Yahweh Elohim (The LORD GOD)

Why is it important for us to know our God by name? We can know someone’s name without really knowing who they are or what they are like. Each of God’s names reveals a defining quality of His nature, character, identity, and essence – often revealed to His people in a special moment of need, crisis, or blessing on their behalf. Hence, God’s identity is expressed not just in one name but in many. Each name of God is like a curtain on a window; when the curtain is drawn back, the name becomes more fully known and a greater glimpse of God seen. Elohim is a common name of God, used 32x in Genesis 1 alone & 2,500x in the OT. Elohim conveys God’s creative power, authority, and sovereignty. It is mostly used for God in plural form, denoting the plural of majesty, excellence, dignity, and greatness in the Godhead. Genesis 2 uses only the compound name: Yahweh Elohim. Yahweh [the tetragrammaton or “the four letters” Yhwh ] is the sacred, distinctive, personal name of God (The LORD) – used +6,800x in the OT – especially linked to His redeeming acts for His people (Lk 1:68). It appears in every book except Esther, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. The name is so sacred that eventually only priests spoke it aloud while worshiping in the Jerusalem temple. After the temple was destroyed in A.D. 70, the Name was not pronounced at all. Adonay is spoken instead. “Yahweh” translates “He is,” “He will be,” or even “He lives” (from the root “to blow/breathe”). It means, “He who is self-existing, self-sufficient” or “He who lives.” He is the everliving God, the source and author of all life. The true God, with no beginning and no end. He always was, He is right now, and He always will be. Yahweh God is not remote or aloof but One who is always near, intervening in salvation history on behalf of His people. To know and call upon the name of the LORD God implies a personal, covenant relationship with Him. Yahweh God has real-life power for us today (cf. Ps 91; 15; 124:8; Prov 18:10; Isa 50:10; Rom 10:13). In fact, in John 20, both “LORD” and “God” are used of our resurrected Jesus (cf. Rev 1:8)!