IV. ADONAI or Lord ( Gen. 15:8 )
      A. Biblical Usage
          -It is translated "Lord" not the same as "LORD" Jehovah. It is found over 300 times in the OT  when used as a name for
           God and over 215 times when used in reference to  man.

          1. First found in Abram's address to God when, after his meeting  with Malchizedek.

ACTION: Read  Gen. 15:1-8     "Lord God" is "Adonai Jehovah"

          2. "Adonai" is the plural of "Adon" which means : lord or master.
             -Adon in the singular is used  in reference to man  and angels.
             -Adonai in the plural refers to God and has a strong connection to the Trinity.

ACTION: Read  Ps. 110

  Jesus refers this  passage as referring to Himself.     Matt. 22:41-45

          3. When applied to man it is used to express two well known earthly relationships.
              -The relationship of a master to his slave or servant. (Gen. 24:9)
              -The relationship of husband to wife. (1 Peter 3:6)
              -In Biblical times both slave and wife held a different position than their  counterparts in present day. The title "Adon"
                or Lord" whether it meant 'master'  or 'husband' expressed  a personal relationship, which involved rights of  lordship
                and possession. Where faithfulness would be rewarded and unfaithfulness would be answered with judgment.
                    -The slave or wife were 'not their own' (1 Cor. 7:4 ) Both  voluntarily or involuntarily, were the property of their
                      lord.
                    -In the slave the relationship was binding and did not depend on the will of the slave. As a rule either the slave or
                     his parents were either bought or were taken captive from an  enemy. ( Lev. 25:44-46 ).

QUESTION: How were women married?

                    -With the wife, she too was usually given or sold by her father  ( Gen. 29:15-20) there might be more of an
                      element of free will involved in this relationship. In some cases as in Rebekah's situation, she was asked "Wilt
                      thou go with  this man? (Gen. 24:58 ) But once a mans wife she was his for life. Unless she would be  put away
                      for some kind of evil in her or for unfaithfulness. ( Deut. 24:1 )

               -Slaves purchased by their lord were parts of his household in a way no hired help could be. As strange as it may be
                 to our modern thinking, the purchased  slave stood in a  nearer relationship to his lord than the servants he hired.
                 The  hired help could not eat of the Passover or of the holy things belonging to his  lord, but the purchased slave
                 had  both these privileges. ( Ex. 12:43-45)
 

          4. New Testament usage.
              Kurios: Not seen more clearly than in (  Matt. 25:14-30  ) the Parable of  the Talents  and in ( Luke 19:11-27 ) the
                          Parable of the Pounds.

QUESTION: What is Jesus telling us in these parables?

            Jesus is telling us that as Lord, Addonai, He will reward  the faithfulness of His servants and punish them for their lack of  faithfulness.

     B Historical Perspective
         1. Abram, in the scene where Adonai is first used, had two burdens on his heart;

READ: Gen. 15:1-8

QUESTION:  What were these?

           A seed and an  inheritance had been promised to him.  Years had passed and he was still childless and without the promised land.

READ: Gen. 18:1-5

           Abram,  called himself a 'slave'  ( Gen. 18:3,5 ) and as a slave relied on the faithfulness of  his Master,  his Lord. The servants  strength is in their Lord.

          2. So it is with all God's servants. Their sufficiency  is in their Lord (Prov. 3:5,6 ). They all seek Adonai ( Master ) to
              help them in their  duties.
              a. Moses ( Ex. 4:10 ) ... O my Lord ( Adonai )
              b. Joshua ( Joshua 7:7,8 )  ... O Lord ( Adonai )
              c. Gideon ( Judges 6:13-16 ) O my Lord ( Adonai )
              d. Manoah ( Judges 13:8 )
              e. Samson ( Judges 16:28 )
              f. David ( 2 Sam. 7: 18-21 ) ( Ps. 8:1-9, 35:23, 38:9,15,22 )
              g. Daniel ( Dan. 9:3-19 )
              h. Jeremiah ( Jer. 1:2-10 )

QUESTION: Is it to be any different for us? Are we really dependent on Him or only when it gets too tough for us?

     C. Theological Perspective
          1. 'Adonai' speaks of a more blessed relationship. 'Lord' is used not only of master   but of  husband.  It  says that weak
              and fallen as we are, the Lord of all calls us to the closest  and most       loving communion with Himself; to be 'no
              more two ' but ' joined to the  Lord'  and  ' one spirit' (Matt. 19:5,6 )(1 Cor. 6:17 ) There is an unexpressive
              preciousness to this relationship, an unspeakable blessing  which it pledges to those who accept it and by grace are
              faithful to it.

             -As a wife is not her own, so we too are ' not our own' but in both body and  spirit we are the Lords ( 1 Cor. 6:19 )
             -( Jer. 31:32 ) God is a husband to us.
             -( Song of Solomon ) expresses from first to last, the delight of both the lover  and beloved draw from the most
               intimate of all relationships.

      D. Personal Application

QUESTION: What does this name of God teach us about our relationship with Him?

          1. "Adonai" or "lord" teaches us that a relationship like that of servants to their lord, and  wives to their husbands, exists
               between God in heaven and man on earth.
               a. We, by using this name in addressing God , express our dependence on  Him,  as well as our faith in God who
                   because He is our rightful Lord,  is bound to  sustain , keep and help us.
               b. All God's children, His servants, and His bride, turn instinctively to this name, as assuring them of the help which
                   they require and will receive  from their  'master'.

          2. One has said: ' Work is the result of one ruling or directing another, fruit is only the result of a  union between two.
              We may do good work as servants  if we are  obedient to our Lord; but to produce and bring forth the "new man"
              which is  His  image, there must be that perfect  self-surrender, and union with Him, of  which the marriage bond is the
              appropriate figure.' (Charles George Gordon )

QUESTION:  What does the name Adonai assure for the believer?

           -It assures that his God and Master has the resources and ability to take care of him. Therefore, the Christian trusts his
             Master for the things he needs.
           -Second, it implies that help is available to carry out the Christians duty as a servant.
           -Finally, a servant of the Lord has the privilege of calling upon his   relationship with his  Master to get the help that he
             needs.

          3. As servants, our first duty is to submit to our master.
               a. Jesus Christ is the Christian's Lord and Master. He said, 'Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I
                   am' ( John 13:13 )
               b. The Christian should recognize Jesus as his Lord and Master and   submit to that  relationship. By doing so he will
                   hear these words from  his Master. 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been  faithful over a few
                   things....enter thou into the  joy of thy Lord.'  ( Matt. 25:21 )

          4. We can trust the Master's care for His servants.
               a. The Christian does not have to be anxious about his 'daily bread'  supplying that is his masters responsibility.
                   ( Matt. 6:11 )
               b. The Christian does not have to worry over what job to do or where he  should serve. There is a master plan for his
                   life (Rom. 12:1,2)
               c. The Christian does not have to be concerned if he can do the things that God has for  him to do. The master
                   promises the gifts of  the Holy Spirit  to enable him to serve God.  ( Rom. 12:3-8 )