Book Review: Guide to the Names of God
In the heat of the summer, a great read is always "hot!" Guide to the Names of God is the newest publication of Dr. Dianne Haneke. It is a reference book with over three hundred of the names of God in Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek. Each entry includes the meaning of the name, the first place the name is found in the scriptures as well as to whom God first revealed Himself with that particular attribute. The book is unique in its organization. Dr. Haneke's research covers both Old and New Testament and the the results are divided into the following sections:
- Hebrew names of God
- Over-arching attributes of God
- Provisional Names & Titles of God
- Redemptive Names & Titles of God
- Other Titles of God the Father
- Other Titles of God the Son
- Other Titles of God the Holy Spirit
This organization gives the reader the opportunity to develop an in-depth knowledge of one facet of God's personality at a time. As the reader becomes familiar with the story included in the entry, God's attributes move from the abstract to the concrete. Dr. Haneke also provides an Application section where the reader can personalize this attribute for his/her life.
The author provides additional scriptures for the reader to continue to study other locations and instances where that particular attribute was evident as well as lexical studies for further research.
Again, I must speak of the book's organization. Each section begins with its own Table of Contents, making it simple for the reader to locate exactly what he/she is looking for. For example, as I perused the section, Names of God the Holy Spirit, I was able to choose to learn about the Spirit of Grace, Spirit of Judgement or the Spirit of Knowledge, three of eighteen names of the Holy Spirit.
Although this book is categorized as a reference book, it doubles as a devotional, a book that is comforting to the soul. It can just as easily find its home in a library for scholarly studies as well as on a nightstand as the last reminder of who God is at the end of day. Guide to the Names of God is an appropriate book for a large demographic; young and old, longtime student of the Bible or someone just wondering about who God is.
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