Why Does God Have Many Names?

Names are important to us and to God. We often have many names (and titles) that we are known by here on Earth - friend, brother/sister, mom/dad, nicknames, birth name, and more. There are also many names for God in the Bible. It may seem like there are too many names for Him or it is hard to keep them all straight at first, but each name has a purpose. These names throughout the Bible are significant because they define and describe WHO God is, WHAT He does, and WHAT He is all ABOUT. God’s many names give us, His people, insight into His nature, person, and character. Learning about God through His names can be one of the most important ways for us to dive deeper into our relationship with Him. The names of God tell us who He is and how He loves us. By learning God’s names and sharing these with our children, we show them what it truly means to draw nearer to God, to demonstrate that He is always present, and that we can understand ourselves better by embracing and understanding all the characteristics of God through His names. 

God has many names and titles He goes by in the Old AND New Testaments. All of these names and titles help us understand more about Him, the events and people in the Bible (great cultural context), and how those same names apply to us today. Knowing God is the absolute most important thing we could ever do in life. Now, don’t get me wrong, we need to know how to obey and respond to those in authority, work with others, do our homework, learn each subject in school, and much more. But every one of these concepts and attributes takes on more meaning and matters more when you know God, know how He has designed us to live as His followers, and how to follow His commands in the Bible. We are created in His image and learn more about that image and how to live in it when we know God’s names (His character, nature, person, and desires for us).

John 17: 3 says “And this is the way to have eternal life - to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth”. The only way we will live forever in Heaven is by knowing God and knowing Jesus. This starts with our personal relationship with Him through salvation and continues by learning more about Him. That’s why learning the names and titles of God is so important. Although many names of God are revealed in the Old Testament, names throughout all of the Bible clearly show us God’s power, love, and mercy that is relevant for us today, just as it has been for believers across time.  

How familiar are you and your children with the names of God? Their meaning and impact on our daily lives? Do any names resonate with you in this season of life? Take time to learn these names and apply them to your daily life - deeper knowledge deepens faith!

RESOURCES

I Am Devotional. Through 100 devotions, children will see how God’s names reflect His love, strength, trustworthiness, etc., and what that means as they develop a strong faith. 

I Am, the Bible storybook that first introduced children to the names and character of God.

A Kid’s Guide to The Names of God by Tony Evans

H2O Kids | Names of God | Week 1YouTube · H2O Church BG8 minutes, 28 secondsMar 25, 2020

Mysteries of the Bible: God's NamesYouTube · Crossroads Kids' Club2 minutes, 2 secondsJan 18, 2018