Titles For Jehovah
From Pastor Todd

Jehovah has a redemptive relationship with man. Men of old gave seven compound names to reveal God as meeting every need of mankind.

The God of more than enough covers a multitude of areas in the lives of the men and women He touched. The names given Him were not actually names, but rather titles that identified a specific characteristic. These characteristics have aided man from the point of mankind’s fall until now, and will aid mankind until the end. It, therefore, behooves us to know these titles and learn how they can assist us as we march toward Glory.

Jehovah-jireh: "the Lord will provide" (Genesis 22:13-14). Abraham had been instructed to deliver Isaac to Mt. Moriah to be sacrificed. Without hesitation, Abraham proceeds to Mt. Moriah to carry out his instructions. Isaac even questions the process, and at what seems like the last possible instant, an angel calls out to Abraham, and Isaac receives a stay of execution. God provided the necessary sacrifice inspiring Abraham to offer the title "Jehovah-jireh." This title gives us the assurance that when we are against the wall, and fearing the loss of something dear, God is capable of stepping in and providing the real need. Expecting and trusting are the keys to experiencing this characteristic. Doubt stands as a stark obstacle to this characteristic. Had Abraham doubted that God’s promise would come to pass, this event might have proved deadly. If we doubt, we lose.

Jehovah-rapha: "the Lord that healeth" (Exodus 15:26). Moses, in his record of the Exodus, gives us this visual. After being released from Egypt, marched through the Red Sea, and preserved from thirst at Marah, God makes a promise to the Israelites. That promise is that He would not afflict the children with the diseases use to persuade the Egyptians that He, indeed, was the Most High. This, of course, was contingent upon their obedience. His promise includes a healing clause. The Lord of "more than enough" had provided hope to a people marching to a new home. Health would be more than expected, but necessary.

We too can expect good health if we are obedient. Care must be exercised that we do not confuse sickness with God’s dissatisfaction with us. These instances provide God an opportunity to prove that He can and will heal. The desired healing is any healing required for the soul, for the soul is the home of the Spirit.

Jehovah-nissi: "the Lord our banner" (Exodus 17:8-15). The enemy of Israel at this time was Amalek, a representation (type) of the flesh. This is the conflict described in Galatians 5:17 between the spirit and the flesh. We learn here that victory is wholly due to divine help. Moses sat in a position overlooking the battle. Whenever his arms holding the staff fell, the Israelites began to lose. When his arms were raised the battle turned in their favor. God, in the person of Moses (Ex. 4:14-15), stood as a banner of allegiance for the people. God provides for His people a rallying point. When the battle turns against us, we need but look to the banner, the representative, and the battle will turn in our favor.

Jehovah-shalom: "the Lord our peace" (Judges 6:24). Judges, chapter five, contains nearly all of the totality of the _expression and illustration of Jehovah’s ministry. If Jehovah hates and judges sin (vs. 1-5); Jehovah loves and saves sinners (vs. 7-18), but only through sacrifice (19-21). Jehovah was the Lord of peace in the Old Testament, but the story does not stop there. Paul informs us, or re-informs us, that Jehovah didn’t leave us, He merely changed uniforms. Jesus is described as our "peace" (Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:14; Colossians 1:20).

Jehovah-raah: "the Lord my shepherd" (Psalm 23). Jehovah makes peace through the blood on the cross (Psalm 22), then in Psalm 23 He is shepherding His own who are residing in the world (John 10:7). David, a shepherd, alludes to the fact that his shepherd is Jehovah, and because of that fact he was not in want. He continues to explain the benefits of having the Lord as your shepherd, concluding that along with Jehovah, the Shepherd, he enjoys the comfort of Goodness and Mercy who come along to assist. John points out that Jesus is our Shepherd. He knows us, and we should know His voice. We are in His hand and no man can take us from this haven.

Jehovah-tsidkenu: "the Lord our righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6). This title points toward the prophecy concerning Israel’s future restoration and conversion. Israel will have her day in the sun. It hasn’t come yet, but the day is rapidly approaching when Israel will find Jesus and occupy the position a "Chosen Child" should hold. It is, again, Jehovah who makes this possible, and Israel will be able to stand alongside the church as we all enter into the great Throne Room of God.

Jehovah-shammah: "the Lord is present" (Ezekiel 48:35). "Shammah indicates God’s abiding presence with His people. Throughout the Old Testament God appeared, in one form or another, to His people. In the New Testament He arrives personally in the person of Jesus. His presence with us is important to Him, if not to us. We have consistently rejected His presence for the presence of idols, and "stuff." Being with His people, leading His flock, and bringing peace and victory to His loved ones makes Him happy. We have done much to destroy "His" happiness, and He still sends blessings as required.

David tells us in Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know He is God, ...!"