Chapter Eleven - The Names of God
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The Names of God
From Creation to the Redeemed: A Revelation of God's Character
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“I AM WHO I AM.”
— Exodus 3:14
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Every name of God is a window into His character. Across Scripture, He revealed Himself not by a single title, but by many — each one answering a need, each one disclosing another facet of who He is. To know His names is to know Him more fully: as Provider, as Healer, as Refuge, as King. What follows is a record of that revelation, from the ancient names spoken over Israel to the fullness of that same revelation in Jesus Christ.
Old Testament Hebrew Names of God
|
Name |
Meaning |
Scripture |
|
Elohim |
Creator |
Genesis 1 |
|
El Roi |
The God who sees me |
Genesis 16 |
|
El Shaddai |
God Almighty |
Genesis 17 |
|
El Olam |
The Everlasting God |
Genesis 21 |
|
Yahweh Yireh |
The Lord will provide |
Genesis 22 |
|
Yahweh (YHWH) |
Lord; I AM WHO I AM |
Exodus 3 |
|
Adonai |
Lord; Master |
Psalm 16 |
|
Yahweh Rophe |
The Lord Who Heals |
Exodus 15:26 |
|
Yahweh Nissi |
The Lord My Banner |
Exodus 17 |
|
Esh Oklah |
Consuming Fire |
Deuteronomy 4 |
|
El Kanna |
Jealous God |
Exodus 34 |
|
Qedosh Yisrael |
Holy One of Israel |
Leviticus 19 |
|
Yahweh Shalom |
The Lord is Peace |
Judges 6 |
|
Yahweh Tsebaoth |
The Lord of Hosts |
1 Samuel 17 |
|
Yahweh Tsuri |
The Lord My Rock |
Psalm 144 |
|
Yahweh Roi |
The Lord Is My Shepherd |
Psalm 23 |
|
Hashem |
The Name |
1 Kings 8–9 |
|
Melek |
The King |
Psalm 72 |
|
Ish |
Husband; Man |
Hosea 2, 19–20 |
|
El Chay |
Living God |
2 Kings 19 |
|
Maon |
Dwelling Place |
Psalm 91 |
|
Mechseh |
Refuge |
Psalm 9 |
|
Magen |
Shield Around You |
Psalm 3 |
|
Metsuda |
Fortress; Stronghold |
Psalm 59 |
|
Migdal-Oz |
Strong Tower |
Proverbs 18 |
|
Shophet |
Judge; Govern; Defend |
Psalm 94, 96 |
|
Miqweh Yisrael |
Hope of Israel |
Jeremiah 17 |
|
Yahweh Tsidqenu |
The Lord Our Righteousness |
Jeremiah 23 |
|
El Elyon |
God Most High |
Daniel 4 |
|
Yahweh Shammah |
The Lord is There |
Ezekiel 37, 48 |
|
Abba; Ab; Pater |
Father |
Luke 15; Romans 8; Galatians 4 |
|
Yahweh Milhamah |
God is a Man of War |
Exodus 15:3 |
Prophetic Names of Jesus in the Old Testament
|
Name |
Meaning |
Scripture |
|
Messiah |
The Anointed One; The Chosen One |
Psalm 2:2; Daniel 9:25–26 |
|
The Branch |
The shoot from the root of Jesse; King and Priest |
Isaiah 4:2, 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5, 33:15 |
|
The Lamb of God |
Perfect sacrificial offering for the sins of all people |
Isaiah 53; Exodus 12:3–14 |
|
The Rod out of Jesse |
A symbol of His rule and authority |
Isaiah 11:1 |
|
The Root of David |
The source and founder of David's line |
Isaiah 11:10 |
|
The Stone |
The rejected stone that becomes the cornerstone |
Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16 |
|
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah |
King of kings, conquering ruler |
Genesis 49:9–10 |
|
The Star from Jacob |
A ruler and guide |
Numbers 24:17 |
|
The Scepter from Israel |
Kingly authority and rule |
Numbers 24:17 |
|
The Son of David |
Born as a descendant of King David |
2 Samuel 7:12–13; Psalm 89:3–4 |
|
The Holy One |
Set apart from all sin; perfectly righteous |
Isaiah 40:25; Psalm 16:10 |
|
The Prince of Peace |
Bringer of true peace; reconciler of all things |
Isaiah 9:6 |
|
The Wonderful Counselor |
Wise guide and advisor |
Isaiah 9:6 |
|
The Mighty God |
Strong and powerful, worthy of worship |
Isaiah 9:6 |
|
The Eternal Father |
Forever God; source of life eternal |
Isaiah 9:6 |
|
The Righteous Judge |
Just arbiter of all creation |
Isaiah 11:3–4 |
|
The Servant |
The Suffering Servant; came to serve, not be served |
Isaiah 42:1–4, 52:13, 53 |
|
The Light of the World |
Illuminator; revealer of truth |
Isaiah 9:2, 42:6 |
|
The Redeemer |
He who buys back or rescues through payment |
Isaiah 41:14, 47:4, 59:20 |
|
Emmanuel |
God With Us |
Isaiah 7:14 |
New Testament Names of Jesus
|
Name |
Meaning |
Scripture |
|
Jesus |
God saves; The Anointed One |
Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:21 |
|
Christ |
The Anointed; The Messiah |
Matthew 1:1, 16:16 |
|
Son of God |
Divine nature; born of God and Mary a virgin |
Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:1; John 1:34 |
|
Son of Man |
God-Man; the perfect human |
Matthew 8:20; Mark 2:10; Luke 5:24 |
|
The Word |
Jesus as the expression of God; the Logos |
John 1:1–14 |
|
The Truth |
The ultimate source of truth |
John 14:6 |
|
The Way |
The mediator between God and humanity |
John 14:6 |
|
The Life |
The source of all life; eternal life |
John 14:6; John 11:25–26 |
|
The Good Shepherd |
Tender care, guidance, and protection of His flock |
John 10:11–14 |
|
The Door |
The entrance to salvation; the only way to God |
John 10:7–9 |
|
The Bread of Life |
Sustenance and nourishment for spiritual life |
John 6:35 |
|
The Living Water |
Thirst-quenching eternal life; the Holy Spirit |
John 7:37–38 |
|
The Light of the World |
Dispeller of darkness; revealer of truth |
John 8:12, 9:5 |
|
I AM |
The eternal nature of God; the name above all names |
John 8:58 |
|
King of Kings |
Sovereign ruler over all kingdoms and dominions |
1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14, 19:16 |
|
Lord of Lords |
Supreme authority over all powers and principalities |
1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14, 19:16 |
|
The Lamb of God |
Perfect sacrifice; bearer of the sins of the world |
John 1:29, 36; 1 Peter 1:19 |
|
The Lion of Judah |
Conquering power; victorious warrior |
Revelation 5:5 |
|
The Alpha and the Omega |
The beginning and the end; eternality |
Revelation 1:8, 21:6, 22:13 |
|
The First and the Last |
Pre-existence and supremacy |
Revelation 1:17, 2:8, 22:13 |
|
The Root and Offspring of David |
Source of David's line; his superior |
Revelation 22:16 |
|
The Bright and Morning Star |
Herald of the new day; bringer of hope |
Revelation 22:16 |
|
The Great High Priest |
Mediator between God and humanity; intercessor |
Hebrews 2:17, 4:14–15 |
|
The Judge |
Just arbiter of all creation |
2 Timothy 4:8; Matthew 25:31–46 |
|
The Author and Finisher of Our Faith |
Initiator and perfecter of faith |
Hebrews 12:2 |
|
The Advocate |
Our defense and intercessor with the Father |
1 John 2:1 |
|
The Ransom |
The payment for our redemption |
Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; 1 Timothy 2:6 |
|
The Resurrection and the Life |
Power over death; source of eternal life |
John 11:25–26 |
|
The Bridegroom |
Lover of His people; unifier of creation |
John 3:29; Ephesians 5:25–27 |
|
The Head of the Church |
Authority over the body of believers |
Ephesians 1:22, 4:15; Colossians 1:18 |
|
The Foundation |
The sure ground upon which all faith rests |
1 Corinthians 3:11 |
|
The Cornerstone |
The chief stone connecting and binding all things |
Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6 |
A Unified Revelation
From the ancient names of God in Hebrew Scripture to the unfolding revelation of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, we see a unified story of God's character, authority, and redemptive love. The names that sustained Israel throughout centuries of covenant and wilderness — El Shaddai, Yahweh Rophe, Yahweh Shalom — find their fullness, their completion, their living embodiment in the person of Jesus Christ. And in Him, all the prophetic hopes of the Old Testament reach their fulfillment. As Creator becomes Savior, as Judge becomes Advocate, as the Distant becomes Emmanuel — God With Us — we behold the seamless tapestry of God's purposes across all ages. Every name reveals not merely an attribute, but an invitation: to know this God, to trust His character, to find in Him everything we need — yesterday, today, and forever.
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He has as many names as His people have needs, and He answers to every one.
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” — Proverbs 18:10
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Susan Donoho, MBA - Crown and Scepter Life - ALetterToTheWorld.com