Doctrine of God 0001 - Lesson 4
- THE NAMES OF GOD
NOTE: The following passage from The Doctrine of God by Herman Bavinck (p.84-86) gives an excellent introduction to the importance of the names of God: “There is a very close connection between God and his name. According to Scripture also this connection is not an arbitrary one, but established by God himself. Men do not give him a name; he gives himself a name. God’s name is, therefore, most of all God’s revelation of himself whereby he actively and objectively makes himself known. Furthermore, the name of God is identical with the virtues or excellencies which he reveals outwardly: with his glory (Psalm 8:1O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
See All...; Psalm 72:19And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
See All...); honor (Leviticus 18:21And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
See All...; Psalm 86:11Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
See All...; Psalm 102:15So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
See All...); redeeming power (Exodus 15:3The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
See All...; Exodus 23:21Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
See All...); etc. The name is God himself as he reveals himself in one quality or another (Leviticus 24:11And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)
See All..., 16; Deuteronomy 28:58If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;
See All...). Hence, that name, being the revelation of God, is great (Ezekiel 36:23And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
See All...); holy (Ezekiel 36:20And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.
See All...); terrible [(Psalm 99:3Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
See All...); holy and reverend (Psalm 111:9He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
See All...)]; a strong tower (Proverbs 18:10The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
See All...).
“By means of proper names, especially by means of the name Jehovah, God made himself known unto Israel. Through the [Angel] in whom his name abides (Exodus 23:20-21 [20] Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
[21] Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
See All...) he revealed himself to Israel. Through him he put his name upon the children of Israel (Numbers 6:27And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.
See All...). Through him also he recorded his name among them (Exodus 20:24An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
See All...); put his name among them and caused it to dwell among them (Deuteronomy 16:11And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.
See All...; Deuteronomy 12:5But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:
See All...); especially in the temple established for his name (2 Samuel 7:13He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
See All...). In that temple his name now dwells (2 Chronicles 20:9If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.
See All...; 2 Chronicles 33:4Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.
See All...). By that name he saves (Psalm 54:1Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
See All...); and because of that name he cannot leave Israel (1 Samuel 12:22For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
See All...; Isaiah 48:9For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.
See All..., 11; Psalm 31:3For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
See All...; Psalm 23:3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
See All...; Psalm 143:11Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
See All...). Hence, Israel is forbidden to profane, desecrate, or take in vain that name (Exodus 20:7Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
See All...; Leviticus 18:21And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
See All...; Leviticus 19:12And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
See All...; Leviticus 24:11And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)
See All...). On the contrary, that name must be invoked, proclaimed, exalted, made known, confessed, feared, magnified, cherished, sought, sanctified (Genesis 4:26And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
See All...; Genesis 12:8And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
See All...; Exodus 9:16And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
See All...; Deuteronomy 28:58If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;
See All...; 1 Kings 8:33When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:
See All...; Psalm 5:11But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
See All...; Psalm 34:3O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
See All...; Psalm 52:9I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.
See All...; Psalm 83:16Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
See All...; Psalm 122:4Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.
See All...; Isaiah 26:8Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
See All...; Matthew 6:9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
See All...; John 12:28Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
See All...; etc.).
“In the New Testament God’s name receives an even richer and deeper meaning; for the [Word], who was in the beginning with God and in the bosom of the Father, hath declared the Father unto us (John 1:18No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
See All...) and hath revealed his name (John 17:6I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
See All..., 26). Whereas no one knoweth the Father but the Son, only that person to whom the Son reveals the Father obtains a knowledge of God (Matthew 11:27All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
See All...). He who confesseth the Son hath the Father (1 John 2:23Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
See All...); he who hath seen him hath seen the Father (John 14:9Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
See All...). Hence, the name Jesus Christ guarantees our true knowledge of God as well as all the benefits connected with that knowledge.
His name is Jesus because he saves his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
See All...): his is the only name given under heaven, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
See All...). By his name miracles are wrought (Acts 4:7And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
See All...); we receive remission (Acts 2:38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
See All...); the right to become children (John 1:12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
See All...); and eternal life (1 John 5:13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
See All...). Where two or three are gathered in his name, he is in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
See All...). Whosoever prayeth in his name is heard (John 14:13And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
See All...). Whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Acts 2:21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
See All...)… [Believers are baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
See All...).] And in the New Jerusalem an even greater revelation awaits believers (Revelation 3:12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
See All...) when God’s name shall be upon the foreheads of all (Revelation 22:4And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
See All...)…
“The name of God in Scripture does not designate him as he exists in himself, but in his manifold revelation and relation to the creature. Nevertheless, this name is not arbitrary, but God reveals himself as he is. Hence, God’s name stands for his honor, glory, excellencies, revelation, and divine essence. Hence, whosoever receives a revelation of that name receives a special privilege, and is, therefore, under special obligations. Whereas God reveals himself by means of his name, he requires his creatures to call him in accordance with that name. The ‘name by which God reveals himself’ becomes the ‘name by which we address him.’…
“Whatever God reveals of himself is expressed in certain definite names. To his creatures he grants the privilege to name him and to speak to him on the ground of and in conformity with his revelation. The one name of God, as inclusive of his entire revelation both in nature and in grace, is for us resolved into many, very many names. Only in that way do we obtain a view of the riches of his revelation and of the deep significance of his name. We are indeed privileged to address him in accordance with all that is revealed of his being in creation and redemption. Nevertheless, whereas all these names which we use to address him are names of God, we are obliged to sanctify and extol them. It is the one name, the full revelation, and in so far, it is the very being of God with which the names have to do.”