I pray and hope that this small study and overview on God the Father, will give you a start in your journey through the Bible with God.
The names of God
Elohim
The first book of the Bible and first verse opens with the name of our God in the Old Testament Hebrew scripture is Elohim which is a plural noun, plural means three or more. It is mentioned 500 times in Moses books, the Pentateuch which is the first five books of the Bible.
In the creation of Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God Elohim created the heaven and the earth. It is interesting that God didn’t create God the son and God the Holy Spirit, they co-existed from before creation began.
In the creation of man in Genesis 1:26-27 26 And God Elohim said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… 27 So God Elohim created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. So, God in the unity of the trinity created us humans in Gods perfect image. Beautiful isn’t it!
Yĕhovah
You will notice in your Bible the LORD is in all capitals, and this is the personal name of God, in Hebrew it is Yĕhovah and in English it is Jehovah used over 6500 times in Old Testament scripture.
You can see in 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.
There is only one Jehovah and that is our God.
LORD in capitals in verse 3 is Yah or Jah which is short for Yĕhovah and can be found in poetical parts of scripture, where it is mostly used in the Psalms. In Psalm 68:4 is specifically using the word JAH or YAH. As it reads: - Psalm 68:4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rides upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
You will have heard the song “Hallelujah! What a Savour” maybe you have sung it in church!
Notice the word Hallelujah, split into two you get “Hallelu” meaning “Praise” and “Jah” meaning Yĕhovah. You are praising the LORD.
Also throughout the Old Testament you can read of various descriptions of Jehovah or Yahweh, such as: -
- Jehovah-jireh in Genesis 22:14 meaning “the LORD will provide”.
- Jehovah Rapha in Exodus 15:26 where God reveals Himself meaning as “For I am the LORD who heals you”.
- Jehovah Nissi in Exodus 17:15 meaning “The LORD is my banner”
- Jehovah Shalom in Judges 6:24 meaning “The LORD Is Peace”.
- Jehovah Raah in Psalms 23:1 meaning “The LORD is my shepherd”.
- Jehovah Tsidkenu in Jeremiah 23:6 meaning “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS”.
- Jehovah Shammah in Ezekiel 48:35 meaning “The LORD is there”.
Adonai
You will notice the Lord again, just in a lower-case with a capital L in the Hebrew is the name Adonai. The name of the Lord means Sovereign, Master, Owner, or Lord, the One who oversees me.
God is eternal.
He always was and will be.
He is a Spirit which is creator of all things.
Isaiah 40:28; Psalms 90:2
Isaiah 40:28 NKJV Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
Psalm 90:2 NKJV Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You [are] God.
God is omnipotent.
omni means all.
potent means powerful.
God is all powerful Genesis 17:1; Jeremiah 32:17
Genesis 17:1 NKJV When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I [am] Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. “Almighty God” used here is the first time in scripture that brings the wonderful distinct name of God in Hebrew “El-Shaddai”. It is mentioned 48 times in scripture!
Jeremiah 32:17 NKJV 'Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. Jeremiah praises God as creator and that there is nothing too hard for the Lord to do!
God is omnipresent.
omni means all.
present means everywhere
God is everywhere Psalms 139:7-10 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You [are] there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You [are there]. 9 [If] I take the wings of the morning, [And] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.
God is always with us.
God is unchangeable.
Friends may change but God never has, nor will He ever. Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8
[Mal 3:6 NKJV] 6 "For I [am] the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. [Heb 13:8 NKJV] 8 Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, today, and forever.
God is intimate.
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Abba Father meaning Abba - 'daddy' or 'papa' is such an intimate word where we can come to God in prayer as a son or daughter who has been saved, being saved we have been adopted by God our Father.
God is omniscient.
omni means all
scient means knowledgeable.
Psalms 147:5; Acts 15:18; 1 Samuel 16:7
[Psa 147:5 NKJV] 5 Great [is] our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding [is] infinite. God knows everything, He knows everything about us, He knows the joys in our lives to the deepest troubles. [Act 15:18 NKJV] 18 "Known to God from eternity are all His works. [1Sa 16:7 NKJV] 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For [the LORD does] not [see] as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."God is Holy
Psalms 99:9; Isaiah 6:1-5, Revelation 4:8-11
[Psa 99:9 NKJV] 9 Exalt the LORD our God, And worship at His holy hill; For the LORD our God [is] holy. [Isa 6:1-5 NKJV] 1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His [robe] filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy [is] the LORD of hosts; The whole earth [is] full of His glory!" 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 So I said: "Woe [is] me, for I am undone! Because I [am] a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts." [Rev 4:8-11 NKJV] 8 [The] four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!" 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."
God's declaration of salvation
John 3:16
[Jhn 3:16 NKJV] 16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.It is of God (God)
It is out of His love (so loved)
It is to His people (the world)
