God Is...

For most of us, our names simply identify us. We might be named in honor of a grandmother or some famous person, but our names don’t have much meaning or significance beyond that. This is not the case, however, with the names given to God in the Bible. God’s names and titles are windows into his character. We learn about who God is and what God is ready to do in our lives by coming to understand his names.

To be precise, God has only one name. In the Old Testament, the one true and living God reveals himself as “the LORD.” But God is also given a variety of descriptive titles in Scripture. These “names” help us see more deeply into God’s nature and work and power.

The God who revealed himself to Moses and to Abraham is the same God we relate to today. We have come to know him as God the Father and as Jesus the Savior and as the Spirit of holiness—but he is also the LORD Almighty, the God who provides, the God of glory.

So be prepared to have your heart and mind stirred as you explore God’s nature in greater depth—and be prepared to have your life and worship changed by these encounters with the living God!

Douglas Connelly, Names of God: Glimpses of His Character: 8 Studies for Individuals or Groups: With Notes for Leaders, A LifeGuide Bible Study (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Connect: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2012), 4.