When Abram was 99 years old, the LORD appeared to him, saying, "I am God Almighty. Live in My presence and be blameless." (Gen. 17:1)(NLT)
"When I come unto the children of Israel," Moses said, "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?" (Ex. 3:13). Yes, what shall he say? If the "heaven of heavens cannot contain God," how then can one name describe Him?
The fact is, no one name fully describes or defines our great God. The names of God are self-revealed; they were not assigned to Him by man. Far-reaching revelation is involved, therefore, in the names of God as they are progressively indicated to us in His Word. The revelation of each name is announced in relation to some new experience of man, some critical need through which he is passing, or some enlarged capacity which has been attained. Each name discloses a fresh and fuller quality of God's character and greatness:
Elohim (Gen. 1:1), with the English translation, "God," occurs about 2,500 times in the O.T., and means "the Strong One."
Jehovah (Gen. 2:4), English "LORD," means the self-existent One, the eternal "I AM."
Jehovah Elohim (Gen. 3:1-5), "LORD God" in the English, occurs about 7,500 times in the O.T., and has in it the idea that "He causes to become." It suggests His gracious covenant-keeping quality.
El Elyon (Gen. 14:22), English "most high God," means the actual "possessor of heaven and earth," and was so revealed to Abram in a critical hour, as the supreme giver of good and perfect gifts.
Adonai (Gen. 15:2), English "Lord," small letters, only the first is capital. It speaks of God as the supreme Master, who is entitled to our fullest allegiance.
El Shaddai (Gen. 17:1), English "Almighty God," indicates "The God who is enough," the God who is able to meet every emergency, every peculiar need that you and I may have even today.
Jehovah-Jireh (Gen.22:14), which has the significant meaning, "The LORD will see to it," or "The LORD will provide." In Abraham's experience it was the "ram caught in a thicket," the substitute which God provided.
"His name alone is excellent" (Psalm 148:13)
(this meditation by Dr. N. A. Woychuk)