Hello Beloved,

Welcome back to all our blog readers. We are glad to continue this series of study now that Grace has another assistant to help Anita, Kelly Dunnigan. As we pick up on our study of God’s names, today’s focus is the compound names of God relating to his covenant name of Yahweh (YHWH), otherwise known as the tetragrammaton. In this addition, we will consider the compound name of Yahweh-Elohim. The usage for these compounds combines the covenant name of God (Yahweh) and the most used and generic name of God in the Old Testament (Elohim).

It would be wise at this juncture to do a little review. The name of “Yahweh” is derived from the Hebrew verb which means “to be” or “being,” and carries the idea of self-existence. The name of “Elohim” is derived from the Hebrew roots of “El,” which means unlimited strength, energy, might, and power, with the root “alah,” which means to swear, declare, or make a covenant. Being the generic name of God in the Old Testament, Elohim gives the idea of infinite strength and absolute faithfulness. “Yahweh-Elohim” is most often translated “the LORD God” in the English translations.

As we approach the significance of the name “Yahweh-Elohim,” we begin by focusing on the introduction of Yahweh to Moses in the text surrounding Exodus 3:14. From this introduction and the following dialogue, we deduce that “Yahweh” is the God who is present with His people and will go before them. “Yahweh-Elohim” is the eternal, self-existent One, without beginning and without end. He is the One who possesses essential life and permanent existence. “Yahweh-Elohim” keeps His covenants, promises, and eternally sworn purposes. Therefore, the very character of the name “Yahweh-Elohim” infers that God cannot make a covenant or promise that He is unable to fulfill. Sometimes “Yahweh-Elohim” is used with other names of God to give a triple compound meaning, such as with Yahweh-Elohim-Sabaoth (LORD God of Hosts) or Yahweh-Elohim-Israel (Lord God of Israel). A couple of key Scriptures in which “Yahweh-Elohim” is used include Genesis 2:4 and Exodus 3:15. Let’s look at the use of this name in Genesis 2:4 through the end of Genesis 4 to get an idea of how Moses utilized this name of God. Please take a moment to stop and read this section of Scripture. When you read in all capital letters L-O-R-D, think Yahweh, and when you read God, think Elohim.

We read at the beginning of the second creation narrative, “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God (Yahweh-Elohim) made the earth and the heavens.” Genesis 2:4 (ESV) From this text to the end of chapter 4 there is a fascinating use of the name “Yahweh-Elohim” that connects the purposes of God for humanity with humanity’s fall into sin. Then as we continue to read through Moses’ work of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), we perceive God’s plan of redemption through Israel in the presentation of His name at the burning bush incident where God states:

14   . . .  “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD (Yahweh), the God (Elohim) of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. Exodus 3:14-15 (ESV)

Consider what Pastor and author Kent Hughes communicates about “Yahweh-Elohim” in
Genesis 2 through 4:

Up to this point in the story, Moses has used only one designation for God, the name Elohim. And he has used it with studied care some thirty-five times (five times seven, the number of perfection). Elohim is the appropriate word for the majestic portrayal of God as Creator of the universe, signifying omnipotent deity. The thirty-five repeated use of this name is metered praise for the perfect creation of the perfect Creator. But now at 2:4 (where chapter 2 should actually begin), the name for God switches to Yahweh-Elohim, “the Lord God” as our translations have it. Yahweh-Elohim is the dominant name from here to the end of chapter 4, which concludes this second section of the creation account. The reason for this is that Yahweh is the personal covenant name of God who relates to and redeems his people (cf. 15:7 and Exodus 3:14, 15). Significantly, the only place in chapters 2–4 that it is not used is 3:2–5, when the serpent and Eve consciously avoid the personal name of God as she is lured toward sin. Gordon Wenham, the eminent Genesis commentator, remarks, “The god they are talking about is malevolent, secretive, and concerned to restrict man: his character is so different from that of Yahweh Elohim that the narrative pointedly avoids the name in the dialogue.” Beautifully, Yahweh-Elohim combines the Creator and Covenant-Redeemer aspects of God into one magnificent name. Here, in the immediate context of the Sabbath, which for Israel became a day to celebrate God as Creator (cf. Exodus 20:11) and as Redeemer (cf. Deuteronomy 5:15), the name Yahweh-Elohim—“the Lord God”—proclaims both these realities. So for our own hearts, we must remember that whenever we come across the title “the Lord God” in Scripture, it signifies God our Creator and our Covenant-Redeemer. How utterly beautiful “the Lord God” is! The appropriateness of this name to this section is everywhere apparent, because Genesis 2–4 focuses on man and woman’s relationship with God. We see it immediately in 2:4–17, which deals with man’s nature, position, and responsibility to God in creation (R. Kent Hughes, Genesis: Beginning and Blessing)

Therefore, let us praise the Almighty God who keeps His promises as the Elohim, and remember He has given us His personal name in Yahweh, and desires a relationship with us.

Until next time, this is Pastor Daniel writing, “May the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”