The Name Quest: Explore the Names of God to Grow in Faith and Get to Know Him Better

by John Avery

Overview

An insightful journey through all the biblical names of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Beginning in Babel and ending with a burning Babylon, The Name Quest explains the significance that the different names for God have for an everyday relationship with God and for spiritual growth. The names of God are like a rainbow—each name expresses part of the spectrum of the character and attributes of God.

Along the way, the author tenderly answers tough questions:

Which of the Hebrew names of God is His personal name—Yahweh or Jehovah?

What does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name?

How can we relate to the Holy God and the Judge?

Why is a God of love called the “Jealous God”?

What does it mean to call Jesus the Messiah?

The Name Quest mentions all the names of God in the Bible while explaining their significance in ordinary language. The author weaves together fifteen years of Bible study research with plentiful illustrations and humorous anecdotes. These include lessons learned as a pastor on a Caribbean island. A visit to a Welsh hill farm introduces a chapter about the Good Shepherd. The story of a Hungarian political prisoner illustrates the meaning of Immanuel (or is it Emmanuel?) A rescue from the slopes of an active volcano helps explain salvation and the meaning of Jesus’ Hebrew name Yeshua. Even the clever advertisement on a packet of potato chips offers a lesson about how to grow in faith in God.

Unlike chasing rainbows, the spiritual journey has an end. The Name Quest is a road map for every Christian’s spiritual journey and it points to the destination—being formed into the image of Jesus Christ.

The Name Quest examines God's names in chapters about God's character or things that He has done. Most of God's names reflect His character. For instance a chapter on holiness mentions all the names connected to that attribute. The index of names makes this book an excellent reference tool. People who read part of a chapter a day say it makes a good devotional too. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781630471590
Publisher:	Morgan James Publishing
Publication date:	10/07/2014
Series:	Morgan James Faith Series
Pages:	394
Sales rank:	772,469
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

John Avery is a trained teacher with over thirty years experience as a Bible teaching pastor, small group leader, and missionary. He has lived in Israel, Africa, and the Caribbean. He writes a regular Bible devotional for www.BibleMaturity.com.

Read an Excerpt

This book is about God’s names. More importantly, it’s about God branding His character into our lives—the character to which His names point. As we spend time getting to know God, we grow more like Him. Understanding His names helps us understand His nature.

It takes about five hundred biblical names and titles to express every aspect of God’s being. These names are like a kaleidoscope of complementary colors; they are difficult to organize but always beautiful. Strictly speaking, there are only two true names of God, the personal names: Yahweh and Jesus. Most of what we call “names” are really titles. God’s titles tell us what He does or they aptly describe what He is like (though Jesus’ enemies invented some names to deride Him). The Bible does not distinguish names from titles, so neither will I. Most of the time, it is simpler to call the titles of God “names.” Surprisingly few of them are stated by the Bible to be actual names of God.

The boundary between names and mere descriptions is hazy, which explains why one writer’s list of God’s names might be longer than another’s. During one worship service, I reflected on that hazy distinction. The congregation was singing a song that referred to God as “my garden.” The songwriter had invented his own metaphorical name for God. The prophet Isaiah did the same; he called God My beloved and My well beloved. Terms of endearment are admirable. I have included many biblical ones because they flesh out our picture of God. Far from playing to the idea that God is what you make Him to be, such expressive names point to an important truth; God meets us on our level, using language that we can understand.

Table of Contents

Prologue The Camel Brand: The human name quest started in Babel.

Introduction A Kaleidoscope of names: God is a multi-faceted personality. He forms us into His image as we allow Him to brand us with His character.

1. What’s in a Name?: Our relationship with God grows as we get to know the character that underlies His names.

2. A Faith Journey: God revealed Himself to Moses as Yahweh and increased his faith so that he could lead Israel out of Egypt.

3. Spectrum of Glory: Exploring the connection between God’s glory and His names. The difference between fear and reverence.

4. Approaching Glory: The God of glory is eternally committed to relationship with us.

5. Scorched Ground: Names that express the holiness and righteousness of God.

6. Pledging Allegiance: The Lord of hosts, the Lord our banner, and other names that reflect God’s supremacy.

7. Intersecting with the Everlasting: We find life’s enduring purpose in partnership with the Eternal God.

8. The Gods Must Be Crazy: If He is God of gods, then who are the gods and how much greater is He than them?

9. Ministry to Foreign Affairs: Jesus’ exclusive claim to be the way, the truth, and the life. And how to explain that awkward name, “Jealous God.”

10. Like Father Like Child: The mission of Jesus: to reveal God as Father and to reconcile us to Him as His adopted children.

11. Satisfied By God: God satisfies thirsty souls. Jesus is the ultimate thirst-quenching fountain.

12. Riding by Faith: Names that celebrate God’s relationships with people. Abraham, Hagar, and David all had relationships with God that open different windows on His character and ways.

13. Getting Personal: God changed Jacob’s character and his name as He revealed more of His own names.

14. The Interpreter: Immanuel is “God with us” in three senses.

15. Welcoming the Good Shepherd: The title “Shepherd” combines many aspects of God into one role.

16. Two Sides of a Coin: Jesus’ divine and human sides are evident in many of His names, especially those mentioned in the nativity stories.

17. Hark the Herald Angel: Why were the Bethlehem shepherds so excited about “a Savior, Christ the Lord”?

18. Four Threads in an Embroidery: Tracing the roots of the messianic titles of Jesus, in particular, Son of David, Son of God, Son of Man, and Servant of the Lord.

19. A Disappointing Messiah: Jesus fell short of most contemporary messianic expectations but He was still God’s Messiah.

20. Who Do You Say That I Am?: The names that people called Jesus say a lot about Him—and them.

21. A Matter of Life and Death: Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, calls everyone to deeper faith.

22. Dominoes to Dominion: Jesus’ resurrection convinced His followers that He is both Lord and Son of God.

23. God’s Saving Art: Many names of God concern salvation and deliverance and they assure us of security in Him.

Epilogue The Long Hallelujah: The name quest reaches its final goal as Babylon burns.

Editorial Reviews

No one has ever met God completely or exhaustively. But God invites you to know Him. Like a clear trail in a forest, the names of God lead you deeper into the heart of God. In his book, "The Name Quest", John Avery leads us deeper into God’s heart. Enjoy the journey!” — Floyd McClung International Director, All Nations.

“Encyclopedic in its scope, "The Name Quest" leaves no "stone" unturned in its author's search for names, titles and descriptions of the persons of the Trinity found in the Bible. The word  in quotes is a pun intended:  John Avery's fine volume includes 180 sidebars, two of which list every occurrence of "stone" ("chief cornerstone," "cornerstone," "living stone," "stone," "stone of Israel," "stone of stumbling") in the Old and New Testaments together with the Hebrew/Greek words they represent and the verses where they are found. The other 178 treat similarly every occurrence of each of the many hundreds of other divine names, titles and descriptions (Avery calls them a "kaleidoscope," a fitting term indeed) in the Bible. The bulk of Avery's book is given to lively expositions of God's acts in creation and redemption, his nature, his miracles, his incarnation, his wisdom, his blessing, his relationship to his people, his timelessness, his faithfulness, his love, his justice, his kingdom, his glory—and more. Avery's writing style is now lively, now challenging, always engrossing. The book leads us through Scripture sometimes chronologically, sometimes theologically. In short, "The Name Quest" is well worth reading through from cover to cover, and prayerfully at that.” — Ronald Youngblood, Professor emeritus of Old Testament and Hebrew at Bethel University, St. Paul, MN. The author/editor/co-editor of more than twenty volumes.

“John Avery has done a masterful job explaining all the biblical names of God in his creative and informative book, "The Name Quest". If you’re looking for an exciting Bible study that will help transform you into the image of the heavenly Father, this book is for you. I strongly recommend "The Name Quest" both for young students of the word and for seasoned ministers.” — Peter J. Iliyn, North American Director, YWAM

“The Name Quest, is both light heartedly delightful and deeply thoughtful. It engages the theological mind with a fresh and lively tone. As a First Nations person, I particularly enjoyed the stories which carried the Quest of the book like a tugboat hauling weighty and worthy matters.” — Cheryl Bear-Barnetson Native Musician and Foursquare Pastoral Overseer, Canada.

“What’s in a name? John Avery takes us on the ultimate exploration of the Ultimate Name. With both exhaustive research and engaging narrative, John’s work and wit will be a blessing to any sojourner’s quest. Layperson, teacher, and serious seeker alike will be challenged and edified.” —Sam Skillern Salem Leadership Foundation, www.salemLF.org

“John Avery will take you into a rediscovery of your intimacy with God and into the depths of the Father as you read "The Name Quest". As John points out, ‘at every twist, a new perspective on God emerges.’ This is timely and a must read!” — Carl Wills, Core Team leader, Pioneer Network UK

“The theme and direction of "The Name Quest" captured me because the names of God have been significant in my life. Approaching God’s names from the point of view of relationship with Him is more important than a simple academic study of the meanings and significance of God’s names. "The Name Quest" is a welcome addition to what is available now. The writing style is engaging, and the illustrations are well placed and helpful. The chapter that focuses on the raising of Lazarus is very good, and the four challenges to faith are well stated and touched me.” — Gordon Bergman, Pastor of Pastoral Care, Salem Alliance Church, and Leader of SalemNet

“An amazing book! John Avery has managed to weave together a reasoned and scholarly book, which also utilises his gift for story-telling to bring familiar Biblical events to life and a brilliant use of analogy to explain concepts. From its opening pages "The Name Quest" demonstrates the depth and breadth of the author’s insight into the Biblical narrative, encouraging the reader both to delve into its intricate detail and to step back and consider God’s eternal purposes. It is a book that expands our view of the God who is far beyond the limits of our understanding, but its thought-provoking insights also have the capacity to deeply affect our personal lives in ways that are practical and down-to-earth. "The Name Quest" is the fruit of years of background study mixed with the author’s own experience of growing in the knowledge of God and His character. It is an absolute treasure trove for all who long to know God more, understand His ways better and become more like Him.” — Liz Woods, MBE, Former member of staff at the Garden Tomb, Jerusalem

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