Reflecting His Likeness!

Several years ago I wrote a series of essays on the Names of God for a Seminary course I was taking. During that time I discovered a number of things about the meanings behind the different names of God, and also discovered the importance of those differences. The simple fact is that a name is what we use to identify something. We identify something by giving it a name, and often times the name we give something identifies the nature or characteristic of the thing we name. In other words, if we get a dog, that has spots, we might call it..... Ralph..... no kidding, we might call it Spot. I once got a dog that was part Husky, and part Shepard, and it looked like a little baby bear cub, and I called it "Cubby".

Well, God does the same thing when He identifies Himself, and also when He identifies people or places in Scripture. Whenever the nature or character of the person is changed, then the name that identifies them changes with it. Jacob's name changed to Israel is the best example I can think of right away. "[The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob - supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler! And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God]; for you have contended and have power with God and with men, and have prevailed" (Gen. 32 AMP.)

There are many more examples Abram to Abraham; Sarai to Sarah; also Daniel and the other three Hebrews taken in the captivity of Israel by Babylon were given different names during their captivity. Many more examples are found in the Old Testament, and some in the New, such as Saul to Paul; Simon to Peter; on and on it goes.

Names also identify a meaningful place. "and he calleth the name of that place Bethel, (meaning) house of God, and yet, Luz is the name of the city at the first." (Gen. 28:19 YLT)

I think you are getting the point. Don't pass up finding out the meaning of names when ever you are studying Scripture, you will find a wealth of hidden truths behind the reasons those names are used. The same goes with discovering the different names that are used for God.

In Psalm 91 four different names of God are used in the first two verses. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust." (KJV)

The following names for God, and their meanings were copied from this link here: http://www.smilegodlovesyou.org/names.html There is also a very nice music video at their site.

ELOHIM......Genesis 1:1, Psalm 19:1
meaning "God", a reference to God's power and might.
ADONAI......Malachi 1:6
meaning "Lord", a reference to the Lordship of God.
JEHOVAH--YAHWEH.....Genesis 2:4
a reference to God's divine salvation.
JEHOVAH-MACCADDESHEM.......Exodus 31:13
meaning "The Lord thy sanctifier"
JEHOVAH-ROHI......Psalm 23:1
meaning "The Lord my shepherd"
JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH.......Ezekiel 48:35
meaning "The Lord who is present"
JEHOVAH-RAPHA.........Exodus 15:26
meaning "The Lord our healer"
JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU......Jeremiah 23:6
meaning "The Lord our righteousness"
JEHOVAH-JIREH.........Genesis 22:13-14
meaning "The Lord will provide"
JEHOVAH-NISSI.........Exodus 17:15
meaning "The Lord our banner"
JEHOVAH-SHALOM........Judges 6:24
meaning "The Lord is peace"
JEHOVAH-SABBAOTH......Isaiah 6:1-3
meaning "The Lord of Hosts"
JEHOVAH-GMOLAH........Jeremiah 51:6
meaning "The God of Recompense"
EL-ELYON..............Genesis 14:17-20,Isaiah 14:13-14
meaning "The most high God
EL-ROI................Genesis 16:13
meaning "The strong one who sees"
EL-SHADDAI............Genesis 17:1,Psalm 91:1
meaning "The God of the mountains or God Almighty"
EL-OLAM...............Isaiah 40:28-31
meaning "The everlasting God"

Many people confuse the many Names of God, with there being many gods, or as if each Name is the totality of who God is, but each Name of God is used at a particular place and time in Scripture.  Each  Name identifies a Characteristic of a part of God's nature. No one Name could identify the totality of all of God's Nature. Understanding this fact can help to explain some confusing aspects of Scripture, and also God's interaction with you and others.

Have you ever heard someone say something like "That's not the kind of God I serve!" Or to have someone just emphasise one aspect of the nature of God as if that sums up the whole of God's nature? What about some who talks about the "mother-God". That is partly because the name EL-SHADDAI means "the breasted one"! It is a name that denotes providing nourishment. Well someone who does not understand that EL-SHADDAI is only one of the names of God, can be confused by any other aspect of His nature, that do not involve "mothering".

As I indicated in my last post, that God is Spirit! God created man, (BARA Heb.) meaning cut down or carve out from Himself. His intention was to "reproduce Himself" so to speak. Consider the example used of the ocean to maybe relate some to this. You can go to the ocean and take out from it a cup of water. All that is in the water in the ocean is the same as what is in that cup, but the cup of water is NOT the ocean. So, when God created man from Himself, all the Nature that is within God was contained within man but man is NOT God.

So when it was given to Adam to "name" the animals, or to "nature" them, he was able to draw from within himself from the aspects of his own nature to give to them, and while Adam natured the animals, he also knew that he was not like them. They did not reflect his own likeness. Adam, desired someone who reflected his likeness that same way that God did. This is why God separated the female part from Adam, the womb so to speak (not a rib), and created the womb-man. So that when Adam looked on the woman, he could see his own image in her, in the same way that when God created man, they too would be Reflecting His Likeness.