Do You Know God's Name?

"'Why do you ask My name,' the angel of the LORD asked him, 'since it is wonderful'" (Judges 13:18, HCSB).   "'.... It is beyond understanding.'' (Ibid., NIV).   "'...seeing it is secret?'"  (Ibid, KJV).   "'... seeing it's wonderful'" (Ibid. ESV).  

God has no definitive name, title, or description--we cannot even put Him in a box nor define, limit, peg, or analyze Him according to our human criteria.  Jesus alone has 118 titles in Scripture!  His name is wonderful (cf. Isa. 9:6), beyond understanding and comprehension, and secret!  Moses dared to ask His name and the Lord told Him to tell them "I AM" has sent him!  One Greek philosopher said, "Whatever is, is!" You never step into the same river twice!  This holds true because only God is not in a state of flux and needs no change.  We are always in a process of transformation, change, or decay, being in flux because we are not perfect--God being perfect, cannot change for the worse, and since He's already perfect, He cannot change for the better!

God is an IS-ING, a living Being, not an IS-NESS, or state of Being.  This is the highest form of existence known since God is self-existent (uncreated or caused) and needs no one or nothing, He abides alone making no attempts at describing Himself fully, but makes it plain that we can know Him.  We cannot know Him in full or comprehensively, but we can truly and intimately know Him and have a living, vital, growing relationship with Him.  Notice that when God says I AM that there is no definitive completion to the name (no predicate!)--it's not meant to be a description like we would have one (e.g., "shorty," "curly," "blondie," etc.) but it's not arbitrary either!  God's names are for a reason and make sense, they aren't just conveniences or nicknames!

We cannot fully apprehend God's and without predicate:  I AM THAT I AM THAT I AM ..." The chain may go on ad infinitum.  The Bible gives no completed name (however many titles and forms of address), so we must rely on ad hoc ones that meet our needs for the moment, but the most inclusive one is Father.  There are several so-called Jehovah-texts in Scripture that complete or add predicates to the name or moniker of God.  For instance, He is called Jehovah-Nissi (our banner), Jehovah-Shammah (the Lord who is there), Jehovah-Shalom (our peace), Jehovah-Jireh (our provider), and Jehovah-Ra-ah (our shepherd), among others.  The point is that God is whatever we need Him to be!  He is all we need and that's why idolatry is a sin because it assumes another God to meet our needs and usurps God's prerogative and place in our lives.

God jealously defends His name and the Third Commandment on God's top ten list is not to take His name in vain!  He values and guards His name above all His honor by the integrity of His Word (Psa. 138:2, ESV, says:  "... for you have exalted above all things your name and your word."  God protects His name as He does His Word and they shall not come back void but accomplish His purposes (cf. Isa. 55:11)!   It is a great privilege to be able to address God by name!  Christians have the right to call Him Father, the name Jesus addressed Him as.  Father implies intimacy, subordination, and sonship in our union with God.  Our reverence for God is reflected in how we treat His name; when we use it frivolously or in vain, it shows contempt and unholy attitudes.  Our speech betrays us!  How we address God betrays our attitude, maturity, and relationship with Him; we must beware lest we fit Him into our boxes and our God is too small for our needs--we can never know a God in a box--then He wouldn't be God! 

We know the second person of the Trinity simply by the name Jesus and we have the right to be this familiar due to His not being ashamed of calling us His brothers and friends--confessing this to the Father. It is not presumptuous to speak to God as to our friend in time of our need--look at the thief on the cross calling Him simply, "Jesus."  He's earned the honor of being "The LORD is our Salvation."  When we address Him as Lord, we are bringing attention to our servanthood and His Lordship and lordship over us--that we are subject to His ultimate authority over our lives, to whom all authority has been given ("He is Lord of all")!  Jesus had boldly and clearly announced His Deity:  "... before Abraham was I AM!" "[S]o that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:10-11, ESV).

Another interpretation for I AM is "causes to be," and this means God is the First Cause or Unmoved Mover who is the originator taking the initiative and making the overture for our salvation--not us!  He acted on our behalf and we found favor in His eyes.  We cannot take credit for anything because God made the first move!  One reason the Pharisees hated Him is that it was obvious to them that Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh: He said He was the great I AM! Again, Jesus confessed:  "Before Abraham was, I AM."   In fact, He said that unless we believe He's the great I AM we shall die in our sins (cf. John 8:24).   Soli Deo Gloria!