Friday, June 12, 2009

Theological Thursdays

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Okay, so we have covered a bunch of names and characteristics of God so far. I am finding as I search out God's names/characteristics, that so many of them are similar in meaning and use. I don't really want to continuously cover a name/characteristic that we have already covered, so this means a little more work on my part, to check ahead of time on the names I want to cover each week.

I said that we were planning to cover God as the, "I AM", but I think that it would be redundant to cover this once more. At the same time, I don't wan to leave any information out, either, because there could always be the slightest difference in these similar names.

So, now that I have confused you and myself, I will sum up God as the "I AM" and move on.

We first covered, "Yahweh/Jehovah", in the beginning of this study. The "I AM" form is pretty much the same, just a different translation. Yahweh when translated to the Hebrew verb form means, "to be", this literally equals, "I AM" or "He is".

This form of God is used so often in the Old Testament, that it proved to the people that God is the Self-Existent Eternal One. He was not created by anyone. He is, He was and He will always be.

God refers to himself in the form of "I AM" when speaking to Moses, in the Old Testament. When Moses asks God to reveal himself, God returns with:

"I AM who I AM". This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you'"
Exodus 3:14

God had not not left it up to man to define himself, He has already done that for us. He is the Great "I AM" - the Lord.

So, knowing that God is Self-Defining, that "I AM" stems from Yahweh, and God is, was and will always be....does that mean that He wants to do something for us? He seems to be reaching out to us, telling us who He is and that He has created us and loves us, but what does that power mean directly to us?

Over the next few weeks, we will cover the Yahwehs, of God. We know that Yahweh or I AM means the All-Sufficient One, the Lord, the beginning and the end. So, what are these additional Yahwehs that I am talking about? Here below is a list of Yahwehs that define God's intent and character, directly to us.

Yahweh-jireh
Yahweh-rapha
Yahweh-nissi
Yahweh-mekoddishkem
Yahweh-shalom
Yahweh-sabaoth
Yahweh-raah
Yahweh-tsidkenu

Some of these names I had heard before, but at least half of them where unfamiliar to me. That is what makes me look forward to being in the Word. No matter how much you think you know about God, there is always so much more to absorb.

I am excited about covering some new areas in the Bible. So, I have a big job this week: search, research and gather. I want the next few weeks to be interesting, intriguing and full of things that you all (and myself) have not heard many times before.

So, stay tuned and get ready for something new and exciting!!!!

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." James 4:8

Sarah

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