If we desire a close, interpersonal and intimate relationship with
the Creator of the Universe, we must know His Name, and use His Name
as He commands us in Scripture.
His Name, as given to us by Him in Shemoth (Exodus) 3:15 is
יהוה
YHVH
(pronounced Yah Vay)
And this is the Name which we are to mention Him by to all
generations!
Many of you might be skeptical at this point, never having heard
His Name before.
YHVH,
or YHWH (Yahweh)
is widely accepted to be His Name.
This is not in dispute. You can research this for yourself
on the internet, or in reference materials such as The Holman Bible
Handbook.
His name has been blotted out 6,823 times in the Pre-Messianic
(Old Testament) Scriptures.
Perhaps it is the man-made ineffable name doctrine
that is responsible for this abomination.
Or perhaps the scholars responsible for translating His
Word had some specific reason they chose to translate His
Name to “the Lord” instead of transliterate His Name, as is
customary when dealing with names.
No matter the reason, the end result is the same!
On page 141 of The Holman Bible Handbook it reads “A reader of the
English Bible can enter more deeply into the spirit of closeness and
personal fellowship between
יהוה
and
His ancient covenant people by substituting the name
יהוה
for “the Lord.”
Most people are accustomed to calling upon “the Lord” when
addressing the Creator of the Universe.
What harm is in that you might ask?
He knows what is in my heart and He knows I am calling on
Him.
When someone calls on “the Lord”, who are they really calling on?
·
From Wikipedia: The Lord is a name referring to God, Jesus, or
the Holy Spirit.
In many Christian Bibles it is rendered LORD, being a
translation for the Hebrew name
YHWH (YHVH).
· Also from Wikipedia: Baal is a Northwest Semitic title and honorific
meaning “master” or “lord” that is used for various (pagan) gods…
So yes,
יהוה
does know who one is calling on when that person uses the name Lord.
That person is calling on one of the many pagan gods
(Baal) that go by various names!
Let’s see what
יהוה
tells us regarding calling on pagan gods in His Name: (Let Scripture
interpret Scripture.)
Shemoth 20:7
“You do
not bring the Name of
יהוה
your Elohim to naught, for
יהוה
does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to naught”.
Debarim 8:19
“And it
shall be, if you by any means forget
יהוה
your Elohim, and follow other mighty ones, and serve them and bow
yourself to them, I have warned you this day that you shall
certainly perish.”
Yehoshua 23:7
“… And
make no mention of the name of their mighty ones, nor swear by them,
nor serve them nor bow down to them.”
For those of us who hear and will call on the only Name by which man
can be saved, we can now begin the close, interpersonal and intimate
relationship we desire with our Creator.
He has told us that the beginning of Wisdom is His Name.
His Name is
יהוה
Dale