If there is a God, it is reasonable to think that He will have devised some means of telling us about Himself. We believe that the Bible is God’s revelation to man, and that in it we see the character of God revealed. If we allow this word of God to fill our mind, a new creature is formed within us which has the characteristics of God (James 1:18; 2 Cor. 5:17). Therefore the more we apply ourselves to God’s word and take the lessons to ourselves, the more we will become “conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29) who was in character the perfect image of God (Col. 1:15). In this lies the value of studying the historical parts of the Bible; they are full of lessons telling us how God has dealt with men and nations, always displaying the same basic characteristics.

In Hebrew and Greek a person’s name often reflected their character and/or information about them. Some clear examples:

§          ‘Jesus’ = ‘Saviour’ - because “he shall save his people from their sins” (Mt. 1:21).

§          ‘Abraham’ = ‘Father of a great multitude’ - “for a father of many nations have I made you” (Gen. 17:5)

§          ‘Eve’ = ‘Living’ - “because she was the mother of all living” (Gen. 3:20).

§          ‘Simeon’ = ‘hearing’ - “Because the Lord has heard that I was hated, He has therefore given me this son” (Gen. 29:33).

In Jer. 48:17, knowing the people of Moab is paralleled with knowing the name of Moab. The Psalms often parallel God Himself with His name, His word and actions (Ps. 103:1; 105:1; 106:1,2,12,13).

It is therefore to be expected that God’s name and titles will give us much information about Himself. A detailed study of the name of God is advisable after baptism; further appreciation of God’s character as expressed in His name is something which should go on during all our life in the Lord. What follows is therefore very much an introduction.

When Moses wanted a deeper knowledge of God to strengthen his faith during a very traumatic period of his life, an angel proclaimed the name of the Lord. “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, although that will by no means justify the guilty” (Ex. 34:5-7).

This is clear proof that the name of God entails His characteristics. His possession of them is proof that God is a personal being.

God has chosen one particular name by which He would like to be known and remembered by His people; it is a summary, an epitome, of His purpose with men.

The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, and needed to be reminded of God’s purpose with them. Moses was told to tell them God’s name, so that this would help motivate them to leave Egypt and start the journey towards the promised land (cf. 1 Cor. 10:1). We too need to understand the basic principles concerning God’s name before we are baptised and start our journey towards God’s Kingdom.

God told Israel that His name was YAHWEH, meaning “I am that I am” or, perhaps, “I will be who I will be” (Ex. 3:13-15). This name was then slightly extended. “God said moreover (i.e. in addition) unto Moses. This is what you shall say unto the children of Israel, the LORD (Yahweh) God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob...this is My name for ever, and my memorial to all generations” (Ex. 3:15).

God’s full name is therefore “The LORD God”.

The Old Testament was written mostly in Hebrew, and our English translation inevitably misses out a lot of detail when it comes to translating the Hebrew words for ‘God’. One of the common Hebrew words translated ‘God’ is ‘Elohim’, meaning ‘mighty ones’. God’s “memorial”, the name by which He wants us to remember Him, is therefore

YAHWEH ELOHIM

implying

HE WHO WILL BE REVEALED IN A GROUP OF MIGHTY ONES

It is therefore God’s purpose to reveal His character and His essential being in a large group of people. By obedience to His word we can develop some of God’s characteristics in ourselves now, so that in a very limited sense God reveals Himself now in true believers in this life. But God’s name is a prophecy of the time to come when the earth will be filled with people who are like Him, both in character and by nature (cf. 2 Pet. 1:4). If we wish to be associated with the purpose of God and to become like God. If we wish to die no more, living forever in complete moral perfection, then we must associate ourselves with His name. The way to do this is to be baptised into the name - i.e. Yahweh Elohim (Mt. 28:19). This also makes us the descendants of Abraham (Gal. 3:27-29) who were promised the eternal inheritance of the earth (Gen. 17:8; Rom. 4:13) - the group of ‘mighty ones’ (‘Elohim’) in whom the prophecy of God’s name will be fulfilled. This is explained in more detail in Study 3.4.