Music Mondays

Yesterday we studied the highest and most honored name for God - "Yahweh". It is so special that the people of Israel stopped saying it out of fear they'd misuse it (Ex. 20:7). 

It means simply, "I AM" or "I am that I am". It is a statement of eternality, of independence, consistency, and know-ability. It is also the name God used when fulfilling his covenants with his people (Ex. 3,6).

While I cannot criticize the tradition that has refused to even speak the name, I do feel it goes a little to far. A couple songs capture it's uniqueness, and we'll share one this week and one next.

Music Mondays

Last week, we took a look at "El" and "Elohim" as major names for God. While general and common designations, they speak to the Lord's might and power.

While the Bible helps fill in the gaps as to how mighty God is and what kind of powerful Deity we worship, it goes even further by using "El" as compound description for God (i.e. "God of Israel", "God who sees", "God Most High"). 

Next Sunday we'll be looking at close to a half-dozen of them, but the most famous is undoubtedly "El Shaddai" (which means 'God Almighty'). 

It became well-known in the early 80's when Amy Grant sang it on her breakout Age to Age album. Originally written by Michael Card, it does a masterful job of succinctly telling the redemptive story of God from Abraham to Jesus.

Here's Card's version with helpful lyrics that translate the Hebrew he incorporated into the song:

 

Music Mondays - El, Elohim

I don't know exactly what next week's sermon will look like as we study the names "El" and "Elohim" that are used of God in Scripture. 

I do know that at least part of it will want to reflect the worshipful declarations of this son, because it gets the significance behind those names:

 

This is God in His holy place

This is God, clothed in love and strength

 

Sing out, lift your voice and cry out

Awesome is our strong God, mighty is our God

Sing out, raise your hands and shout out 

Awesome is our strong God, mighty is our God

Music Mondays

"We're back and better than ever!"

That's how my favorite morning sports radio personalities describe their show and I think it may apply here to since I took all of July off from blogging. I actually didn't realize it had been a month, but that's ok.

While often times my music selections deal with what has happened in the past week or what the topic of my sermon had been the previous Sunday, this time around I'm looking ahead. We're going to be doing a mini-series on "The Names of God". And I came across a perfect song to highlight what will be our first name next week. 

So in looking ahead to "Adonai", I present a song of the same name by former Christian super-group Avalon. 

There's nothing really to add, the song pretty much nails it.