El Paso, TX—How does God reveal himself to humanity? What is a covenant and how is one made? Where does the name "Jehovah" come from? Why are the "Jehovah" names for God called "Covenant Names"? What do these Old Testament names for God have to do with Jesus? What relevance do ancient biblical names carry in our modern world? Richard Sones addresses these important questions and more in his informative and inspirational new book, The Covenant Names of God.
"Covenant is how God has chosen to reveal himself to us through history," explains Sones. "He started with simple and basic covenants. Then, as time went on and our understanding and relationship with God deepened, the covenants became more involved and elaborate."
Beginning with a detailed explanation of these covenants, The Covenant Names of God takes readers on a biblical deep dive to uncover the meaning of the name by which Abraham and Moses knew God - YHWH or "Jehovah". From there Sones explores the other eight Jehovah names, popularly known as "Covenant Names," in the order in which they appear in scripture. Sones elaborates on the background stories and the biblical characters connected with each name, along with the meaning behind the name itself and the way the name demonstrates aspects of God's nature and compassion.
"The covenant names each reveal a specific aspect of who God is within covenant relationship to his children," says Sones. "These names show us the nature of God and endure throughout the New Testament writings, coming to their fulfillment in the person and nature of Christ."
"'The Covenant Names of God' will enlighten and educate even those with a strong knowledge of Biblical text and history. Making sense of complex events and motivations while not preaching is the true gift of this book, one that keeps the reader engaged and wanting more." —Brad Butler, Author, 5-Stars
Sones holds a Master's degree in Divinity from Southwestern Seminary and served as an Army Chaplain for 28 years, including tours in Germany, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He currently serves as pastor of a small church and chaplain at a major medical center. His seminary background, Army leadership training, and pastoral teaching experience have shaped him into a teacher with a knack for making complicated biblical themes easy to understand. The Covenant Names of God displays both his academic ability and pastoral heart, explaining intricate details of the biblical text in simple ways that clarify and help the reader understand why it matters
"Over the past 40 years, I have come across lists and short descriptions of the covenant names but couldn't find anything in-depth," relates Sones. "I decided to explore each name, using exegesis of the original Hebrew and Greek, which led to insights that I felt needed to be shared by writing a thorough and detailed book about the meaning and significance of covenant and the names associated with it."
Watch the book trailer here: https://bit.ly/CovenantNamesOfGodTrailer
"Sharing stories from the Bible like a master story weaver, Sones makes the covenant names understandable…Each name is thoroughly discussed with not only biblical references, but also illustrated by Sone's inimitable gift for relating current times and experiences to enhance understanding. This is a completely fascinating book by a fine scholar and humanitarian." —Grady Harp, Amazon Top 50 Hall of Fame Reviewer, 5-Stars
In this book, you'll find instructional and inspirational teaching about:
- Covenants, specifically God's covenant with Israel and with believers through Jesus
- The meaning and origin of Jehovah as God's name and its connection to covenant
- The eight other biblical Jehovah names and the background stories in which they are found
- Deep insight drawn from the meanings of these names and application to the reader's spiritual life
- How the use of these Old Testament names and themes continues in the New Testament
- God's unwavering compassion and faithfulness to his people
- Old Testament descriptions and predictions of Jesus as divine, clarifying passages in the New Testament concerning his resurrection
The covenant names—Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Ropheka, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Mqaddishcem, Jehovah Shalom, Jehovah Ro-ih, Jehovah Tsidqenu, and Jehovah Shalom -- carry deep and layered meanings that speak to God's care, presence, sanctification, healing, provision, righteousness, and more. With each chapter's discussion of these unique names for God, readers will learn about his unwavering compassion and faithfulness to the people in the biblical narrative and gain a deeper appreciation for the ways God demonstrates his character and love in their own stories.
"We, in our finite minds, take a while to begin to comprehend who God is," says Sones. "A baby Christian hardly knows God at all. They know of his goodness and forgiveness but not much beyond that. We see a pattern in studying the covenant names that as God has revealed himself in covenant -- knowing as we do that God does not change -- that Jesus is all that God is. I wrote this book to teach and help people understand God better and provide the awareness to deepen their relationship with him."
"The Covenant Names of God delves deep into the richness of the biblical text and brings forth valuable treasures for the lives of readers. Full of spiritual wisdom, this book will benefit readers at almost any point on the journey of faith. Sones has written a masterful exposition of the "Jehovah" names, helping people understand God better and grow in deeper relationship with him." —Jessica Tofino, Educator and Writer, 5-stars
"In a way, this book is a self-help book on the most fundamental level," says Sones. "I hope that by learning more about God's covenant names, readers will understand that God is there, is and has always been reaching out to us, is aware of every aspect of our life (good and bad), and is in the business of making us whole and successful."
The Covenant Names of God (ebook) $7.60, ISBN: 979-8456206817, (Paperback) $13.49, 2021, 153 pages, available at Amazon. Watch the book trailer here: https://bit.ly/CovenantNamesOfGodTrailer
Richard Sones, the son of an Army Signal Corps officer, was born in El Paso, TX and spent his childhood living in many locations around the world. He graduated from Southwestern Seminary with a Master's of Divinity and eventually served as a U.S. Army chaplain for nearly 28 years. His childhood experiences and his own deployments have given him deep knowledge and appreciation of a variety of people, customs, and cultures.
Having retired from the Army, he continues to minister as pastor of a Baptist church and chaplain at El Paso's Del Sol Medical Center. Happily married for more than 40 years, Richard is a proud father of four grown children and grandfather to several grandchildren. He and his wife reside just outside El Paso, TX, where he raises chickens, plays guitar, and builds things in his wood shop.
Media Contact: For a review copy of The Covenant Names of God or to arrange an interview with Richard Sones, contact Scott Lorenz of Westwind Communications Book Marketing at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on twitter @abookpublicist