The Doctrine of God - Primary Names of God

"And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." (Exodus 3:13-14)
There are three primary names of God: Elohim (God), Jehovah or Yahweh (usually printed as LORD in the KJV), and Adonai (Lord). Each of these names emphasizes a different aspect of the nature of God. The name Elohim occurs 31 times in Genesis 1, where it emphasizes His strength and creative power. The name Yahweh is most often used to express God's self-existence, particularly in relation to humanity. Adonai means "master" and underscores the authority of God.
Illustration: When Moses objected to returning to Egypt, one of his excuses was that he did not know God's name. By that he meant that he did not understand enough about God's authority. God solved this problem by revealing Himself as the "I AM", that is, Yahweh.
Application: Because God reveals Himself in His names, Christians should understand them to better serve Him.