What’s in a name? For most of us, names are simply labels implying a familial inheritance or a mark of personal identity. But in Scripture, God’s names function as windows into His very essence. They are not mere titles but invitations to know the Creator and partake in the perfection of His blessedness. From the dawn of creation to the ultimate revelation in Jesus Christ, God’s names unfold like chapters in a grand narrative, each one highlighting a new dimension of His infinite joy, self-sufficiency, and overflowing goodness. These names are more than linguistic identifiers—they are invitations to enter into the life of the One who is eternally blessed and desires to share that blessedness with us. This essay seeks to trace the progression of God’s self-revelation through His names in Scripture, exploring how they progressively unveil His nature and the perfect joy that defines Him.

God’s Names: Windows into Divine Blessedness

The idea of God’s names is central to understanding His blessedness. Far from a single, static revelation, God’s names reflect His gradual self-disclosure. This divine self-revelation occurs throughout history, beginning with the creation narratives and reaching its fullest expression in the person of Jesus Christ. At each stage, God’s names illuminate different aspects of His eternal joy, inviting humanity to experience His blessedness. As we examine these names, we will see how they progress from the simple and profound to the ultimate and personal expression of God’s happiness.

In the Old Testament, God’s names emerge in the context of His covenant with Israel. These names are not merely for the intellectual enrichment of God’s people but serve as powerful tools through which they encounter the blessedness of the divine. As the names of God become more explicit and intimate, they reveal a God who is not distant or detached but joyfully engaged with His creation. The full revelation of God’s blessedness culminates in the New Testament with the revelation of the Triune God in the person of Jesus Christ.

Old Testament Names: The Blessedness of God’s Nature

In the Old Testament, God’s names function as the early glimpses of His divine nature, gradually revealing His eternal blessedness. These names present a portrait of a God who is complete in Himself, self-sufficient, and overflowing with joy.

1. Names of Exalted Blessedness: God’s Perfect Contentment

These names reflect God’s self-sufficiency and His contentment in His own being. They highlight the essential nature of divine blessedness—God does not need anything to be happy; His happiness flows from His perfect nature.

El (אֵל): The name El denotes God as “Mighty” and emphasizes His strength and power. Genesis 14:18 identifies God as El Elyon, “God Most High,” who blesses Abraham not out of necessity but because of His overflowing goodness. Unlike human rulers who seek power to fill internal voids, El’s might is a reflection of His perfect blessedness, a might that is untainted by insecurity.

Elohim (אֱלֹהִים): Elohim, the plural form of the Hebrew word for God, reflects God’s communal nature. In Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the earth,” we see a God whose creativity springs from the overflowing joy of His nature. While the plural form hints at the Trinitarian nature of God, it also signals the relational bliss that is central to His eternal blessedness. The plurality suggests a divine community, in which the Father, Son, and Spirit share in eternal communion, a communion that is perfectly joyful in itself and that spills over into the created order.

Adonai (אֲדֹנָי): The name Adonai, meaning “Lord” or “Master,” reflects God’s sovereign lordship. This sovereignty is not a need-driven control but a natural expression of His blessedness. Psalm 110:1 underscores this when it speaks of God’s serene authority over creation, not driven by anxiety or insecurity, but flowing from His eternal and unshakable joy.

2. The Name of Essential Blessedness: God’s Eternal Joy

The most sacred and profound name for God in the Old Testament is YHWH (יהוה), revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14. This name is central to understanding God’s self-sufficiency and eternal blessedness.

YHWH (יְהוָה): When God reveals His name to Moses at the burning bush, He says, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exod 3:14). The name YHWH speaks of God’s eternal, self-existent nature, independent of any external cause. The Hebrew root hāyâ (to be) conveys the idea of God as the absolute, self-sufficient Being whose happiness is not contingent upon anything outside Himself. God’s blessedness is thus intrinsic to His essence. His joy is not derived from the created order or dependent upon human action but is eternal and unchanging. Unlike the gods of surrounding nations, who were capricious and dependent upon human appeasement, YHWH’s joy is secure and stable, rooted in His own divine nature.

This name also highlights God’s faithfulness. YHWH’s unchanging nature means that His joy remains steadfast through all of Israel’s trials. His joy is not subject to the whims of history or circumstances. This steadfastness contrasts sharply with the instability of idolatry, where gods are subject to moods and needs (Jeremiah 10:10). YHWH’s blessedness, therefore, serves as the foundation for human hope and stability.

3. Names of Sublime Blessedness: God’s Overflowing Goodness

Other names of God highlight specific aspects of His blessedness, revealing His overflowing goodness that extends to creation.

El Shaddai (אֵל שַׁדַּי): Often translated as “God Almighty,” El Shaddai reveals God’s all-sufficient provision. The name suggests a God who nourishes and sustains from the abundance of His own resources. In Genesis 17:1, God introduces Himself to Abraham as El Shaddai, promising blessing in a moment of human weakness. The name reflects God’s generous character, who gives not out of need but out of His perfect and overflowing goodness.

El Elyon (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן): “Most High” signifies God’s transcendence and sovereign rule. In Genesis 14:18–20, Melchizedek blesses Abraham in the name of El Elyon, highlighting the sovereign, peaceful nature of God’s reign. His rule is not one of tyranny but of serene, blessed authority, where divine wisdom and goodness shape the world in perfect harmony.

HaKadosh (הַקָּדוֹשׁ): “The Holy One” emphasizes God’s moral perfection and purity. In Isaiah 6:3, the seraphim cry, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts,” acknowledging that God’s holiness is central to His blessedness. God’s moral integrity is not just an ethical standard but an intrinsic part of His eternal joy, creating perfect harmony within His being.

New Testament Names: The Blessedness of Divine Communion

While the Old Testament names provide glimpses into God’s nature, the New Testament reveals the fullness of divine blessedness through the person of Jesus Christ. The names used for Jesus emphasize that God’s joy is not solitary but shared in eternal communion within the Trinity.

Kyrios (Κύριος): The Greek word Kyrios, meaning “Lord,” is used in the New Testament to refer to both God the Father and Jesus Christ. This name underscores the blessedness of God’s sovereignty, now revealed in the person of Jesus. Romans 10:9 affirms, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, you will be saved.” The name Kyrios speaks to the absolute authority and blessed joy of the One who rules all things—not from a position of insecurity, but from a place of eternal joy.

Theos (Θεὸς): In the New Testament, Theos refers to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, affirming the deity of Christ. In John 1:1, the Word is called Theos, revealing that the fullness of divine blessedness dwells in Christ. As Thomas exclaims in John 20:28, “My Lord and my God,” the name Theos reflects the revelation of God’s eternal joy, now incarnate in the person of Jesus.

I AM (ἐγώ εἰμί): In John’s Gospel, Jesus uses the phrase “I AM” to identify Himself with the eternal God of the Old Testament. In John 8:58, He says, “Before Abraham was, I am,” claiming eternal existence and divine blessedness. Each “I AM” statement reveals how God’s perfect happiness, which was once hidden in the fullness of His being, has now come near to humanity through the person of Christ.

Participating in Divine Blessedness Today

The names of God are not merely for academic reflection; they are invitations to participate in divine blessedness. For college students, navigating the pressures and challenges of young adulthood, these names offer a path to true happiness. God’s perfect joy is not distant or abstract but accessible through Christ, and His names call us to share in His blessedness.

El Shaddai reminds us that true blessing comes not from accumulating possessions or accolades but from knowing the God who provides for our every need. YHWH invites us to find stability and joy in His unchanging nature, a joy that transcends the fleeting circumstances of college life. Kyrios challenges the pursuit of independence and self-sufficiency, offering instead the blessed life of surrender to the Lordship of Christ.

In these names, we encounter the invitation not just to know about God’s blessedness but to participate in it, experiencing the joy that is perfect, complete,

and eternally satisfying.

Conclusion: The Eternal Name of Blessedness

In the names of God, we find an invitation to enter into the blessed life of the Triune God. From El Elyon’s sovereign rule to YHWH’s eternal self-sufficiency and the intimate revelation of Christ as Kyrios, these names draw us into the divine joy that is unchanging, self-sustaining, and overflowing. As we meditate on these names, we are called not merely to intellectual assent but to the transformative experience of sharing in God’s blessedness, which is the very fountain of life. Through the person of Jesus Christ, the fullness of divine blessedness is revealed and offered to us, inviting us to partake of the perfect joy that is the very essence of God.