The meaning of the name LORD or Jehovah is very rich and reveals significant and important dimensions of God's heart and person.

Revelations of God prior to that of "Jehovah" where names given discribing certain aspects of God's attributes but not His person. The revelation of the person of Jehovah was first given to Moses. With that revelation we discover what kind of a God He is.

Ex. 6:2,3 - God also said to Moses, I am the LORD (Jehovah). I appeared to Abraham, to Issac and to Jacob as God Almighty (El-Shaddai), but by my name the LORD (Jehovah) I did not make myself known to them.

The name Jehovah reveals two major concepts concerning the Almighty God.

1) His self-existence
2) His revealing of Himself

The full meaning of the word is: "The self existent One who reveals Himself"

Greek and Hebrew scholars have determined this to be the essential meaning of Jehovah and studing the Scriptures varifies the accuracy of this. God has always existed and from the genesis of man He has consistently and progressively been revealing Himself to humanity.

* To Abraham the LORD appeared in an angelic form. (Gen. 18:1)

* To Moses the Lord appeared in the burning bush. (Ex. 3:2)

* To the Israelites He appeared in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. (Ex. 13:21)

* To us He has appeared in the peson of Jesus Christ. (Lk. 2:11)

As you follow the LORD through the pages of the Bible you find the climatic and ultimate expression or revelation of His person being made through the Lord Jesus Christ. The Father in heaven chose Jesus to be "the image of the invisible God", (Col. 1:15) and "the radiance of God's glory and the EXACT representation of His being", (Heb. 1:3).

It's important to understand that our God wants to be known and understood by us.

Isa. 43:10 - "You are my witnesses", declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, SO THAT you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me."

We are not serving a God that wants to distance Himself from us. Unlike us He has no skeletons in the closet to hide. His heart is wide open to us. He wants us to know and understand Him. Unlike the gods of silver and gold, wood, brick or stone our God has a person. He has a heart! He is living. He's much more than some mystic force, some creative power, He is life with emotions and feelings.

2 P. 3:18 says, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." An instruction like that becomes more of an encouragement knowing that the God I'm instructed to know wants to be known and understood by me.

Consistent with His name the Lord is always revealing more of Himself to us. Some of the hardest places in life result in the greatest revelations of God's person. In the Lion's den Daniel saw God in a whole new light. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego experienced God in the fire of Nebuchadnezzar's furnace. The list is virtually endless through out Scripture. God is continuously revealing more of Himself to us .

Pr.4:18 say, "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day." This is so consistent with the nature of God. When He takes hold of our lives He places us on that path way that keeps getting brighter and brighter. More and more revelation of His person is our expectation, because, this is what He,s up to right now in our lives.

The apostle Paul is well on in His life with Christ, when he writes to the Philippians, "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,... I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection". What a heart beat this man of God had, so similar to that of Moses about 1555 years earlier. Ex. 33:13 - "If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I my know you..."

He remains forever the: "Self existent One who is continually revealing Himself to us"