Yahweh Adonai ( יהוה (YHWH), אֲדֹנָי ) : Lord and Master

I say to the Lord (Yahweh), “You are my Lord (Adonai); apart from you, I have no good thing.” Psalm 16:2 New International Version

How often do we desperately cry, “Lord, help me!” Last Saturday, I received a disturbing call from my husband informing me that he had been in a minor accident. A heavy marble table had fallen on his left toe. Fear started leading me in unexpected directions after seeing the picture he sent me. But I immediately called upon the Lord for wisdom and guidance. I remembered that He was not surprised by anything. He knew this would happen, and He would find a way out. In that moment, He reminded me that He’s not just my Shalom peace but also my Lord, Yahweh Adonai. So, what did I do? I called Him by His Name, Yahweh Adonai, my Lord. I frequently heard my Jewish friends and the characters in the television series The Chosen refer to God as Yahweh Adonai, but I never understood why. I knew of Him as Yahweh Jireh, my provider, Elohim (God), and Yahweh Nissi, my banner, who fights my battles. However, I did not know Him as my Lord and Master, Adonai. So, I decided to research the Scripture and come to know Him as Yahweh Adonai.

Why, then, is God called Yahweh Adonai?

In ancient times, the Jewish nation considered calling God by His Name was too sacred. Yahweh was spelled simply YHWH, with no vowels. Later, when the vowels were added, they still could not say His Name. It was so holy they did not want to say it out loud. So, they decided to call Him Adonai.

Now, let’s go over some background information. Adon is a Hebrew word that means “Lord,” which indicates an owner, Master, or someone superior to a master. It was usually used as a sign of respect and always referred to a person.

Adonai is the plural of the Hebrew word Adon, which means “Lord” or “master,” and the term always refers to God. The Name Adonai implies a relationship between God and us: He is Lord, and we are His servants, His children. When you and I pray to Adonai, we acknowledge how sovereign He is. We can surrender every area of our lives to Him, knowing that Adonai is in control and will guide us through any storm we may encounter.

In Exodus 4:1-5,  Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’? Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground, and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake, and it turned back into a staff in his hand. “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

Of course, that’s not where the story ends. We all know that Moses was still not convinced.

Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and teach you what to say.” But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses, and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. (Exodus 4:10-15)

Friends, do you relate to Moses’ reluctance at all? I surely can. Like Moses, my first reaction to the Lord calling me to write in 2020 was, “Lord (Adonai), I’m not a writer. I’m sure You can find someone more qualified.” Then, Adonai replied that He doesn’t call the qualified but qualifies the callers. But that’s a story for another day. One day, the Lord will lead me to write it.

Now, let’s get back to Moses. Did you notice the tone Adonai used when He spoke to Moses? Adonai was not some distant deity who didn’t care about Moses’ plight. Yahweh Adonai is the all-powerful, all-knowing God who cares deeply for all of His children. What concerns us matters to Adonai. You’re probably wondering why God cares about our concerns. Why should we call Him Adonai instead of using another name we have already studied? Well, I’m glad you asked. Like you, I couldn’t understand why the Name Adonai was so important to God. We begin to know God well as we come to understand the meaning of the word Adonai. By addressing God as Adonai, we acknowledge He is Lord over every area of our lives. It keeps us from thinking of Him as our equal. When we confess to God as our Lord and Master, we have a stronger sense of respect, obedience, and faith in Him.

It’s so simple to refer to God as “Lord,” but do we really understand what this Name means? When we acknowledge God as Adonai, as our Lord and Master, we recognize that Jesus is the Messiah with complete authority over our lives. And not just over our lives. He is in full control over everything. Nothing happens without His permission.

My friends, how do you treat Jesus? Is He free to move as He pleases, or is He only allowed to visit certain areas of your hearts? That’s how I was treating Jesus throughout my journey with Him. I didn’t realize I was living my life as though Jesus was a guest rather than the Lord and Master. But something extraordinary happened when I began to see Jesus as my Lord and Master. I no longer struggled with anxieties or had difficulty making decisions. I was able to hear His voice clearly. Confusion and uncertainty vanished. Now I understood and experienced what He meant when He said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). At that moment, I understood that a true disciple is someone who follows Christ and learns to do as their Master does. So, friends, do you wish to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ? It’s simple, I promise. He’s waiting for you. You only have to say, “Yes, Lord!”

Here are some questions to help you meditate on Yahweh Adonai:

1. How is God’s lordship displayed in Exodus 4?
2. Think back to Exodus 4. Do you think Moses considered the consequences of disobeying God? What do you think went through Moses’ mind had he disobeyed Adonai? Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation where Adonai tells you to do something, but you’re afraid of what can happen?
3. Moses expressed reluctance to do God’s will while addressing Him as “Lord.” Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? What held you back from obeying Adonai? Fear of the unknown, lack of faith, or lack of trust in God?
4. Exodus 4 shows us that God was angry with Moses. What does this show you about God’s character?
5. We often say that Jesus is our Lord, but do we treat Him as our Lord? What can we do to completely surrender ourselves to Adonai without holding anything back?

Scripture gives many examples of Yahweh Adonai. Here are some verses from the Bible you can meditate on. Feel free to share scriptures where Yahweh Adonai is our Lord. Remember to substitute “Lord” with “Adonai” as you read each passage.

• Psalm 16:2: I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you, I have no good thing.”
• Psalm 54:4: Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.
• Psalm 62:11-12: One thing God has spoken of is two things I have learned: “Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love,” and “You reward everyone according to what they have done.”
• Psalm 86:15: But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
• Psalm 136:3: Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.
• Isaiah 6:1-8: With it, he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin is atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
• Daniel 9:17-19: “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay because your city and your people bear your NameName.”
• Luke 17:7-10:  “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? ¹⁰ So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'”
• Philippians 2:5-11: In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his advantage; instead, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the Name that is above every Name, that at the Name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the world, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Friends, how awesome is Yahweh Adonai, our God? He is sovereign overall. I remember the story of David fleeing for his life because King Saul was persecuting him. During great distress and uncertainty, David placed his complete trust in Yahweh. He cried out to Yahweh, confident that He would show him mercy and rescue him (Psalm 57: 1-3). He found refuge in the shadow of Yahweh’s wings, knowing that Yahweh was with him and had not forgotten him. David knew that God was still sovereign over all.

Just like David, we, too, face many storms. But it is in the midst of the storm our Lord Adonai shows us that He is Lord and sovereign and that no matter what happens, our heart will praise His holy Name. We must remember that Jesus also faced difficulties, just like you and I do. But on the most challenging day of His life, even though He knew He was about to walk a difficult path of suffering and death, He trusted in Yahweh’s sovereignty. So, friends, let us keep our eyes on Yahweh Adonai, our Lord, knowing He is sovereign. No matter what lies ahead, let us hold on tight to Him, knowing that our victory is coming.

Prayer:

Yahweh Adonai, thank You for reminding me today that You are sovereign and that nothing is impossible for You. Thank You for Your mercy, patience, and love. I surrender every aspect of my life to You, Adonai. Help me to be the woman You created me to be. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You always, Lord. You are my Lord, my Savior, my Redeemer, and the lover of my soul. In Your precious Name, I give You praise and glory, Amen.

Reference

Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.