Is
"YAHWEH" or "JESUS"
the
Name of GOD the Father ?
Paul Wong
There is a verse in the Old Testament that refers to the Name of God and also to the Name of His Son. "Who has ascended into Heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all ends of the earth? What is His Name, and what is His Son's name, if you know?" (Pro.30:4). What is God's Name and what is His Son's Name? Do they have the same Name or different Names? Various theologies have emerged concerning this question, but the Bible alone gives us the correct answer. We need to know this important truth and be diligent to present ourselves "approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Tim.2:15).
1. Does the Name of God "YAHWEH" appear only in the Old
Testament and not in the New Testament?
Some teach that the Name of God "YAHWEH" is only for the Old
Testament time because it does not appear in the New Testament. This teaching is incorrect because the Name
of God actually appears in both the Old and the New Testaments. Let us turn to Exodus 3:13-15. In verse 13 Moses wanted to know what is
God's Name. God replied: "I AM WHO I AM" which is "YAHWEH" or some called "JEHOVAH" in the Hebrew language. God actually told Moses that His name is "YAHWEH". Then God said to Moses, "Thus
you shall say to the children of Israel, "I AM" has sent me to
you". The shortened
Name "I AM" is "YAH" or "JAH"
in Hebrew (Psm.68:4; Isa.12:2). When
the Lord Jesus Christ said, "Most assuredly, I
say to you, before Abraham was, I AM (YAH).” He was declaring
Himself to be the One True God, having the same Divine Name as the Eternal One
who has been in existence before Abraham (Jn.8:58).
Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself have definitely proclaimed and declared
the Father's Divine Name during His earthly ministry. In His prayer to the Heavenly Father our Lord said these words: "I have manifested Your Name to the men whom You have given
Me out of the world. They were Yours,
You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word" (Jn.17:6). "Holy Father, keep through Your Name those whom You
have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name . .
. .” (Jn.17:11-12). "And I have
declared to them your Name, and will declare it, that the love with which You
loved Me may be in them, and I in them" (Jn.17:26). When our Lord Jesus Christ said very plainly
that He had declared the Father's name to His disciples we must take His word
to be the truth. If the Lord had
declared the Father's Name to the disciples, they must have known His Name
too. God had also revealed to the
apostle John that the true disciples of Jesus Christ will have "His Father's Name written on their foreheads."
(Rev.14:1) The true servants of God
will also be sealed on their foreheads, therefore they will declare and
proclaim the Heavenly Father’s Name everywhere (Rev.7:3-4).
The Name of God "YAHWEH"
appears in the New Testament in many places.
Here are some of the occasions when our Lord Jesus Christ Himself
referred to the Name of God written as "LORD"
(in Capitals) which is "YAHWEH"
in Hebrew.
A. During His
temptation our Lord Jesus Christ said to the devil, "You
shall worship the LORD (YAHWEH) your God, and Him only you shall serve."
(Mt.4:10; Lk.4:8)
B. Our Lord
also said, "You shall not tempt the LORD
(YAHWEH) your God." (Mt.4:7;
Lk.4:12)
C. On the
Sabbath Day our Lord fulfilled the role as the Messiah when He read "The Spirit of the LORD (YAHWEH) is upon Me...... To
preach at the acceptable year of the LORD (YAHWEH).” (Lk. 4:16-19).
D. When the
Lord Jesus Christ repeated the Shema "Hear, 0
Israel, the LORD (YAHWEH) our God, the LORD (YAHWEH) is One." He
had actually invoked the Name of God. (Mk.12:29-30) The Shema has always been part of worship in the temple or
synagogue in the Old Testament time and also during the time of Jesus Christ.
E. Jesus Christ
answered the lawyer who had asked Him which is the great commandment; "You shall love the LORD (YAHWEH) your God with all
your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."
(Mt.22:37).
F. Jesus Christ
said, "The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone. This
was the LORD's (YAHWEH's) doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?"
(Mt.21:42)
Here are two examples where the Name of God "LORD"
or "YAHWEH" are referred by
others in the New Testaments.
G. Referring to
John the Baptist's ministry Matthew quoted Isaiah, "Prepare
the way of the LORD (YAHWEH), Make His paths straight".
(Mt.3:3)
H. The
multitudes cried out, "Hosanna to the Son of
David! Blessed is He who comes in the
Name of the LORD (YAHWEH)! Hosanna in
the highest!" (Mt.21:9)
The most reliable Biblical scholars agree that "YAHWEH" is the Name of God as revealed
in the Holy Bible. Our Lord Jesus
Christ Himself consistently referred to "LORD"
or "YAHWEH" during His earthly
ministry. Most Bibles will explain the
covenant Name of God is represented by the Hebrew consonants YHWH HWHY. and is
translated "LORD" (all capital
letters). The Jews consider the Name of
God so sacred that they are afraid of mentioning His Name YAHWEH.
The very idea of God's Divine Name "YAHWEH"
is only for the Old Testament time is contradictory to the Biblical principles
. We need to have a clear understanding of His Name. God's Name "I AM WHO I AM"
or "YAHWEH" means the
Self-existing and Eternal One and that God exists all the time. God's Name had always been "YAHWEH". For this reason God declared to Moses; "This is My Name forever, and this is My memorial to all
generations" (Ex.3:15).
When God says that His Name "YAHWEH"
is 'forever' and 'to all generations' it is not only for both the
Old and New Testament times but also for all time. King David prayed, "So let Your
Name be magnified forever" (2 Sam.7:24). The Holy Spirit
inspired the Psalmist to write, "His Name
shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations
shall call Him blessed.... And blessed be His glorious Name forever!"
(Psm.72:17-19). “Your name, O LORD (YAHWEH),
endures forever, Your fame, O LORD (YAHWEH), throughout all generations."
(Psm.135:13)
2. God
revealed His Name YAHWEH so that His people could call upon Him.
Any Christian who had done some research on the Bible will know that God
had declared His Divine Name to the world.
God spoke to Moses very clearly: "I am
the LORD (YAHWEH). I appeared to
Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty (EL SHADDAI), but by My Name
LORD (YAHWEH) I was not known to them" (Ex.6:3). Unger's Bible
Dictionary explains, "It does not imply that
the patriarchs were completely ignorant of the existence or the use of the Name
(YAHWEH). It simply means that previous
to their deliverance from Egyptian bondage they had no experiential knowledge
of such redemption.”
The Bible
indicates God had revealed His Divine Name "YAHWEH"
(LORD) at the very beginning of time. Here are the clear evidences:
A. It was "LORD God" (YAHWEH Elohim) who had
created the Heavens and the earth (Gen.2:4-5).
B. It was also "YAHWEH Elohim" who had created Adam and Eve (Gen.2:7-8, 21-22).
C. Adam
actually knew the Divine Name of God YAHWEH. " Now Adam
knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have
gotten a man from the LORD (YAHWEH)". (Gen.4:1)
D. Both Cain
and Abel also knew the Divine Name of God - LORD
(YAHWEH) when they brought offerings to
Him. (Gen.4:2-15).
E. The Divine
Name of God YAHWEH was also known to
Enosh, the grandson of Adam. The Bible
states that during the time of Enosh "Men began to call on the Name of
the LORD – YAHWEH.” (Gen.4:26). This means that people began to pray to God
in the Name of YAHWEH.
F. Noah knew
the Divine Name of God, YAHWEH - LORD
(Gen.6:8; 7:1). After the Great Flood "Noah built an altar to the LORD – YAHWEH.” (Gen.8:20).
Noah actually prophesied, "Blessed be the LORD
YAHWEH, The God of Shem" (Gen.9:26).
G. Abraham built an altar in Bethel to worship
the One True God and "called
on the Name of the LORD YAHWEH.” (Gen.13:3-4) Abraham also "built an altar to the LORD YAHWEH in Hebron.”
(Gen.13:18). His wife also "called the Name of the LORD – YAHWEH.”
(Gen.16:13) Even Abraham's servant worshipped the
LORD - YAHWEH, bowing himself to the earth. (Gen.24:52).
H. The LORD -
YAHWEH appeared to Abraham's son Isaac, "so he
built an altar there and called on the Name of the LORD – YAHWEH.”
(Gen.26:24-25).
I. God
revealed to Jacob in a dream and said, "I am
the LORD God (YAHWEH Elohim) of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac....”.
(Gen.28:13).
J. Even when
Joseph, one of Jacob's sons was in Egypt away from the family, the LORD - YAHWEH was with him (Gen.39:2, 21-23).
K. It is possible that Israel had forgotten the
Divine Name of God YAHWEH during the
bondage in Egypt. This is the reason
why God had to reveal His Name YAHWEH to Moses at the burning bush.
L. During the
Israelites' journey in the wilderness there are specific places where "the LORD - YAHWEH your God chooses to make His Name
abide". (Deut.12:11,21). These are altars where offerings are
made (Deut.26:2).
God has indeed revealed His Divine Name as YAHWEH
to His own people right at the very beginning of time.
3. Is YAHWEH
the real name of God ?
According to Unger's Bible dictionary: "The
two essential and personal names of God in the Hebrew Scriptures are
"ELOHIM" and "JEHOVAH" (more correctly "YAHWEH");
the former calling attention to the fullness of divine power, the latter
meaning "He who is," and thus declaring the Divine Self-existence."
Although the controversy over whether God's Name is "ELOHIM" or "JEHOVAH"
has been going on for some time most Biblical scholars accept "YAHWEH" as the Divine Name of God.
Some that teach God did not have a name during the Old Testament time
because there is no need for Him to have a name during that time. Their motive is to prove "JESUS" is the real name of God. I must say this is a new theology that has
no biblical basis whatsoever. Any
sincere Christian who would just study the Bible will agree that God did have a
name during the Old Testament time.
There will be too many unanswerable theological problems if God did not
have a name during the Old Testament time.
Here are some of the problems.
A. How could
all the patriarchs and people in the Old Testament times call upon the Name of
God
B. Abraham
" built an altar to the LORD (YAHWEH),
and called on the name of the LORD YAHWEH
- (when they prayed to Him? Whose name
did the people call upon during the time of Enosh (Gen.4:26).Gen. 12:8;
21:33). Isaac followed in his father's
footsteps. He also built altars and
called on the Name of the LORD -YAHWEH
(Gen.26:25).
C. The Third
Commandment states: "You shall not take the
name of the LORD (YAHWEH) in vain, for the LORD (YAHWEH) will not hold him guiltless
who takes His Name in vain.” (Ex.20:7). God spoke: "And you shall not swear by My Name falsely, nor shall you
profane the Name of your God: I am the LORD – YAHWEH.” (Lev. 19:12).
The Bible states very clearly that His Name is LORD
- YAHWEH, and this is the name that the Israelites cannot profane
and swear falsely. If God had no name
if He did not reveal His real name during the Old Testament times why would He
have this commandment? If nobody ever
knew God's name then nobody could ever break this commandment nor profane His
Name. It would make this commandment
completely unnecessary, does it not? We
know that God does not make any mistakes.
Surely God has a Name and He had revealed it to His people during the
Old Testament times.
D. God had
promised to proclaim "the Name of the
LORD" before Moses (Ex.33:19).
When Moses went up to Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments for
the second time "the LORD (YAHWEH) descended
in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the Name of the LORD-
YAHWEH. And the LORD passed before him
and proclaimed, 'the LORD (YAHWEH), the LORD God (YAHWEH Elohim), merciful and
gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth."
(EX.34:5-6) Moses wrote a song and taught it to the children of Israel: “. . . . For I proclaim the Name of the LORD (YAHWEH),
Ascribe greatness to our God.” (Deut.32:3). If Moses did not know God's name how could
he proclaim it? The Bible states that
God proclaimed His Name to Moses and also to Israel.
4.
"YAH" is the abbreviated Name of God, our Heavenly Father.
Although the Jews had forgotten the exact pronunciation of God's Name
but there is Divine guidance and sufficient Biblical evidence for us to know
that His Name is "YAH" .
A. “YAHWEH”, meaning “I AM WHO I AM” "the Self-Existing
One" is the Name of the God of Israel.
Many Bible scholars believe and teach that "YAHWEH"
is the correct pronunciation of God's Divine Name. "YAHWEH" has
been abbreviated to "YAH". In the Common Version of the
English Bible it is generally thought improperly translated by "the LORD". - Young's Analytical
Concordance to the Bible.
B.
"Sing to God, sing praises to His
Name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, By His Name YAH, And rejoice before
Him.” (NKJV - Psm.68:4).
"Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust
and not be afraid; For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and my song; He also has become my salvation." (NKJV -
Isa.12:2).
"Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the
LORD, is everlasting strength". (Isa.26:4)
"YAH" is the abbreviated Name of YAHWEH.
C. Psalm 106, 111, 112, 113, 135, 146, 147. 148, 149 and 150 begin with "PRAISE the LORD". The Hebrew word for PRAISE is "HALLEL". We know the Name of God is "YAH". "PRAISE the LORD" is "HALLELUJAH" in the Hebrew language. The Hebrew word is spelt "ALLELUIA" in the English Bible because Greek do not have the alphabet “h”. (Rev.19:1-6) When Christians say "HALLELUJAH" they are praising the Name of God. After the resurrection and ascencion of our Lord Jesus Christ into heaven the disciples "worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen". (Lk. 24:52-53). "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication". (Acts 1:14) After praying and praising God "HALLELUJAH" continuously for ten days God poured down His Spirit upon all of them on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).
5. “YAHSHUA” or "JESUS" is the human Name of our Savior,
the Son of God.
It must be clearly understood that "JESUS"
is the Greek form of the Hebrew Name "YAHSHUA"
or some called "YESHUA". "YAHSHUA"
is made up of two words. The first word
"YAH" is the abbreviated Name
of God, our Heavenly Father. The second
word "OSHUA" is the Hebrew
word meaning Salvation or Savior. The
Name "JESUS" is not the proper
and full Name of God, the Father as some teach. The New Testament clearly states the Name "JESUS" is used mainly for the SON of
God, and never for the Father. "JESUS" is the human name for the Son
of God. Here are just a few Bible
verses to prove this truth.
A. "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His
Name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins". (Mt. 1:21).
B. Joseph "did not know her till she had brought forth her
firstborn Son. And he called His Name
JESUS". (Mt. 1:25).
C. "And behold you will conceive in your womb and bring
forth a Son, and shall call His Name JESUS". (Lk. 1:31).
D. "And when eight days were completed for the
circumcision of the Child, His Name was called JESUS, the name given by the
angel before He was conceived in the womb". (Lk. 2:21).
E. “.
. . . and that signs and wonders may be done through the Name of your holy Servant
JESUS". (Acts 4:30).
F. "concerning
His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to
the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the
Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead". (Rom. 1:3-4).
G. "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and
men, the Man Christ Jesus". (1 Tim.2:5).
H. "And this is His commandment: that we should believe on
the Name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us
commandment". (1 Jn.3:23)
I. "By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit
that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of
God. And this is the spirit of the
Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the
world". (I Jn.4:2-3).
J. "Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the
Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and
love". (2 Jn.3).
6. God's Divine Name "YAH" is in the Name "JESUS"
"JESUS" is not
the Name of God but has God's Name integrated in it. The Name of God "YAH is in the Name of YAHSHUA - JESUS.
A. The Name "JESUS" is the Greek form of our
Savior's Name. His Hebrew Name is YAHSHUA.
The Name of God "YAH"
is in the Name of YAHSHUA.
B. God had
promised to send "an Angel before you to keep
you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not
provoke Him, for He will not pardon your iniquities; for My Name is in
Him". (Ex.23:20-21) This Angel is a type of the Lord Jesus
Christ because He pardons sins. God
said that His Name is in this Angel.
The Name of God "YAH"
is truly in the Name of YAHSHUA (JESUS).
C. The Lord
Jesus Christ had declared: "I have come in My
Father's Name". (Jn. 5:43). We all know that the Father's Name
is "YAH". By having the Name YAHSHUA (JESUS) our Lord has truly come in His
Father's Name.
D. When the
Lord Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem the multitude greeted Him: "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the LORD (YAHWEH or
JAH)! Hosanna in the Highest!" (Mt. 21:9).
Having the Name YAHSHUA or YAH our Lord and Savior truly came in the Name of
the Father which is YAHWEH or YAH.
E. Hebrews 1:4
states that the Lord Jesus Christ "having
become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more
excellent name than they."
From whom did our Lord inherit His Name? From His Father, of course!
The son always inherit his name from his father. Since the Heavenly Father's Name is YAHWEH or YAH;
therefore the Son's Name also has YAH. The Heavenly Father added "OSHUA" (meaning Salvation or Savior)
to His own Name YAH thus forming the
Name YAHSHUA (JESUS) and gave this Name
to His only-begotten Son.
F. In the
"New American Standard Version" the Lord Jesus Christ prayed to the
Heavenly Father: "Holy Father, keep them in
Thy Name, the Name which Thou hast given Me; that they may be one, even as We
are". (Jn.17:11). The Name of the Father is "YAH" and this is in the Name YAHSHUA which God gave to His Son.
Some try to explain the verse teaches the Father's Name is JESUS. This explanation is not sound because "JESUS" is the Name of the Son. The Son got His Name from the Father and not
the other way round. The Father did not
get His Name from the Son. The Son
inherited the Name from His Father (Heb.1:4).
The Father's Name has always been YAHWEH
or YAH from eternity, long before the
Savior was born. When our Lord prayed
to the Father; "keep them in Thy Name, the
Name which Thou has given Me" He surely meant "YAHWEH" or "YAH”. YAHSHUA (JESUS)
is the Name to the Savior.
Those who fully understand and accept this important truth of the
Heavenly Father's Name - "YAHWEH"
or "YAH" is in the Name of the
Son - YAHSHUA (JESUS) are the blessed
and chosen ones of God. The apostle
John received God's Revelation: "Then I
looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and
forty four thousand, having His Father's Name written on their foreheads".
(Rev. 14:1). The forehead represents a person’s understanding, intellect
and strong convictions (Ezek. 3:8-9). Something
on a person’s forehead is a mark of acceptance by the LORD. (Ex. 28:38) It is also the mark of the LORD’s protection
(Ezek. 9:4-6). “. . . having His Father's Name written on their foreheads" means these specially chosen saints of God that uphold the
truth of the Father’s name "YAHWEH"
or "YAH" faithfully to the end will be specially blessed by the heavenly
Father (Rev. 14:1-5).
"Give unto the LORD (YAHWEH or YAH) the
glory due to His Name:
Worship the LORD – YAHWEH in the beauty of
holiness". (Psm. 29:2).
This Article is the response of Paul Wong
to a discussion in the ARK Forum on July 16, 2003
For comments please write first to: [email protected]
May God bless you.
Paul Wong is a Christian minister and the
President of ARK International.
His ministry also serves as an architectural service company in Houston.
The ARK Forum on the Internet is international and non-denominational.
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