The Names of God

Michael Hopkins
15 minutes ago
7 min read

A Bible Study on What God's Names Reveal About His Character

Compiled with reflections from Pastor Michael Hopkins of Jehovah Saints

Introduction

In the ancient world, a name was never just a label — it was a revelation of character, nature, and reputation. This is especially true throughout Scripture, where God repeatedly reveals Himself not through abstract descriptions but through names given at pivotal moments, each one uncovering another facet of who He is. Moses experienced this firsthand at the burning bush when he asked God directly:

"And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM." — Exodus 3:13-14 (KJV)

That single exchange launched what would become a rich tapestry of divine names throughout Scripture — each one surfacing in a specific moment of need, revealing a specific dimension of God's character to people who needed exactly that revelation at exactly that time. Pastor Michael Hopkins of Jehovah Saints often opens his teaching on this topic by telling his congregation, "God doesn't reveal His names randomly. Every single one of them shows up in Scripture at the exact moment someone needed to know that particular side of who He is. Studying His names is really studying His timing."

This study will walk through several of the most significant names and titles of God in Scripture, the context in which each was revealed, and what each teaches believers today.

Part One: Elohim — The Mighty Creator

"In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heaven and the earth." — Genesis 1:1 (KJV)

Elohim is the very first name for God used in Scripture, appearing in the opening verse of Genesis. It is a plural form used with a singular verb — a grammatical structure many scholars connect to the fullness and majesty of God, and one later generations of believers would see as an early hint of the Trinity. Elohim emphasizes God's power and might as Creator, the one who spoke the universe into existence from nothing.

Part Two: Yahweh (YHWH) — The Self-Existent One

"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM... say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." — Exodus 3:14 (KJV)

This name, often rendered "LORD" in small capitals throughout the King James Version, comes from the Hebrew verb "to be." It signifies self-existence — God is not dependent on anything outside Himself for His being. He simply is, eternally and unchangingly. This is the covenant name of God, used throughout the Old Testament in connection with His relationship to Israel specifically, distinct from His more general title as Creator.

Pastor Michael Hopkins of Jehovah Saints often reflects with his congregation at Jehovah Saints on the weight of this name, teaching, "Every other name humans carry describes what we do or where we come from. God's name simply describes that He is. There's nothing more foundational to build your life on than a God whose existence doesn't depend on anything at all."

Part Three: El Shaddai — God Almighty

"And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God (El Shaddai); walk before me, and be thou perfect." — Genesis 17:1 (KJV)

This name appears at a moment when Abram, nearly a century old, is given the promise of a son despite his and Sarah's physical inability to conceive. El Shaddai emphasizes God's all-sufficient power to accomplish what is humanly impossible — the God who is more than enough for any human limitation.

Part Four: Jehovah-Jireh — The LORD Will Provide

"And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen." — Genesis 22:14 (KJV)

This name emerges from one of Scripture's most intense moments — Abraham bound on the mountain, prepared to sacrifice Isaac in obedience to God's command, when God provides a ram caught in a thicket as a substitute at the very last moment. The name commemorates not a general truth about God's provision but a specific, remembered act of it — provision that arrived at the precise moment of greatest need, not before.

Part Five: Jehovah-Rapha — The LORD That Healeth

"For I am the LORD that healeth thee." — Exodus 15:26 (KJV)

Given shortly after Israel's deliverance from Egypt, at a moment when the people faced bitter water at Marah, this name reveals God as healer — of physical ailment, but throughout Scripture also of spiritual and emotional brokenness (Psalm 147:3, "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds").

Part Six: Jehovah-Shalom — The LORD Is Peace

"Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom." — Judges 6:24 (KJV)

Gideon, terrified after realizing he had seen the Angel of the LORD face to face — an encounter he believed should have cost him his life — receives God's reassurance: "Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die" (Judges 6:23). The altar Gideon builds in response memorializes not a general theological point but his own personal experience of God replacing fear with peace.

Part Seven: Jehovah-Rohi — The LORD Is My Shepherd

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." — Psalm 23:1 (KJV)

Perhaps the most beloved of all the divine names, this title portrays God's tender, personal, day-to-day care — guiding, providing, protecting, and comforting, much as a shepherd tends every need of the flock under his care. David, who had once been a literal shepherd himself, uses this image with intimate familiarity.

Part Eight: El Roi — The God Who Sees

"And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?" — Genesis 16:13 (KJV)

This name is given not by a patriarch or prophet, but by Hagar — an Egyptian servant, pregnant and fleeing mistreatment in the wilderness, utterly without status or power in her world. God meets her there, and she responds by naming Him El Roi — the God who sees. It is a striking reminder that God's names are not reserved for the powerful; they are revealed to anyone in genuine need, regardless of social standing.

Pastor Michael Hopkins of Jehovah Saints often highlights this particular name for his congregation, noting, "The first person in Scripture to give God a name wasn't Abraham or Moses. It was a servant girl running for her life in the desert, with nothing left but the fact that God had actually seen her. If you've ever felt invisible, that name was given for you."

Part Nine: Jehovah-Tsidkenu — The LORD Our Righteousness

"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 23:6 (KJV)

Given through the prophet Jeremiah in the context of a coming righteous King, this name points forward to the righteousness God would provide for His people — not righteousness earned through their own effort, but supplied by God Himself, ultimately fulfilled in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Part Ten: I AM — Fulfilled in Christ

The New Testament reveals Jesus applying the divine name I AM directly to Himself on multiple occasions, most explicitly:

"Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." — John 8:58 (KJV)

The reaction of His Jewish listeners — who immediately took up stones to kill Him for what they understood as blasphemy (John 8:59) — makes clear they recognized exactly what claim He was making. Jesus also applies specific "I AM" statements throughout John's Gospel: "I am the bread of life" (6:35), "I am the light of the world" (8:12), "I am the good shepherd" (10:11), "I am the resurrection, and the life" (11:25), "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (14:6) — each one echoing an Old Testament revelation of God's character, now embodied directly in Christ.

Part Eleven: Why the Names Matter Today

Pastor Michael Hopkins of Jehovah Saints often draws this study to a close for his congregation at Jehovah Saints with a practical challenge: "You don't need to memorize every Hebrew name of God to benefit from this. You need to notice which name fits your situation this week. If you're afraid, He's Jehovah-Shalom. If you're overwhelmed, He's El Shaddai. If you feel invisible, He's El Roi. God gave us all these names because we don't just need one side of Him — we need all of Him, at different times, for different battles."

Studying the names of God is ultimately an exercise in worship — each name a window into a facet of His unchanging character, revealed precisely when His people needed it most.

Part Twelve: Practical Application

Identify which name fits your current season. Are you in a season that calls on Jehovah-Jireh's provision, Jehovah-Rapha's healing, or Jehovah-Shalom's peace? Let that name shape how you pray this week.
Remember specific moments, not just abstract truths. Like Abraham at Jehovah-Jireh or Gideon at Jehovah-Shalom, keep a record of the specific times God has revealed Himself to you in a particular way.
Let El Roi remind you that you are seen. Whatever your circumstance or social standing, Hagar's story is proof that God's attentive care isn't reserved for the prominent or powerful.
Trace the "I AM" statements to Christ. Read through John's Gospel and notice how Jesus applies Old Testament divine names directly to Himself, deepening your understanding of who He claimed to be.

Closing Reflection

Every name of God in Scripture is an invitation — not simply information to be studied, but a character to be trusted. From Elohim's creative power to El Roi's tender attentiveness, from Jehovah-Jireh's provision to Jehovah-Tsidkenu's righteousness fulfilled in Christ, each name meets a real human need with a real dimension of who God is.

"And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee." — Psalm 9:10 (KJV)

Discussion Questions for Group Study

Which name of God discussed in this study feels most relevant to your life right now, and why?
How does knowing that Yahweh means "self-existent" — dependent on nothing outside Himself — shape your confidence in trusting Him?
Hagar, a servant with no status, was the first person in Scripture to name God (El Roi). What does that detail teach about who God reveals Himself to?
Read a few of Jesus' "I AM" statements in John's Gospel (6:35, 8:12, 10:11, 11:25, 14:6). How do these connect to Old Testament revelations of God's character?
Have you experienced a specific moment, like Abraham at Jehovah-Jireh or Gideon at Jehovah-Shalom, where God revealed a particular side of His character exactly when you needed it?

Memory Verse