Nehemia Gordon, a Karaite Jew, has now discovered over 1,000 manuscripts with the proper pronunciation Yehovah. Considering this newfound evidence, why do you continue to use Yahweh?

Posted on January 24, 2018November 2, 2022 by YRM

Q. Nehemia Gordon, a Karaite Jew, has now discovered over 1,000 manuscripts with the proper pronunciation Yehovah. Considering this newfound evidence, why do you continue to use Yahweh?

A. There are several facts to acknowledge regarding Nehemia Gordon’s “new” finding. To begin with it’s not new. Secondly, all these Hebrew documents with the vowel points forming Yehovah are from the 9th century or later and part of the Masoretic manuscripts, i.e. Leningrad Codex, Aleppo Codex. According to the overwhelming majority of scholarship, the Masoretes purposefully added the vowel points from Adonai to the Tetragrammaton, forming the hybrid Yehovah (also rendered as Yehowah or Jehovah). First we need to clarify where these vowels come from. The Masoretes were not trying to preserve the name but replace the name with Adonai and Elohim through an orthographic device called Kativ Qere. This device is used in every synagogue every Sabbath as the torah is read. (See full vowels of Adonai vs. Elohim) To date we have never seen a scholarly reference or historic document from before the medieval timeframe confirming Yehovah.

Consider the following: “In the early Middle Ages, when the consonantal text of the Bible was supplied with vowel points to facilitate its correct traditional reading, the vowel points for Adonai with one variation – a sheva (short ‘e’) with the first yod [Y] of YHWH instead of the hataf-patah (short ‘a’) under the aleph of Adonai – was used for YHWH, thus producing the form YeHoWaH. When Christian scholars of Europe first began to study Hebrew they did not understand what this really meant, and they introduced the hybrid name ‘Jehovah’” (Encyclopedia Judaica, vol. 7, p. 680).

“Jehovah, modern form of the Hebrew sacred name of God, probably originally ‘Yahweh.’ From c.300 B.C. the Jews, from motives of piety, uttered the name of God very rarely and eventually not at all, but substituted the title ‘Adonai,’ meaning ‘Lord,’ the vowels of which were written under the consonants of ‘Yahweh.’ In the Middle Ages and later, the vowels of one word with the consonants of the other were misread as Jehovah” (The Collegiate Encyclopedia, vol. 9, p. 580).

“Jehovah….What has been said explains the so-called qeri perpetuum, according to which the consonants of Jehovah are always accompanied in the Hebrew text by the vowels of Adonai except in the cases in which Adonai stands in apposition to Jehovah: in these cases the vowels of Elohim are substituted. The use of a simple shewa in the first syllable of Jehovah, instead of the compound shewa in the corresponding syllable of Adonai and Elohim, is required by the rules of Hebrew grammar governing the use of Shewa” (The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. VIII, p. 329).

“Jehovah, an erroneous pronunciation of the name of the God of Israel in the Bible, due to pronouncing the vowels of the term ‘Adonay,’ the marginal Masoretic reading with the consonants of the text-reading ‘Yahweh,’ which was not uttered to avoid the profanation of the divine name of magical or other blasphemous purposes. Hence the substitution of ‘Adonay,’ the ‘Lord,’ or ‘Adonay Elohim,’ ‘Lord God.’ The oldest Greek versions use the term ‘Kurios,’ ‘Lord,’ the exact translation of the current Jewish substitute for the original Tetragrammaton Yahweh. The reading ‘Jehovah’ can be traced to the early Middle Ages and until lately was said to have been invented by Peter Gallatin (1518), confessor of Pope Leo X. Recent writers, however, trace it to an earlier date; it is found in Raymond Martin’s Pugeo Fidei (1270)” (Encyclopedia Americana, vol. 16, p. 8.).

“The pronunciation you mentioned [i.e., Yehovah] is a mistake. The Hebrew consonantal text is YHWH and no one really knows how that was pronounced in Old Testament times. At a later date (the latter half of the 2nd millennium CE) Masoretes added vowel signs to the consonantal text. Whenever the Tetragrammaton was written, they added the vowel signs of the word “Adonay,” which means “My Lord” – there was a taboo on pronouncing the Divine name and one was supposed to read the word “Adonay – my Lord.” Much later some started reading the vowel signs together with YHWH and came up with the nonsensical word Jehovah” (email correspondence between Professor Fassberg and Pastor Randy Folliard). Note: Professor Fassberg, Ph.D., is one of the leading professors at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem within its Hebrew language department.

In addition to the fact that scholarship nearly universally confirms that the Masoretes added the vowel points from Adonai to the Tetragrammaton, another issue with Yehovah is that there are other variants based on the vowel pointing within the Masoretic manuscripts. For example, the Leningrad Codex contains at least six different spellings for the divine name. Similar evidence can also be found within the Aleppo and other codices. The fact that we find different pronunciations within the Masoretic manuscripts confirms that they cannot be trusted.

Another issue with Yehovah and this claim of a 1,000 manuscripts is that the pronunciation Yahweh is confirmed within Greek documents from church fathers and Gnostic writings 700 years before the Masoretic documents.

One such example from the Gnostic library is The Secret Book of John. Within this codex, it mentions the name Yahweh and notes, “Eloim and Yawe, two names of God in the Hebrew scriptures…. Yahweh is the name of God (based on the Tetragrammaton, the ineffable four-letter name)” (Dr. Marvin Meyer, The Nag Hammadi Scriptures, p. 127).

The Secret Book of John dates to the second century, as it was known to the church father Irenaeus. This was the same timeframe as Clement of Alexandria, who also confirmed the name. Even though Gnosticism was rightly deemed heretical by the early church, it is another witness to the pronunciation of Yahweh. The fact that these groups were at odds, but agreed on “Yahweh,” is significant and adds credence to this pronunciation. It verifies that “Yahweh” was widely recognized as early as the second century.

Evidence for the short form “Yah” is also found in early Greek documents of the Septuagint, part of the Dead Sea collection, dating to 1 BCE.

Based on these facts, the number of manuscripts found with the vowel points of Yehovah is irrelevant. Scholarship confirms that Yehovah is a hybrid that arose through the vowel points of Adonai. Additionally, antiquity confirms the pronunciation Yahweh through Greek inscriptions dating back to the 2nd century CE, 700 years before any manuscript containing Yehovah.

For additional information, read our online article: The Yehovah Deception.

Also, watch our videos:

Based on your website, you seem to state that the Son was the first created being by the Father. Considering that only God who was there from the beginning could atone man’s sins, how do you support this belief?

Posted on January 23, 2018January 23, 2018 by YRM

Based on your website, you seem to state that the Son was the first created being by the Father. Considering that only God who was there from the beginning could atone man’s sins, how do you support this belief?

The Bible is quite clear that Yahshua (the Son) had a beginning and was the first of His Father’s creation. Consider the below passages from the Apostle Paul and Yahshua the Messiah.

“Who is the image of the invisible El, the firstborn of every creature,” Colossians 1:15. In Greek, firstborn literally means, “first begotten.”

“And unto the angel of the assembly of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of Elohim,” Revelation 3:14.

Both the Apostle Paul and Yahshua state that Yahshua was the firstborn and the beginning of the creation of Elohim. Knowing this, logic dictates that Yahshua had a beginning.

Beyond this, Paul in 1 Timothy 6:16 confirms that only the Father contains immortality, i.e., has always existed: “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”

The belief that the Son had to be “God” to atone for man’s sin is the same misguided rationale used by Athanasius at the Council of Nicea in 325 CE, who first proposed the Father and son were co-eternal, co-equal, and consubstantial. According to author Earl E. Cairns, Athanasius “…insisted that Christ had existed from all eternity with the Father and was of the same essence (homoousios) as the Father, although He was a distinct personality. He insisted upon these things because he believed that, if Christ were less than He had stated Him to be, He could not be the Saviour of men. The question of man’s eternal salvation was involved in the relationship of the Father and the son according to Athanasius. He held that Christ was coequal, coeternal and consubstantial with the Father…” (Christianity Through the Centuries, pp. 142-143).

The problem with this reasoning is the Bible never states that the Son had to be “God” to atone for man’s sins. The Bible confirms that the Son was given this authority: “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins…,” Matthew 6:16. Who gave the Son this authority? John 5:26-27 is clear that He received it from the Father: “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.”

Interestingly, the word “authority” in John 5:27 comes from the Greek exousia. Strong’s defines this word as, “…privilege, i.e. (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery (concretely, magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence.” Notice that this authority can be “delegated.” In the case of the Son, the Father delegated this authority to Him. The fact that the Father granted this authority to the Son verifies the needlessness for the Son to be “God” to atone for man’s sin. This also shows the error in this common notion.

For additional information see our booklet: Identifying Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Also, watch Pastor Randy Folliard’s message, Yahshua’s Pre-existence:

Building Update (Jan. 19, 2018)

Posted on January 19, 2018January 19, 2018 by YRM

This week YRM continued making progress on our multipurpose building. Ryan Mansager and Lucas Cecil have begun installing the electrical wiring and plumbing for the kitchen and communal bathroom. In addition, Midwest HVAC has begun installing the furnaces for the lower level of the building. It is our goal to finish the communal bathrooms and the 5 lower lodge rooms by Passover. This would allow for additional bathrooms and lodging rooms for this upcoming observance. Depending on funding, it is also our goal to finish the upper rooms by the Feast of Tabernacles. Please consider helping with this important project. Give Now >>

Is hell a real place or just a pagan notion adopted by early Christianity?

Posted on January 16, 2018January 16, 2018 by YRM

Is hell a real place or just a pagan notion adopted by early Christianity? Also, does the Bible show that the fallen angels go to hell?

We believe that hell is a real place, but not as most believe. To understand this concept, it’s crucial to understand a few Hebrew and Greek words found in the Old and New testaments.

The Old Testament contains the word “sheol.” It appears 66 times and is rendered in the KJV as, “grave, hell and pit.” It does not refer to a place of ever-burning torment. The Greek equivalent to sheol is “hades.” Even though both words originally referred to the grave or to the place where the righteous and wicked go at death, hades took on a new meaning through Hellenistic influence to include concepts of a place of torture or imprisonment.

Authors Alan F. Johnson and Robert E. Webber explain this transformation in their book, What Christians Believe–A Biblical and Historical Summary: “In the intertestamental period there were significant developments in eschatological themes. The first relates to the development of a compartmental view of sheol. When the righteous and the wicked die, they go to different places. This is to be contrasted with the Old Testament view that sheol is the place where both the righteous and wicked go. Under the growing influence of Greek concepts of a distinct body and soul, some Jews taught that after death ‘the immortal and perishable soul, once detached from the ties of the flesh and thus freed from bondage, flies happily upwards’ [quote from Flavius Josephus, The Jewish Wars, II, VII.2]…On the other hand the wicked go to sheol, which is now identified with the Greek hades. This region of damnation is also called gehenna, a place of eternal fire (originally the old rubbish heap and a place of child sacrifice south of Mount Zion in Jerusalem). It was known as the Valley of Hinnom,” pp. 423-424.

As this source confirms, sheol and hades originally both referred to the grave. However, as Greek influence spread within the early church, these terms took on new meanings, including separate places for the righteous and wicked. In addition, the concept of an immortal soul was introduced, which is also foreign to Scripture. In fact, the term “immortal soul” never appears in the Bible. Many scholars believe this notion of an immortal soul arose through ancient Egypt, which was later adopted by the Greeks and eventually introduced to the Church.

A third word associated with the concept of “hell” is the Greek “gehenna.” This term refers to the Valley of Hinnom, a large valley positioned on the south side of the city of Jerusalem. It was in this valley where Israel would throw their trash. For this reason, this valley was perpetually burning. As a side note, this is also where Israel sacrificed their children to Molech. It is from this valley and practice where the concept of an ever-burning hell-fire arose.

So while the Bible does confirm a place of fiery judgment, it is not a place of perpetual burning or torment. When the Bible speaks about someone suffering hell-fire or gehenna, it’s referring to their complete destruction.

There are a few key passages confirming that hell-fire does not refer to an ever-burning or perpetual place of torment. For instance, Judah 7 states that Sodom and Gomorrah suffered the example of “eternal fire.” Interestingly, Sodom and Gomorrah are no longer burning. In 2016 when we toured the ancient site of Gomorrah, we found only ash and scattered sulfur balls. Nothing else of the ancient city remained.

A similar example in found in Jeremiah 7:20. It states there, “Therefore thus saith my Sovereign Yahweh; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.” This passage is referring to Jerusalem’s destruction by the Babylonians. As with Gomorrah, there is no perpetual fire burning today in Jerusalem.

The phrases “eternal fire” and “shall not be quenched” do not refer to a perpetual or ever-burning hell-fire, but to the totality of Yahweh’s destruction. Sodom and Gomorrah suffered complete annihilation by fire from heaven. In like manner, Judah suffered complete destruction by Babylon.

The concept of ever-burning fire is not biblical, but one that crept in through Greek teachings. It’s important to realize that many of today’s church teachings originated through Hellenistic influence within the early church, including other doctrines such as Sunday worship and many of today’s popular holidays.

There is one last word associated with a place of judgment and that is “Tartaros.” This word is mentioned only once in 2Peter 2:4 and is associated with the place of judgment for the angels who rebelled. Greek mythology also refers to this term and believes it resides under hades. It’s important to realize that this definition is not based on Scripture, but Greek mythology. The Bible itself does not provide a location for this term. It is also unclear from the Greek tense whether this is past or future. Even though the KJV shows this is past tense, this judgment is likely future tense.

For additional information, see our booklet: What Happens After This Life?

Yahweh's Restoration Ministry - Year in Review

2017 Year in Review: Reaching New Heights

Posted on January 12, 2018January 12, 2018 by YRM

Greetings in the Names of our Heavenly Father and Savior, Yahweh and Yahshua the Messiah!

We begin by offering a heartfelt thank you to all those who supported us in 2017. Your generosity allowed YRM to reach many more with Yahweh’s truth.

This was a year of amazing Internet and electronic outreach growth for YRM. With our transition from national TV to more internet-based broadcasting, we can report many successes. The most notable achievement was on YouTube. We’ve had a YouTube channel since 2013 and we have been gradually adding subscribers and views to our channel. However, this year we made a quantum leap in both subscribers and viewing minutes. We added more than 28,000 subscribers with 4.2 million views.

This has given our YouTube channel more authority. This means that YouTube lists our videos nearer to the top when someone is searching for related keywords. Perhaps the best example is the recent interview that Elders Randy Folliard and Don Esposito did in Israel on the real temple mount location. When searching for “temple mount” on YouTube, this video appears as number one out of about 1.1 million. As a result of this ranking, YRM has been contacted by two documentary producers for possible interviews, one being associated with the History Channel.

In addition to YouTube, we have also made strides on Facebook and our video-on-demand channels, including Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, and Android TV. On Roku, this year we had over 3.6 million watched minutes with 451,643 total views. For those who have these platforms, you can add our channel free of charge by simply searching for “YRM” or “Yahweh’s Restoration Ministry.”

Another accomplishment is from the 2017 Feast of Tabernacles. This was the first year we observed this Feast at our home facilities in Holts Summit, Missouri. While there were a few lessons learned, overall the Feast was a huge success. With about 200 in attendance, everything went off without a hitch. The worship and messages were inspirational and insightful, the activities were fun for all ages, and the meals left nobody wanting.

We plan to again observe all Feasts here in Holts Summit in 2018, including the Feast of Tabernacles. While we will make a few minor changes to the schedule, it will be similar to this past year. One significant difference between last year and this year is that we hope to finish our multipurpose building before Tabernacles. In addition to the gym, which is nearly completed, this facility will include a lodging portion containing two communal bathrooms with showers, communal kitchen with a small dining area, and 26 lodge rooms split between two levels. The lodge rooms will be approximately 10’x10’ in size with two bunk beds in each room. Some rooms will have a door between them to accommodate larger families.

To save on funding, the Ministry will do most of the work ourselves with Ryan Mansager leading the effort and assisted by Lucas Cecil. It is our hope to finish the communal bathrooms and the 5 lower lodge rooms by Passover and to have the lower kitchen and the second level rooms finished by the Feast of Tabernacles. Please consider helping with this much-needed facility. This will not only be a blessing for the Ministry throughout the year, but especially for the annual Feast days, providing critical lodging during these times. To give or learn more, visit us online.

In closing, we warmly invite you to this year’s Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread in Holts Summit from the evening of March 31 – April 8. As a side note, those who partake of the Passover emblems must be baptized into “Yahshua’s” name by an ordained minister, which, for those interested, we can provide on the Sabbath before the Passover. These observances promise to be a blessing for all in attendance. We have scheduled several worship services, Bible workshops, and activities, including roller skating, bingo, board games, an afternoon on Katy Trail, open gym time, and several group meals. To learn more or to register, call the ministry or visit yrm.org/passover-2018.

Once more, we humbly thank all those who gave to YRM in 2017. We pray that Yahweh’s blessings would be poured out upon all those who support this work and live according to His Word. Malachi 3:10 provides this promise, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith Yahweh of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

From where do you get the idea that the logos equals Yahshua the Messiah?

Posted on January 11, 2018January 11, 2018 by YRM

From where do you get the idea that the logos equals Yahshua the Messiah? The plan of Yahweh is the concept of all eternity; do you really think you can understand Yahweh’s logos?

The first chapter of John clearly identifies Yahshua the Messiah as the Word or logos of Yahweh: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim. The same was in the beginning with Elohim. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

“Word” in this passage comes the Greek logos. Strong’s defines logos as, “…something said (including the thought); by implication a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation; specifically (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ).”

The vast majority of lexicons provide similar definitions. We also find a connection to the Word or logos in John 1:14. It states there that the Word became flesh: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” This verse undoubtedly connects the Word with Yahshua the Messiah.

Some who reject the Messiah’s preexistence will state that the “Word” in the first verse is referring to the “plan” of Yahweh, while verse 14 refers to the actuality of that plan through the person of Yahshua. The problem is, John does not make this distinction. The context confirms no difference between the Word in verse 1 and the Word in verse 14. Therefore, they must both refer to Yahshua.

Furthermore, the Bible verifies elsewhere that through Yahshua all creation came into existence. Paul in Colossians 1:15-17 states: “Who is the image of the invisible El, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

There are several important truths we learn from this passage. One, Yahshua was the first of Yahweh’s creation. Two, He is the invisible image or resemblance of His Father. And three, He created all things, both visible and invisible. He was responsible from the smallest atom to the vast stars in the grand universe.

We find similar evidence from the Old Testament for Yahshua’s role in creation. Proverbs 30:4 states, “Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?” This passage references creation and specifically mentions the Father and Son. If the Son did not exist in the Old Testament or had no part in creation, why does it refer here to the son?

Based on this and many other indications in the Old and New testaments, there is no denying that Yahshua is the Word or logos that brought creation into existence through the direction of His Father and the power of the Holy Spirit.

For additional information on this, read our booklet: Identifying Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Also, watch our video: Yahshua’s Preexistence.

Should believers in the Messiah be listening to heavy metal and other forms of secular music?

Posted on January 10, 2018January 10, 2018 by YRM

Should believers in the Messiah be listening to heavy metal and other forms of secular music?

Music is a powerful tool that can be both positive and negative. The Bible provides many examples of music being used in worship and also to soothe troubled spirits in the case of Saul and David.

Realizing that music contains power over the mind and soul, it’s important that we’re selective as to what type of music we listen to as a believer. As we are to refrain from conversations and entertainment that promote evil speaking and thoughts, the same would apply to music. For this reason, we should be very selective as to the music we listen to. While there is nothing wrong with certain forms of secular music, we must ensure that it’s not promoting a message or spirit of opposition to Yahweh’s Word. This would include endorsing things like immortality or depravity (e.g. adultery, homosexuality, etc.) or music that may replace Yahweh’s shalom for a spirit of rebellion.

In the case of heavy metal music, we believe this form of music would violate both concerns. Heavy metal songs often promote immorality along with a spirit that is not of Yahweh. In some cases, the spirit may be demonic, allowing demonic influence to take root within our lives. For this reason, we suggest avoiding heavy metal and other forms of music that would offend Yahweh or provide access for the Evil One.

“Be ye therefore followers of Elohim, as dear children; And walk in love, as Messiah also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to Yahweh for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Messiah and of Yahweh,” Ephesians 5:1-5.

I’m still trying to find in the Bible where it mentions 13 months. Where do you find proof for this?

Posted on January 8, 2018January 19, 2018 by YRM

I’m still trying to find in the Bible where it mentions 13 months. Where do you find proof for this?

The Bible never provides an exact number of months for the biblical year. What it does provide is the method to begin the year and count each subsequent month. The Bible confirms that the first month of the biblical year is called “Abib.” Deuteronomy 16:1 states, “Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto Yahweh thy Elohim: for in the month of Abib Yahweh thy Elohim brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.”

The word “observe” comes from the Hebrew shamar and means to guard. It also conveys the idea of watching. The word “month” derives from the Hebrew chodesh. Strong’s defines this word as, new moon and by extension, a month. Lastly, the word “Abib” is Hebrew and means, young ears of grain. Exodus 9:31 verifies that the grain spoken of is barley. It states that the barley was in the “ear” or Abib near the Passover observance (occurring on the 14^th day of the first month, Lev. 23:5). Agriculturally, the wheat harvest begins in the third month, approximately two months after the beginning of the barley harvest.

These facts help in determining how to begin the biblical year. Deuteronomy 16:1 is literally commanding that we look for the new moon within the month of green ears. Agriculturally, Abib refers to when the barley enters the late dough stage, i.e., when the grain can be parched or roasted.

Therefore, Abib begins at the new moon crescent when there is barley in the dough stage or later. This occurs between March and April. Each subsequent month then begins with the sighting of the new moon crescent. Since there is an 11-day difference between the solar and lunar year, every 2-3 years a 13^th month must be added to keep the seasons aligned. The Jews call this month Adar II. The Bible does not mention a 13^th month.

The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary confirms this method, “The months began with the new moon, but the first month was fixed (after the Exodus and by the necessities of the Passover) by the ripening of the earliest grain, namely, barley.”

Additional evidence is found from the International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, “…Abib is not properly a name of a month, but part of a descriptive phrase, ‘the month of young ears of grain.’ This may indicate the Israelitish way of determining the new year (Ex 12:2), the year beginning with the new moon nearest or next preceding this stage of the growth of the barley.”

Since Exodus 9:31 and 12:2 shows that the barley was in Abib before the new moon crescent, this is the pattern YRM uses to fix the month of Abib.

It’s important to note that in the 4^th century, Hillel II changed the biblical calendar and transitioned from a calendar based on observation to calculation, including using the conjunction to begin the month and the autumnal equinox to begin the year. Since the autumnal equinox occurs in the fall, corresponding to the 7^th Jewish month, the Jews count backwards to mark the first biblical month. Along the way, they also add their postponements, ensuring that days like Yom Kippur does not occur alongside of a weekly Sabbath. To ensure the alignment of the seasons, they also employ a 19-year cycle, adding a 13^th month at intervals of 2-3 years.

For more information on the Biblical calander check out our free booklet : The Biblical Calander

Also, watch our video, Deciphering the Biblical Calendar:

How does the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ understanding of the antichrist compare to yours?

Posted on January 8, 2018January 9, 2018 by YRM

How does the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ understanding of the antichrist compare to yours? https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/antichrist/ (This is a link to the JW’s Q&A page. YRM is in no way affiliated with the JWs)

We agree with many of the concepts as taught by the Jehovah Witnesses, including that the term “antichrist” or “antimessiah” refers to a spirit of rejection and rebellion. As pointed out within the link you provided, the spirit of the antimessiah:

Will deceive the world into believe a lie (Mathew 24:5, 23-24)
Denies Yahshua as the Son of Yahweh and Savior of mankind (1John 2:22).
Masquerades as the Messiah, perhaps under a different name (John 4:43).
Will persecute and oppose the saints of almighty Yahweh and the Jewish people (Zechariah 12:1, Matthew 24:16).

One other point wherein we agree with the Jehovah’s Witnesses is on their understanding of the paganism of the Trinity. The Bible teaches that only the Father has immortality (1Timothy 6:16), i.e., has always existed, that the Son was the first of the Father’s creation (Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14), that the Father is greater than the Son (John 10:29; 14:28; 1Corinthians 11:3), and that the Holy Spirit represents the power of the Father and not the third person of the Trinity (Luke 4:14; Romans 15:19; and Galatians 4:29).

The Trinity concept is not scriptural, but comes from paganism. For example, the Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics states, “Although the notion of a divine triad or Trinity is characteristic of the Christian religion, it is by no means peculiar to it. In Indian religion we meet with the trinitarian group of Brahma, Siva, and Vishnu; and in Egyptian religion with the trinitarian group of Osiris, Isis, and Horus, constituting a divine family, like the Father, Mother and Son in mediaeval Christian pictures” (Trinity, p. 458).

For additional information on the Trinity, along with other ancient heresies, read our booklet: Identifying Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

It’s important to also realize that the antichrist or antimessiah is an actual figure or person that will come to power in the latter days. Revelation 13:1-10 verifies that he will receive his power and might from Satan the devil, will persecute the saints of the Most High, will blaspheme Yahweh, and will make war with those who oppose him. He will also establish a global dictatorship during the three-and-a-half years of the Great Tribulation and change laws and times (Daniel 8:23-25). He will also rebuild a third temple and sit within it as elohim (2Thess 2:3-13).

Based on prophecy, we believe that this man will likely be of the Islamic faith, which will reestablish an Islamic caliphate, similar to the Ottoman Empire that was defeated in WWI. This is likely the deadly wound that was healed, as described in Revelation 13:3. For additional information on the antimessiah and his kingdom, please see our booklet: The Prophecy of the Beast and the Ten Toes.

For more information on the antimessiah, watch our video: The Prophecy of the Final Empire and the End of the World:

Why do you use the name Yahweh? Don’t you know that this name was invented by a Catholic monk in 1725 AD?

Posted on January 3, 2018January 3, 2018 by YRM

Why do you use the name Yahweh? Don’t you know that this name was invented by a Catholic monk in 1725 AD? Plus, there are 20 different ways our Heavenly Father’s name can be pronounced.

The belief that “Yahweh” originated from a Catholic monk could not be further from the truth. This statement can be proven false with a simple Google search. The official website of the Catholic Church states: “About the 13th century the term ‘Jehovah’ appeared when Christian scholars took the consonants of ‘Yahweh’ and pronounced it with the vowels of ‘Adonai.’ This resulted in the sound ‘Yahowah,’ which has a Latinized spelling of ‘Jehovah.’ The first recorded use of this spelling was made by a Spanish Dominican monk, Raymundus Martini, in 1270” (www.catholic.com/qa/is-gods-name-yahweh-or-jehovah).

From this citation, it was not “Yahweh” that was originated by a Catholic monk, but the hybrid “Jehovah,” arising from Yehowah or Yehovah. Additionally, scholarship overwhelmingly confirms “Yahweh” as the likely pronunciation. Evidence for this is found in ancient inscriptions dating back to the second century of the Common Era, including early church fathers and gnostic sources. Following are other sources attesting to the correctness of “Yahweh.”

“The true pronunciation of the name YHWH was never lost. Several early Greek writers of the Christian Church testify that the name was pronounced ‘Yahweh’” (Encyclopaedia Judaica, vol. 7, p. 680).

“Early Christian writers, such as Clement of Alexandria in the 2nd century, had used the form Yahweh, thus this pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton was never really lost. Greek transcriptions also indicated that YHWH should be pronounced Yahweh” (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th ed., vol. x, p. 786).

“The pronunciation Yahweh is indicated by transliteration of the name into Greek in early Christian literature, in the form iaoue (Clement of Alexandria) or iabe (Theodoret; by this time Gk. b had the pronunciation of v)…Strictly speaking, Yahweh is the only ‘name’ of God. In Genesis wherever the word sem (‘name’) is associated with the divine being that name is Yahweh” (Eerdman’s Bible Dictionary, 1979 p. 478).

“Such a conclusion, giving ‘Yahweh’ as the pronunciation of the name, is confirmed by the testimony of the Fathers and gentile writers, where the forms IAO, Yaho, Yaou, Yahouai, and Yahoue appear. Especially important is the statement of Theodoret in relation to Ex. lvi, when he says: ‘the Samaritans call it [the tetragrammaton] ‘Yabe,’ the Jews call it ‘Aia’…” (The New Schaff-Herzog Religious Encyclopedia, “Yahweh,” p. 471)

In addition to early Christian sources, evidence for Yahweh is also found in the Nag Hammadi codices, dating from the 2nd to 4th century CE. This library of Gnostic writings was discovered in Upper Egypt, near Nag Hammadi, in 1945. In all, there are over 50 texts within this library. Since they are in Greek, as with the church fathers, they preserve the pronunciation.

One such book is The Secret Book of John. This codex mentions the name Yahweh and notes, “Eloim and Yawe, two names of God in the Hebrew scriptures…. Yahweh is the name of God (based on the Tetragrammaton, the ineffable four-letter name)” (Dr. Marvin Meyer, The Nag Hammadi Scriptures, p. 127).

The Secret Book of John, as it was known to the church father Irenaeus, dates to the second century. This was the same time-frame as Clement of Alexandria, who also confirmed the name. Even though gnosticism was rightly deemed heretical by the early church, it is another witness to the pronunciation of Yahweh. The fact that these groups were at odds, but agreed on “Yahweh,” is significant and adds credence to this pronunciation. It verifies that “Yahweh” was widely recognized as early as the second century, nearly 700 years before any Hebrew manuscripts containing Yehovah.

Based on these ancient inscriptions, modern scholarship also favors Yahweh as the proper and correct pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton:

“Correct pronunciation of the Divine Name. ‘Jehovah’ is the best known English pronunciation of the divine name, although ‘Yahweh’ is favored by most Hebrew scholars. The oldest Hebrew manuscripts present the name in the form of four consonants, commonly called the Tetragrammaton (from Greek te∙tra-, meaning ‘four,’ and gram’ma, ‘letter’). These four letters (written from right to left) are yhwh and may be transliterated into English as YHWH (or, JHVH)” (“Jehovah,” Insight on the Scriptures, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1988. vol. 2, p. 5).

Insight on the Scriptures is a Jehovah’s Witness publication. Even though this organization continues to use the hybrid “Jehovah,” they have no choice but to acknowledge that “Yahweh” is favored by Hebrew scholars. Considering that the name of our Heavenly Father comes to us through the Hebrew language, this point is significant.

“Jehovah in that form was unknown to the ancient Israelites. In fact, Hebrew scholars say that Jehovah would have been impossible according to the strict principles of Hebrew vocalization. The God of Israel was known by a name approximately rendered into English as Yahweh” (A Book About the Bible, George Stimpson, p. 247).

“Yahweh was doubtless the approximate pronunciation of the tetragrammaton, the four-letter word YHWH, since transliterations into Gr. in early Christian literature have been found in the form of iaoue (Clement of Alexander) and iahe (Theodoret) pronounced ‘iave.’ The name is a variant connected with the verb haya, ‘to be,’ from an earlier form, hawa” (“God, Names and Titles of,” Wycliff Bible Dictionary, Charles Pfeiffer, Ed., p. 694).

“The Bible often refers to God by his proper name, which was probably pronounced Yahweh …In the Hebrew Bible, the consonants hwhy [yhwh] are usually to be read as Adonai…’my Lord,’ for the sake of reverence, and English versions represent the word by ‘Lord’ or (less often) ‘God’ in capital letters” (“Names of God in the Hebrew Bible,” Oxford Companion to the Bible, Bruce Metzger, Ed., p. 548).

“Although the meaning of the name remains subject to debate, Yahweh is most likely a verbal form of Heb. haya (perhaps originally hwy)…Because of the utmost sanctity ascribed to the name, Jews from postexilic times on have declined to pronounce it in public reading, and only the consonants were written (YHWH; the Dead Sea Scrolls use the archaic, ‘paleo-Hebrew’ script). Although the original pronunciation was thus eventually lost, inscriptional evidence favors yahwae or yahwe. The name is represented in the MT by the consonants with the vowel pointing for ‘adonay ‘Lord.’ From this derived ca, the sixteenth century the form ‘Jehovah’ (yehowah). In modern usage pious Jews often substitute the expression has-sem ‘the Name’” (“Yahweh,” The Oxford Companion to the Bible, Bruce Metzger, Ed., p. 1075).

“The scribes reasoned that if they did not point the name Yahweh then it could never be treated lightly since his name would not really be known. Initially the real pointing was probably passed along by tradition, but in time it was lost. In Exodus 20:7 the name Lord is written in capital letters according to the convention of signifying the name Yahweh, but the name as it appears in the Hebrew text is hwhy (yehowa), in which appear the consonants from the name Yahweh (hwhy [yhwh]) and the vowels from the word Lord (ynda [‘idonay]). Proof for the fabricated nature of this word are the two vowels which appear on the waw, an impossibility in Hebrew. However, until the revival of the Hebrew language in western Europe scholars read the consonants YHWH (Germans would read them as JHVH) with the vowels of ‘adonay, thereby originating the incorrect form Jehovah. This word was then introduced into English by William Tyndale and was continued by the King James Version” (The Journey from Texts to Translations, Paul D. Wegner, pp, 172-173).

There are many other scholarly sources supporting that the name of our Heavenly Father is Yahweh. A belief that “Yahweh” arose through a Catholic monk is completely counter to ancient and modern scholarship and should be dismissed by the student of the Bible.

For More info on Yahweh’s Name please check out our post: Literary Support For Yahweh’s Name

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