In the Old Testament, the penalty for taking the name of God in vain is capital punishment. This remains to be a Jewish tradition today.
Exodus 20:7: “Thou 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.”
The name of God is JEHOVAH. The Jewish people would not even say this name because it’s so holy and highly regarded.
Exodus 6:3: “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”
God’s divine names come in these 3 formats:
- Primary
e.g. God, Father, Lord (Singular form) - Compounds of EL
- Compounds of JEHOVAH
God’s List of Names in the Old Testament (Hebrew)
The English translations are transliterated from the original Hebrew. There are several names that are in common usage according to the (pentecostal) Christian tradition today.
- ELOHIM
Genesis 2:4: “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who is mighty
The way one can look at it: The Lord who creates - EL ELION
Genesis 14:22: “And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who is supreme
The way one can look at it: The Lord who owns - ADONAI
Genesis 15:2: “And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who is ruling
The way one can look at it: The Lord his master - EL OLAM
Genesis 21:33: “And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who is mysterious
The way one can look at it: The Lord who reveals - JEHOVAH JIREH
Genesis 22:14: “And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who redeems
The way one can look at it: The Lord who provides - JEHOVAH RAPHA/RAFI
Exodus 15:26: “And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who heals
The way one can look at it: The Lord who heals - JEHOVAH NISSI
Exodus 17:15: “And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who fights for men
The way one can look at it: The Lord his banner - JEHOVAH YAKEDEA
Exodus 31:3: “And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who is sanctified
The way one can look at it: The Lord who sanctifies - JEHOVAH SHALOM
Judges 6:24: “Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who gives peace
The way one can look at it: The Lord his banner - JEHOVAH SABAOTH
1 Samuel 1:3: “And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who is possessing
The way one can look at it: The Lord of hosts - JEHOVAH TSIDKENU
Jeremiah 23:6: “In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who is justifying
The way one can look at it: The Lord his righteousness - JEHOVAH SHAMMAH
Ezekiel 48:35: “It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who is present
The way one can look at it: The Lord at hand - ELION
Psalm 7:17: “I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who blesses
The way one can look at it: The Lord who blesses - JEHOVAH RAAH/ROI
Psalm 23:1: “(A Psalm of David.) The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who is caring
The way one can look at it: The Lord his shepherd - EL SHADDAI
Genesis 17:1: “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.”
Translated in more specific terms: The one who is all-sufficient
The way one can look at it: The Lord who is all-sufficient
God’s Names in the New Testament (Greek)
There are the names of God in the Greek translation, also translated from the Greek language.
- THEOS
GodJohn 20:28: “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.”
- KYRIOS
LordJohn 20:28: “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.”
- PATER
FatherLuke 11:2: “And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.”
The Hebrew names do not have Father. In the Old Testament, they took the name of God sacredly and reverently, with high respect. Jesus Christ had not yet died on the cross and there was no Christian religion. When the New Testament opened up the new covenant, Jews became Christians and finally had that close relationship with God.
- EMMANUEL
God with usMatthew 1:23: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
Emmanuel is not a Greek word, it is an Old Testament word. The New Testament quoted Isaiah from the Old Testament.
Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
There’s a difference in spelling, which is due to the translation from Hebrew to Greek to English.
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