IT has been thought well to add here a few words on the four revealed names of God which characterize the successive dispensations since He called out Abraham, to walk with Him as a stranger upon the earth.
The first is the ALMIGHTY, given to Abraham at the moment God was about to accomplish His word to His servant, after He had kept him waiting long enough for him to lose all hope of realizing the blessing according to nature. Humanly, hope was quenched in death; but against hope, he believed in hope, being fully persuaded that what God had promised He was able also to perform.
This revelation was the basis of God's dealings with the fathers.
The second name is JEHOVAH, revealed to Moses when God sent him to bring Israel out of Egypt into the land He promised their fathers to give them, as we read in Ex. 6:2, 3:—
“And God spake unto Moses, and said into him, I am JEHOVAH: and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”
This name is explained at length in Ex. 3:13-15,13And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 15And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. (Exodus 3:13‑15) when Moses asks the question as to the message he was to take from God to the people.
“And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, JEHOVAH, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.”
God is ever the same, the same to-day to accomplish, as He was when He made the promise. The promise is made according to His almighty power; the accomplishment is guaranteed by His unchanging faithfulness. The second revelation, consequently, casts the man of faith back upon God's revealed word; for He will carry out His word; He magnifies it above all His name. (Psa. 138:22I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (Psalm 138:2).) It is the basis of faith, and the refuge of the soul, when man is tried under responsibility; for in connection with this name the law was given. It is God's covenant name of relationship with the people He has redeemed.
(See Psa. 102; 135.)
The third name is FATHER, revealed by the Son, and characterizes the Christian dispensation.
The fourth is MOST HIGH, according to which, as "possessor of heaven and earth," God will be known during Messiah's reign. The Lord is hidden in the heavens now, where, by faith, we see Him, crowned with glory and honor, all power being given to Him in heaven and in earth. (Matt. 28:1818And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18).) But He will speedily come forth, and take His world-kingdom (Rev. 11:1515And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)), and then it will be known that He whose name alone is JEHOVAH "is the MOST HIGH over all the earth." (Ps. 83:18.) The three names, Almighty, Jehovah, and Most High, characterize Psa. 91; the first verse shewing that He who is about to reign is the God of Abraham, who will give effect to the unconditional promises made to His servant; and the second verse giving Messiah's answer, as the perfectly obedient and dependent Man in the midst of Israel receiving the blessing, on Israel's behalf, from the hinds of Jehovah, Israel's God. The Spirit of God in the renewed people expresses this to Messiah, in verse 9. The whole Psalm is introductory of Messiah's reign, and is the real answer to Moses' prayer, in Psa. 90 There was a beautiful figure of this in Melchisedec meeting Abraham, when he returned from the slaughter of the kings, and blessing him as priest of the Most High God, possessor of heaven: and earth.