Let All Things Praise the Lord!

Hallelujah!  Have you ever wondered what this word is all about, what it is you are actually saying when you exclaim this exclamation?  Hallelujah!  We hear this all of the time, don't we?  "Hallelujah" - people on TV talent shows like to sing a song that Leonard Cohen wrote by that title.  It mentions David and has a side reference to Samson, but it isn't really a worship song, is it?

Hallelujah, it's actually two words "Hallelu" and "Jah".  

Hallelu – joyous praise in song, to praise God.  

Jah – This is a shorter form of God’s name "Yahweh", which is also "Jehovah" – The Lord.

In Exodus 6:3, we see where God shows His lordship to Moses.  God said, "I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord I was not known to them." 

The patriarchs would have known God as "God Almighty".  The name is "Adonai", a sacred name.  But here in Exodus 6, we see God revealing Himself a little bit more.  From now on, He is known not only as "Adonai" meaning "God Almighty", but also as "Jehovah" meaning "The Lord".

Now-a-days, "Hallelujah" is used as an exclamation of joy or agreement.  However, it is so much more than that.  It is a call to worship God and God alone.  He is the only one in all of existence to ever be worthy of our worship.  This is why idolatry is so offensive to God.  Idolatry is taking God out of His rightful place, and putting some physical thing like a golden calf statue or another person, in His rightful place in our lives.

There are tons and tons of things that we can learn from the book of Exodus.  Foundational information of who God is, how He instituted His worship and the law.  But if you had to point to just one critical thing in Exodus, I think it would be the fact that God is.  Just that - He is.  He spoke that exact truth to Moses from the burning bush:

Exodus 3:14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

God revealed this truth to Moses, and then gave him another name to know Him by, Jehovah - The Lord.  Since then, we've come to know Him by many other names.  Wonderful names, powerful names.

He is Adonai – God Almighty  
He is Jehovah – The Lord 
He is Jehovah Nissi – The Lord my Banner.
He is Jehovah Raah – The Lord my Shepherd.
He is Jehovah Rapha – The Lord that heals.
He is Jehovah Shammah – The Lord is There.
He is Jehovah Tsidkenu – The Lord our Righteousness.
He is Jehovah Mekoddishkem – The Lord who Sanctifies You.
He is Jehovah Jireh – The Lord will Provide.
He is Jehovah Shalom – The Lord is Peace
He is Jehovah Sabaoth – The Lord of Hosts

When we exclaim "Hallelujah", we are truly calling for our Christian brothers and sisters to join with us in worship of our Lord and God.  It is a call for praise, a call for worship of He who has saved us and redeemed us with His shed blood.  

Psalm 150 (NKJV)
1 Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
2 Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp!
4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
5 Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

Hallelujah and Amen!  God bless and thanks for reading,

PJ