Carolyn E. Jacobs

David told the Philistine, “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Yahweh Tsebaoth, the Elohim of the army of Israel, whom you have insulted. -1 Samuel 17:45, Names of God version Man, I love this passage. Who doesn’t? The Lord of Hosts uses a scrappy shepherd boy to bring down a Philistine giant. Read 1 Samuel 17:38-47 with fresh eyes. Can’t you picture it? There’s a big, ol’ ugly giant stomping around, trash talking David. The Names of God version says this: “When the Philistine got a good look at David, he despised him. After all, David was a…

For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream-Isaiah 66:12a Peace like a river. Is this what you think of? Puffy clouds, gentle breezes, birds singing? The night before Jesus died, he told his disciples this: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. -John 14:27 Twenty-four hours later, his body lay in a tomb. The river the disciples navigated looked like this.No peace there. The Anointed One, the Messiah they’d…

So Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh. He called it Yahweh Shalom. – Judges 6:24, Names of God version Yahweh Shalom, like Yahweh Nissi, is more of a title than a name. And Yahweh Shalom, like Yahweh Nissi, was bestowed in the context of war. To understand the circumstances, see Judges 6. In the midst of horrendous oppression, the Angel of the Lord appears to Gideon. That very day, Gideon built an altar and called it Yahweh Shalom. He knew Yahweh was the source of peace before his circumstances changed. Yahweh is Shalom whether or not our situation is peaceful. What do we see today? War and ethnic conflicts…

Yahweh created Jacob and formed Israel. Now, this is what Yahweh says: Do not be afraid, because I have reclaimed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through the sea, I am with you. When you go through rivers, they will not sweep you away. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned, and the flames will not harm you. I am Yahweh your Elohim, Qedosh Yisrael, your Savior. Egypt is the ransom I exchanged for you. Sudan and Seba are the price I paid for you. – Isaiah 43:1-3, Names of God Version This week, we’re looking at the Holy One of Israel. The passage above is undoubtedly…