06.05. We Call Him God

We Call Him God

Hebrews 11:6

1500 years before the birth of Christ, Pharaoh said to Moses when Moses said that God said to Pharaoh to let his people go, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?" Exodus 5:2 . The king of Babylon, Nebuchanezzar said to the three Hebrew children, "Who is that God, that shall deliver you out of my hands?" Daniel 3:15 Man has continually ask the question about who God is. Today there are many thoughts concerning the concept of what man would call god. These concepts go by various names, a higher power, the big guy upstairs, the force. An atheist will tell you that God does not exist. The agnostic says you can’t know. There is the thought known as polytheism which says there are many gods and offers a choice of gods. These deities often are of the forces of nature- the sun, sky, earth. Hinduism is an example of this. The Chinese concept is of two forces, good and bad, coequal and opposed to each other. They call it the yin-yang. This is known as dualism. Still another concept of god is of pantheism, which concludes that everything is god. We, and everything else, are caught in this endless ring of spiritual life from which there is escape only by becoming one with this force. Then there is deism which teaches that there is a god but he is not personal. The concept of one god is known as monotheism. So what does the Bible say and teach us about God? What do we as Baptist believe about God? With all the noise about God and gods today we need to know what the Bible teaches. The Hebrews understood that God spoke to Moses and that He was the only God. Many times the Old Testament declares, "O Lord, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee..." The Baptist Faith and Message states, "There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience." (Hobbs, Herschel H., The Baptist Faith and Message. Nashville: Convention Press, 1971. pp. 150. Page 31.) I- The Existence of God:

The Bible does not attempt to prove to mankind that God exists. The Bible simply makes the statement that He is and man can accept it or reject it. Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God..." We also know that the very existence of creation declares there is a God of creation. Psalms 19:1 states "The heavens declares the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handwork." "From the age of two, Helen Keller was blind, deaf and without the sense of smell. After two months of agonizing and fruitless attempts on the part of her teacher to communicate with this young girl, a miracle occurred. One day Helen suddenly understood the concept and meaning of running water! from this humble foundation Miss Keller built a lofty tower of thought, including the ability to use her voice in speaking. She became an educated and articulate human being. Sometime after she had progressed to the point that she could engage in conversation, she was told of God and His love in sending Christ to die on the cross. She is said to have responded with joy, "I always knew He was there,, but I didn’t know His name!"" (Willmington, H. L., Willmington’s Guide to the Bible. Wheaton, ILL.: Tyndale House, 1987 p 591.) The reason that mankind is trying to say there is no God is because they know they are accountable to Him when they acknowledge Him. My friends we are accountable to Him whether we acknowledge Him or not. We will attempt to understand the God of the Bible in two ways. We will look at His names and His attributes.

II- The Names of God:

    A name tells us many things. Have you ever wondered where all of the "last" names we use came from. The Miller’s Johnson’s, Carpenter’s, etc. They have their roots in the past. The names of our forefathers told many things about him. The giving of a name to his children by a prophet many times prophesied something to come in the future. The names that God has revealed to mankind that He is know by reveal many things about Him.

There are four primary names in the Old Testament that tells us who God is. Elohim, El, Adonai, and Jehovah. A- Elohim is the first name used for God in the Bible. Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God [elohim ] created the heaven and the earth." Elohim is used 2605 times in Scripture. It is the primary word translated, "God." This name is "used of the true God and heathen gods." (Ryrie, Charles Caldwell, The Ryrie Study Bible. Chicago: Moody Press, 1985. Page 1970.) This is a general name for god(s) and simply identifies God as God. "...the him ending of Elohim is very significant, for it is a plural ending in the Hebrew that indicates three or more."⁴ (Arthur, Kay, Lord, I Want To Know You. Old Tappen, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1984, 187 pp. Page 21.) This allows for the Trinity. The meaning of it is "The strong one." it speaks of the creative power. B- El and it’s compound names teaches us many things about our God. There are four compound names used with El. 1- El Elyon- "The strongest strong one." Satan wanted to be like El Elyon recorded in Isaiah 14:13-14 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: ¹⁴ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.[El-Elyon] 2- El Roi- "The strong one who sees." When Hagar was in the wilderness after being cast out by Sarai when all hope of survival was lost when was visited and ministered to by El Roi, the strong one who sees. Genesis 16:13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God [El] seest [Roi] me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? 3- El Shaddai- "The breasted One." This denotes the God who cares for us. Genesis 17:1 records that God told Abraham that he was El Shaddai. Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God [El Shaddai]; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 4- El Olam- "The everlasting God." Isaiah 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God [El Olam], the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. C- Adonai "Master, Lord." As Master and Lord of our lives He owns us and expects us to serve Him and obey Him. D- Jehovah "the Self-existent One, the God of the covenant." Jehovah was the name that God used to identify Himself to Israel. He told Moses to tell the Hebrews that "I Am, that I Am" sent him. There are nine compound names of Jehovah. Through these nine compound names God revealed to us that He is the God that provides, fights our battles, is our peace, is the one who sanctifies us, is our shepherd, is the God of righteousness, who is present and is our healer. Let’s look at just a couple of these names. 1- Jehovah-Jireh "the Lord will provide" Genesis 22:13-14 "And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen."

        2- Jehovah Shalom- "the Lord is Peace" Judges 6:24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

        3- Jehovah Raah- "the Lord is my Shepherd." Psalms 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.    

III- The Attributes of God:

There are many attributes that tell us of God’s nature and give insight into who He is. The Baptist Faith and Message list 11 attributes. Ryrie’s Study Bible lists 14. Others list as many as 21. Lets look at a few. A- Self- Existent- This simply says that God does not need man or any other thing to exist. He exists by His own might and power. B- Immutable- Malachi 3:6 "...For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." He does not change. He is the same in nature and purpose day after day. C- Omnipresent- He is present everywhere at all times in all places. Psalms 139:7-12 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? ⁸ If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. ⁹ If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; ¹⁰ Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. ¹¹ If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. ¹² Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. D- Omnipotent- Matthew 19:26 "...With God all things are possible." He is all powerful. He is only limited by self imposed limits. He cannot act out of His character. E- Omniscience- Hebrews 4:13 "...Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked and opened unto the yes of him whom we have to do." God has all knowledge. He knows all simultaneously. immediately. Nothing is hide from God. F- Holy- Isaiah 6:3 "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts...." The Lord is Holy and it says in Leviticus 11:44 that He requires man to be holy. G- Truth- John 14:6 "Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life." God is the source of all truth. H- Love- 1 John 4:7-9 "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him." The best know attribute of God today is probably His love. We call Him God. It seems like such a small word for such an awesome being.