Sunday October 18, 2015 Phone: 570.829.5216
Pastor David Miklas e-mail
Message # 3 “Names of God” Text: Genesis 15:1-2; Psalm 8:1-8; Romans 10:9-10
Adonai (Lord)
INTRODUCTION: In Genesis 1:1 we read, "In the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth."
From the Old Testament we find there are three primary names for God. These primary names along with a number of compound names for God give us a description of God's character, provision, and care for us.
The name for God spelled here with the upper-case G and lower-case od is the Hebrew word "ELOHIM." This name used 2570 times through-out the Old Testament reveals that our God is a God of infinite power with reference to His creation.
In Psalms 8:1 we read, “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” You
Should have noticed the first “LORD” is spelled with all upper-case letters.
The Jews pronounced this name as YAHOWAH. We pronounce it JEHOVAH.
This name mentioned 6823 times in the Old Testament is God's name, for in Psalm 83:18 we read, "That men may know that thou, whose NAME alone is JEHOVAH." To the Jews this name was so sacred they dare not utter it lest they mispronounce it. Thus in Psalm 103:1 we read, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless HIS HOLY NAME."
Now in Psalm 8:1we have the third primary name for God mentioned. It is the second word “Lord.” This word for “Lord” is spelled with the upper-case "L" and the lower-case "ord." This is the Hebrew word ADONAI. Thus we read in verse 1, "O Jehovah, our Adonai, how excellent is thy name in all the earth."
Turning to Genesis 15, we discover the very first use of the name ADONAI. In verses 1-2 we read,
“After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. (2) And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?”
In verse 1 we read, "After these things," referring to the rescue of Lot, and with God’s help, the military defeat of the four kings and their armies, the “LORD” came to Abraham with a promise.
Now in verse 2 we have Abraham’s reply, "And Abram said, ADONAI JEHOVAH..." Here is the very first time the name ADONAI appears. The primary significance of the name ADONAI is that of ownership. Abraham is addressing God as the MASTER, the POSSESSOR, and the OWNER.
When Abraham confessed that YAHWEH was his Lord, he recognized God’s sovereign ownership and his submission. He declared God was owner and Abraham was His to command as He desired.
So in Genesis 15:2 when Abraham said, "ADONAI JEHOVAH," he is saying in effect “what these 318 servants are to me, as I am their master and owner, THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO BE TO YOU, ADONAI. I understand this concept, and I want to be to you what my servants are to me.”
I believe this is a concept we understand academically but experientially we have a great deal of difficulty accepting.
We sing, "O master let me walk with thee in lowly paths of service."
We say, "Christ must be Lord of all and if He is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all."
We say that, but for the most part we don't really understand it, and I am afraid far fewer practice it. We struggle with this issue of ownership don’t we?
For the most part we are tempted to say, “I am the master of my own fate, the captain of my own destiny.” We have never outgrown the little child in ourselves that would always scream, “It’s Mine!”
I have heard people say,
“If I have the time…” My friend, it is not your time, it is God’s time.
“Well, if I only had the money to give.” Well, it is really not your money; it is God’s money. The giving of the tithe and offering is simply a means of acknowledging He is Adonai, and He alone can supply all our needs according to His riches in glory.
The truth is, you’re not an owner; you‘re simply a steward. The Lord is the owner of all that exists, we are just a steward. “Stewardship is the process of managing God’s resources according to His plan for His glory.”
If I were to ask you in this message, "Do you believe in the LORDSHIP of Jesus Christ?" Probably, for the most part, I would get a reply in the affirmative.
But if I were to ask each of you this morning, "Is He Lord of ALL you are and Lord of ALL you possess?" We might have a very DISTURBING and REVEALING morning.
Any group of people can sing, "Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him LORD of ALL." But not all who are willing to crown Him with their lips will make Him Lord of their lives.
Someone very well said, "The word "LORD" is one of the most LIFELESS words in the Christian vocabulary. Yet, the LORDSHIP of Christ is the touchstone of our faith."
In Abraham’s day, a MASTER had every RIGHT to expect ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE from every one of his servants.
The servants did not DICTATE to the master when a command was given.
The servant did not QUIBBLE over a direction from the master.
The servant did what he was told to do, when he was told to do it, and in the way he was told to do it.
It was ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE. But in return every servant had the right to expect from the master, as far as life was concerned, provisions to
Feed them,
Clothe them,
House them, and to
Supervise them as to what to do and what not to do.
Over and over again in the Old Testament we find examples of this truth relative to those who addressed God as MASTER.
In Exodus 4:10 When Moses was commissioned to go to Egypt to deliver Israel, he expresses God's right to his life when he says, "O my ADONAI, I am not eloquent... I am slow of speech."
In Joshua 7:7, after the defeat at Ai, Joshua says, "O ADONAI, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies."
In Judges 6:15 when Gideon was called upon to deliver Israel from the Midianites he cried, "O ADONAI wherewith all shall I save Israel?"
Frequently the name ADONAI is found on the lips of David as in II Samuel 7:18-20, after being overcome with God's great promise to forever establish his dynasty, his throne and his family, he said in part, “Who am I, O ADONAI Jehovah? ...and what can David say more unto thee? For thou, ADONAI Jehovah, knoweth Thy servant."
And so throughout the Old Testament, those who know God as ADONAI THE MASTER acknowledge themselves as servants.
Over in Isaiah 6 we have a tremendous illustration of the name ADONAI.
In verse 1 we read, “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” In Isaiah’s day there was political difficulty, and he is saying "In this year of political upheaval, in this year of moral impurity, O, to be sure I saw all that, but I also saw the Lord." Maybe that's who you ought to see this morning.
What are the adverse circumstances in your life today?
Do you have your EYES and MIND fixed on these things?
Perhaps, you need to ALSO see the Lord.
In verses 2-3 we read, “Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. (3) And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” What was the matter with the people of Israel? I will tell you what was wrong, they had forgotten about the HOLINESS OF GOD.
In the midst of everything these angels began chanting in verses 3-4, “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. (4) And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.”
In verse 5 we read, “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” Isaiah is humbled by all this and so he repents.
Then God restores Isaiah verses 6-7, “Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: (7) And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.”
Now we come to verse 8, where all of a sudden Isaiah becomes sensitive to the will of God, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” Notice he cries out "I heard the voice of ADONAI ... the voice of the MASTER"
There is no hesitation here.
He didn't count the cost.
He is not grumbling about the details.
Why? Because, that is the proper position of a servant. A servant must simply yield to the will of the Master. As soon as Isaiah found himself right with God, immediately he saw God as the ABSOLUTE MASTER and himself as the SERVANT.
Now before we move on, there is another side to this name we must consider. Whenever you go through the Old Testament and this title is used in reference to men, as it is 215 times, it is always in the singular and is pronounced ADON.
However, whenever that word is used in reference to God, it is never singular it is always in the plural. Thus it is pronounced ADONAI. Like with the word, ELOHIM this suggests a powerful plural of the God Head, a Trinity, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. And since Jesus Christ is part of that God head, we must also see Jesus Christ as our MASTER.
Now moving out of the Old Testament and into the New Testament, we have many passages concerning Jesus as Lord. Let me point out to you four passages.
First: In Luke 2:8-11 we read,
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. (9) And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. (10) And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord (KURIOS).”
Now the word for Lord here is not the Hebrew word ADONAI but the Greek word KURIOS. And just like ADONAI, KURIOS also means MASTER or SUPREME AUTHORITY, and OWNER.
As the Savior, Jesus is not only the Messiah, the Anointed one, and the only Jehovah of the Old Testament, but He is also the MASTER.
Second: In Acts 2 you have the events of the day of Pentecost and Peter’s message. Notice the conclusion to that message found in verse 36. "…whom you have crucified, both Lord (KURIOS) and Messiah." Jesus is not only the anointed Messiah but he is also the SUPREME AUTHORITY. Perhaps by now you see that:
The ADONAI of the Old Testament is the KURIOS of the New Testament.
The Jehovah of the Old Testament is the Jesus of the New Testament.
I trust you understand, Jesus as the KURIOS has the RIGHT to the same ALLEGIANCE that:
Moses gave to God, and
Abraham gave to God, and
Isaiah gave to God, and
Joshua gave to God.
Jesus Christ has the RIGHT to that kind of ALLEGIANCE and that kind of obedience in our lives.
Third: In Romans 10:9 we find a very familiar passage most of us by now should have memorized, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord (KURIOS) Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” We must not only confess Him as Savior but also as Lord, thereby submitting to Him as Master.
We must accept Christ Jesus as our Savior by faith and by faith alone.
It is "…by Grace through faith plus nothing, it is faith period."
We must also come to realize that we are to submit unto Him as Lord.
O' how often we draw near to God with our mouth and honor Him with our lips while our hearts are far from Him. We call Him Lord, while we do not carry out what he bids us to do. Do you know what the real problem with Christianity is?
We like to drag Jesus wherever we want to go instead of following where he leads.
We are like the dear soul who said, "I want the Lord to be my Constitutional King, but I want to be the Prime Minister."
Now a Constitutional King has no powers, he is only a figure head. On the other hand the Prime Minister is the one who actually governs. That is how many Christians feel today. They want God to be just a figure head. “They want to be the master of their lives, the captain of their own ship. They want Jesus to be their Savior, but they want to run their lives.” They say:
I want to do what I want to do,
I want to go where I want to go, and
I want to be what I want to be!
Something has happened to the song we sometimes sing, "Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."
In order to understand more clearly the meaning of this name LORD, and our relation to Him, let me tell you a true story of a father and his daughter during the daughter’s high school days.
Every day this father would meet with his daughter and check her out before she would go off to school. If he did not like what she was weaning that day, skirt too short, blouse too low, make up too heavy, she would have to change it before leaving for school. Every morning she would present herself for an inspection. This father exercised PRACTICALLY TOTAL CONTROL over his daughter.
He told her what she could DO and what she could not DO.