By Ann Spangler
People’s names in the ancient world did more than simply distinguish one person from another. They often conveyed the essential nature and character of a person. This is especially true when it comes to the names of God recorded in the Bible. The book Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide explores the primary names and titles of God in the Old Testament to reveal the deeper meanings behind them. El Shaddai, Elohim, Adonai, Abba, El Elyon—God Almighty, Mighty Creator, Lord, Father, God Most High—these are just a few of the names and titles of God that yield rich insights into his nature and character. Each day this week we’re focusing on one of the primary names or titles of God. By incorporating the divine names and titles into your own prayers—and learning about the biblical context in which the name was revealed—you’ll gain a more intimate understanding of who God is and how he can be relied on in every circumstance of your life. I pray these posts will lead you into fresh encounters with the living God.
[Read the Names of God Bible (NOG) on Bible Gateway]
Miqweh Yisrael—Hope of Israel: God Reveals His Name
“A curse on the man who puts his trust in man,
who relies on things of flesh,
whose heart turns from the LORD.
He is like dry scrub in the wastelands:
If good comes, he has no eyes for it,
He settles in the parched places of the wilderness,
A salt land, uninhabited.
A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the LORD,
with the LORD for his hope.
He is like a tree by the waterside
that thrusts its roots to the stream;
when the heat comes it feels no alarm,
its foliage stays green;
it has no worries in a year of drought,
and never ceases to bear fruit….
Hope of Israel, LORD!
Those who turn from you will be uprooted from the land,
Since they have abandoned the fountain of living water.” (Jeremiah 17:5-8, 13)
LORD, no eye has seen, no ear has heard, what you have prepared for those who love you. Thank you for all that you do, for all that you are, and for all that you promise. Help me to wait and to watch, to trust and believe. You are my hope and my strength.
Understanding the Name
In the Hebrew Scriptures, hope is often connected to the expectation that God is a deliverer who will save those who trust in him. It urges us to wait confidently for him to act. In the New Testament hope is rooted firmly in Jesus—in his life, death, and resurrection as well as in his coming again in glory. We can also have hope for this life because the Holy Spirit indwells us, recreating the image of Christ within us. Biblical hope is a new kind of strength, enabling us to be patient and enduring regardless of what we face. Miqweh Yisrael (MIK-weh yis-ra-ALL), THE Hope of Israel, he is the God who saves his people.
Read Jeremiah 17:5-6
- What does it mean to put your trust in people? Give some examples.
Read Jeremiah 17:7-8, 13 - What does it mean to put your hope in the LORD? How have you been able to hope in him?
- How have you experienced God’s provision? What can you do to root yourself more firmly in God?
- Describe what you are hoping for in your life.
[Read the other Bible Gateway Blog posts in this Praying the Names of God series by Ann Spangler]
Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide is published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the parent company of Bible Gateway.
Bio: Ann Spangler (@AnnSpangler) is an award-winning writer and the author of many bestselling books, including Less Than Perfect, Praying the Names of God, Praying the Names of Jesus, and The One Year Devotions for Women. She’s also coauthor of Women of the Bible and Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus, and the general editor of the Names of God Bible. Ann’s fascination with and love of Scripture have resulted in books that have opened the Bible to a wide range of readers. She and her two daughters live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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