Jehovah Rapha

Jeohvah Rapha

By John Mitchell

I hope you have been blessed with the revelation of God in the New Testament and the Old Testament through the names of God. 

Today we go to Exodus 15 for the name Jehovah Rapha, the Lord healeth.

Exodus 15:22-26 So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the Wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah that is, Bitterness. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He put them to the proof, and said, “If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee which I have brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord that healeth thee.” 

Israel has been delivered from Egypt. They had just come from the Passover. They came to the Red Sea, and God made a way through the Red Sea. In chp 12 they had victory over death. In chp 14 they had victory over the Egyptians. In chp 15 you have their first song, a song of triumph and filled with praises to the Lord. And after three days in the wilderness, they had changed from singing into murmuring. Twelve times did they murmured. Murmuring is always against God from being unsatisfied with what He provides. Isn't that common in men? They praise the Lord for His faithfulness and three minutes later are back in the dumps murmuring. 

Every test and trial we go is an open door for God to display His power. How else can the Apostle Paul say:

2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said unto me, “My grace is sufficent for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore will I glory rather in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

It is in the tests and trials of life we get to know Christ. To praise Him in tests and trials is victory. 

As you read the history of Israel, you have to come to the conclusion that they preferred to be in slavery with the flesh parts of Egypt than in the wilderness with God. It is obvious today with many Christians that we prefer the flesh parts of the world to being alone in separation with God. They even wanted to go back to Egypt with their tummies full than with God's provision in the wilderness. 

They had been separated from Egypt (the world) for three days and wer tested. The moment you start walking with the Lord, you start to walk in separation. Sometimes when we walk in separation, it leads us to suffering. This is very hard to the flesh, and God's people become bitter. 

When you become bitter, you are the one who suffers. You become bitter and hateful.

Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 

The death and resurrection of fdChrist is between the world and the believer. God is still displaying His love and mercy because he is pleading with men, longing for him to come to Him. But there is a day coming when that is going to end. 

Walking in separation from the world is going to cost us something. 

God said in Exodus, if you obey and do what is pleasing to me, I will not put the diseases that I put on the Egyptians. 

Exodus 23:25-26 And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and He shall bless thy bread and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. None shall cast their young nor be barren in thy land; the number of thy days I will fulfill. 

But this is dependant on obedience.

Deuteronomy 7:9, 12, 15 Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, who keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations, “Therefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments and keep and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which He swore unto thy fathers. And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee, but will lay them upon all those who hate thee. 

Deuteronomy 28:22, 27-28 The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blight, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish. The Lord will smite thee with the boils of Egypt, and with the hemorrhoids, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart; 

It was dependant on obedience. He would have healed them for the 40 years in the wilderness and even past that. 

Luke 4:25-27 But I tell you in truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land. But unto none of them was Elijah sent, save unto Zarephath, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed, except Naaman the Syrian.” 

He didn't heal any Israelite. None wanted anything to do with Him as they didn't in Jesus' times. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken hold of you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful; He will not suffer you to be tempted beyond that which ye are able to bear, but with the temptation will also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

Romans 5:3-6 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost who is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 

When your eyes are in God, we know that God has brought me to that tribulation to experience His power, not to make me sour. 

1 Peter 1:7-8 that the trial of your faith being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tested with fire might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen, ye love. In Him, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, 

Gold is put in the fire not to destroy it, but to purify it. 

Your faith is indestructible, but it must be tested and tried. There are things in our lives we must be rid off, so He passes us through the fire. 

Israel could have been freed from illness through obedience, but they allowed their unbelief to rob them.

Do not let your unbelief in the person and power of God to rob you of a walk wih God, of an obedience to His Word, of being filled with a peace that passes understanding, of joy He wants to fill you with bound in hope. 

Jesus is Jehovah Rapha

Psalm 103:2-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits— who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 

Mark 2:3-12 And they came unto Him, bringing one sick with the palsy, who was borne by four. And when they could not come nigh unto Him because of the throng, they uncovered the roof where He was. And when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the one sick with the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, He said unto the one sick with the palsy, “Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.” But there were certain of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?” And immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, He said unto them, “Why reason ye these things in your hearts: whether it is easier to say to the sick with the palsy, ‘Thy sins are forgiven thee,’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up thy bed and walk’? But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins—” He said to the one sick with the palsy, “I say unto thee, arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.” And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all, insomuch that they all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw it in this fashion!” 

John 5:2-9 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of invalid folk — blind, halt, withered — waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool and troubled the water. Whosoever then first stepped in, after the troubling of the water, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there who had an infirmity for thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had been in that state a long time, He said unto him, “Wilt thou be made whole?” The infirm man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool; but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.” Jesus said unto him, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.” And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. 

In Exodus, the first revelation of Jehovah Rapha was in a pool. In John chp 5 the last revelation of God as healer in Israel was at a pool. 

Here was a man waiting 38 years, hopeless, helpless, forgotten. He had given up. He didn't asked Jesus to heal him; he just testified his hopelessnes: "I have no man to throw me in." 

If you have the power to heal and are down at that pool filled with infirm, how many would you have healed? Probably all of them. 

Do we have more compassion or tenderness than Jesus? 

Why did Jesus just healed one? 

He was the only one who had given up hope of getting into the pool. 

Why isn't everybody saved? Can't God save everybody? 

Because they trust something else, instead of Jesus. 

Do you know who Jesus saves? Sinners. 

Some people think their good works will get them to Heaven. 

They say: "If God puts my good works and bad works on a scale, the good works are more and He will let me in."

Where do they get that reasoning from? 

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 

It is when you come to the end of your self, as a hopeless, helpless sinner. That is the man God saves. 

Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth in Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness, 

Titus 3:5 He saved us not by works of righteousness which we had done, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration, and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, 

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God— not by works, lest any man should boast. 

Our Lord Jesuschrist is Jehovah Rapha, the One Who heals. 

Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 

Luke 4:19 to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” 

Our Lord is here to heal sin-sicked souls. The moral is far more important than the physical. He told the man He healed from palsy to go and sin no more. That is moral responsibility. 

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” 

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me, and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. 

John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 

Jehovah Tsidkenu

Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our righteousness.

Does the Lord have an interest in me? Well, He created us for His glory, and there will come a time when we will enjoy the presence of God. 

The revelation of Jehovah Tsidkenu is found in the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah was in a difficult situation in a nation moving fast towards judgment. they'd gone beyond the power of prayer. 

Three times God said to Jeremiah that He did not want him to pray for them nor will He listen to their prayers. 

Jeremiah 23:5-6 “Behold, the days come,” saith the Lord, “that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch; and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is His name whereby He shall be called: The Lord Our Righteousness. 

Jeremiah 33:15-16 In those days and at that time will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely. And this is the name wherewith she shall be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.’ 

It's a promised given to Jeremiah that Israel would live in peace when the righteous King comes. 

Romans 10:2-4 For I bear them record that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. 

Israel was far removed from God. It's what caused the Babylonian captivity. There was nothing left for God to do but to judge righteously. 

Isaiah 46:12-13 Isaiah 45:23-25 “Hearken unto Me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near My righteousness; it shall not be far off, and My salvation shall not tarry; and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel My glory. I have sworn by Myself; the word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, ‘In the Lord have I righteousness and strength. Even to Him shall men come, and all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.’” 

He is the only One that is righteousness. Righteousness will win. There can be no peace on earth until the righteousness comes. 

Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever. 

Isaiah 26:9-10, 12 With my soul have I desired Thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early; for when Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Let favor be shown to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord. Lord, Thou wilt ordain peace for us; for Thou also hast wrought all our works in us. 

Man has tried to bring what they call a "utopia." It is a wonderful thing, but man does not have the capacity to do it. Only the righteous can bring peace to earth because peace is the result of righteousness. There will only be world peace when righteousness sits in the throne.

Jesuschrist is our righteousness now. He is Jehovah Tsidkenu. 

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 

We can't be righteous before God by our own doing. They are filthy rags. 

God will never recognize anything that men does as righteousness. 

Romans 3:10-12 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none that understandeth; there is none that seeketh after God. They have all gone from the way; they have together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” 

Scriptures have concluded all under sin and unbelief.

Romans 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all. 

Unless I am covered with the garments of righteousness, I can't come before God.

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall be joyful in my God. For He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. 

How much righteousness do you have? 

Titus 2:6 Titus 3:5 He saved us not by works of righteousness which we had done, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration, and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, Likewise exhort the young men to be soberminded, 

Unless you have a righteousness that equals that of God, you cannot stand in His presence. Stop this idea of trusting something that you can do or hope to do. Christ is the only Savior. 

The law was never given to save you or justify you. The law demands things but gives you no strength to do it. Everyone of us was born in sin and shaped in iniquity with no righteousness at all how in the world can we keep a holy law? We have not the strength or capacity. It was given to show us our need of a savior. 

Galatians 3:24-25 Therefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 

Christ did not die to secure your righteousness; you didn't have any. He died to vindicate the righteous character of God. He died to put away your sin. He did live to keep the law for you. He kept it to prove He was a fit sacrifice for sinners. The heart of man is primarily legalistic. We think we can add to the work of God. They think they are going to merrit favor with God. There is only One man God looks upon: His o ly begotten Son. You must be in Christ if you will stand before God. 

How can a righteous God pour His love upon sinners? He can't do it at the expense of His righteousness, His character. From your point of view you'd say it is hopeless. But God made the provision in Jesuschrist so we may stand not only forgiven of sins but in righteousness. 

Jesus died to make the righteousness of God available to men. 

Romans 3:24-28 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Him God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time, His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. 

Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 

Romans 4:4-5 Now to him that worketh, his reward is reckoned not according to grace, but according to debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth in Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness, 

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. 

1 Corinthians 1:30 But because of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who from God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption, 

2 Corinthians 5:21 For He hath made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. 

John Bunyan said;"Our righteousness is at God's right hand, where our good works cannot help it and our failures do not hurt it, and no one else is full of exultation when we say: 'We are accepted in the beloved.'" 

Christ is our righteousness now. For the nation of Israel, Christ will be their righteousness in the Millenium. When He reigns, they are going to call Him Jehovah Tsidkenu. But for us, we can have His righteousness now in Christ Jesus. 

No one will ever enjoy peace without righteousness. What this world needs is not a politician or a man-made king, or an economic genius or military strategist. We need righteousness to come to reign. When Our Savior comes a second time He will rule with a rod of righteousness. That gives us assurance. That is why Paul says He knows Whom he hath believed. 

Today, death reigns because of sin. But in His reign, righteousness will reign and we will experience peace. 

2 Peter 3:13-14 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Therefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless. 

Jehovah Raah

By John Mitchell

Psalm 23

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. 

In Psalm 22 we find Jesus is the good Shepherd Who gave His life for His sheep, which is comparable to John 10. 

Hebrew 13:20-21

Now may the Lord of peace Who brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory for ever and ever more, Amen.

1 Peter 5 we hear of the chief Shepherd, or John 21 after the resurrection, the chief Shepherd gives instructions to one of His under shepherds. 

In Psalm 22 He is the good Shepherd Who died for us. In Psalm 23 He is the great Shepherd Who cares for us. In Psalm 24 He is the exalted Shepherd, the chief Shepherd. 

The Lord, Jehovah, is my Shepherd. 

John 10 My sheep hear my voice and I give them eternal life. 

Many Christians are in stress and have a tremendous need of peace. 

In the Psalm 23 we find the wonderful truth, the personal truth, that Jehovah is MY Shepherd, a shepherd that always takes cares of His sheep. He is sufficient for our every need. Can you honestly say the eternal living God is your shepherd? There must be personal trust in Him. When one comes as a sinner and accepts Jesus Christ as your savior, you don't only become a child of God but become a member lf His flock. And He becomes our Shepherd. I belong to Him and He belongs to me. It is very personal, and because of that I shall not want. No room for worry or fretfulness, or down in the dumps. 

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. Green! Not dried up or brown. He gives rest, peace, and contentment. He leadeth me beside still water, not the troubled waters or the rushing waters. He restoreth my soul. 

How He loves His people even when we fail Him. My failure doesn't affect His love. He restoreth my soul and leadeth me into the path of righteousness for His name sake. He not only forgives and cleanses us, but guides us. John 16 tells us the Spirit of God will direct us into all truth. Thy Word is a light unto my feet. The only thing is that we don't take the time to get into the Word of God and enjoy the pastures and all He has for us. 

To think God takes hell-deserving sinners like you and me and transform us, and restores us when we fail Him, and leads us and guides us, and give us peace, contentment, and hope! We have a Shepherd Who is all sufficient. 

And we have a Shepherd Who is always with us. Yet if I walk through the valley of shadow and death, I will fear no evil. Why? because You are with me. Your rod and your staff comfort me. We are in the valley of death today, not when we die. Death reigns today, whether rich or poor, young or old. We are in the shadow of death. You don't know if you are going to live through today. But we fear no evil as we walk this earth. He comforts me! He said He would be with us until the end of our days. He prepares a table for us. 

He anoints my head with oil. Instead of getting bitter, he anoints our head with oil and in abundant supply. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. Let me change that: surely goodness and mercy have chased after me all the days of my life, and 

I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. What a wonderful hope! 

I feel like telling to people: "What are your plans?" and they say "Well I am going to do these and that." And I asked "And then what?" and they say "I am going to do this and that other." "And then what?" Theres got to be an end to it, doesn't it? No! Goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in His house forever. 

Psalm 27:4

One thing have I desired from the Lord that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to abide in His temple. 

John 10 says I am the good Shepherd Who gives His life for His sheep. If He is not your Shepherd, and my friend you need one, then what? 

When we leave this world how wonderful it is that we will go into the presence of the One Who loves us most! Loved us, and died for us, and cared for us. How can one live in this corrupted world, vicious society and live in peace without an all-sufficient God. Revel in this: the Lord, Jehovah, is MY Shepherd. 

John 10 is the Shepherd chapter and we will paraphrase it. We have been going to the Old Testament to find the revelation of Who God is through His names. We go to the New Testament and find those names fullfilled in Jesus Christ. In John chapter 8 we find our Lord being cast out because He said He had come before Abraham, and they picked up stones to kill Him. In chapter 9 we find Jesus healing a blind man. In chapter 10, He is going to have His sheep. Having been spurned by the nation of Israel is not going to hinder Him from finding and having His sheep. In chapter 9, the blind man was His sheep and He came looking for him. We see what God is doing. He is gathering His Sheep and caring for them. It also tells us what the Shepherd has done for them: gave His life. We also find opposition to this work: the false prophets and the wolves. 

5 aspect of the Shepherd work of Christ:

1. He is the true Shepherd, in contrast to the false shepherds. 

He that entereth not by the door is a thief and a robber. He Who entereth through the door is the Shepherd. To Him the porter openeth and the sheep hear His voice. He calleth them by name and leadeth them out and goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. A stranger they sill not follow but will flee from him because they do not know his voice. 

The Shepherd is our Lord Jesus Christ in contrast to the false shepherds, and He separates His real people from those who are not. 

2. He is the good Shepherd. 

Verily, verily I tell you: I am the door of the sheep. All whoever came before me are thiefs and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. By me, if any man should enter will be saved and shall go in and find pasture. The thief comes to steal and destroy. I come so that you might have life. I am the good Shepherd and the good Shepherd gives His life for His sheep. Jesus is the only door. 

John 14:6

I am the way, the truth, and the light. No man comes to the Father but by me.

Acts 4:12

There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be save except the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him we find safety, liberty, and sustenance. 

3. He is the only Shepherd. 

I know my sheep, and I am known by mine as the Father knoweth, even so I the Father. I lay down my life for my sheep. Other sheep I have that are not of this fold I also must bring. They shall hear my voice and shall be one fold and have one Shepherd. This other sheep are gentiles. They will have ONE Shepherd. The false shepherd don't care about the sheep but care of what they can take out of them. They don't care about them, doesn't love them, doesn't stand with them in their sorrows, trials, tests, and various aspects of life. 

4. He is the obedient Shepherd. 

Therefore my Father loves me because I lay down my life that I might take it again. No man can take it from me. I lay it down myself. I have power to lay it down and power to take it back. This is commandment have I received from my Father.

You can't separate sin and death. The wages of sin are death. He died for your sin and mine. His death was also supernatural. He has power to lay down His life and power to take it again. And thus He ressurected. 

5. He is the faithful Shepherd. 

You believe not because you are not of My Sheep. They shall never perish and no one shall ever take them from My hand. My Father Who gave them to me is greater than all and no one is able to take them from My Father's hand. I and My Father are One. He calls us all BY NAME. He gives us eternal life. His sheep shall in any consideration EVER perish. My Father, Who is greater than all, keeps them. 

John 13 when the Lord is washing the disciples feet Peter said: "Though shall never wash my feet ever" but they were washed. When men uses this terminology, He fails. But not the Lord. 

Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this very thing, that He Who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. 

John 17:11 says He has kept us til this day and God will keep us from there on. 

We know Whom we have believed and He is capable. 

Ecclesiaste 3:14

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it sahk be forever; nothig can be put to it, nor anything taken from it. God does that men should fear Him. 

Jehovah Shalom

Judges chapter 6
Jehovah Shalom, the Lord is peace.
Before we can talk about the Lord being the Lord of peace, we must talk about our Lord as Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our righteousness.

Isaiah 32:17
17 The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;
its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.

The people of Israel were really poor when Joshua had died. They were in captivity to other nations for not doing the right thing.

A little background to Israel's story:

Judges 2:11
11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals.
13 because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 14 In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.15 Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.
16 Then the Lord raised up judges,[c] who saved them out of the hands of these raiders.
18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

Joshua 6
6 Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help.
10 I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.”
11 The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
13 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and saveIsrael out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”
15 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clanis the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”
17 Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18 Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.”
22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!”
23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.”
24 So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

There is no revelation that God is peace until you find an obedient heart before God. There can be no experience of peace without obedience. It is an impossible thing to have peace without obedience.

Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

As soon as the judge had died, they went back to their old ways. And here God is still willing to deliver them and give them peace. The reason of the bondage (no peace) is disobedience. God always knows where to find his man. God takes the least expected. He can use anyone. Gideon is hiding the wheat (cowering), yet God calls him "mighty warrior." Why? Because God is with him. When God calls you, He is able to make of you what He has declared. Gideon is not only cowering, he is doubting God. He questions God on why all this has happened to them. He is basically telling God: You have either lost your power or You are not with us. But neither is true. It is the Israelites who have left God. Your unbelief and disobedience has brought you to the place you are today. Yet God still loves men. What a glorious grace, shouting mercy to whoever will com to Him! No matter what you have done, if you turn to Him He has never yet turned a seeking soul away. Have you left Him? Will your unbelief and disobedience keep the gracious God Who has never left you? Why are you not experiencing peace? He is Jehovah Shalom to the obedient heart.

Romans 8
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

2 Corinthians 10
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Is Gideon mighty because of himself? No! Because of God Who is mighty to use us. It is a good thing God is patient and our assurance. We would rather reason and rationalize than believe God. What is this assurance? His presence.

Hebrews 13
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
6 So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”

Gideon requires a sign. We can't just take God's word. What a patient tender God we have! He understand us and remembers we are dust. We forget that, but He remembers our frailty. God's presence was able to turn Gideon's heart filled with fear to filled with peace. And out of this peace came great courage.

Ephesians 2
14 For He Himself is our peace

John 16
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

And out of this peace came great courage in Gideon's life. That very night he took down the altars of Baal.
There is no defeat of the enemy until your idols are gone. When a person has peace with God and a realization of the presence of the Savior you better worry of what he might do. Out of courage comes hope.

Jehovah-Nissi

Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord my banner

Exodus 17:8-16 Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, “Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.” So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat thereon. And Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. And the Lord said unto Moses, “Write this for a memorial in a book, and recount it in the ears of Joshua; for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi that is, The Lord my banner; for he said, “Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” 

Israel did not seek Amalek. Amalek sought Israel. In verse 7, Israel asks if the Lord is with them. They were unbelieving. God did not call them to the fight, but their unbelief exposed them. God had fought for them and provided for all their needs. They did nothing bu be the recipients of His grace. But this time Moses told Joshua to choose men and fight. 

Christ has finished the work for us alone. Christ has satisfied God for us. I can't fight death, judgment, or the penalty of sin. God does that whole thing for us. He has delivered us and cleanse us from our tresspasses. But the war with the flesh goes on. As long as we live in this body, we rage a war with it.

Galatians 5:16-17 This I say then: Galatians 5:18 But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 

Regeneration is not fixing your flesh. Those that are in the flesh cannot please God. When we accept Christ, we receive a new Spirit, a new nature, a new life; but we also receive a new enemy, the flesh. 

It was the Lord who delivered them from Egypt, the Lord Who brought them to the Red Sea, the Lord Who fed them and warded them, Who guided them. But when in unbelief, questioning if the Lord is with them, then came Amalek. 

We have three implacable enemies we don't have before we come to the Lord:

the world, the flesh, the Devil.

How on earth am I going to life for God?

1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 

This is why in John chapter 17 nineteen times Jesus talks about the world. It is a real enemy. 

We read about our enemy, the flesh, in Galatians 5. 

Galatians 5:16 This I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 

Galatians 5:18 But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 

When you and I sin against God it is because we are not trusting the Spirit of God that dwells in us; we are trusting ourselves and, of course, we fail. 

And we have read how the Devil is against us like a hungry lion. 

It is so easy for us to trust the flesh. So many christians fight a good battle against the world and the Devil, but how easy it is to yield to the lust of the flesh. 

How can we have victory then? 

The indwelling Spirit of God guarantees it. We do not need to fight this battle in uncertainty.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds...

Romans 7:24-25 O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. 

Colossians 1:28-29 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, for which I also labor, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily. 

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 

The unsaved men doesn't want Christ as his saviour; he wants the flesh stand before God. He wants to improve the flesh to be acceptable before God, and God won't accept it. 

Romans 8:8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 

What does God require? 

For is to put our trust in Him. It is very hard for us not to put our trust in the flesh. Some people are still putting their trust in their flesh for their salvation. You are no more powerful against the flesh after you re saved then you were after. The flesh hasn't been redeemed or freed from its desires. The lust of the flesh is still there. I do things I don't want to. How easily I say things I didn't want to. 

Regeneration: it is not the flesh made righteous; it is having a new nature. We wait for the redemption of our bodies. 

I am not saved by keeping my body under control. I am saved by what Jesus did for on the Cross, because I belong to the Saviour, because He has taken hold of me, because He has given me His Spirit to dwell in me. But I am still in a body that is unredeemed. 

Look at the method of the victory over Amalek:

Israel was unprepared in war to face the Amalekites. 

The method of the victory was two-fold: first with the intercession of Moses. Prayer. 

We are surrounded by our three enemies: the world, the flesh, and the Devil; but we are not alone here.  

Jesus knew that and prayed for us. 

John 17:9 I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them whom Thou hast given Me, for they are Thine. 

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost those who come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. 

Isn't it wonderful that the Lord's hands never get tired to pray for us?

Romans 8:27, 34 And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ who died, yea rather, who is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 

We also have the Holy Spirit in us praying for us.

Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 

Did you ever stop to think that you have One praying for you in Heaven and One in you praying. The Lord does not take any chances on anything. When you became His property, He is going to take care of you. What is He praying for? That we might be perfected and kept. 

The Lord Jesus is in Heaven taking care of my interests up there, and the Spirit of God is taking care of His interests in us. Can you trust God to take care of His own?

The Spirit of God takes the victory. We only enjoy the delivery. God gets the victory!

The second part of the victory was the sword of Joshua. 

What is this sword?

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God...

Victory is assured through subjection to His Word.  

John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed in Him, “If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 

Read the Word of God! Read it and reread it and reread it!

This book will keep you from sin, and sin will keep you from this book. 

We serve under His banner, under His command, under His leadership. 

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, seeing we also are compassed about by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

He will give us victory and one day righteousness shall reign, and you and I serve under His banner. 

Jehovah-Jireh

Jehovah-Jireh

This is one of God's most common names. 

Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 

What did God Himself suffered when Jesuschrist was crucified?

Genesis 22 will give us a real illustration of what God went. Three times in the Bible is Abraham called the friend of God. There was no one else depicted with such a bond with God as the one Abraham had with Him. How great is to study this relationship and find that we have a God that is pleased when we have fellowship with Him, that He desires us to have fellowship with Him. My heart yearns to know of that intimacy between Abraham and God. 

Genesis 22:1-3 And it came to pass after these things, that God tested Abraham and said unto him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Behold, here I am.” And He said, “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” And Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he cleaved the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up and went unto the place of which God had told him. 

Now remember that Abraham was 75 when he received the promise of a child. He had that boy until he was 100 years old. And now the test is to give Him that son for whom he waited so long. 

Can God test you? Can He test me? Is He the center of our lives? Can we say we are His friends?

John 15:14-16 Ye are My friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of My Father, I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you. 

What a tremendous possibility to have this intimacy of fellowship with God. 

Let us remember all that Abraham had left for God. He left his country, his kindred, his father house, he left Lot, he left Ishmael. But he still had Isaac. And now God was asking for Isaac too!

Genesis 22:7-8 And Isaac spoke unto Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” And he said, “Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” So they went both of them together. 

Look at the trust and fellowship, love and intimacy between God and Abraham. 

Again what a beautiful illustration at what must have happened at Calvary. God providing a lamb for the redemption of our sins! 

1 John 4:9-10 In this was manifested the love of God toward us: that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

Notice also the obedience in this terrible test.

Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples that He must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 

Matthew 26:2, 37-38, 42 “Ye know that after two days is the Feast of the Passover, and the Son of Man is betrayed to be crucified.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then He said unto them, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; tarry ye here and watch with Me.” He went away again the second time and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, unless I drink it, Thy will be done.” 

Think only Jesus Who is God can obey like that? Let us look at Abraham. But Abraham was convinced God was going to do something, even if he burned Isaac on that altar, God was going to bring him back.

In all the announcements of His death, Jesus always added that He would be raised again from the dead the third day. God is going to allow Abraham and Isaac to go through something similar that He himself would go 2000 years later.

Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord will provide or "in the mountain it shall be seen." Can you imagine Isaac asking Abraham were is the lamb? That painful picture were Abraham knows Isaac is the offering? 

Imagine time before creation. The Father and the Son were together. 

Genesis 11:7 Come, let Us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” Down to the centuries they were together. And when our Lord was made into the flesh of men, they were together. And when they nailed Jesus to the Cross, they were together. 

And when Abraham was about to slain Isaac, God stopped him. He did not allow Abraham to go to the full extent of pain He would experience 2000 years later. 

Genesis 22:12, 14 And He said, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from Me.” And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh that is, The Lord will provide; as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.” 

He has made provision for you to be clear of sin, to be freed from judgment, from the wrath of God, from the path to hell, from the bonds of death. He has made provision for you to go to glory and have eternal life, to become a child of God, and to enjoy intimacy with you. 

Why do you think God has made provision for your salvation? 

He loved us and He wants intimacy with us.

The provision has been made and seen in the Cross. 

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit, 

2 Corinthians 5:21 For He hath made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. 

I am the one who should have been crucified, and God made the provision through His Son. Had God not given His Son no one would get into Heaven, and we would experience the condemnation our sin was due. If man could save himself, Jesus needed not to die in the Cross. But it was the only provision. God gave a lamb for the offering. It is not the work of Christ in me that saves me; it is the work of Christ for me. 

El Shaddai part 2 and Jehovah

El Shaddai, the fruitful. 

In Genesis 35 and 49 you read about El Shaddai making Jacob fruitful. 

But He is also the One Who chastens His people. 

Job 5:17 “Behold, happy is the man whom El Shaddai chasteneths; therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty. 

God is called over 30 times el Shaddai in the book of Job. This is one of the reasons why it is believe Job wrote the book of Job before Moses came to being. 

Hebrews 12:6-11 for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.” If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all arepartakers, then ye are bastards and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not far rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits, and live? For verily they chastened us for a few days according to their own pleasure, but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto those who are exercised thereby. 

Chastening is not very nice when you go through it, but it produces something. That is how our mothers showed us true love, showed us she cared. 

Lets see the story of Ruth and Naomi. Naomi has lost her boys and is bitter. Ruth has come to known God through Naomi and wants to follow her. Naomi tells her she has no more boys to give her. 

Ruth 1:19-21 So the two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved concerning them; and they said, “Is this Naomi?” And she said unto them, “Call me not Naomi that is, Pleasant. Call me Mara that is, Bitter, for the Almighty (El Shaddai) hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. Why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me and the Almighty (El Shaddai) hath afflicted me?” 

He afflicts, but He has a purpose for the affliction. He brings Naomi back were she can be blessed again and get rid of her bitterness and become sweet again. It is in love that He chastens us. He wants to produce in you and me something that parallels His character of righteousness, holiness, love, tenderness, and compassion. But sometimes we want our own way, and when we don't get our own way, we become bitter. Some Christians are bitter. 

The Lord chastens us not because He hates us but because He loves us.

Psalm 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High (El Elyon) shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (El Shaddai).

He preserves His people. He calls us from separation from evil. 

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God. As God hath said: “I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Therefore, “Come out from among them, and be ye separate,” saith the Lord. “And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters,” saith the Lord Almighty (El Shaddai).

He calls you and me from separation; but at the same time, supplies all your needs. 

Revelation 1:7-8, 17-18 Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him, and they also who pierced Him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so. Amen. “I Am Alpha And Omega, The Beginning And The Ending,” saith the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty (El Shaddai). And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, “Fear not; I am the First and the Last. I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death. 

Jesus is El Shaddai

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, “All power is given unto Me in Heaven and on earth. 

Aren't you glad that your God is El Shaddai? The One Who can meet your daily needs, Who is all sufficient, never leaves you, never forsake you, and we can sing how great Thou art! The One Who can redeem us, the One Who can bring peace into this world, the Almighty God, El Shaddai!

If you put your trust in Him, why don't you praise Him and worship Him everyday with all our lives?

Jehova

Jehova, the ever present God, the self-existent, the great I am, always was is and always will be. 

The Jewish people never use this name. To them, it is too sacred. Instead they use Adonai (Lord). 

Does this not show us to be reverent when we use any of His names? Instead I see the lack of reverence and understanding and especially ignorance when they throw around His name with no reverence or awe. We must revere Him. 

The first time this name is used is in Genesis chapter 2. This shows us how Moses could have only written the Pentatauch through revelation. In the first chapter, that concerns with creation, He is called Elohim; but in chapter two where we see more of His relationship with man He is called Jehova. The name Jehova is especially used with the people of Israel. 

In Romans 3 Paul tells us He is the God of the Jews and gentiles. 

Exodus 3:14-15 And God said unto Moses, “I Am That I Am.” And He said, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, ‘I Am hath sent me unto you.’” And God said moreover unto Moses, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you.’ This is My name for ever, and this is My memorial unto all generations. 

Exodus 6:2-3 And God spoke unto Moses and said unto him, “I am the Lord. And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty (El Shaddai), but by My name Jehovah was I not known to them. 

Jehova is God's eternal name. It is the name most commonly used in connetion with the people of Israel; therefore, Israel is an eternal nation. 

 Isaiah 66:22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me,” saith the Lord, “so shall your seed and your name remain. 

The Jews have wandered all over the world, and still God has preserved them. He is Jehovah, the eternal God. 

This is the name that is also always related to redemption. He is the ever-present God.

Isaiah 44:6, 8 “Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the First, and I am the Last, and besides Me there is no God. Fear ye not, neither be afraid. Have not I told thee from that time and have declared it? Ye are even My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Yea, there is no God. I know not any.” 

Isaiah 43:3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior...

Isaiah 43:14-15 Thus saith the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I have sent to Babylon and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships. I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.” 

Up until Exodus 6, Bible characters like Job, Isaac, Jacob, Abraham knew Him as El Shaddai. In Exodus, God is going to take Israel out of Egypt to a 40 year journey through a terrible wilderness, an arid desert. And He is no longer going to be know as El Shaddai, the Almighty One, but as Jehovah, the ever-present God, always there for His people, always sufficient, wherever they are. 

Whne you've felt alone and forlorn, remember the ever-sufficiente God there to meet your needs. May He be your joy and your blessing today.

El Elyon and El Shaddai

By John Mitchell

El Elyon

The second name of God is in Genesis 14:18-22

In Acts 7:2 "The God of glory appeared unto Abraham when he was still in Ur of the Chaldees."

What kind of God did Abraham have? The first revelation to His friend Abraham was by the name El Elyon, the Most High God. 

God calls Abram out of Ur and he did. What made him follow?

Genesis 14:18-23 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was the priest of the Most High God. And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be the Most High God, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.” And he gave him tithes of all. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for thyself.” And Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up mine hand unto the Lord, the Most High God [El Elyon], the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoe strap, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say,‘I have made Abram rich’.” 

Now, the offering of the king of Sodom seems nice, but Abraham is not going to fall for its trap. He knows his God is El Elyon, possessor of everything. It is God Who has made me rich, and he was not going to rob God of that glory. 

The Most High divided the nations.

Deuteronomy 32:8 When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. 

Paul had seen that men were worshiping a god without name and explained to them who that God was,

Acts 17:26-27 And He hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation, that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us. 

God put the nations in the best place to find Him. 

History showed us that men was not satisfied with the place God gave them. Nations were not satisfied with the portion God gave them. That is why the history of mankind is plagued with war. 

When El Elyon separated the nations, He did it according to number of the people of Israel. Battling the Most High God will take you to destruction. 

Daniel 4:24-25, 32, 34-35 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: that they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen; and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen. And seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.” “And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me. And I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His Kingdom is from generation to generation. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth. And none can stay His hand or say unto Him, ‘What doest Thou?’"

Nebuchadnezzar found that a decree from the Most High God can't be changed. 

Psalm 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 

What place could be safer than by El Elyon, the possessor of everything?

Now let us look at Jesus in the New Testament. 

Jesus is called the son of El Elyon.

Luke 1:32 He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David.

You find in the Gospel of Luke Jesus casting demons. You don't find this in the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John is the revelation of Christ as manifested in flesh. You find three miracles of creation, three miracles of healing, and one of raising the dead. He picks up seven signs to prove Jesus' sonship. But Luke's gospel is our Lord in the midst of men. 

Luke 4:33-34 And in the synagogue there was a man, who had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with Thee, Thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art Thou come to destroy us? I know Thee and who Thou art — the Holy One of God!” 

Luke 8:30-31 And Jesus asked him, saying, “What is thy name?” And he said, “Legion,” because many devils had entered into him. And they besought Him that He would not command them to go out into the deep. 

Demons not only know Who Jesus is but know the power He holds over them. 

Acts 16:16-18 And it came to pass as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed by a spirit of divination met us. She had brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. The same followed Paul and us, crying out and saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who show unto us the way of salvation.” And this she did many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, “I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that same hour. 

Interesting how she was right, but Paul hushed the demons just as Jesus had because demons have no right to testify concerning the Saviour. It is not in the providence of demons to bear testimony concerning the Son. This is the believers responsibility to share the precious story of redemption. 

We find that El Elyon is the possessor of everything, the One Who separated the nations, the safest place to abide in. And we find that reflected in Jesus.

Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds

He is the heir of all things! Jesus is the owner of the universe! And to top it of, He has made us heirs with Him.

Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God; and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if so it be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. 

We have come into relationship with the One Who owns everything. My! How rich we are! And yet most of us live as paupers. Rich spiritually, not seeking treasure on Earth were the moth and thieves can ruin it but with and inheritance that is eternal, uncorruptible, held by El Elyon. What a great God Who would hold an inheritance for us in heaven, for He is the possessor of everything! 

El Shaddai

The Almighty God, the All-power One, the One Who is sufficient.

Genesis 17:1-2 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram and said unto him, “I am the Almighty God. Walk before Me, and be thou perfect. And I will make My covenant between Me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” 

God wants to reveal Himself with different names because He wants us to know what kind of God we have. 

Is your God big enough to meet your needs? 

Yes! He is El Shaddai, the Almighty! He has power to do His will. 

But man has made his own god; he has deified himself. Man doesn't want God to interfere with him. People are becoming more and more bold against God. They don't want to hear about Him and don't want others to hear about Him. We don't want Bibles in the schools! 

And mankind sows what he reaps. They sow corruption and reap corruption. And still man hold they don't need a Saviour. 

I may not understand all that God does. How could I when He is omnipotent, omniscient, all powerful, supreme, and unlimited? We are limited in knowledge, experience, in gifts. It's a gift that He has revealed Himself, so we can know Him. One day God is going to complete His purpose for men and for Earth, whether you believe it or not. Just as sure as He is on the throne, He is going to do what He wants to do.

People ask what kind of God would allow the things that happen on Earth. The answer is simple: men are reaping what they have sowed. 

He is the only One Who can deliver you from the bondage and the penalty of sin, from the fear and power of death, and sit you in the presence of God. He can use us to reach nations for Himself. 

When God revealed Himself as El Shaddai in Genesis 17:1 to Abraham and gave him the Abrahamic covenant, He did so to show that He is the nourisher; He is able to impart Himself, impart His power, and perform His precious will. 

Genesis 13:14-16 And the Lord said unto Abram after Lot was separated from him, “Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 

Abraham was 75 at this point and Sarah was 65.

And you come to chapter 16, and still no children. Abraham is 85 and Sarah 75 years of age. From chapter 13 to 16 God is promising Abraham descendants. It is very hard for you and me to wait God's time. We say and teach that God is always on time, but one of the hardest things is to wait for God's time. If He doesn't answer right away we assumed He didn't listened to us. Sarah couldn't wait and took her servant Agar and gave her to Abraham to procreate. Ishmael is born. And from that point you get 13 years of silence and no revelation between chapter 16 and 17. Abraham was 86 years old when Ishmael was born. In the next chapter, he is 99 years of age. For 13 years he is out of the will of God. He was given a promise at 75 years of age and for 11 years did not receive it. At Sarah's 89 years of age there is no hope for them to conceive. But we know that Abraham kept believing. 

Romans 4:18-19 Abraham, against all hope, believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So shall thy seed be.” And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, nor yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 

But up until chapter 16 of Genesis they both know God as El Elyon, the Possessor of all. In chapter 17 He reveals Himself as El Shaddai, the Almighty One. It was at this point that Sarah also believed. 

Hebrews 11:11 Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 

We can trust the All-sufficient God is faithful. 

Jesus is El Shaddai. 

John 8:56-58 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day; and He saw it and was glad.” Then said the Jews unto Him, “Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?” Jesus said unto them, “Verily, verily I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am!” 

He is the One Who never fails. Abraham failed, Sarah failed. And they got 13 years out of fellowship with God. How long have you been out of fellowship with God for not being able to wait? You might judge Abraham for not waiting though he had been waiting 11 years when he failed. Do we wait God's time? How much do we know about El Shaddai? How much do we wait on the All-sufficient, the One Who when He speaks He is going to keep His word?

He is the God Who is enough for you and for me. 

El Elohim

I did this Bible doctrine course available at BBN Free Bible Institute online many years ago. As I go over it again, I want to share it with you. You can take the course yourself by signing up here.

By John Mitchell

How has God revealed Himself to men?

Does He have an interest in me and you?

Job chp. 11

Can't thou by searching find God? 

Job 23:3

"Oh that I might know where to find Him?"

Does God know me?

Sin ruined man and gave him a nature that is contradictory to God's nature. 

You might say "But I am not so bad?"

Then I would ask you "Who is your standard?" When God is the standard, we see how far off we are. 

And so, we want to know Him to be more like Him, and God reveals Himself through His names. 

His name's reveal He is not through with men, even though man is ruined in sin. 

Rom.5:8 

"God loved us while we were sinners"

He loves us and has given provision for us to have fellowship with Him and know Him.

We find in the Bible that God does things for His name's sake. 1 John 2:12 we see the forgiveness of sins for His name's sake.

Psalm 138:2 "Thou hast underwritten ever word by Thy name."

We are going to connect God's Old Testament names and see how Jesus fullfills them all in the New Testament. 

Let us study His names and see what kind of God I am trusting and serving. 

While we study His names I will ask you "Is this your God? Is He big enough? Do you know without a question of a doubt that death is defeated, sin has been put away, and He is able to save you?" This is everything! You need to ask "Has He made it possible for you and me to have a relationshio with Him? Are you a fool for not knowing Him and not putting your trust in Him? How much interest does He have in you? How much interest do you have in Him?"

As I get to know Him, the more I bow to Him for His mercy, grace, and love and this produces worship, praise, and obedience. It's about time christians really know God. It is possible for us to really know God, and it is a tragedy so many of His people know so little about Him. 

Mstthew 16

Jesus asks His disciples what names people has used for Him, and the disciples said John the Baptist, Elijah, some of the prophets. He asked "What do you say?" and Peter said "You are the Son of God." Jesus said to him "Simon, you are very blessed for flesh and bones have not revealed this to you but my Father Who is in heaven."

What you and I will ever know about God will be given to us by revelation. This revelation has been given in the Word of God. How will you know Him if you don't go to His Word?

The very first name of God in His Word was given in Genesis 1:1.

"In the beginning God." 

The name God there is El Elohim. It means the mighty one, the creator. Used 2700 times in the Old Testament, connected especially with creation. 

John 1:3

"All things were made by Him and without Him was anything made that was made. In Him was life and that life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness could not comprehend it."

Heb 1:2-3

"... by Whom He also made the worlds, Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,"

This is talking about Jesus. 

Col 1:16-17

"By Him were all things created.... by Him and for Him....by Him all things are held together."

He is the creator and the upholder of all things.

Interesting that El Elohim is God's name in the old testament especially used by gentiles. He was known as the creator. He is the living God in contrast to the dead idols

Elijah stood on Mt. Carmel and had a contest with the prophets of Baal. Baal's prophets are asking for fire, even cutting themselves open with knives. Elijah took 12 stones and built an altar, put his sacrifice in the altar, and drenched it with water. He, in a quiet prayer, lifted his hands and prayed "Let is be known that You are the God of Israel." And the fire of God consumed the altar, the water, and the sacrifice. 

1 Kings 18:39

And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and they said, “The Lord, He is the God! The Lord, He is the God!” 

The translation is "He is Elohim" and the usage of this name meant that He is the living God and He must be worship. 

So the question is raised, how do you worship Him, the creator and uplifter of all things?

The disciples asked Jesus that question. How can we know the way to the Father? He said to them "I am the way to the Father" and thus He also must be worshiped. 

When you worship God you must see His holiness and His rightfulness and see your own sinfulness. When you think that a sinful man can come into the presence of a righteous God, you ought to bow down and worship Him, especially when God has made a way in which we can come into His presence. 

How wonderful that Jesus came to make a way so that we may come into the presence of God acceptable to worship. 

Exodus 3:7-10

God met Moses in the burning bush. "I have seen. I have heard. I have come to deliver my people."

Elohim also means the ever faithful one. 

Job 23:3

"Oh that I might know where to find Him?"

This is a heart that is yearning for God. How wonderful that now the Lord Jesus says to us "Come to me all who are burden, and I will give you rest"!

Paul says in Timothy that now we have a mediator before God, and He has made it possible for you to become child of God. 

The Elohim, the creator, upholder of all things, the ever faithful one has made provision for us to be with Him. He must be praised! He must be worshiped!