to Christ for our righteousness. There is simply no other way, to stand before God, clean.

• Jehovah M’kaddesh – God, who Sanctifies

Leviticus 20: 7, 8 “Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. And you shall keep my statutes, and perform them: I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”

1 Thessalonians 5: 23, 24 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is holy; and He calls us into holiness. He is the one who makes us holy. He sanctifies us through and through; our spirit, soul and body. In case you have doubt about your own sanctification in Christ Jesus, Paul continues in v24:

He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

This is our blessed assurance-our complete sanctification in Christ Jesus is preserved till the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We need not fear, because now there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). Despite our present failures and future uncertainty, we know we can be blameless till His coming, for He is God-our Sanctifier.

• Jehovah Nissi – God our Banner

Exodus 17:15

And Moses built an altar and called its name The-LORD-Is-My-Banner;

Remember the situation there? Joshua was fighting a battle with His army; but Moses went up to a mountain to pray and intercede. The people of Israel saw a strange thing that day- whenever Moses’ hands were lifted up, they were winning the battle; and when his hands went down in weariness, they were losing the battle. Then two men went up and supported the hands of Moses so that it may remain lifted high and Israel wrought a great victory!

Our battles are won in the heavenly realm, as we lift our hands in prayer! For our God is Jehovah Nissi-the LORD our Banner. It is just a matter of time to see the victory in the physical realm. The secret to success is in seeking the Lord!

Romans 8:37

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Through Him, who loved us, we are MORE than conquerors. Our victory is overwhelmingly in our favor because He is the LORD our Banner.

John, a mighty apostle-the only living apostle at that time, was subjected to many tortures; and many people tried even to kill him. History says that he was put in a cauldron of boiling oil; yet he came out alive. People not finding a way to put him to death, banished him to an island of Patmos, where he had the Revelation of Jesus Christ- a Book we have even today in the Bible. And John also wrote to believers, while he was old (nearly 95y) saying:

You are of God, little children and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

We can know this in our own lives even as little children-that we have been called to be Over-comers. This is the reason: He who is in the inside of us-Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, is greater than whoever is in the world. Come to Christ! In Him, we have victory, for He is God our Banner.

• Jehovah Shalom – God our Peace

Judges 6:23, 24

Then the LORD said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” So Gideon built an altar to the LORD, and called it The-LORD-Is-Peace.

Gideon, a fearful and timid man, called out to be a leader, has an encounter with God Himself, and thought he was going to die. But God said, “Peace be with you”. Remember Jesus’ words in John 14:27? “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Jesus has bequeathed us His peace- a peace that passes human understanding. The world cannot give this peace; and the world cannot understand it. In every circumstance of life, God’s peace can rule our hearts; only do not let your heart be troubled, and do not fear!

2 Thessalonians 3:16

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.

God’s peace is our portion always and in every way! Allow God to speak peace to your stormy circumstances. Allow him to take control. We will not be consumed because of His great mercies. We will come through waters and through the fire without any harm. Do not be afraid!

The Jews, even today, have the habit of greeting one another with this word: Shalom. If you call a Jew over the phone, you can hear him greet “Shalom!” which means peace. They have understood that it is the most important thing in anybody’s life. You and I can have this peace, by receiving the gift and inheritance that is left to us by Jesus Himself; For He is our God of peace, who gives us peace.

• Jehovah Rohi – God our Shepherd

Psalm 23:1

The LORD is my Shepherd. I shall not want.

Psalm 23 is a source of inspiration to millions of people even today. Because we can know God personally according to the promise found here-God My Shepherd.

David himself was a shepherd boy, tending to the sheep of his father; guiding, guarding and providing to the needs of those sheep left in his care. He knew them all and if any one is lost, he would go and search out and bring back the lost one. One day, God gave David a revelation of Himself. Suddenly, David understood that God is Shepherd and we are the sheep of His hand.

It is the Shepherd’s (and not the sheep’s) responsibility to find green pastures; and to find still waters-for the sheep can’t drink from flowing waters! It is the Shepherd’s responsibility to guard the sheep. Even 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. 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.

You can know the Shepherd of this Psalm-personally. You can hear His voice and be His sheep. Come into the fold of One Shepherd and Overseer of your soul-Jesus Christ. For He says in John 10:11, 14

“I am the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.”

God knows us; He knows us by name; He calls us by name. He will give you direction and guidance, for it is His responsibility. You can rest in His protection and be secure. You can depend on His provision and not be afraid of the future-for only goodness and mercy will follow all the days of your life. We can follow Him hearing His voice (John 10:3, 4) for He is our God, who is our Shepherd.

• Jehovah Shammah – God Is There
• Immanuel (God With Us)

Ezekiel 48:35

“… and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE.”

This is the last verse in the book of Ezekiel. God gave this prophet the measurements of a city whose name would be “Jehovah Shammah”. How wonderful to know that the LORD Himself will be there with us. Jesus too promised the same in the last verse of the book of Matthew: “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

God- With- Us; a privilege only we as followers of Christ can understand. When Jesus was born, they also called Him “Immanuel” meaning God-With- Us.

If you are alone and forsaken by all, yet you need not be lonely. For God is with you as Immanuel. Friends will fail you and relatives will let you down; but you can count on your God Immanuel who will be there till the end. Because He knows the end from the beginning, you can trust Him. If He is there with you, you can face the storm that may rock your boat; you can walk on the water and it will not drown you! If you know He is there, know also that God is in complete control.

The Psalmist writes: The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Psalm 46: 11) Jacob, a schemer and someone who was weak and fearful-but He wrestled with God and found his stronghold (refuge). Despite our failures and weakness, we can come to Him-the God of Jacob and the LORD of hosts.

I pray today, that whatever be your circumstance, you will find Him to be the answer. For He is Jehovah Jireh- God our Provider; Jehovah Rophe- God our Healer; Jehovah Tsidkenu- God our Righteousness; Jehovah M’kaddesh- God our Sanctifier; Jehovah Nissi- God our Banner; Jehovah Shalom-God our peace; Jehovah Rohi- God our Shepherd; and Jehovah Shammah- God with us. Find Him. Amen.