The Bottom Line

The name of the Lord is a strong tower.  The name of the Lord is Elohim, Creator.  The name of the Lord is El Elyon, God Most High.  The name of the Lord is El Roi, the God who sees.  The name of the Lord is El Shaddai, God Almighty and All-Sufficient.  And the name of the Lord is Adonai, Lord.

There are actually two names translated as "Lord" in Scripture.  There is Adonai, which we will begin examining today.  And there is Jehovah, the most holy name of God, the name we also know as Yahweh.  We'll talk about that name later.  Typically, at least in the KJV, ESV and NAS translations, Adonai is written as Lord, capital L and lower case o-r-d.  Jehovah is written in all capitals, LORD.

What does Adonai mean?  It means Lord, master.  The master has right of possession.  So Adonai indicates more than just a name; it speaks of a relationship.  How does this name compare to the other names?  As an example, Elohim speaks of God's might and power, whereas Adonai speaks of His right to rule over us.

What does Adonai have rulership over?  Read the following verses and note what you learn:

• Philippians 2:11
• Romans 10:9
• Daniel 1:2
• Psalm 8:1-8
• Psalm 37:12-13
• Psalm 114:7
• Psalm 135:5

In her book, Lord, I Want to Know You, Kay Arthur writes, " Lord is more than a word; it indicates a relationship.  The lordship of God means His total possession of me and my total submission to Him as Lord and Master."  Read what Jesus had to say about that in the Sermon on the Mount (look at Luke 6:46 and Matthew 7:21-23).  As we continue looking over the next several days at how this name of God, Adonai, is used in Scripture, we'll have opportunity to examine how that name relates to our own individual lives.  And we'll have opportunity to decide whether or not we can honestly say, "Lord, Lord".  And that's the bottom line, isn't it?