The Relationship Between God's Name and Divine Identity

In biblical thought, the name of God is intrinsically linked to God's identity, nature, and authority. The concept of a name in ancient Near Eastern cultures often conveyed the essence or character of the one named, rather than merely serving as a label ^[14]. This is evident in various biblical names that incorporate elements referring to God, such as Deuel ("the knowledge of God") ^[1], Bethuel ("filiation of God") ^[2], Lemuel ("God with them") ^[4], Jediael ("the science, or knowledge, of God") ^[5], and Eladah ("the eternity of God") ^[6].

The primary Hebrew terms for God, 'El, 'Eloah, and 'Elohim, all derive from roots suggesting strength or divinity ^[3]. While 'Eloah is poetic and singular, 'Elohim is a plural form commonly used throughout the Bible ^[3]. Beyond these general terms, the unique name of the Divine Being is Jehovah (YHWH), which the Authorized Version consistently renders as "LORD" in small capitals ^[3]. This name is understood to express God's self-existence, eternity, and immutability, distinguishing the true God from all false deities ^[10].

The significance of God's name is particularly highlighted in the encounter between Moses and God at the burning bush. When Moses asks what he should tell the Israelites if they inquire about the name of the God of their fathers, God reveals himself as "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:13-14) ^[8]. This revelation underscores that God's name is not merely a designation but a declaration of his being. Some scholars suggest that the Lord's name is a divine secret, implying that the true essence of the infinite cannot be fully expressed or understood by finite beings, leading to terms of wonder and adoration when addressing God ^[9].

The relationship between God's name and his identity extends to the actions performed "in his name." To act in the name of the Lord Jesus, for instance, means to act in harmony with his identity and under his authority ^[14]. Jesus himself used God's divine name, "I Am," on multiple occasions, asserting his own divine identity ^[13]. The declaration "I am the Lord, that is my name" (Isaiah 42:8) emphasizes the uniqueness and distinctiveness of God ^[10].

The concept of a "good name" in Ecclesiastes 7:1 can be understood not only as a good reputation but also, in some interpretations, as referring to God himself, who is considered the "summum bonum" and chief happiness of humanity ^[12]. This perspective suggests that an interest in God as a covenant God and knowledge of him through Christ are preferable to all outward enjoyments ^[12].

The declaration of God's name is also a theme in the Psalms, where the Messiah is depicted as declaring God's name to his "brethren" (Psalm 22:22), which John Gill interprets as referring to his apostles, whom he called brethren after his resurrection ^[11]. This highlights the communicative aspect of God's name, as it is revealed and made known to humanity.

The careful examination of God's names in the Pentateuch, as discussed by Hengstenberg against views like Vitringa's, suggests that while some interpretations might seem overly refined, they contain "the germ of very important truths" regarding God's nature ^[7]. The biblical narrative consistently presents God's name as inseparable from his very being and power.

Sources

Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Deuel — the knowledge of God”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Bethuel — filiation of God”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: God — (A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew 'El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of 'Eloah_, plural _'Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by "LORD," printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argume”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Lemuel — God with them, or him”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jediael — the science, or knowledge, of God”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Eladah — the eternity of God”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 6.10: be found to Vitringa and others. Against this view, however, Hengstenberg argues with considerable force, in his Dissertation “on the Names of God in the Pentateuch;” and if some of his reasonings in the use of these names seem too refined for the simplicity of the Holy Scriptures, and for the comprehension of those to whom the Scriptures are chiefly addressed, yet we may discover the germ of very important truths, thought they may be, in some degree, hidden beneath a variety of fanciful developments. By a very careful examination”
Exodus (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Exodus 3:13: When Moses had been thus emboldened by the assurance of divine assistance to undertake the mission, he inquired what he was to say, in case the people asked him for the name of the God of their fathers. The supposition that the people might ask the name of their fathers' God is not to be attributed to the fact, that as the Egyptians had separate names for their numerous deities, the Israelites also would want to know the name of their own God. For, apart from the circumstance that the name by which God had revealed Himself to the fathers cannot have vanished en”
Jude (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jude 13:17: 13:17-18 The Lord’s name is a divine secret (Gen 32:29; Exod 3:13-14). God knows our names, but in addressing him we are limited to terms of wonder and adoration, for the true essence of the infinite cannot be expressed or understood by the finite.”
Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 42:8: I am the Lord, that is my name,.... Jehovah, a name expressive of his self-existence, eternity, and immutability; a name by which be made himself known to Israel of old, and which is peculiar to him, and does not belong to another, and so distinguishes him from all false gods; see Exo 3:14 or, "Hu is my name" (p); to which "he himself the same", answers; see Psa 102:27, compared with Heb 13:8 and this is one of the names of God with the Jews (q); as Hou is with the Turks to this day; which, in Arabic, signifies "him": that is, God, as Monsieur Thevenot (r) observes; s”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 22:22: I will declare thy name unto my brethren,.... Not those who were more nearly related to him according to the flesh; for though there were some who believed in him, and to whom he declared the name of God, as James and Joses, and Judas and Simon, Mat 13:55; yet there were others that did not believe on him, Joh 7:3; nor those more remotely related to him, as all the Jews, who were his brethren and kinsmen also according to the flesh; to these indeed he came and preached, but they received him not; but rather his apostles, whom he called his brethren, even after his re”
Ecclesiastes (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ecclesiastes 7:1: A good name is better than precious ointment,.... The word "good" is not in the text, but is rightly supplied, as it is by Jarchi; for of no other name can this be said; that which is not good cannot be better. Some understand this of the name of God, which is God himself, who is the "summum bonum", and chief happiness of men, and take it to be an answer to the question Ecc 6:12; this and this only is what is a man's good, and is preferable to all outward enjoyments whatever; interest in him as a covenant God; knowledge of him in Christ, which has eternal life an”
John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 18:8: 18:8 I Am: Jesus used God’s divine name for the second time (see study note on 18:5).”
Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 3:17: 3:17 as a representative of the Lord Jesus (literally in the name of the Lord Jesus): In the Bible, a person’s name represents that person. To do something in the name of the Lord Jesus is therefore to act in a way that is in harmony with his identity and under his authority.”

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