The Names & Titles of the Deity

One of the gravest defects of the Authorised and Revised Versions of the Scriptures is the failure to differentiate in a simple and effective way between the various names and titles of the Deity. No good and sufficient reason can be given for this failure. When the names of men are recorded they are given in an English form of the original, and the same principle should operate in the case of the names of God. In some cases the English word which has been adopted bears no relation whatever to the Hebrew, as for example when LORD or GOD is given as the equivalent of Yahweh, or God as the equivalent of El, Eloah, and Elohim. The result is that the ordinary English reader fails to appreciate the Bible revelation of God as shown in the use of His various names.

It might be urged by some that such a defect is not of much importance. ” What’s in a name ? ” To modern and western peoples a name is usually but an appellative to indicate the individual to whom reference is made. It generally depends upon the caprice of the parents, and has no intended meaning. But in Bible times, and among the people of the Bible, it was often otherwise. Names had a meaning and importance. Many illustrations of this might be given ; a few will suffice to emphasise the point.

A noteworthy case is that of Abraham. When he first comes before us in the Scriptures he is called Abram, a name which may be rendered Father of Exaltation, or High Father. After being called to go to the land of Promise and being made party to a covenant in which the other participator was the God of heaven, this name was no longer considered appropriate for him. The covenant provided that his seed (the Christ) should have the everlasting possession of the land of Promise, and that there should be a great multitude who, by baptism into the Christ, should become Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise (Gal. iii 27-29). Of all these Abraham is regarded as the father (Rom. iv. 16 and 17). Hence his name was changed from Abram to Abraham, ”for a father of many nations have I made thee ” (Gen. xvii. 5). The new name which means Father of a multitude was thus both significant and prophetic.

Another illustration of the principle will be found in connection with Jacob. His name is usually defined as meaning a supplanter. Literally it means ” heel-catcher,” and was given to him because of an incident connected with his birth. To catch one by the heel is to throw him over and thereby overtake him. The name became descriptive of the career of its possessor. His brother Esau recognised this. ” Is he not rightly named Jacob, for he hath supplanted me these two times ; he took away my birthright, and behold, now he hath taken away my blessing.” At an important crisis in his career he too had his name changed. Returning to the land of Canaan after many years’ absence, and anticipating a meeting with the brother whom he had supplanted, he was met by an angel. A struggle took place between them in which Jacob prevailed and asked for a blessing. ” And he (the angel) said unto him, What is thy name ? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel, for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” It was an honourable name. No longer was he a ” heelcatcher,” but a prince with God. This also was a prophetic name. It found a partial fulfilment in his descendants, but waits for its full development when ” the Israel of God,” with Christ at their head, shall stand up to subdue the nations and establish the Kingdom of God.

Examples of descriptive names are frequent. We may cite the names of Jacob’s sons, all of whom were named from some circumstance connected with their birth. The following may also be referred to :

Of names which became peculiarly appropriate to the persons who bore them, the following may be mentioned. David (dear or beloved), the man after God’s own heart; Solomon (peaceful), in whose reign Israel enjoyed a peace most unusual in their history ; Isaiah (salvation of Yahweh), the preacher of Yahweh as the Redeemer of Israel; Ezekiel (God will strengthen), who was specially made strong by God for the work assigned to him.

This brief review of a few prophetic and descriptive names would be incomplete without a reference to the case of the Lord Jesus Christ. There was no caprice in the choice of His name. It was divinely given to Him before His birth. ” Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.” It is the Greek form of Joshua (God the Saviour, or Yahweh the helper). Matthew’s record gives the reason for the name. ” She shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” It may be pointed out that so important was it that this name should be given to the child, that Mary and Joseph were both instructed by the angel that His name should be Jesus.

When it is considered that in all the foregoing instances and in many more, names had a significance, it will be realised that there must be some reason why God has revealed Himself by various names. Those names must declare something in relation to His person, position, prerogatives, or purpose. To attain salvation one must know God (John xvii. 3). That being so it is most desirable that we should know something of the meaning of the names which He has adopted for Himself.

In the English version these names are thus expressed: God, the Lord, the Lord God, God Almighty, the Almighty, the Lord of Hosts, Lord God of Hosts, the Holy One, the Most High God, the Most High, the Lord Most High, etc. These are the representatives of various Hebrew words which are used alone or in combination: El, Eloah, Elohim, Adon, Adonai, Yahweh, Yah, Elyon, Shaddai, and Kedesh.

There are those who have a very summary way of accounting for the use of various names for God. They make the fact a basis for theories which reduce the Bible to a mere haphazard collection of writings by different authors, pieced together with little more principle than obtains in the case of a patchwork quilt. The contention of these critics is that in a section where one of the names of the Deity is fairly consistently used, that portion must have been written by one author, and where another name is similarly used it must be the production of a different writer. They name these writers the ” Elohist,” the ” Jehovist,” etc. It is no part of the purpose before us to dispose of these theories, but it is hoped that the matters which will be considered will indicate that so far as this particular argument is concerned it has very little bearing on the case. On the other hand it will, undoubtedly, tend to increase the regard and veneration for the Scriptures, which is the general attitude of those for whom these pages are principally intended.

There are in the Scriptures a number of references to the Name of God of such a character that a review of them will be a fitting close to an introduction to the study before us. They will help to a better appreciation of the place which that Name occupies in the estimation of God Himself, and of the saints of old. We will take the book of Psalms as the principle source of the quotations in this connection. The keynote will be found in an expression which occurs twice in a short Psalm : ” O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth ” (Psalm viii. 1 and 9). Such a saying clearly implies that the name of the Lord must be something more than a mere appellative. The excellence of a man’s name does not lie in any abstract beauty in the name itself. When a man is said to have a good name, it is understood that it is so on account of the character he bears. So it must be in regard to the Deity’s name, it expresses His character, or the purpose in which His goodness or excellence is exhibited. On this principle many references to the Name of God can be understood. Thus, we learn that the Name of the Lord is one which, when ” known,” causes men to trust in Him (Psalm ix. 10). It is, therefore, to be ” remembered,” because by so doing one is helped to keep His law (cxix. 55). The people who ” know the joyful sound ” of the gospel, ” rejoice in the Name ” (Ixxxix. 15 and 16). In trouble and affliction they call upon it (cxvi. 4) in full assurance of a response from the One who bears it. In the past saints have trusted in that Name, and have therefore rejoiced in the Lord (xxxiii. 21). Salvation and help are secured by and in it (liv. 1 and cxxiv. 8). Therefore, ” blessed be His glorious Name for ever ” (Ixxii. 19 ; see also xcvi. 2 and ciii. 1), for glory is due unto it (xxix. 2 and xcvi. 8), and the righteous shall give thanks unto it (cxl. 13 and cvi. 47). Men are exhorted to ” sing unto God, sing praises to His Name ” (Ixviii. 4), which those who appreciate its meaning gladly do (ix. 2 and xviii. 49), recognising as they praise that it is great and holy (xcix. 3), and therefore to be feared (Ixi. 5). So also they are enjoined to ” sing forth the honour of His Name ” (Ixvi. 2), ” Thy Name, O Lord, which endureth for ever, and Thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all generations ” (cxxxv. 13). Above all the faithful love that Name (Ixix. 36). Its intimate relation to the divine purpose appears in the fact that it is ” in the Name of the Lord ” that ” the Stone which the builders refused” will destroy all nations who gather themselves against him (cxviii. 10, 22 and 26). In that Name David’s horn is to be exalted (Ixxxix. 24), and, contemplating the condition of things that will exist on earth in the Kingdom of God in a revived and glorified Zion, the Psalmist declares, ” According to Thy Name O God, so is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth (xlviii. 10). Then, ” all nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee O Lord ; and shall glorify Thy Name (Ixxxvi. 9).

There is another series of references to this Name in the Psalms which calls for attention, those which speak of certain things being done ” for His Name’s sake.” Thus we read ” He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake ” (xxiii. 3). ” Thou art my rock and my fortress, therefore for Thy Name’s sake lead me, and guide me ” (xxxi. 3). ” Help us O God of our salvation, for the glory of Thy Name ; and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for Thy Name’s sake (Ixxix. 9). ” Quicken me, O Lord, for Thy Name’s sake” (cxliii. 11).

It would be possible to extend this list of references to the Name of the Lord by quotations from the Prophets. Such a course is unnecessary ; doubtless many will spring to the mind as the foregoing are read. That so much has been found in one book of the Bible is an indication of the place which the Name of God occupies in His revelation. This one fact will be an ample reason for giving some consideration to the meaning of that Name, or rather of those Names, for as already indicated, there are many that will require to be dealt with before the matter can be considered to have been properly reviewed.

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