Teaching by Paul Cohen THE NAME OF GOD INTRODUCTION Within the Tanach (Older Testament) we find the Covenant Name of God mentioned almost 7000 times. It is of course YHWH, these four letters make-up the Name, a few versions will use Jehovah, others might use Yahweh, but the majority of translations use LORD, in tall capitals. In theological circles, we refer to this name of God as the Tetragrammaton, which is Latin for “the four letters”. Nobody knows for sure how to pronounce the Name. After the destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70 C.E., Jewish people no longer pronounced it out of reference! One of the Ten Commandments is “You shall not take the Name of YHWH your God in vain” Exodus 20:7. And since that time they have replaced the Name of God with the Hebrew word Adonai which means “my Lord”. While some claim to know how to pronounce the Name YHVH, we must concede that we do not really know, many may guess, none knows for sure. Was it pronounced Yehovah, Yahwe, we will have to wait till we meet Him? The Meaning of that Name While we do not know how to pronounce it for sure, what we do know is its meaning! As explained in Exodus 3:14-15. Exodus 3:14–15 “God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘YHWH, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My Name forever, and this is My Memorial-Name, to all generations.” The first thing that God declared to Moses is to tell the children of Israel that “I AM WHO I AM”, sent me. “אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה” I am who (that) I am, (Eheyeh asher Eheyeh). Those of us with a basic knowledge of Hebrew, know that this name comes from the root: היה “to be”, in essence the name indicates that God always is, i.e. He is the eternal, Self-Existing One. A curious thing is said by God in relation to the Patriarchs. Exodus 6:2–3 “God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord; and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Lord, I did not make Myself known to them.” God has many titles and names, and when He revealed Himself to the patriarchs there were specific names that revealed part of the character of God, to name but a few: 1. Abraham, in the encounter with Melchizedek called on God Most High (Genesis 14:22) 2. Later Abraham encountered Almighty God (Genesis 17:1) 3. Abraham declared that the LORD is the Everlasting God (Genesis 21:33) 4. And Abraham knew that The-LORD-Will-Provide (Genesis 22:14) 5. Jacob met El Elohe Israel (Genesis 33:20) and El Bethel (Genesis 35:7). Yet all the patriarchs did know the Name YHWH, because it is used over 160 times in Genesis alone! And the patriarch made explicit use of that Name (Genesis 12:8)! The key is understanding how they knew Him in comparison to the Exodus generation. God made the Covenant with Abraham, conferred it to Isaac and passed it to Jacob, they all know God as the Covenant Maker, yet only the smallest portion of the Covenant was fulfilled (a seed). Moses and the generation of the Exodus would get to know God as the One who fulfilled the covenant. And when we think of YHWH we must remember that it is He who established the covenant with them and that is what Moses is telling us, God’s Name is connected to Establishing and Fulfilling the Covenant. So what about us? Are we allowed to use the Name of God; YHWH? Yes we are, having said that I do ask for some sensitivity, remember that none of us know for sure how to pronounce it, and in the Jewish community it is never pronounced. As such I pray you feel free to use it in the right context and in reference and hold the Name of YHWH in sacred trust, for He is as the seraphim cried out “Holy, Holy, Holy, is YHWH of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3) Shalom in the Eternal Paul cohen