The first time we see a name or title of God is in Genesis 1:1. It reads, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The word God here in the Hebrew language is Elohim. It is a plural form of Eloah. The -im ending equals an s. The name is used again in Genesis 1:26 when God said, “Let Us make man in our image.” We are made in the image of God (Elohim) and we are created by HIM. Elohim is a title. It consists of the prefix El used with other words as we will see later in this post.
The names of God we are familiar with are those found in scripture. We are familiar with them because we have seen them in scripture. In the Old Testament, God has names and titles. He is so complex and Holy in Hebrew there is a name that is only consonant; the tetragrammaton YHWH is a name of God; (Genesis 2:4 KJV). Here we read, “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,” YHWH is pronounced Yahweh (Jehovah).
The name El Shaddai contains the two words El and Shaddai. El means God and Shaddai means Almighty or Most Powerful. Together they name God the God Almighty or Most Powerful. This name is first used in Genesis 17:1. It reads, “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, I am the Almighty God, walk before me and be thou perfect.”
The name El Elyon is God (El) Most High (Elyon) or The Most High God is first seen in Genesis 14:18-20. It reads, “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand. And he gave him tithes of all.”
El Olam is the name of God that means God (El) the God Everlasting, God of Eternity (Olam). This name is first seen in Genesis 21:33. It reads, “Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.”
Adonai is a name used for God also. This name is used as a title. It means lord as in a superior master or owner. It is not limited to God in the bible as are the names previously mentioned. It is first used in Genesis 40:1. It reads, “And it came to pass that after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker, had offended their lord, the king of Egypt.”
The end of this post has come, but not the end of the names of God in the Old Testament. We will continue with the names of God in a future post. As we close, for now, we want to remember the Holy God Who has come to redeem us, desires to enter into a relationship with us, and is ever present, HIS arms are open to us and HE loves us with an Everlasting love.