7 Powerful Names of God to Help You Understand Who God Is

We’ll begin with calling God, “Father.” While mentioned in the Old Testament, the teachings of Jesus and the apostles give great weight to this one. 

Specifically, Paul mentions “Abba, Father,” in Romans 8:15. He writes that when we believe in Christ, we don’t receive a spirit of slavery leading back to fear, but rather the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Abba comes from Aramaic, meaning father. Yet in Paul’s day, children used “abba” as an intimate name for father, like a “daddy.” Placing it with the Greek pater, using a word with more formal respect, Abba Father combines intimacy with respect. 

Jesus taught two main topics: God as Father and the Kingdom. Paul contrasts evil slavery with God’s love, in which the Father makes us his children, both bearing us from the Spirit and adopting us. This means we can address God as a child does a daddy, crying out to him personally and relationally. Our position goes beyond ritual or religion. He loves us and is for us like a father should be for his kids. 

For us today, “Abba Father” leads to two main points. First, we can approach God with confidence in his love and compassion. He welcomes us. Second, as children of God, we also become heirs with Christ in one day ruling and reigning the Kingdom on earth. Through Christ, the holy Creator has become our loving Father, and he delights in calling us such.

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The Old Testament uses Adonai several times when speaking of God. 

Psalm 8:1 opens with a praise. “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” In Hebrew, “Lord” has been translated from Adonai, highlighting God’s authority and rightful rule. Adonai’s meaning includes master and lord, one who reigns, owns, and commands. In Israel’s worship, the name Adonai recognized God’s ultimate authority over all creation, and also over his chosen nation. 

In Psalm 8, King David goes on to consider the vastness of the skies, a reflection of God’s creative mastery, and then the writer wonders at how such an all-powerful Lord could care for humanity at all. Adonai rules all things, including the stars, sun, and moon, and he also chooses to bestow honor and glory upon humans, entrusting them with stewardship over his works. God reigns supreme, and he invites people into purpose under his lordship. 

Abba Father highlighted God’s intimate, relational care for us. Adonai points us toward God’s sovereignty, making him worthy of worship. As such, we must surrender, submitting our will, our plans, our desires, our whole lives unto him. Psalm 8 further shows his lordship includes a good and redemptive plan for us.

Calling God Adonai, we acknowledge his authority while trusting his care. Our lives rest in his capable hands.

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Adonai recognizes God’s authority. El Shaddai highlights God’s omniscient power. God has the power to enact his word. 

God reveals himself to Abram with this name (Genesis 17:1). “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.” Scholars often translate El Shaddai as “God Almighty,” a name for his power and strength. In speaking with Abram, El Shaddai gives a covenant promise, communicating Abram’s part: to walk faithful and blameless with God. In context, God alone possesses the power to accomplish his purposes and promises, even when it seems impossible.

And in context of Genesis 17, it definitely appeared impossible. Abram is 99 years old, and God renew his covenant promise to bring him a son, which will then lead to many nations and countless descendants. God reiterates how the son will come from Sarai, Abram’s wife, who was 90. Humanly speaking, this promise seems beyond unlikely. However, God introduces himself with a name, El Shaddai, declaring himself able to enact his promise. The covenant is based on God’s power, not Abram’s ability. 

For us today, El Shaddai speaks to us in our moments of weakness, waiting, and even doubt. God both makes and fulfills his promises. When our faith feels uncertain, or we start to lose hope, El Shaddai reveals God’s unchangeable and limitless power. Our part is to walk with him in loving relationship, faithful and obedient. And we will see him finish what he has begun.

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As weak, needy humans, one situation consistently shakes our faith: when we encounter lack. 

In Genesis 22, God calls Abraham to offer his promised son, Isaac, as a sacrifice. In this, God calls his servant and friend to give up his future legacy, even the one divinely promised. Abraham obeys, saying, “The Lord will provide” (Genesis 22:14). Abraham trusts that God will supernaturally provide a way forward, that God will still do what he said, even through the confusing command to sacrifice Isaac. Hebrews says Abraham thought God would even raise his son from the dead (Hebrews 11:19). 

At the final moment, God stops Abraham’s hand and then provides a ram for the sacrifice instead. Abraham calls the place Jehovah Jireh, meaning the Lord will provide. God always sees the need and always will provide. The Hebrew word goes beyond material possessions, however. It includes a sense of God “seeing ahead” or “seeing to it.” God foresees the need and prepares to meet the need before we know what he’s doing. 

For us today, understanding Jehovah Jireh shapes how we can trust God’s provision in our lives, as well. From the smallest of needs like food and clothing to the grandest like our salvation and eternal future, God’s sees and attends to our needs: spiritual, emotional, and physical. Further, God’s provision arrives in his timing, not ours. When we call God Jehovah Jireh, we place our confidence in his compassionate faithfulness to meet our every need for our good and his glory. We can trust him to fulfill his promises to us, no matter how dark it might seem.

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Right after God delivers the Israelites from Pharaoh and parts the Red Sea, he leads the people into the wilderness. The next story tells of a crisis, where the water tastes bitter. The thirsty Israelites can’t drink it, and the place is called Marah, meaning bitter. Hundreds of thousands of people wonder what they can drink. God leads Moses to a piece of wood, and when placed in the water, it makes the water sweet and drinkable. 

In Exodus 15:26, God instructs the people to listen and obey, and when they do, they won’t suffer the diseases other nations do. God calls himself, “I am the Lord, who heals you.” This name from Exodus becomes Jehovah Rapha. 

Biblically, Jehovah Rapha goes beyond physical healing. The Hebrew word rapha includes the idea of making whole, a complete restoration, much like shalom points to a state of complete wholeness. God’s rapha leads his people to shalom. God calls his people to follow and obey him because of who he is — the one who saves Israel from the sicknesses of Egypt and cares for them through the wilderness. 

For modern Christians, Jehovah Rapha speaks to God’s work of restoration. As broken and wayward people, damaged from lives in sin, we require restoration in every way. While God may not bring immediate healing in every situation, he does promise ultimate healing through his presence, compassion, redemption, and eternal future. Through Christ, God restores people to himself and their complete, thriving destiny in the resurrection.

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Also from Exodus, the Israelites face a major battle. After leaving Egypt, these former slaves weren’t trained warriors. The nation of Amalek attacks them, and while Joshua leads the fighters, Moses stands on a hill holding up his staff. If Moses had his hands up, Israel gained ground; when his hands fell, Amalek started winning. Aaron and Hur helped Moses hold up the staff until the battle was won. After the victory, Moses builds an altar and names it Jehovah Nissi (Exodus 17), meaning “the Lord is my banner.”

In those days, a banner worked as a rallying point in the battle. It revealed the army’s identity, leadership, direction, and inspiration. By naming God Jehovah Nissi, Moses states Israel’s victory didn’t come from their own strength, numbers, or strategy. God himself was their unity, protection, and victory. Israel fought under God’s leadership and for his purposes. 

As Christians, we are in warfare. Our enemy, the Devil, seeks to steal, kill, and destroy us. This isn’t a fight we can win, not against a powerful, demonic force. We face temptation and opposition, especially as we follow God’s will. Yet we don’t fight alone. God remains our banner, calling us to himself and his truth. He is our victory and protection. Also, from Exodus 17, we need community and prayer to maintain our faith. 

Ultimately, Christ won over Satan, the world, our flesh, sin, the curse, and death. When we encounter the battles of life, we can trust in Jesus’ finished victory.

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In Judges 6:24, Gideon builds an altar and names it “The Lord is Peace.” Yahweh Shalom. Shalom means wholeness, restoration, and life ordered under God’s rule and blessing. God doesn’t merely bring peace (or healing or love, etc.), he is peace. 

In context, Israel lived under Midianite oppression and control. Gideon was hiding in a winepress while threshing wheat to avoid getting food stolen when an angel showed up and called Gideon “mighty warrior.” But Gideon doesn’t feel like one. After encountering God, the Lord says, “Peace! Don’t be afraid. You’re not going to die.” Gideon responds by building an altar and naming it Yahweh Shalom. 

For Gideon, God reveals his peace in the middle of crisis and fear. Gideon still had to fight the battle, but he learned to fight from peace, not to acquire it. God’s peace is like him, eternal and transcendent, not dependent upon any temporary circumstances. 

Yahweh Shalom reminds Christians today how if we have God, we have peace, no matter what our circumstances look like. Through Christ, we’ve been reconciled to God, no longer separated by sin or guilt. When anxiety or doubts arise, when our calling feels threatened, when we realize our weakness, Yahweh Shalom speaks the same word to us. “Don’t be afraid.” God alone is shalom, and we can move forward like Gideon did, into the storms of life from a place of peace instead of always trying to manufacture it on our own. 

Peace.

Related article: Know These 7 Names of Jesus to Deepen Your Faith

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