In Old and New Testament times, a person’s name was not only for identification, but an identity as well. Most times, a special meaning was attached to the name. Throughout Scripture God reveals Himself to us through a multitude of names. We gain a better understanding of who God really is when we study these names. The more God’s people came to know Him, the more names they attributed to Him. God’s goodness and greatness is so vast that He cannot be summed-up by a few names.

Every name of God highlights an aspect of His character and capability. I invite you to be blessed through reading aloud the following (incomplete) list of God’s names that have been drawn from the English Old and New Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures (or Tanakh) and the Greek New Testament Scriptures…

Adonai (Lord) – Jud. 6:15, Advocate – 1 Jn. 2:1, Almighty – Rev. 1:8, Alpha – Rev. 1:8, Amen – Rev. 3:14, Ancient One – Dan. 7:9, Angel of the Lord – Gen. 16:7, Anointed One – Ps. 2:2, Apostle – Heb. 3:1, Author and Perfecter of our Faith – Heb. 12:2, Beginning – Rev. 21:6, Bishop of Souls – 1 Pet. 2:25, Branch – Zech. 3:8, Bread of Life – Jn. 6:35,48, Bridegroom – Matt. 9:15, Carpenter – Mk. 6:3, Chief Shepherd – 1 Pet. 5:4, The Christ – Matt. 1:16, Comforter – Jer. 8:18, Consolation of Israel – Lk.2:25, Cornerstone – Eph. 2:20, Dayspring – Lk. 1:78, Day Star – 2 Pet. 1:19, Deliverer – Rom. 11:26, Desire of Nations – Hag. 2:7, Ehyeh (I Am) – Ex. 3:14, Elohim – Gen. 1:1, El Shaddai (God Almighty) – Gen. 17:1, Emmanuel – Matt. 1:23, End – Rev. 21:6, Eternal One – Hab. 3:6, Everlasting Father – Isa. 9:6, Faithful and True Witness – Rev. 3:14, First Fruits – 1 Cor. 15:23, Foundation – Isa. 28:16, Fountain – Zech. 13:1, Friend of Sinners – Matt. 11:19, Gate for the Sheep – Jn. 10:7, Gift of God – 2 Cor. 9:15,

God – Jn. 1:1, Glory of God – Isa. 60:1, Good Shepherd – Jn. 10:11, Governor – Matt. 2:6, Great Shepherd – Heb. 13:20, Guide – Ps. 48:14, Head of the Church – Col. 1:18, High Priest – Heb. 3:1, Holy One of Israel – Isa. 41:14, Horn of Salvation – Lk. 1:69, I Am – Ex. 3:14, Jehovah – Ps. 83:18, Jehovah-Jireh (Provider)– Gen. 22:14, Jehovah-Mekoddishkem (Sanctify)– Lev. 20:8, Jehovah-Nissi (Refuge)– Ex. 17:15, Jehovah-Raah (Shepherd)- Ps. 23:1, Jehovah-Rapha (Heals) – Ex. 15:26, Jehovah-Shalom (Peace)- Jud. 6:24, Jehovah-Tsidkenu (our righteousness) – Jer. 23:6, Jesus – Matt. 1:2, Judge – Jam. 5:9, King of Israel – Matt. 27:42, King of Kings – 1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 19:16, Lamb of God – Jn. 1:29, Last Adam – 1 Cor. 15:45, Life – Jn. 11:25, Light of the World – Jn. 8:12; Jn. 9:5, Lion of the Tribe of Judah – Rev. 5:5, Lord God of Heaven’s Armies – Am. 4:13d, Lord of Lords – 1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 19:16, Maker – (Hos. 8:14), Master – Matt. 23:8, Mediator – 1 Tim. 2:5, Messiah – Jn. 1:41, Mighty God – Isa. 9:6, Morning Star – Rev. 22:16, Nazarene – Matt. 2:23, Omega – Rev. 1:8, Passover Lamb – 1 Cor. 5:7, Physician – Matt. 9:12, Potentate – 1 Tim. 6:15, Pride of Israel – Am. 8:7, Priest – Heb. 4:15, Prince of Peace – Isa. 9:6, Prophet – Acts 3:22, Propitiation – I Jn. 2:2, Purifier – Ma. 3:3, Rabbi – Jn. 1:49, Ransom – 1 Tim. 2:6, Redeemer – Isa. 41:14, Refiner – Mal. 3:2,

Refuge – Isa. 25:4, Resurrection – Jn. 11:25, Righteousness – Jer. 23:6, Rock – Deut. 32:4, Root of David – Rev. 22:16, Rose of Sharon – S. of Sol. 2:1, Ruler of God’s Creation – Rev. 3:14, Sacrifice – Eph. 5:2, Saviour – 2 Sam. 22:47; Lk. 1:47, Second Adam – 1 Cor. 15:47, Seed of Abraham – Gal. 3:16, Seed of David – 2 Tim. 2:8, Seed of the Woman – Gen. 3:15, Servant – Isa. 42:1, Shepherd – 1 Pet. 2:25, Shiloh – Gen. 49:10, Son of David – Matt. 15:22, Son of God – Lk. 1:35, Son of Man – Matt. 18:11, Son of Mary – Mk. 6:3, Son of the Most High – Lk. 1:32, Sovereign Lord – Am. 9:8, Stone – Isa. 28:16, Sun of Righteousness – Mal. 4:2, Teacher – Matt. 26:18, Truth – Jn. 14:6, Vine – Jn. 15:1, Way – Jn. 14:6, Wonderful Counsellor – Isa. 9:6, Word – Jn. 1:1, YHWH (God of the Israelites).

References to God such as “the man upstairs” are commonly used by those who know nothing of God. Such references are disrespectful, empty, meaningless, and do not deserve a place in this special listing.

Knowing God does not result from just reading the Bible about Him or hearing others speak about Him, but by ‘experiencing’ Him in ‘the ups and downs’ of everyday life. When the psalmist declared “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” he testified of his everyday life experiences with the Lord (Ps. 23). God’s desire is for us to live experiencing Him in every circumstance.

Friends, the Devil does not mind you learning about the Lord, but he does his best to stop or hinder you from knowing Him as intimately as is possible. Long ago, the Lord brought charges against the Nation of Israel, saying, “There is no knowledge of God in your land” (Hos. 4:1) … “My people are being destroyed because they don’t know Me” (4:6) … “I want you to know Me” (6:6b).

How important is it for mankind to know God? John recorded in his Gospel account, “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One you sent to earth” (17:3).

Paul recorded in Second Corinthians, “So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know Him now!” (5:16). “We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ” (10:5).

Paul rested his case by saying, “… everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ” (Phil. 3:8). So, my question to you is… “How well do you know God?”

Bill