Why names are important, our names for God, and his names for us

By Dean Collins

If you are a parent then you were probably involved in figuring out a name for your child. I can remember months of deliberating over my children’s names. And then there’s your pets. I’ve participated in the naming of several dogs and cats. I’ve named or been involved in naming four businesses or nonprofit organizations. Typically we don’t just flippantly name something or someone. Names tend to stick with us and define us.

Names have meanings. In old English my name means “valley” and also “church official.” Its Latin origin means “leader of ten.” In Greek my name means “monk” or “dignity” and “leader of ten others”. In Hebrew my name means “law” or “justice.” In education my name refers to a leader of academic departments or highest academic rank.

I doubt my mother researched all of this. I think there was a relative somewhere with the name Dean. But it is very interesting to consider all of the meanings of my name and how much my life appears to have aligned with my name.

Names for God

In the Bible God has over 100 names. Here are a few, along with their meanings:

Elohim ...Creator God
Elohim Chayim ...Living God
Abba ...Father
Jehovah-jireh ..The Lord will provide
Jehovah-shalom ...The Lord is peace
El Elyon ...He is our Sovereign
El Kanna ...The jealous God
El Roi ...He sees you
El Shaddai …God is sufficient
Jehovah Ro’i ...He is your shepherd
Jehovah Nissi ...He is your banner
Jehovah Rophe ...The Lord who heals
Adonai ...Master or Lord

God’s names for his followers

Throughout the narrative of Scripture, as people understood more and more about God and experienced additional dimensions of his character and power, he was called many names. But we also learn that, as the story of God is revealed in Scripture, we see many names and dimensions of how God sees us. For example:

Beloved ...Romans 1:7; Jeremiah 31:3; 1 John 3:1
Heirs ...Romans 8:17
Priests ...1 Peter 2:5
Children of the almighty ...2 Corinthians 6:18; 1 John 3:1
Sheep ...Ezekiel 35:30; Hebrews 13:20, 21
Branches ...John 15:5
His temple ...1 Corinthians 6:19
New creation ...2 Corinthians 5:17
Light and salt ...Matthew 5:13-16
Friends ...John 15:14, 15
Citizens of heaven ...Philippians 3:20, 21

This is only a sampling. There are hundreds of verses that round out how God sees us. As children of God we must put away the negative thoughts that the enemy plants in our minds. We do that by reading, knowing, and claiming who we are in God’s eyes.

We put away negative thoughts about ourselves by reading, knowing, and claiming who we are in God’s eyes.

My favorite verse that describes how God views us is Ephesians 2:10. Here Paul reminds us that we are God’s workmanship or poetry. We are handcrafted by the Almighty. We are his beautiful craftsmanship. We are his perfect poem.

Knowing the many names of God and the names and ways God sees us should lead to us being very careful and clear in how we think about others and what we call each other. As children of the light we must stop speaking words of hatred, destruction, or prejudice. Our speech must be filled with the life of God. When we see others as God sees them and name others as God names them, then we will see his Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven. Words and names matter.

Your time with God’s Word
Genesis‬ ‭17:1-8‬; ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:10 ESV‬ ‭

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

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