Tag Archives: yahweh

Do You Know Him? – Adonai

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In the first post of this series I focused on the question, “Do you know Him?”, and gave attention to the name by which God identified Himself in establishing relationships with certain individuals in the Bible. God is the great I AM, and there is so much significance in that name.

The designation of God that we will focus on in this post is actually not a name at all, but rather it is best understood as a title. Let’s begin by doing a comparison of the way YAHWEH and Adonai are seen in Scripture. They are both commonly translated with the word, Lord. However, there is a clear distinction of these two Hebrew terms that can be clearly and easily identified as one reads through the Bible. When you see the word Lord in translation of the name YAHWEH, all four letters will be capitalized: LORD. If it is a translation of the word Adonai, the only letter capitalized is the L: Lord. LORD is His name, Lord is one of His many titles.

Another distinction of these two terms is that YAHWEH is only used in reference to God, whereas Adonai is used in reference to God and to man. David calls Saul “Lord”, which shows that David recognized Saul’s authority over him as king of Israel.

In our relationship with God, we recognize Him as YAHWEH, the great I AM, and we also recognize Him as Adonai, Lord over all. It is a title that shows our submission to Him, and our recognition that He is the sovereign ruler of the universe. Rightly understood, if we call Him Lord – Adonai – we are saying to Him that we willingly submit to His rule over our lives.

Paul shows us how Jesus is the fulfillment of both of these names in his letter to the Romans. Read carefully the following words:

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.

Romans 10:9, 13, NKJV

Please note the words Paul uses: Lord, and LORD. He holds the title of Lord – sovereign ruler of all things – and He holds the name LORD, I AM. Individuals have a personal relationship with the eternal God of the universe who is always and forever present, and also submit to His Lordship by submitting to His authority. And from what Paul says in these two verses, the two go hand-in-hand. We know about Him as we enter into relationship with Him as the majestic I AM, and we grow in our relationship with Him as we consistently and progressively submit to His Lordship over us.

We learn facts about Him as we study His Word, but we grow in relationship with Him as we submit to His teachings, striving to live our lives in such a way that brings Him glory in all we do. So, our desire to know about Him is so that we can know Him more. And as we know Him more we love Him more. And as we love Him more we have more of a desire to please Him. And as we have a desire to please Him we systematically discard those things that He reveals to us that are displeasing to Him while at the same time putting into practice the things that He reveals bring glory to Him.

So, let’s ask ourselves, “Do I just know about Him? Or do I really know Him? And if I profess to really know Him, does it show in the person I am becoming?”

Until next time:

Blessings!

Do You Know Him? – Yahweh

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This week we are beginning a study of the names of God which, when understood in their proper context, reveal to us much needed information about who He is and how He relates to us. Today, we will give consideration to the self-revelation of God to Moses when Moses asked a most probing question when instructed by God to go to Egypt and deliver the people from their state of bondage.

Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.

Exodus 3:13-14

One of the most common questions asked by children (and adults!) concerns the origin of God. “Where did God come from,” or something similar to those words, is quite often asked by probing minds. It is indeed a good question. I suppose we have all pondered this perplexing topic at times and are usually (ALWAYS) left with the question unanswered. Just where did He come from?

Another question on the same subject, but worded a little differently, is, “Who made God?” Answers have been suggested as theologians and philosophers have struggled to come up with a reasonable response. But, as yet no one has been able to give an answer that satisfies the inquisitive mind.

I am not going to put my ignorance on display in this post by striving to come up with some cutesy explanation that might wow some with my creative ingenuity. As a matter of fact, I know quite well my serious limitations when it comes to these deep, provocative questions that even the best of minds struggles with.

What I am going to do is to take this self-revelatory designation of God to Moses in its context and strive to learn some much needed applicatory lessons that will facilitate a deeper understanding of who God is, and how this particular name of God gives us great confidence as we face life’s struggles.

The context of this conversation between Moses and God is crucial for us to understand if we are to come to a reason God revealed Himself on this occasion in this manner. The designation, “I AM”, is present tense, which signifies an extremely significant reality about God. He is always in the present tense. He, in HIs very existence, does not have a past tense, nor does He have a future tense. He is always, eternally, in the present tense.

God could say to Moses over 3000 years ago, and He can say to you today, “I AM.” He is the eternal One, with no beginning and no end. He is, as Jesus says of Himself, “The alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.” This does not present the idea that He had a beginning, but that He is the eternal Son of God. The Father is the eternal Father; the Son is the eternal Son; the Holy Spirit is the eternal Holy Spirit. There has never been a time when the Triune God did not exist, and there will never be a time when He ceases to exist.

God is the uncaused Cause; He is the un-created Creator; He is the self-sufficient One and the self-existent One. God has no need of anything or anyone. And yet, this is the name by which He shows His relationship with His people. He revealed Himself in this relational way with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and here, Moses. Jesus, in the New Testament, identifies Himself with His own self-designation as “I AM.”

There is so much we can learn from this name of God, but I would like to focus on this relational aspect of that name to give encouragement to us today. God takes the initiative in seeking relationship with His people. It was God who sought out Abram, and made of him the nation Israel. It was God who sought out Moses, and used him to liberate Israel from Egyptian bondage. It was God who sought out David, and set him on the throne of Israel. It was Jesus who came into the world to seek and to save the lost. God is always taking the initiative in establishing relationships with His chosen ones. And then, He gives us the privilege and blessing of being called the children of God. Amazing!

If you are a child of God, praise Him for seeking you out when you were dead in trespasses and sins. Thank Him for providing His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for your sin, and to give forgiveness of that sin through His death burial and resurrection. Praise Him for the relationship you now have with Him.

Until next time:

Blessings!