Can you name all of the seven dwarfs. Here’s my honest attempt without googling them. There’s Grumpy, Sleepy, and I’m done. Through the magic of the internet I can affirmatively declare that the names are Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Dopey. O.k. I was pretty bad. I admit it. Each name describes the characteristics of that dwarf. Sleepy is always sleepy, Doc was a doctor, Happy was always happy, Sneezy was just nasty and Dopey was kind of dumb. Their names spoke to their character.
When God speaks to Moses from the burning bush, Moses asks God what His name is. God replies YHWH from which we get the name that we commonly use today, JEHOVAH. From that point on throughout the Old Testament, additional names were added to the name JEHOVAH which we call the compound names of God. There is Jehovah-Jireh which means God is my Provider, Jehovah-Nissi which is God is my Banner and Jehovah-Rophe which means The Lord is my Healer.
In total there are 7 compound names of god. But if we examine the stories of how those names were given, we’ll find out that they were all associated with some story of how God performed some particular miracle for those His people. When he provided for Abraham a ram to substitute in the place of his son Isaac for a sacrifice, Abraham began to call him Jehovah-Jireh. When God protects the children of Israel in battle Moses names Him Jehovah-Nissi. After Gideon had an experience with God he called Him Jehova-Shalom. His names spoke to His character.
Now this idea of these compound names being given by people is not true in every case. For instance, when God healed the children of Israel while they were in the wilderness he calls Himself Jehovah-Rophe, “for I am the God who heals you.” However, even this name was associated with something God did. Think about a time in your life when God did something amazing. I’m talking about the kind of miracle that left no doubt in your mind at all about the greatness of God.
Got it? Now name Him. I know. He has a name. But the same way that those in the bible related God to a particular event, you can too! What would you name Him? Jehovah-Made a Way? Jehovah Delivered-Me? Jehovah-Came Through in a Clutch? You see the names of God were given as a memorial. We all have those moments where it feels like God isn’t there. It is precisely during those time when we need something to remind us that the same God who was there for us back then is the same God who is here for us now. This is why it’s important for us to not only know the names of God as described in God’s word, but that we have a name for God that is very personal to us. These names serve as reminder of the Light of God when we are experiencing the dark moments in life.
So go ahead. Name Him. To me He’s Jehovah-Orders my Steps.