THE HOLY NAMES OF GOD

‘The names of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.’ (Proverbs 18:10)

The study of the theme of the Holy names of God is an interesting and captivating one. Going through Scriptures we see God’s revelation of Himself through His names, and how God’s names reveal certain  characteristics which are disclosed only when His people enter an area of special need. This reflection is aimed at increasing our knowledge and appreciation of God through an understanding of some of His most Holy names in Scriptures. We truly come to know God only through the means by which He chooses to reveal Himself – Creation, the Scriptures, and through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. During the Old Testament times, God revealed Himself through His various names until, of course we come to the final unfolding of Himself through Jesus Christ – the name by which we fully know God.

Generally speaking, Names are good and wonderful, and are much more than identity, because without name, you take away the uniqueness, dignity and importance of personalities. Daily we are reminded of the experiences, whether sweet or bitter that certain names evoke in our lives. While some names suggest tremendous beauty, others evoke fear. Call the name of Adolph Hitler, Saddam Hussien, Osama Bin Ladin, Idi Amin and Boko haram and everybody would shrink and shudder. But call the holy name of JESUS and people are happy, because the name suggests beauty, goodness, power, wonder, excellence and victory.  Jesus our Saviour came to bless, heal, and to save. He saved sinners, murderers, prostitutes, drug addicts, alcoholics and criminals. In his name we stand and carry on with our Christian mission, witness and testimony.

Like no other name, GOD holds a special place in the minds and cultures of people throughout the world. In God’s name there is power, wonder, strength, freedom, peace, transformation and healing. A name when used in the Bible, is not merely a designation; it is a definition. The names of God reveal characteristics about Him, and this should have special bearing and influence on our lives and character as we reflect upon them. It is because of lack of knowledge, says the Scripture, that God’s people are destroyed (Hosea 4:6). It is too important an issue to ignore or neglect as Christians. Think about it deeply. God’s holy names reveal His greatness, majesty, power, glory, grace and love for humankind. Disturbing and vexing questions and problems are insignificant when measured against the greatness of an omnipotent God.

Therefore, growing in God for us believers involves far more than just attending Church, tithing and listening to homilies. Many believers do all these and yet remain stagnant in their walk with God. So learning the truth about God is vital to a healthy walk with Him. We gain knowledge and understanding through spiritual instruction and reading of the Word of God. Yet simply listening to the truth and reading the Word of God without deep involvement, application and internalization of it is useless. It requires deep faith in action. St. James says, ‘For just as the body without the Spirit is dead, so also Faith without good works is dead’ ( James 2:26).

In this reflection, we shall focus our thoughts on only three Hebrew names for God found in the Bible that clearly reveal His nature and character – Elohim, Adonai and El-shaddai. We must discover and realize that our total well-being rest securely in the arms of the almighty Creator, the author of life, perfecter of our faith and the giver of salvation.

Primarily, God is first revealed and seen in Scripture in His capacity as Creator. This is an inescapable and irresistible truth. It occurs in the opening verse of the book of Genesis: ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth’ (Genesis 1:1). The Hebrew name for God here is Elohim, and clearly points to the one who possesses all the divine powers. The fact that the Bible begins with the picture of an almighty Creator teaches that without the Creator, the universe and life is meaningless. So when we lose sight of God everything is lost, and we have no basis for life, meaning and purpose, and the world doesn’t just make any sense. The question is since God is our Elohim (the one who possesses all divine powers), why did He created us and what is our response to the Creator’s creation?

Second is Adonai. The literal meaning of the Hebrew name Adonai is ‘Lord and Master’. The word contains the thought of ownership, Lordship and divine authority. This is understood in the context of the text from (Isaiah 6:1-13). Due to the death of the godly king Uzziah a period of national darkness had settled upon Judah. In the midst of the crisis, however, Prophet Isaiah is given a vision of an eternal throne on which sits the Lord and Master of the Universe. From this vision Isaiah draws a good deal of comfort and courage, and moves forward into a powerful, prophetic ministry. ‘How true it is that sometimes we do not see God as Adonai (Lord and Master) until an earthly power has let us down’ said Selwyn Hughes.

Third is El-Shaddai. Although the meaning of the Hebrew name El-Shaddai is uncertain, the traditional interpretation is this: ‘God is sufficient’ or ‘God is enough’. When confronted by Sarai’s physical inability to produce a child, God steps in, takes charge of the situation, breathes fresh vitality into her being and announces and reveals Himself as El-Shaddai ‘God is sufficient’ or ‘God is enough’ and the strengthener and nourisher of His people (Genesis 17:1-16). This simply reveals to us the infinite resources of an Almighty God. God’s supply, we must know so immeasurably exceeds all human demands. Perhaps, you are caught up at this very moment in a situation which seems desperately hopeless and do not know where to turn? Hope is not completely lost. Turn to God with faith because He is your El-Shaddai, Elohim and Adonai, and His resources so infinitely exceed all your requirements. He can do for you infinitely much more than you can ever imagine or comprehend. With Him life takes on  a new and wondrous meaning. So call upon His name today, make Him your starting point in everything and place Him firmly at the centre of your life.

Rev. Fr. Michael Adefemi Adegbola, Director Media Service Centre, Kaduna Nigeria 2012

Knowing God is Life’s Greatest Goal

‘Fools say to themselves, ‘There is no God.’ Psalm 14:1

Recently a friend of my tells his story: ‘I was walking in a crowded street when I saw a young man with an intriguing and captivating message boldly inscribed on his white T-shirt, which reads IT’S ALL ABOUT ME’. This declaration sounded like the motto of our modern world that has become destructively self-centred. However, for us Christians, the statement is simply not true. It is not all about us – IT IS ALL ABOUT GOD! There is in the heart of Christians every where a deepening  desire to know more and more of God. Knowing God is the greatest  goal we can have in life. Our knowledge and intimacy with Him should be our greatest and most rewarding pursuit. Once we put God where He belong at the centre of our life, then every other thing falls in place.

In his reflection book Every Day with Jesus, Selwyn Hughes reveals how one man wrote to him and said: ‘Something inside me longs to know more about my Creator. Can you show me how this hunger can be satisfied?’ I think he is not alone in this as there are multitude of Christians throughout the world who share this man’s feelings and hunger. I can tell you from experience that knowing God means you will be satisfied with an unsatisfied satisfaction.  Surely, when you bow low at God’s feet, you can stand straight before anything else and stand tallest. Humankind is made from dust, and we are totally dependent on God for our existence and survival. As Christians, our final allegiance is to God. We would think best when we think with God because He is more than a match for all that is against us. The profound sense of God’s presence can melt our hearts and uplift us. To know Him is the greatest goal a man or woman can have. This is the wisdom greater than any mind can measure. God is the God of the extraordinary, let not our attitudes limit His power and settle for the ordinary, when He desires to give us the extraordinary.

Flor McCarthy S.D.B tells a story in his book on Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies: Peter was forty years old and was a school principal. He was highly qualified and doing a good job. He had a happy marriage and enjoyed a generous portion of the so-called ‘good things of life’. Yet, this was the man who one day came to the master asking if he could talk to him. ‘There is something missing in my life and I don’t know what it is.’ Peter began. ‘I feel an emptiness inside me. When I started out I believed that if I achieved what I have achieved, I would be radiantly happy. But it hasn’t worked out like that. There is still something missing in my life, but I don’t know what it is.’ ‘You are a lucky man’ the master replied. ‘Lucky?’ How can you say such a thing? I feel so unhappy inside myself.’ Said Peter. ‘You are a lucky man because you are being called to something deeper’ the master answered. ‘Something deeper? What do you mean?’

‘Well from the material point of view your life has been very successful. You have achieved all the goals you have set yourself. As a result you slipped into a rut, a rut of contentment, and that is not good. Contentment – the total satisfaction of one’s material desires – kills off all spiritual striving… What you are really experiencing is hunger. ‘Hunger?’ said Peter. I don’t understand… You are experiencing spiritual hunger – the hunger for God – the hunger of the heart and of the spirit. To experience this hunger is blessing, not a misfortune. Only God can satisfy this hunger.

Today, we are connected with the rest of the world via the Facebook, Twitter, Texting, Internet, smart phones. All these gives us access to friends, family, work and the world. But the vital question is how well are we connected to God? What can of relationship do we have with our God? How much effort do we invest in connecting with God? We all have an association with God, whether it is acknowledged or not. It is a pity that majority of people in this world have no idea who their Creator is.

In conclusion, as human beings we generally desire a deep spiritual longing with God, and hunger for a peaceful and meaningful universe. But our life without God would be doomed to perpetual state of restlessness, anxiety, uncertainty and nervous disorders that are so common in the modern society. In his book, ‘God Has a Dream, a Vision of Hope for our Time’, Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, South Africa tells a story of a Priest in Russia who was accosted by a brash young Physicist who had every reason for atheism and arrogantly concluded; “Therefore, I do not believe in God.” Oh, it doesn’t matter. God believes in you!” the priest replied. Yes, we are uniquely important and God does believe in us, and relies on us to help make the world a better place to live. We desperately need Him and we must remain connected to Him to transform the world. Life is all about God. Knowing and enjoying Him is our greatest goal. Enjoy God today!

Rev. Fr. Michael Adefemi Adegbola, Director Media Service Centre Kaduna Nigeria, 2012