LET US RUN TO THE NAME OF THE LORD
Growing Christians begin to appreciate the uniqueness of the Bible as they spend time reading and meditating on it. There truly is no other Book (of books) in the world like it.
We see so much that was in the heart of God in eternity past, as slowly unfolded as truth in the Old Testament and having its fulfilment in the coming of Jesus, and the birth of the New Testament Church. Then through the New Testament the development of New Covenant truth, and concluding with that day when God will wrap everything up in the Book of Revelation.
Sadly we know that over hundreds of years the Church slowly declined and entered into error and darkness. We thank God for men like John Calvin and Martin Luther who nailed his theses to the Cathedral door in Wittenberg Germany which ushered in what we call the Reformation. Since that time God has continued to restore truth after truth to His people. Again sadly, some accepted (and often had to start a new denomination) and many who also rejected a particular truth. We come to the 20th century and God restored another awesome truth to His Church, that of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Reformed teaching stated that Gifts like healing, prophecy and tongues all ceased on the death of the last Apostle.
So again there were many who embraced the truth, but many others totally rejected the truth, some even saying it was of the devil. In 1914 the first Pentecostal denomination were formed, and only four years later the first great Theological controversy exploded in the Pentecostal world, which produced another denomination based around the teaching. In hindsight, again there were 2 camps, some just literally rejected the teaching, and threw the “baby out with the dirty bathwater” and those in the other camp taking the truth too far even into heresy.
In simple terms the teaching (doctrine) was all about The Name of God”. I am not going to bore you with all the pro’s and cons of the teaching, but want to highlight the words of Solomon in Proverbs 18:10 NKJV The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run in and are safe.
God revealed Himself in so many different names in the Bible, and i will mention some here.
El Shaddai God the Almighty
Elohim God the Creator
Jehovah God the Lord.
The name Jehovah is then linked with other words like:
Jehovah Raah The Lord the Shepherd Psalm 23:1
Jehovah Jireh The Lord that sees and provides Psalm 23:2
Jehovah Rapha The Lord that heals Psalm 23:3
Jehovah Tsidkenu The Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23:6
Jehovah Shalom The Lord our peace John 14:27
Jehovah Shammah The Lord is present Rom. 8:11
Jehovah Nissi The Lord is my Canopy (or banner) Rom. 8:31
These 7 names are often called THE SEVEN REDEMPTIVE NAMES OF GOD.
THe NLT expresses it this way The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to Him and are safe.
The MESSAGE Bible says God’s name is a place of protection—good people can run there and be safe.
We are sure living in momentous days, here in Australia, droughts and catastrophic bush fires, volcanoes in New Zealand, earthquakes around the world, a possible way with Iran, and the list goes on and on.
Let us thank God today for this:
STRONG TOWER
STRONG FORTRESS
PLACE OF PROTECTION
Let us run to the Name of the Lord and find safety.
