We’ll start with Yahweh (In Hebrew written YHWH) because that’s the personal name of God and it appears 6,500 times in the Old Testament. In Exodus 3, Moses is out in the wilderness tending his flock, all alone and had run from Pharoah, lest he be killed for defending an Israelite, killing an Egyptian. Moses thought God needed his help because he saw his people being mistreated. He ran away from Pharaoh and had been hiding out there for 40 years.
This particular day, Yahweh, Shammah shows up to Moses in the form of a burning bush and tells him about all of these miracles He’s going to perform through him. And Moses asks Him, “Who should I say sent me?” And God said to tell them my name is “Yahweh” in Hebrew, which is translated as “I Am Who I am.” So he basically said, “Tell them that ‘I Am’ sent you.” This “I AM” is why the Jews wanted to stone Jesus when he made himself equal to God. In the Garden, when Judas led the soldiers cout to arrest Jesus, he said, “whom do you seek?” They replied, “Jesus of Nazareth.” He responded, I AM. With these words the soldiers who had come to arrest him, fell backwards. There is complete power over the universe in that name. The word says, “Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, Jesus is Lord.” That’s pretty powerful ..when you find a book that is amazingly consistent throughout 100’s of years. There have been some who have tried to disprove the bible, some have found so much truth they became believers…I should say most, mainly because if one is seeking to disprove without looking for truth, you just might not find it. However, if you seek for truth, you will find it.
So Yahweh is the personal name of God. And when you see the name LORD in all caps in the Bible, that’s this word, Yahweh or I AM.
Eventually, the Jews became increasingly reticent to speak the name as they regarded it as too sacred to be uttered; it was thus replaced vocally in the synagogue ritual by the Hebrew word Adonai (“My Lord”), which was translated as Kyrios (“Lord”) in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Hebrew Scriptures. Adonai is the plural of the Hebrew word Adon, which means “lord” or “master.” It was used first as God’s title before it was used as God’s name. The plural and capitalized Adonai is used because, according to beliefs, God is the LORD of all humanity and thus is the “Lord of all lords.
King of kings and Lord of lords and Ancient of Days.
In Hebrew we have El-Shaddai, meaning God Almighty.
And Elohim, showing the plurality of the Godhead. It could refer to many gods, but the chief deity of all the other gods was simply titled “El,” meaning “THE god.”
And Jehovah Jireh, meaning “God will provide.”
And Jehovah Rapha, “The God that heals.”
Or Jehovah Nissi, “the Lord is my banner.”
Jehovah Shammah, “the Lord ever present”
Jehovah Rohi, “the Lord my shepherd
Jehovah T’sidkenu,” The God of My Righteousness: Christ the Risen, Yeshua Hamashiach :
And my favorite, “Abba Father.” Because we are His children and He loves each and every one of us enough to give His only Son to die in our place on the cross, that we might be heirs of the promise.
Life comes to us through the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us…when we believe, and act on that belief and trust and lean not on our own understanding. (Prov 3) He has given us a part to play. He is full of mercy and grace, but there is a place where we must come into full obedience. ,,,,living the life of a servant of the Most High Jehovah. Choosing to follow in Christ’s footsteps, being HIS servant is the highest calling. Let us strive to or as Hebrews puts it….”Labor to enter that rest.” The writer of Hebrews continues, “lest anyone of you has fallen short of it” “As I swore in my wrath they shall not enter my rest because of their unbelief” Notice he did not say “sin.” But unbelief. Are you believing that His rest is for you? Trust Him as a little child, lean into Jehovah Shammah goodness for He is always there when you call.
Trusting in the redemptive grace of Jehovah T’skidenu when you are reminded how you messed up your past and the guilt you carry because of your mistakes, can bring redemptive power to you in the present. Jesus says, “Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest; Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly of heart and you will find rest for your soul.” .
If you feel a pain or ache, the Jehovah Shammah (His Holy Spirit) will bring you to a place where you can stop and realize Jehovah Rapha has taken that upon Himself. If you sense a disconnect from His Spirit or confusion where you are not sure which road to take, a difficult decision in front of you, “ask and you shall receive” from Jehovah Rapha. Jesus never turned anyone away, even the Syrophoenician woman received her request. She only asked for a crumb from Jehovah Rapha’s table. but Jesus told her she had great faith. The woman with the issue of blood thought ‘If only I can touch the tassel of his garment, I will be made well.” The minute she did, virtue went out from our Jehovah Rapha and entered into her body because she would take no for an answer.
When fear overtakes you and you are overwhelmed with the large or small things, no matter. Turn to your Jehovah Nissi, your banner…..he is your protection from fear and doubt and unbelief…..Call on Him to ask Him to help you believe….Jehovah Nissi covers you with his love and grace and his protection and He will bring you into that marvelous peaceful, contented rest…..”IN HIM” The Great “I AM” He is ever present.
When struggling how to walk in the holiness of God, This one particular day I was wrestling with how to live out this “Christian” life. I was struggling at every turn, so it seemed. I was trying so hard, reaching for holiness while stressing out my young children. I could not spend enough time in the word or pray long enough or seek for answers deep enough. Whatever I did it was never enough. I became so angry at all the teaching I had received and all the expectations I had for myself, but it was simply the condemnation of my enemy, guilt, shame and condemnation. I thought I had to be perfect. Those three spirits of torment, seemed to visit my mind quite often. I was exhausted, angry and frustrated. I reminded God of the verse in the Bible that said, “Let not the sun go down on your wrath” So I requested to my Lord in a prayer, “Abba Father, I don’t want to go to sleep angry, will you please reveal to me what I am lacking?”
I put the kids to bed, apologizing for my frustration toward them, letting them know mom was struggling with finding God in a real place. We said our prayers together. I picked up my bible and read: “Oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you that you having begun in the spirit, now trying to work it out in your flesh” That pierced my heart like a lightening bolt! Jehovah T’sidkneu showed up 2000 years ago and I was still trying to make it happen within, when he had said “IT IS FINISHED.” Are you kidding me? That’s it?!!!! I was so exhausted. I repented for trying so hard and told the Lord I was so exhausted from today….could HE just hold me? As I laid my head on my pillow, I sensed this most awesome presence of God I’ve never felt before nor since. My pillow seemed to become his lap and my body seemed to change positions. I was sitting up with my head on Jehovah Shammah’s Lap….I was so shocked with the change in the position and I wanted to open my eyes for I was sure he was there in bodily form with the overwhelming love that was poured out upon me and all over my body, but there was no time to consider, for I was fast asleep, drifting off into the most peaceful sleep I’ve ever known. Years later my brother-in-law having no idea of my experience, for my Christmas present handed me a box. He explained, “I walked into the shop and saw this hanging on the wall and Spirit spoke to me and said “That’s for Barbara!” I opened it to reveal a young girl and what appeared to be a man in a white robe sitting down. She had her head on his knee and he was stroking her hair. I gasped! There’s no way, I didn’t tell him my experience, and he had no way of knowing! Jesus cares and every hair on our head has been numbered…says the Psalmist. I was and still am overwhelmed sometimes to the point of laughing and then my joy brings me to tears when experiencing the love of my Father. He knows our every need Jehovah Shalom. I needed peace and Jehovah Shalom was there to “provide”, Jehovah Jireh
I have so many more stories of the provision and love of Abba Father ….maybe there would not be enough paper in this world to hold the wonderful miracles I have seen and experienced walking heart to heart, spirit to Spirit, with my precious Adonai. He truly is LORD, The Everpresent “I AM THAT I AM”