EL QUANNA

El Quanna is translated: “The Lord Is Jealous”.  This is an unusual description of God since the bible clearly states we are not to be jealous.  Let’s explore the defenition of this name more closely.

El Quanna is an adjective or title used only of God.  It focuses on His desire for an exclusive relationship with His creation.  It describes a jealousy that is unlike human jealousy in that it is not out of selfishness, but rather it is based from God’s pure and divine love for us.  It has never been God’s desire to be separated from His creation.

Isaiah 30:18 expresses God’s love in a beautiful way, “Therefore the Lord waits [expectantly] and LONGS to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you”.

Sadly, we, mankind have allowed ourselves to become disconnected from God.  

In our lives there are two areas which cause separation from God.  The first is sin.  “But your wickedness has separated you from your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.” Isaiah 59:2

Sin is derived from both a Greek and Hebrew word used in archery and denotes “to miss the mark”  or being in error.  Sin is actually missing the standard that God has set for us to live by.

The second area is idolatry.  In the Ten Commandments, God made the following statement:  “You shall have no other gods before Me.  4 “You shall not make for yourself any idol, or any likeness (form, manifestation) of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth [as an object to worship].  You shall not worship them nor serve them Exodus 20:3-5

Idolatry is devoting ourselves to worship something or someone in the place of God.  It is a sin that leads us to desire more than what God provides, and to trust something or someone lesser than God to satisfy our wants and needs.  Idolatry is giving more honor to any created thing rather than to God Himself.

God Goes on to tell Moses in Exodus 20:5, “ for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous (impassioned) God [demanding what is rightfully and uniquely mine].”

God is faithful and loves us unconditionally and is telling us in this scripture, He is jealous of anything that separates us from Him. . Again, His jealousy is not out of selfishness, but a passionate love that says, “never will I leave you, never will I forsake you”.

The book of Hosea is an analogy of God’s love for His people,  The cycle of repentance, redemption, and restoration clearly depicts our relationship with God.  Hosea reveals a repetitious theme: though God will bring judgment on sin, He will always bring His people back to Himself.

Is there something in your life separating you from God?  Whether it is sin or idolatry, it is our responsibility as we walk out our salvation, to remove this hindrance.

Father, I pray You would reveal to us any sin or area of idolatry in our life.  We desire to surrender all to you. Create in us a clean heart.

JEHOVAH JIREH PART 2

Jehovah Jireh is defined as, God our Provider. He is able to meet every need we could possibly have.  God is omniscient (all knowing), and can see the past, present, and future. He can anticipate and provide for our needs: physical, spiritual, emotional, or material.

Jehovah Jireh recognizes our greatest need is to be in right relationship with Him, but man’s sin separates him from God.

The bible tells us in Romans 3:23 all of mankind has sinned: “ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard”.  Isaiah 59:2 explains what the penalty for sin is: “ But your iniquities (sins) have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”  Romans 6:23 goes on to say, “For the wages of sin is death (separation from God), but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

In early biblical times a goat or a lamb was killed every year as a sacrifice for sin.  Because it is impossible for the blood of animals to take away sin, this sacrifice would only roll back man’s sin for a year.  

What man could not provide for himself, Jehovah Jireh did!  God provided a sacrifice, the perfect sacrifice, His Son Jesus.  The precious, holy blood of Jesus has paid the price for our sin for all of eternity.  His shed blood was the ultimate sacrifice for mankind.  

 You and I deserve death (separation from God) for our sins. Yet Jesus became the true Lamb of God (the sacrifice) that took away our sins.  This has brought restoration to a broken relationship between God and His people once and for all.

Jehovah Jireh has provided for our greatest need of all.

Father, I thank You for Your promise:  “If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].” 1 John 1:9

JEHOVAH JIREH

 The meaning of the name, Jehovah Jireh, is literally, The Lord Who Sees, or The Lord Who Will See To It.  Because God is able to see the past, present, and the future, He is able to anticipate and provide what is needed.

Jehovah Jireh first appears in Genesis 22.  In this account Abraham’s son, Isaac, was to be given as an offering to God.  Instead God, Jehovah Jireh, miraculously provided a sheep as a substitute for Isaac and Abraham’s son was saved.

When we think of God as our Provider, we often think of having our financial needs met.  God does not only provide our monetary and material needs, He also provides for us spiritually and emotionally.  Because God is all knowing, He is able to supply solutions to any problem or obstacle we may face.

The book of Exodus gives us many examples of God’s provisions, which we can relate to today.  The Israelites had been in captivity in Egypt for approximately 400 years. God miraculously led them to freedom.   He brought them out of captivity with health and wealth. (Exodus 12:13) When they had no water, God provided water. (Exodus 17:6).  When the water was bitter, God made the water sweet.(Exodus 14:25). When they were hungry, He gave them food. (Exodus 16:4). He healed them of all their diseases. (Exodus 15:6)

My favorite illustration of God’s provision in this event takes place shortly after the Israelites were released from captivity and were headed towards God’s Promised Land.   They must have been filled with an excitement of freedom and the anticipation of a land of their own. However, their joy quickly turned to fear as they saw the Red Sea in front of them and Egypt’s army behind them.  In their eyes they could not see a way of escape and were ready to give up and return to their life of slavery. They took their eyes off Jehovah Jireh, forgetting He was their provider and would make a way. God did not fail them, but instead He parted the Red Sea and they were able to walk safely through it on DRY ground.  

God has promises for His children that are found in His Word.  Often, we, like the Israelites, take our eyes off the promise, and all we can see are the “Red Seas” (the problems) in our lives.  When we encounter a problem, we choose to either trust Jehovah Jireh to provide a solution, or we choose to turn back to the familiar life we have been living.  Retreating to unhealthy patterns of thinking can result in a life of bondage or slavery to fear, addiction, pride, anger, and unbelief... just to name a few. God realizes these harmful mindsets hinder our relationship with Him.  He is so personal, knows our heart, and sees each and every one of our needs.  Therefore, He will  provide a way out of what is blocking our relationship with Him.

Do you have a situation you’re facing that seems impossible?  Have you been battling negative patterns in your life? Look to Jehovah Jireh to provide for you.

Philippians 4:19:  And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Father, I pray each person reading this will see You as their Provider and they would trust you in and through every situation.

JEHOVAH NISSI

 

Jehovah Nissi means “God our Banner”.  A banner is defined as a pole, a standard or a miracle.  In biblical times a banner was used as a signal that was raised to gather or assemble the people. A raised banner served to announce that something significant was about to happen.  God's people rallied for battle with the raising of banners. During the confusion and chaos of a battle, soldiers would look for the king’s banner.  The sight of it being held high gave them courage and confidence.

The name Jehovah Nissi first appears in Exodus 17:15.  God had delivered the Israelites from captivity in Egypt and was leading them to the Promised Land. (Exodus 4-17)  As the israelites were getting ready to fight the Amalekites, Moses instructed Joshua to lead the army in battle. Moses then went on top of a hill, lifted his rod to heaven, and raised his hands up to God.  When his hands were raised, Israel was more powerful than the Amalekites, but when he became fatigued and lowered his hands the Amalekites were stronger. Holding up his hands was a symbol of dependence on God and an appeal to Him for help and enablement. This act of obedience to God empowered Joshua to defeat the Amalekites.  Exodus 17:14-15 tells us, “ After the victory, the Lord instructed Moses, 'Write this down on a scroll as a permanent reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will erase the memory of Amalek from under heaven.' Moses built an altar there and named it Jehovah-Nissi (which means “the Lord is my banner).”

 Moses was declaring they had victory, not because of the greatness of the army, but because they were positioned under the banner of God (Jehovah Nissi).

As God’s children, the Lord Himself is our Banner, our Jehovah Nissi.  He is our confidence and the source of our strength in battle. When we have darkness and confusion in our lives we have the assurance of God, our Banner, being lifted high over our situation.  In Exodus 17:14 God instructed Moses to write down the events of Israel’s victory against the Amalekites.  He wanted this remembered for generations to come...for us. In the bible Egypt is symbolic of the world system or sin.  Just as the Israelites were attacked when they left Egypt, we are attacked when we come out of the world to serve God. Who are the “Amalekites” that are attacking you?  Is it fear, addiction, pride, selfishness, anger, or bitterness just to name a few?  God’s banner of salvation is waving over you. His promise of salvation includes help during distress, deliverance,  rescue, and healing. Without God we can do nothing (John 15:5), but when we position ourselves under the Banner, Jehovah Nissi, we can have victory over our enemies.

Father, I thank You that with You we can have victory over all that tries to come between us and You.  I pray we would realize Jehovah Nissi is not just Your name, but it is a reflection of Who You are.

JEHOVAH TSEBAOTH Part 3

Jehovah Tsebaoth is God’s name which describes Him as the Lord of Hosts or God of battles.  A host is an army and may refer to an army of: people, angels, stars and planets (heavenly hosts), or  hosts of animals. Whatever kind of host or army the bible is speaking about, God, Jehovah Tsebaoth, is the Head.

I want to look briefly at heavenly hosts.  God not only created the heavens (Genesis 2:1), He also knows how many stars there are and calls each one by name (Psalm 147:4)  According to scientists the universe is comprised of approximately one billion trillion stars, yet Jehovah Tsebaoth has named and is in control of each one.  What an amazing God we serve!!

There is a battle recorded in Judges chapters 4 and 5 that describes how God moved the stars.   King Jabin had a powerful army with 900 iron chariots. The chariot’s wheels had sharp spikes that would shred their opponents to ribbons.  God told the Israelite army, which was only armed with clubs and stones, to go into battle. It looked as if defeat was imminent, or for certain.  But God had a plan. He moved the stars which caused a change in the weather and it began to pour down rain. The chariots wheels sank in the mud and Israel won the battle.

Joshua chapter 12 tells of an event when the Israelites were in battle with the Amorites.  The Israelites were outnumbered, but God spoke to Joshua in verse 8, “Do not be afraid of them,” the Lord said to Joshua, “for I have given you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up to you.”  

Joshua knew the battle would have to be won before sunset.  He prayed to God to allow the sun to stand still. Verses 12-13 describes this event: “On the day the Lord gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel. He said,“Let the sun stand still over Gibeon,  and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.”    So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies.”

Again the situation looked impossible, but God had promised them victory.  Often circumstances in our life seem as if there is no solution. Remember Jehovah Tsebaoth will fight for you.

Father, we are trusting in You, not our circumstances.  I pray You would continue to reveal your magnificence to us and help us see the reality of Who You are.

JEHOVAH TSEBAOTH Part 2

Jehovah Tsebaoth is God’s name which describes Him as the Lord of Hosts or God of battles.  Today we will continue to explore angelic hosts, which is an army of angels. God has a mighty force of angels ready to move at His command.  Scripture has described this angelic host to us: Psalm 68:17  “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them.”  Psalm 103:20-21 “ Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands.  Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will!”

Let’s think about this for a moment.  God is a personal God and knows your every need.  He has thousands and thousands of angels that are ready to fight for you. When you believe the battle is too much for you, remember an army of angels is fighting for you.   

When Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den, God sent an angel to shut the mouth of the lions. (Daniel 6:22)  Why did God protect Daniel? Because Daniel loved and respected God. That same provision is given to us. Psalm 34:6-7 declares, “In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;  He saved me from all my troubles.  For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear (who revere and worship God with awe).”

One of my favorite events in the bible is found in 2 Kings 6.  The king of Syria was making war against the people of God. During the night, he sent his army to find and capture Elisha, God’s prophet.  When Elisha’s servant went out the next morning he was filled with fear as he saw the Syrian army, which had completely surrounded the city.  The servant asked Elisha, “What should we do? “ Elisha replied in 2 Kings 6:16-17, “Don’t be afraid! Elisha told him. FOR THERE ARE MORE ON OUR SIDE THAN ON THEIRS!  Then Elisha prayed, O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!  The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.”

I wonder how many times we miss not only God’s greatness, but also His plans for our lives. How many times do we react to our situation rather than the truth of God’s Word? Second Corinthians 4:4 tells us, “ Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”

Like Elisha’s servant, we may not always see God operating in our lives, but that does not diminish the fact that He is working in and for us.  God has not changed since that day when the servant’s eyes were opened. He is still the same and His army is greater than that of our enemies. Jehovah Tsebaoth and His army are fighting for you today.

Father I pray that just as You opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant, you will open our eyes today that we will see Your power, Your majesty, Your love, and all that You are.

JEHOVAH TSEBAOTH

Jehovah Tsebaoth describes God as the Lord of Hosts or God of battles.  The word Tsebaoth comes from the Hebrew word tsaba and can be used as a verb or a noun.  As a verb it means to wage war or to render service to God. As a noun, tsaba refers to multitudes, hosts, or armies.  It expresses a VAST army made up of different components which are under God’s command.

When we think of an army we picture a large group of men ready to fight.  As a child of God, we are members of the army of the Lord. Another name for an army is host and may refer to angelic hosts (angels), heavenly hosts (stars and planets), or  hosts of animals. Whatever kind of host or army the bible is speaking about, God, Jehovah Tsebaoth, is the Head.

As Head of the army, God protects and defends us.  He fights or battles against those obstacles in our life which attempt to defeat us.  Joel 2:11 describes God’s power, “And the Lord utters His voice before His army, for His host is very great, and [they are] strong and powerful who execute [God’s] word. For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible, and who can endure it?"

Let’s look at some examples of Jehovah Tsebaoth in the bible.

In Joshua 5, God was preparing to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.  As they waited for God’s direction,  He revealed Himself to Joshua.  “ and it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man (God) stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand.  And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, ‘Are You for us or for our adversaries?’  So He said, ‘No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’  Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped Him”  (Joshua 5:13-14). Joshua had come face to face with Jehovah Tsebaoth and knew that God was with them and would lead them to victory.

First Samuel 17 depicts David’s battle with Goliath.  Despite the fact that Goliath was huge and was fully equipped with armour and weapons, David had no fear of him because his trust was in God.  Even as Goliath mocked him, David responded with faith and confidence. “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied”. (1 Samuel 17:45)

Both Joshua and David knew and trusted God as Jehova Tsebaoth, their protector and defender.  Their confidence was not in themselves or in their circumstances. Psalms 24:8 tells us, “Who is the King of glory? The Lord STRONG AND MIGHTY, the Lord MIGHTY IN BATTLE”.   If you are facing a battle in your life, let God fight for you.  No matter what you may be encountering, God is BIGGER.

Father, You are mighty, strong, and powerful.  I thank You that You are fighting for us. Open the eyes of our understanding to this facet of Your character.