Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!Proverbs 30:4

The writer of Proverbs 30 asks in verse 4 a series of profound, rhetorical questions that a wise person who has studied the Bible should be able to answer without hesitation.  Are you knowledgeable enough to forthrightly give the correct answers?

What is His Name?  The average person would say it’s “the L-rd” or “G-d.”  However, a close examination of the Hebrew texts reveals that these are not the correct answers.  The word “L-rd” is not a name.  It is a title that has been substituted by Bible translators for the actual name of the Heavenly Father.  In fact, it is title inferior to king or ruler.  The word “G-d” also is not a name.  It is a generic term used for the Almighty, a substitute for the Hebrew term “Elohim.”  Since the translators have for the most part removed His Name, we must dig deeper to learn the answer to this important question.

Back to the Originals

All true translations of the Old Testament are based upon the Hebrew texts of the sacred Scriptures known as the Masoretic Text.  This text was preserved and maintained by a group of Jewish scribes known as the Masoretes.  The Masoretes sought meticulously to protect the exact text handed down to them so as to maintain its purity for future generations.  This important work began after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE (AD) and has remained up until today.  Their work is the base text of the majority of Old Testament translations.

Knowing this, we need only look in the Hebrew text to learn how to answer the question.  We learn that about 7,000 times the one true Name of the Heavenly Father is used.  That name is Yahweh.  This truth can be verified in various dictionaries and encyclopedias.  Here are several examples:

• Funk & Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary lists under “Yahweh”—”In the Old Testament, the national [deity] of Israel.”

• The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary states, “YAHWEH (ya’way). The Heb. tetragrammaton (YHWH)…YAHWEH is now known to be correctly vocalized yahwe…The name Yahweh has been found to be unique to Israel and has not been verified as the name of any deity outside Israel.”

• The Encyclopedia of the Jewish Religion gives the following: “Yahweh:  According to scholarly opinion, the original pronunciation of the TETRAGRAMMATON (YHWH), the particular name of the [Deity] of Israel (also called the Shem ha-Mephorash—‘the explicit Name’)…”

Here are but three witnesses among countless others that verify Yahweh as being the true Name of the Heavenly Father as given in the Old Testament Scriptures.  The Name of Yahweh was so highly revered by the early translators of the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew text done in the third century BCE) that they preserved it in the Greek text.

He Has Only One Name      

Remember the question in Proverbs 30:4 was, “What is His name?”  Notice that it says name (singular) and not names (plural).  That is because our Heavenly Father has only one name and not many.  Let us consider a few scriptures to verify that fact.

“Elohim also said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites, “Yahweh, the Elohim of your fathers–the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac and the Elohim of Jacob–has sent me to you.” This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation’”(Exodus 3:15, NIV).   “I am Yahweh; that is my name!  I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols” (Isaiah 42:8, NIV).

It should now be obvious that our Father in heaven has only one name and that name is Yahweh.  He was known by that name to Moses and the patriarchs of old.  He always has been and always will be known to spiritual Israel by that covenant name.

Yahweh’s Name in the New Testament    

Even though the Name Yahweh is not found in the majority of extant manuscripts of the New Testament Greek text, it should be noted that Yahweh’s Name is referred to by the Messiah and others. Let us consider some of these references.

We find that four times in the Messiah’s prayer in John chapter17 that He refers to the Name Yahweh.  The references are as follows.
“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word” (John 17:6, NASU).

“…Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me…” (John 17:11-12, NASU).

“And I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:26, NASU).
It is obvious from these references that the Messiah not only knew the name Yahweh but He made a point of declaring it to His disciples.  From the age of the Apostles to the end of the age the true disciples of the Messiah will place great significance on the Name Yahweh.  This can be seen clearly in the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation.

“Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads” (Revelation 14:1, NIV).

Those 144,000 saints who are with the Messiah on Mount Zion not only know the name of the Heavenly Father and His Son, they also have those names written in their foreheads.  This is an indication that the names are written in their minds.  Once again we have unshakable proof of the great significance of Yahweh’s Name.

What Name Will You Call On?

What are you going to do now that you can answer the question in Proverbs 30:4 and now that you understand the great significance of the Name of our Heavenly Father?  All sincere seekers of truth need to understand that we are living in the end-times and that knowing and using the Name of Yahweh is important to our salvation.

“I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke.  The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of Yahweh. And everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as Yahweh has said, among the survivors whom Yahweh calls” (Joel 2:30-32, NIV).

In the difficult times ahead will you call upon the Name of Yahweh for salvation?

For more info on The Name of Yahweh, please check out our free booklet: Your Father’s Name

Our Savior said in John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the Truth, your Word is Truth.”  It therefore stands to reason that the truth of this matter can be learned by examining the Word of Yahweh.

The Meaning of the Savior’s Name

By examining the Scriptures we learn that the Israelite leader Joshua had the same name as our Savior.  Hebrews 4:8 reads in the KJV, “For if J-sus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.” The context of this passage shows that this is not referring to our Savior, but rather to the Israelite general who took Israel into the Promised Land.  This evidence supports the fact that the Messiah and Joshua had the same name.

All Hebrew names have meaning, and the name of our Savior is no exception. If we look in Matthew 1:21 we learn the meaning of the Messiah’s name. Again, we quote from the KJV: “And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name J-SUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” The name of the Messiah means “savior” and its meaning is derived from the Hebrew word for salvation.

From Hebrew lexicons we learn the precise meaning of the Savior’s name. The Brown, Driver and Briggs Hebrew Lexicon gives the following definition for the name Joshua: “…Jehovah [Yahweh] is salvation as a proper noun, masculine:

1) a son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan;

2) a resident of Beth-shemesh on whose land the Ark of the Covenant came to a stop after the Philistines returned it;

3) a son of Jehozadak and high priest after the restoration;

4) the governor of Jerusalem under king Josiah who gave his name to a gate of the city of Jerusalem.”

This reference says that the Savior’s name means Jehovah, or (more correctly) Yahweh is salvation.

For a second witness on the meaning of this name we go to the Hebrew Lexicon of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.  The definition there states: “No. 3091, uwcwhy…-from No. 3068 and No. 3467; Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish leader: -Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua. Compare No. 1954, No. 3442.”

This definition verifies our previous definition, and it reveals the root words of this name. The first root given in Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon is No. 3068.  This is the Name of the Heavenly Father.  “No. 3068, hwhyYehovah (yeh-ho-vaw’); from No. 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of G-d: KJV – Jehovah, the L-rd. Compare No. 3050, No. 3069.”

The second root of the Savior’s name is Strong’s No. 3467.  This is the Hebrew word for salvation, “No. 3467, ucy yasha` (yaw-shah’); a primitive root; properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e. (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or succor: KJV -at all, avenging, defend, deliver (-er), help, preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation, save (-iour), get victory.”

From the Scriptures and from these lexicon definitions we learn that the Savior’s name should be translated as, Yahweh is salvation or the salvation of Yahweh.

Yahweh or Adonai?

The name of the Heavenly Father is composed of four Hebrew letters. For that reason it is referred to as the Tetragrammaton. Understand that when James Strong produced his concordance, the popular view among scholars was that the name of the Heavenly Father was Jehovah.

Strong and most scholars of that time were for the most part still following the error of the original English translators who had mistakenly incorporated the vowel points occurring in the Hebrew text into the transliteration. These vowel points had been added by the Masoretes to maintain their belief that the Sacred Name should not be spoken.  The vowel points that were placed there were for the title Adonai (my L-rd).

Traditionally, the Jews read Adonai or Ha Shem (“the Name”) instead of pronouncing the Name of the Heavenly Father.  They believe that “Yahweh” should not be pronounced because it is too holy, being called “the ineffable Name.”  When the reader of the Hebrew Masoretic Text would see the Tetragrammaton, he would be reminded by the vowel points to read Adonai and not Yahweh. This belief is in direct conflict with what our Savior taught on the subject; He openly proclaimed the Name of the Heavenly Father to His disciples.  Consider the following quotations from the Savior’s prayer in John chapter 17: “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word,” v. 6, NASU.

John 17:11-12: “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled,” NASU.

John 17:26: “And I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them,” NASU.

Four times in this prayer our Savior emphasized that He had declared the Name of the Father to His disciples.  Obviously, the Messiah did not follow the Jewish tradition concerning the sacred Name. Scholarship has proven that the name of the Heavenly Father is not Jehovah but Yahweh.

The Correct Pronunciation

When looking at the various pronunciations offered in the lexicons, bear in mind that they are based upon the vowel points that were added by the Masoretes several hundred years after the Messiah’s death to help preserve the Hebrew pronunciations.  The Hebrew texts were originally written without vowel points. In Marks and Rogers Handbook to Biblical Hebrew is the following quotation: “Originally Hebrew had no written vowels; the following consonants, however, were often used to indicate long vowels: a, h, w, y. When the Masoretes introduced their vowel signs, they added their signs to these consonants,” p. 7. Notice that all of the letters that compose Yahweh’s name are listed here.

The Masoretes took certain liberties with the sacred Name because of their belief that it was too holy to pronounce.  For those fluent in Hebrew the vowel points are not necessary for reading or understanding the text.

It must be noted that the same “liberties” that were taken with Yahweh’s Name were also applied to the Savior’s Name in Hebrew.  Because of these corrupted traditions it is necessary to disregard the vowel points when translating these names.  Let’s take a look at these names as they appear in the Hebrew text.

We will first consider the name Yahweh.  In the Hebrew it is written hwhy.  Hebrew is written from right to left.  The English transliteration is YHWH.  These are four vowel letters.  It is not necessary to have vowel points to pronounce this name. The first letter— y (yoth) is pronounced as a long Y sound, like the Y in heavy (an ee sound).  The second letter— h (hay) is pronounced as a short A sound, like the A in father (an ah sound).  The third letter— w (waw) is pronounced as a long U sound, like the OO in food (oo sound).  The fourth letter— h (hay) is pronounced as a short E sound, like the E in met (an eh sound).  When we put these sounds together we get the correct pronunciation of the Heavenly Father’s Name, ee-ah-oo-eh, or as written in English, Yahweh.

The following from the Theological Workbook of the Old Testament is more proof of the true Name: “Yahweh. The Tetragrammaton YHWH, the L-RD, or Yahweh, the personal name of G-d and his most frequent designation in Scripture, occurring 5,321 times in the OT (KJV and ASV, the L-rd, or, in those contexts where the actual title ‘L-rd’ also occurs, G-d, except KJV, Jehovah, in seven passages where the name is particularly stressed (Ex 6:3; Ps 83:18 ; Isa 12:2; 26:4) or combined with other elements, such as Jehovah Jireh (Gen 22:14;  Ex 17:15; Judg 6:24; ASV, consistently Jehovah)… The tetragrammaton YHWH is not ordinarily written with its appropriate Hebrew vowels. But that the original pronunciation was YaHWeH seems probable, both from the corresponding verbal form, the imperfect of its root…”

Putting It Together

According to the previous definitions, the Savior’s Name is the combination of two words.  In the Strong’s Lexicon they are No. 3068—“Yahweh” and No.  3467—“salvation.” When we look at the Savior’s name in Hebrew it is written as ucwhy. Again, Hebrew is written from right to left.  Note the first three letters of this name—why. This is the contracted or abbreviated form of Yahweh’s name, pronounced Yah.

From the Theological Workbook of the Old Testament in regard to Yah:  “YAH. A contracted form of Yahweh. Occurs fifty times (rendered in English as above, except KJV, Jah, in Psalm 68:4, where the name is particularly stressed).

Also numerous proper nouns compounded with shortened forms of the divine name ‘Yahweh, e.g.: Jehonathan, ‘Yahweh has given’; ‘Jonathan,’ a substitute name for the same person (compare Gen 1:1 with 1Sam 14:6,8; 2Sam 17:17, 20 with Gen 1:1-2);  Jehoshaphat, ‘Yahweh has judged’; alternatively, ‘Joshaphat,’ applied only to two subordinates of David (1Chron 11:43; 15:24).”

Furthermore, we can cite the Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon on Yah hy.  This authoritative work shows the two forms of Yah as being hy and why.  It gives several examples in Hebrew showing how these two forms combine with other words to form proper nouns.  Both of these forms are transliterated as Yah.

The Savior’s name is one of the many proper nouns in the scriptures that is compounded with the shortened form of Yahweh’s name, Yah.  In this particular case it combines with the uc form of yahsa (salvation). From this evidence we can conclude that the Savior’s name must be pronounced as Yahshua and not Yeshua.

These facts take on even greater meaning if we consider the prophetic passage which deals with the Philadelphia Congregation of Revelation chapter 3.  This is obviously an end-time congregation since in verse ten they are offered protection during the tribulation. “Because you have kept the word of my perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10, NASU).

These end-time true worshipers were complimented for not having denied the Savior’s Name. Yahshua then tells them that He will cause those of the synagogue of Satan to bow before them. “I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. ‘Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie — I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you’” (Revelation 3:8-9, NASU).

Judaism has for centuries sought to cover up the true pronunciation of Yahweh’s Name. That same false notion has been perpetuated today by those who insist on using the altered form Yeshua, rather than the correct and proper form, Yahshua. Yahshua is truth while Yeshua is error.  Our Savior said that His disciples are sanctified by the Truth,John 17:17.

As sincere seekers of truth, let us follow the example of the Philadelphia Assembly and not deny the name of our Savior.  Let us choose wisely and use the name that means “Yahweh is salvation.”

Above article written by Elder Bob Wirl

Q: “Why do you pronounce the savior’s name Yahshua instead of Yeshua?”

A: Rabbinic tradition suppressed the true Name Yahweh out of a fear of pronouncing the ineffable Name. In Hebrew, Jewish scribes inserted a vowel point, shewa (:) instead of the proper qamets (T), thus changing the sound “ah” in “Yah” to “eh.” This was done to hide the sacred Name and yielded the improper Yehovah and Yeshua, from which the improper “Jesus” arose. This may have been done to avoid offending the Jews and their proscription against even the short form YAH.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Hebrew Dictionary reveals this erroneous vowel pointing of YAH to YEH in the first column of page 48 where the resulting “YEH” is clear. In every name in this column, a shewa (:) appears under the Hebrew letter yod (y:), so that the pronunciation, following the Hebrew spelling, begins with the prefix “YEH.”

The Greek transliteration of the Tetragrammaton YHWH is “EE-AH-OO-EH,”showing the vowel “a” and not an “e” in “Yahweh.”

Even the well-known Hebrew word “halleluYah,” which means “Praise Yah,” employs the “a” and not “e”. You never say “halleluyeh.”  The proper “ah” pronunciation is also found in names of patriarchs, like IsaYah (Isaiah-“Yahweh has saved”) and YeremiYah (Jeremiah-“Yahweh will exalt”).

We must take into consideration the ancient pronunciation of the waw and whether “v”, “w” or “u” as we know them accurately reflect that ancient pronunciation.  The following information is derived from a number of sources, including G.B. Palatino’s Lettere Romane(1545). ‘U’ and ‘W’ are variants of ‘V’ which was being used for two different sounds in medieval England. ‘U’ was introduced to give a soft vowel sound as opposed to the harder consonant sound of ‘V’. ‘W’ began as a ligature. Two ‘V’ letterforms were joined into ‘VV’ to represent ‘double U’ in 12th-century England.  Those who use the “v” form of Yahweh’s Name (Yahveh) should note that the Name is spelled “Yahweh” in almost all academic publications, many by people well-studied in the Hebrew language, including Hebrew speakers. Hebrew linguists believe the third letter waw was in ancient times pronounced as “w” (hence it is named “waw”).

In later Hebrew its pronunciation, influenced by European languages, was changed to “v” and the letter was later called “vav,” according to the Encyclopædia Judaica. The Judaica shows that the semitic languages nearest Israel use the “w” pronunciation as opposed to the “v” pronunciation found in those speakers of Hebrew living in or closer to Europe. Those using the “w” sound include Jews of Babylonia, Yemeni, Morocco, Samaria, the Sephardi (Temple Hebrew) and Portuguese. Those using the “v” sound of “waw” include Hebrew-speaking communities in Italy, Poland, Germany, and Lithuania. These Europeans picked up the Germanic “v” and transferred it to the waw.

The change from W to V is very well known, for example, in most of the continental languages like German (also the descendants of Latin). We know from historical comparisons that direction of change in Latin was from W to V. English has remained faithful to an old W sound for over six thousand years, while it changed to V in Late Latin almost two thousand years ago (but had not yet changed in Classical Latin).  The “w” is formed by putting two “v” letters together, but it is called a double-u because it is made up of two letters originally pronounced as we do the “u.” One needs only to look at old government building architecture with inscriptions bearing a “v” but pronounced like a “u” to see that the “v” was originally a vowel sound like “u” (e.g. bvilding, Jvly).

It was not until the dictionary was published that a decided difference was made between the “v” and the “u.” It is more than coincidence that the U, V, and W occur together in our alphabet; it shows a common relationship that these letters had in derivation and similar pronunciation.

The v is a consonant that some have used for the sound of the Hebrew waw in Yahweh’s Name (Yahveh). The problem is, the waw in His Name was considered a vowel anciently. In fact, all the letters of the Tetragrammaton are called vowels by Josephus (Wars of the Jews, 5.5.556) as well as by Hebrew grammars. Bagster’s Helps to Bible Study also says these are vowel-letters in the sacred Name, “as having been originally used to represent vowels, and they still frequently serve as vowels in combination with the points.” Bagsters says the waw represents the letters o or u.

Another authority says, “The sound of waw a long time ago wasn’t ‘vav’ at all but ‘w’ and ‘w’ is weak. The Yemenite Jews of Arabia who retain an ancient, correct, and pure pronunciation of Hebrew still pronounce the waw as ‘w,’ as does Arabic, the close sister language of Hebrew,” How the Hebrew Language Grew, Edward Horowitz, pp. 29-30. As the online Wikipedia notes:  “There was no ‘U’; instead, there was the semi-vowel ‘V’. There was no ‘W’, although ‘V’ was pronounced as the modern English ‘W’.” As for the “j” in “Jehovah,” the letter J is the last letter to be added to our alphabet. ‘J’ was an ‘outgrowth’ of ‘I’ and was used to give a sound of greater consonant force, particularly as the first letter of some words. It was used interchangeably with the letter “I” at first, showing that its original pronunciation stemmed from the vowel sound of “I” and only later got its “juh” sound through French influence.

The English name “Jehovah” was invented by Roman Catholics sometime in the Middle Ages, based on a misunderstanding of Masoretic Hebrew texts. It is a hybrid word consisting of the Tetragrammaton YHWH (“J” used to be pronounced as “Y”) and the vowels for the word “Adonai.” Though “Jehovah” is used a few times in the 1611 King James Version (e.g., Gen 22:14; Exod 6:3;Isa 12:2; Ps 83:18) and is found in many older Christian hymns, it is not the authentic biblical pronunciation of the sacred Name (For a discussion of the “Jehovah or Yahweh” question see “God, Names of” in Encyclopædia Judaica, vol. 7, col. 680, or George F. Moore, Judaism in the First Centuries of the Christian Era: The Age of the Tannaim (3 vols., Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Univ. Press, 1927-30), vol. 1, p. 219 and note 1, p. 427. Most modern Bible translations have notes on this issue in their introductions, agreeing that the true Name of the Heavenly Father is Yahweh.

La plupart de ceux qui croient en la Bible vivent leur vie sans jamais voir la flagrante incohérence existant dans leur approche du Créateur de l’univers. Contrairement à d’autres religions majeures de ce monde, dont les adhérents utilisent un nom spécifique pour leur divinité, le nom employé exclusivement pour le Père Céleste étant adoré dans la chrétienté est un titre, ou sont des titres, communs et génériques. Alors que les païens fidèles comprennent précisément qui ils adorent, des millions de chrétiens appellent et rendent un culte à leur Créateur par les termes habituels « seigneur » et « dieu », et continuent à demander : « Le connaissez-vous ? »

Le fait évident est que la chrétienté a négligé le Nom révélé et personnel du Père Céleste. Beaucoup ne réalisent même pas qu’Il a un Nom, croyant que le titre Dieu est un nom parce qu’il a une majuscule. Cependant, ils acceptent le fait que des milliers de dénominations différentes rendent un culte avec ces mêmes titres mais avec une pléthore de croyances et de pratiques contradictoires. Ce qui amène à se demander si elles-mêmes Le connaissent ?

Identifiez et connaissez votre Père Céleste !

Hormis ces contradictions, le Nom sacré du Père Céleste est-Il à ce point important ? Cela fait-il quelque chose la manière dont vous L’appelez ? A-t-Il même besoin d’avoir un nom pour rendre un bon culte, comme les divinités des autres religions en ont un ? Certains croient qu’Il sait de qui vous parlez peu importe comment vous L’appelez. Mais ont-ils considéré que refuser de révérer Son Nom personnel démontre un manque de respect à l’égard de Celui qu’ils adorent, de même qu’un mépris flagrant de Sa Parole ? C’est exactement ce qu’Il nous dit dans Malachie 2:2.

En des temps de désespoir, combien de croyants en la Bible tomberaient-ils à genoux et feraient appel à Baal ? Ou Vishnu ? Ou Moloch ? Il est évident que CELA A de l’importance quel nom vous utilisez dans un culte. Les Noms VEULENT dire quelque chose. Les noms identifient un être particulier qui a des traits particuliers et qui est adoré d’une manière spécifique, et qui (en théorie) répond par des voies spécifiques à des cultes précis et bien définis.

En faisant appel à des noms comme Vishnu ou Bouddha, vous invoquez une certaine divinité qui ne doit pas être confondue avec le Tout-Puissant de la Bible. Comment quelqu’un pourrait-il s’attendre à ce que le vrai Père Céleste réponde à des noms de cultes païens ? Plus important encore, à quel point est-Il proche de ceux qui refusent Son Nom personnel, décidant qu’un simple titre est suffisant – un titre adapté à une identité perdue dans un océan de doctrines et de croyances en conflits? Un titre est-il suffisant pour le vrai Tout-Puissant lorsque ce même titre peut tout aussi aisément se référer à d’autres divinités païennes ? Notez ce qui suit.

L’apôtre Paul a écrit : « Pour ce qui est donc de manger des viandes sacrifiées aux idoles, nous savons qu’il n’y a point d’idole dans le monde, et qu’il n’y a qu’un seul [Elohim]. Car, s’il est des êtres qui sont appelés dieux, soit dans le ciel, soit sur la terre, comme il existe réellement plusieurs dieux et plusieurs seigneurs, néanmoins pour nous il n’y a qu’un seul [Elohim], le Père, de qui viennent toutes choses et pour qui nous sommes, et un seul [Maître, Yahshua], par qui sont toutes choses et par qui nous sommes » (1 Corinthiens 8:4-6).

S’il existe plusieurs dieux et seigneurs, comment pouvez-vous distinguer celui qui est adoré avec l’un de ces titres ? Indifférent aux arguments et aux excuses que les personnes vont utiliser, Yahweh le vrai Père dit qu’Il est jaloux de Son Nom, et qu’Il ne permettra pas des louanges à des images gravées ayant comme origines des titres communs (Ésaïe 42:8).

Intimité des noms

Nous, dans la civilisation occidentale, avons pratiquement perdu le sens de l’importance des noms. Pour nous, Johnny vaut tout autant que Tommy. Mais, même dans ce cas, nous pouvons être influencé dans le choix du nom de notre enfant sur base de quelqu’un que nous connaissons et possédant un nom particulier. Ce nom est, dès lors, connecté à une personne – peut-être un père, un grand-père ou un oncle – dont la personnalité et les qualités viennent à l’esprit lorsque le nom est cité ou qu’il y est fait référence.

Rien n’est plus vrai que dans les Écritures. En fait, les noms ont une bien plus grande importance lorsqu’il s’agit de la Bible. Ceci est particulièrement vrai à l’égard de Celui que nous adorons comme Créateur et Soutien de cet univers. Philippiens 2:9 dit que Son Nom Yahweh est au-dessus de TOUT nom. Peu importe ce que nous pouvons penser ou voulons croire, faire appel à Son vrai Nom est d’une importance critique à Ses yeux.

Son Nom révèle Son Identité spécifique. Lui seul est celui qui est connu par Son propre peuple comme le véritable Tout-Puissant appelé Yahweh. Lorsqu’un étranger vous appelle « amis », « monsieur » ou « madame », cela ne vous gêne pas. En fait, vous vous attendez à ce que les gens que vous ne connaissez pas utilisent de tels titres. Mais une fois que vous avez été présentés et que vous donnez votre nom à l’autre personne, vous vous sentez déconcerté si il ou elle continue à vous appeler monsieur ou madame. En agissant de la sorte, votre contact rejette la proximité que, normalement, l’usage de votre nom induirait.

Yahweh ressent la même chose. Une fois que nous connaissons Son Nom, mais que nous persistons à l’appeler par des titres de divinités communes, nous perdons Sa faveur. Son Nom est une marque de proche intimité. Comment certains peuvent-ils prétendre avoir « une relation personnelle » alors qu’ils ne l’appellent même pas par Son Nom ? En faisant une alliance avec Israël, l’une des toutes premières choses que Yahweh a faite a été de Se présenter à eux sous Son Nom personnel. Il voulait et s’attendait à l’intimité que l’usage de Son Nom personnel engendrerait.

Venons-en à des points précis

Lorsque Yahweh proclame par le prophète Ésaïe 42:8 : « Je suis [Yahweh], c’est là mon nom », Il n’a pas dit « c’est l’un de mes noms » ou « tu peux m’appeler comme tu veux, je saurai de qui il s’agit ». Au contraire, Il a dit « c’est là mon nom ». Point. Fin de la discussion. Le psalmiste écrivit à Son propos dans 83:18 « toi seul, dont le nom est [Yahweh]… »

Dans la Bible, quand une personne donne son nom à une autre personne, cela signifie la jonction des deux dans une proche unité. Lorsque Yahweh donna Son Nom à Israël, Il se lia à eux – il s’agissait d’un mariage – l’union la plus proche dont deux personnes peuvent se réjouir. Nous devons, en tant qu’Israël spirituelle et épouse du Messie, porter Son Nom également.

Est-ce une simple coïncidence qu’une femme prend le nom de son mari dans un mariage ? Pourquoi cela ? C’est parce qu’à présent ils sont unis – ils sont devenus une espérance, un but, un engagement en une cause unique dans une famille menée par le mari. (En cette ère de féminisme, il est difficile de dire combien de temps cela va encore être pratiqué). Actes 15:14 nous dit que Yahweh Se choisit, parmi les païens, un peuple spécial «portant Son Nom ». Il est en train de créer une famille à Son Nom : «C’est pour cela que je fléchis mes genoux devant le Père (de notre [Maître Yahshua le Messie]), duquel est nommée toute famille dans les cieux et sur la terre » (Éphésiens13 :14-15, Bible Darby).

Estimé par le Nom

Bibliquement, une personne et son nom sont virtuellement équivalents et inséparables. Le mot « nom » en hébreux est shem. Shemsignifie une marque ou un mémorial – exprimant l’individualité d’une personne. Un nom est la marque de l’honneur (ou déshonneur) d’une personne, son autorité, et son caractère. En fait, un nom décrit et définit tout ce qui concerne la personne. Le Nom Yahweh a une grande importance à cause de ce qu’il définit. Intrinsèquement, le Nom de Yahweh est la véritable parole de vie.

Dans Exode 3:14 Il dit à Moïse : « Je suis celui qui suis,» ou « ha Yah asher ha Yah » en hébreu. Ce qui signifie « Je suis l’existence elle-même ». « Je fais exister toute chose ». Son Nom Yahweh Le décrit, Le définit, et met Ses qualités en évidence comme étant celui qui nous fait exister maintenant, et comme celui qui peut, pareillement, nous donner l’existence éternelle. Joël 2:32 prophétise que le jour viendra où quiconque invoquera Son Nom sera délivré. Cette signification est également intrinsèque dans la définition de Son Nom : « Je suis » ou « Je serai ». « Yahweh » a la connotation « Je serai là (pour toi), » spécialement quand vous avez besoin d’une délivrance.

Son Nom est aussi un Nom de famille. Son peuple, ceux qu’Il a choisi, son appelé de Son Nom : « [Yahweh], écoute ! [Yahweh], pardonne ! [Yahweh], sois attentif ! agis et ne tarde pas, par amour pour toi, ô mon [Elohim] ! Car ton nom est invoqué sur ta ville et sur ton peuple » (Daniel 9:19). Son peuple porte ce merveilleux Nom car ils sont dans une alliance avec Lui – Lui obéissant et Lui plaisant dans tout ce qu’ils font. Il est extraordinaire que Son Nom Yahweh soit présent au moins 6823 fois dans les anciens manuscrits hébreux de la Bible. Cela ne peut simplement pas être ignoré.

L’erreur dans l’argument « Mais je parle le français »

Il y a également l’argument : « Je ne L’invoque pas par Son Nom hébreu parce que je parle le français. » Une personne change-t-elle son nom lorsqu’elle voyage dans des pays étrangers dans lesquels différentes langues sont parlées ? Ou son nom est-il le même où qu’elle aille ? A-t-elle un nouveau passeport à chaque entrée dans un pays ? Ou bien Monsieur Dupont est-il toujours « Monsieur Dupont » dans chaque pays qu’il visite ? Il est évident que son nom reste inchangé, épelé de la même manière peu importe où il se rend.

Quel est l’équivalent français de Barack Obama ? C’est Barack Obama, n’est-ce pas ? Quelle est la forme française de Bill Clinton ? Eh bien, c’est Bill Clinton. Si l’argument est « Je parle le français donc j’utilise des noms français », dans ce cas comment dit-on « Satan » en français ? Satan est la translittération d’un nom des Écritures, comme le sont de nombreux autres. Tout comme Yahweh, le nom Satan est hébreu. La forme française d’Abraham est également Abraham, un nom hébreu directement sorti des Écritures hébraïques et repris pratiquement sans altérations dans nos traductions françaises. Qu’en est-il de Daniel, également un nom hébreu ? Qu’elle est l’équivalent français de Daniel ? Le nom est Daniel évidemment. Et quid de Sarah ou Marthe ?

Tous sont des noms hébreux inchangés dans la traduction française parce que les noms ne se traduisent tout simplement pas. Les noms sont translittérés, c’est-à-dire que l’on fait correspondre, sans changements, les sons d’un langage avec les sons d’un autre langage. Nous n’avons aucuns problèmes à utiliser sans équivalents français ces noms hébreux pour la bonne et simple raison QU’IL N’Y A PAS D’ÉQUIVALENTS FRANÇAIS ! Pourquoi devrait-il en être autrement avec le Nom de Yahweh ? Pourquoi le Nom le plus important de l’univers devrait-il être non seulement altéré, mais complètement remplacé ? (Le terme « dieu » n’est pas, à proprement parlé, un mot français. Il dérive du latin « deus » – se prononce ‘déous’ – issu de la racine indo-européenne « dei wo » et se retrouve dans le nom du dieu grec Zeus – se prononce ‘dzéous’).

Mots et noms communs comprenant « Yah »

L’un des mots de louanges les plus populaire est « alléluia ». Chacun peut l’entendre dans les églises du monde entier. C’est l’un des mots d’exultation existant les plus anciens, et se trouve être un terme purement hébreu (halleluyah). « Hallel » signifie« louange » en hébreu, et « Yah » est la première partie du Nom sacré de Yahweh (c.-à.-d. Yah-weh). Ainsi,halleluYah signifie « louez Yah ». Beaucoup ne réalisent pas que le mot de louange le plus commun contient le Nom même de notre Père Céleste – halleluYah. Nous trouvons particulièrement ce mot sous la forme « alléluia » en français. Mais dans d’autres versions on le trouve sous la formehallelu-Jah, le « j » est toutefois dérivé de l’hébreu yod, qui est une consonne-voyelle équivalent au « y ». Un autre fait que beaucoup ignorent, c’est qu’il n’existait pas de lettre « j » dans les alphabets hébreu, grec ou latin. Pour cette raison la lettre originale ne pouvait pas être un « j » mais un « i » ou un « y ». Le « j » est la lettre la plus récente de notre alphabet et naquit au alentour de l’époque de Christophe Colomb.

Le « j » est simplement un « i » avec une courbe à son extrémité, avec un son « gi » qui n’existe que depuis peu de temps. Le « j » et le « i » étaient utilisés de manière interchangeable jusqu’au XVII^e siècle. Les Écritures reprennent de nombreux noms connus qui contiennent le nom de notre Père Céleste. « Élie » se prononçait « Eliyah », un nom qui signifie « mon El est Yah ». Ésaïe (YehshaYah) est un nom hébreu qui signifie « salut de Yah ». Jérémie (YirmeYah) signifie « celui que Yah a élevé ». Quant à Sophonie (ZephanYah), c’est « caché de Yah ». De nombreux autres auteurs et prophètes furent nommés sur base du Nom Yahweh, montrant le lien profond qu’ils avaient avec Lui.

Les inconsistances de l’argument en faveur du français

Si quelqu’un persiste dans sa position selon laquelle parce que nous parlons français nous ne devrions pas utiliser des formes hébraïques, dans ce cas nous ne devrions pas non plus utiliser les noms ci-dessus parce qu’il s’agit de noms hébreux et que « nous ne parlons pas l’hébreu ». Il ne serait pas juste d’appliquer cet argument uniquement au Nom de Yahweh et pas aux autres noms et mots hébreux de la Bible – comme « sabbat », un nom hébreu, ou « Messie » un autre mot hébreu.

Et quid de toutes les villes des Écritures, comme Jérusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem, et les noms de centaines d’autres personnes, lieux, rivières, mers, déserts, et montagnes ? Tous devraient être transformés en équivalents français pour être consistent avec l’argument appelant à l’usage exclusif du français. Le problème est qu’il n’y pas de formes équivalentes en français pour ces noms hébreux ! Pas plus qu’il n’y a d’équivalent adéquat ou de nom, ou de titre, de substitution pour le grand Nom de Yahweh.

Mais poussons l’argument un peu plus loin.

« Cher Président (sans nom) »

Quel est le nom français pour Yahweh ? Cela pourrait-il être Dieu, avec un « D » majuscule ?

Premièrement, il nous faut comprendre que « dieu » n’est pas un nom mais un titre. Paul dit qu’il y a de nombreux dieux et de nombreux seigneurs. Les titres ne définissent pas d’individus particuliers. Il y a de nombreux présidents dans nos pays – présidents de compagnies, de collèges, présidents de conseils d’administrations, présidents de banques… mais il n’y a qu’un président de General Motors, un seul président d’Harvard, et un seul président de Citibank – et chacun à un nom qui lui est propre.

Si j’écris une lettre qui débute par la salutation « Cher président », celle-ci peut s’appliquer à n’importe lequel de ces présidents. Ce n’est que quand j’inclus le nom avec le titre que je mets en évidence à qui je m’adresse précisément. Si je prie le dieu de ce siècle, Paul dit, dans 2 Corinthiens 4:4, que je pourrais bien prier Satan car Satan est appelé un « dieu de ce siècle », comme le sont des milliers d’autres divinités auxquelles l’homme a rendu un culte tout au long de l’Histoire. Et même dans ce cas, ces divinités avaient des NOMS précis qui étaient liés à leurs titres.

Notre français, langue étrangère

Le mot « Dieu » est-il simplement l’équivalent de «Yahweh » utilisé par les croyants francophones ?

Attend-il de Son peuple que celui-ci change Son Nom en une autre forme plus conforme à la langue qu’il parle ? Cela est-il même possible ? Le Dictionnaire des racines des langues indo-européennes (R. Grandsaignes d’Hauterive, Éditions Larousse, Paris, 1949) dit que « dieu » dérive du Latin deus, ayant lui-même pour racine l’indo-européen dei wo ; la base étant « dei- »signifiant« luire », « briller » –  dei wo = « ciel lumineux » considéré comme une divinité païenne. Ce mot a également donné dios et zeus(prononcé dzéous) en grec.

Le point est le suivant : peut-on dire que « Dieu » est un mot français ? Absolument pas ! Son usage commun en français repose sur d’antiques origines étrangères. Relativement peu de mots français utilisés sont du pur français. Le mot « Français » même n’est pas du français ! « France » vient du germanique « Franko(n) » (Francia en latin), domaine des Francs. Qui étaient les Francs ? Un peuple de guerriers germaniques situé aux abords du Rhin au II^e et III^e siècle, et qui allait dominer la majeure partie des Gaules, de la Germanie et la Lombardie (nord de l’Italie actuelle) après la chute de l’Empire romain au V^e siècle.

Notre langue « française » impure

Le français est un langage qui emprunte de manière très étendue à d’autres langues. L’argument « Je parle français, c’est pourquoi je n’utilise pas de noms hébreux » manque, en fait, d’une base historique. Examinons quelque peu cet argument et voyons combien les racines de notre langue peuvent être peu françaises, et ce par quelques exemples issus de cette phrase :

« Je » vient  du latin populaire eo, lui-même du latin classique ego.

« Français », comme nous l’avons vu, est d’une racine germanique.

« Parler » à pour racine le grec parabola ayant donné le latin parabolare.

« Être » à pour origine l’ancien français estre.

« Noms » vient du grec onoma

« Hébreux » vient de l’hébreu Eber.

Dans les exemples issus de cette phrase « Je parle français, c’est pourquoi je n’utilise pas de noms hébreux » on constate que le verbe « être » est peut-être le seul mot dont on peut dire qu’il est d’origine française. Le fait que l’on souhaite mettre en évidence ici, est qu’on ne peut pas dire que le français soit un langage pur en tant que tel. La majeure partie de ses emprunts vient du grec, du latin, voire de l’arabe et de l’hébreu même. La plupart des mots que nous utilisons en français viennent d’autres langues.

Dans tout ceci, le point important est que le langage n’a pas grand-chose à voir avec le Nom du Tout-Puissant des Écritures. Il était Yahweh avant qu’Il ne place l’homme sur cette terre. Avant qu’il n’y ait eu tous ces langages à Babel, Il était Yahweh. Son Nom transcende les langues. « Yahweh » est la vie personnifiée. Psaume 135:13 dit : « Ton nom subsiste à toujours, Ta mémoire dure de génération en génération. » Son Nom est Son mémorial qui perdure pour toujours.

Le premier commandement est fondamental

Dans Exode 20:2, les Dix Commandements débutent ainsi : « Je suis [Yahweh], ton [Elohim], qui t’ai fait sortir du pays d’Égypte, de la maison de servitude. Tu n’auras pas d’autres dieux devant ma face.» En définitive, tous les faux cultes peuvent être liés à la transgression du premier des dix commandements. Tous les péchés que nous commettons résultent du refus de suivre Yahweh et Sa volonté manifestés en premier lieu dans Ses lois.

Avant de dire quoi que ce soit, Yahweh établit dans le tout premier commandement que LUI est Yahweh notre Tout-Puissant. Ecclésiaste 12:13 énonce cette importante vérité :« Écoutons la fin du discours : Crains [Yahweh] et observe ses commandements. C’est là ce que doit faire tout homme. » Nous continuons avec Exode 20:4 : « Tu ne te feras point d’image taillée, ni de représentation quelconque des choses qui sont en haut dans les cieux, qui sont en bas sur la terre, et qui sont dans les eaux plus bas que la terre. » Les païens ne rendaient pas de culte à une image de pierre en tant que pierre, mais comme une représentation d’une divinité. Il dit : « Ne fabriquez pas ces choses car elles vous rappelleraient d’autres divinités, et Je suis le seul que vous avez à adorer. »

Plus loin, le verset 6 nous dit d’observer les commandements si nous L’aimons et qu’Il nous ferait miséricorde à Son tour. Notez à présent le verset 7 : « Tu ne prendras point le nom de [Yahweh, ton Elohim], en vain ; car [Yahweh] ne laissera point impuni celui qui prendra son nom en vain. »  Que signifie de ne pas prendre Son Nom en vain ? Un juron lorsque vous ratez le clou avec votre marteau et que vous frappez sur votre pouce ? Ou quelque chose de beaucoup plus important ?

Pas dans l’hébreu

« Prendre » est traduit de l’hébreu nasa signifiant « lever » ou « emmener ». « Vain » vient de la racine hébraïque shoaw signifiant« se ruer sur ; dévaster ; ruine » –  fondamentalement,« prendre en vain » signifie « traiter avec négligence ». Lorsque nous remplaçons Son nom uniquement par quelques titres, nous transgressons le Troisième Commandement.

Le commandement dit : « Ne portez pas Son Nom à la désolation » ou « Ne L’ignorez pas par négligence ». Lorsque nous utilisons un titre commun dans le culte, nous perdons l’aspect le plus important de l’identité de Yahweh et ce qu’Il représente ; Ce qu’Il est et ce qu’Il peut faire pour nous. Son Nom décrit l’essence même de qui Il est : Yahweh – Il est l’existence elle-même. Aucun titre ne peut décrire tout ce que Son Nom représente. Un titre annule la raison d’être même d’un nom. Il est juste là comme une étiquette, sans profondeur de sens, n’étant lié à aucune identité particulière.

« Je suis [Yahweh], c’est là mon nom ; et je ne donnerai pas ma gloire à un autre, ni mon honneur aux idoles », dit-il dans Ésaïe 42:8. Lui et Son Nom sont inséparables. Nous espérons que vous prendrez conscience de l’incroyable importance de cette vérité, et que vous en arriverez à connaître votre Créateur par Son Nom personnel et révélé : Yahweh. Imaginez tout ce qu’Il peut et voudra faire pour vous si vous Le mettez à la première place et que vous honorez Son merveilleux et puissant Nom !

Most Bible believers live a lifetime without ever seeing the glaring inconsistency in their approach to the Creator of the universe. Unlike other major world religions, whose adherents use a specific name for their deity, the name employed exclusively for the Heavenly Father worshiped in Christianity is a common and generic title, or titles. While the heathen faithful understand exactly whom they worship, millions of churchgoers call on and worship their Creator by the everyday terms lord and god, and then proceed to ask, “Do you know Him?”

The obvious fact is, churchianity has neglected the Heavenly Father’s revealed, personal Name. Many don’t even realize that He has a name, believing that the title God is a name because it is captialized. All the while they accept the fact that thousands of different denominations are worshiping under these same titles but with a plethora of contradictory beliefs and practices. Which leads one to ask, do they themselves really know Him?

Identify and Know Your Heavenly Father!

Aside from these contradictions, is the sacred Name of the Heavenly Father really that important? Does it matter what you call Him? Does He even need to have a name for proper worship, as the deities of all other religions do? Some believe that He knows who you mean no matter what you call Him. But have they considered that refusing to revere His personal Name demonstrates dishonor for the One they worship, as well as blatant defiance of His Word? He tells us precisely that in Malachi 2:2.

How many Bible believers would fall on their knees in times of desperation and call out to Baal? Or Vishnu? Or Molech? Obviously it DOES matter what name you use in worship. Names DO mean something. Names identify a particular entity who has particular traits and is worshiped in a specific manner and who (supposedly) responds in specific ways to well-defined and proper worship.

By calling on names like Vishnu and Buddha, you have conjured up a certain deity who must not be confused with the Almighty of the Bible. How can one expect the true Heavenly Father to respond to names of pagan worship? More importantly, how close is He to those who refuse His personal Name, deciding that a mere title is sufficient – a title suited for an identity lost in a sea of conflicting doctrines and beliefs? Is a title good enough for the true Mighty One when that same title can just as easily refer to other pagan deities? Notice the following.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol [is] nothing in the world, and that [there is] none other Elohim but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth (as there be gods many, and lords many), But to us [there is but] one Elohim, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we in him; and one Master Yahshua, by whom [are] all things, and we by him” (1Cor. 8:4-6).

If there are many gods and lords, how can you distinguish the one worshiped with one of those titles? Regardless of the arguments and excuses people will use, Yahweh the true Father says He is jealous for His Name, and He will not allow praises to graven images that proceed from common titles, Isaiah 42:8.

Intimacy of Names

We in our Western civilization have nearly lost the significance of names. For us, Johnny is just as good as Tommy. But even then we may be influenced to choose a name for our child based on someone we know who had a particular name. In that case the name is connected to a person – maybe a father or grandfather or uncle – whose very personality and attributes come to mind when the name is spoken or referred to.

Nowhere is this more true than in Scripture. In fact, names have much greater significance when it comes to the Bible. This is particularly so with the One we worship as the Creator and Sustainer of this universe. Philippians 2:9 says His Name Yahweh is above EVERY name. No matter what we may think or want to believe, calling on His true Name is critically important to Him.

His Name reveals His special identity. He alone is the one known by His special people as the true Mighty One called Yahweh. You don’t mind when a stranger calls you “friend,” or “sir,” or “lady.” In fact, you expect those you don’t know to use such titles. But once you are introduced and you give the other person your name, you feel put off if he or she continues to call you sir or lady. In doing so your acquaintance is rejecting the closeness that using your personal name would otherwise induce.

Yahweh feels the same way. If once we know His Name but insist on calling Him by titles of generic deities, we fall out of favor. His Name is a mark of intimate closeness. How can some claim a “personal relationship” when they don’t even call on Him by Name? In making a covenant with Israel, one of the very first things Yahweh did was to introduce them to His personal Name. He wanted and expected the intimacy that using His personal Name would engender.

Getting Down to Specifics

When Yahweh proclaimed through the prophet Isaiah in 42:8, “I am Yahweh, that is my Name,” He didn’t say, “That’s one of my names” or “You can just call me whatever you wish, I’ll know who you mean.” On the contrary. He said, “That is my Name.” Period. End of discussion. The psalmist wrote of Him in 83:18, “… Whose Name alone is Yahweh…”

In the Bible, when a person gave his name to another individual, it signified the joining of the two in closest unity. When Yahweh gave His Name to Israel, He was joining with them – it was a marriage – the closest union two can enjoy. We as spiritual Israel and bride of the Messiah are to take on His Name as well.

Is it just coincidence that a woman takes on a man’s surname in marriage? Why is that? It is because now they are in union – they have become one in aspiration, goal, and commitment to a single cause in a family headed by the husband. (In this era of feminism it’s hard to say how long that will continue to be the practice.) Acts 15:14 tells us that Yahweh takes out from the gentiles a special people “for His Name.” He is creating a family under His Name: “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Master Yahshua the Messiah, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,” Ephesians 3: 14-15.

Esteemed by Name

Biblically, the person and his name are virtually equivalent and inseparable. The word “name” in Hebrew is shem. Shem means a mark or a memorial – expressing a person’s individuality. A name is a mark of a person’s honor (or dishonor), his authority, and his character. In fact, a name describes and defines everything about the person. The Name Yahweh has great significance because of what it defines. Intrinsic to Yahweh’s Name is the very verb of existence.

In Exodus 3:14 He tells Moses: “I am that I am,” or “ha Yah asher ha Yah” in the Hebrew. It means I am existence itself. I cause everything to come into being. His Name Yahweh describes Him, defines Him, and displays His attributes as the one who causes us to exist now and the one who can give us everlasting existence as well. Joel 2:32 prophesies that the day will come when whoever shall call on His Name will be delivered. That meaning is also intrinsic in the definition of His Name: “I am” or “I will be.” “Yahweh” connotes, “I will be there (for you),” especially when you need deliverance.

His Name is also a family Name. His people, His very Chosen, are called by His Name: “O Yahweh, hear; O Yahweh, forgive; O Yahweh, hearken and do; defer not, for your own sake, O my Elohim: for your city and your people are called by your name” (Dan. 9:19). His people take on this wonderful Name because they are in covenant union with Him – obeying Him and pleasing Him in all that they do. Astoundingly, His Name Yahweh is found no fewer than 6,823 times in ancient Hebrew manuscripts of the Bible. It simply cannot be ignored.

The Error in ‘But I speak English’

Then there is the common argument, “I don’t call on Him by His Hebrew Name because I speak English.” Does a person change his name when traveling to foreign lands in which different languages are spoken? Or is his name the same everywhere he goes? Does he get a new passport at each new port of entry? Or is John Doe still “John Doe” in each country he visits? Obviously his name remains unchanged, being spelled the same no matter where he goes.

What is the English equivalent of Franzois Mitterrand? It’s Francois Mitterrand, is it not? What is the English form of Boris Yeltsin? Why, it’s Boris Yeltsin. If the argument is, I speak English therefore I use English names, then what is “Satan” in English? Satan is a name transliterated in Scripture, as are many others. As with Yahweh, the name Satan is Hebrew. The English form of Abraham is also Abraham, a Hebrew name right out of the Hebrew Scriptures and carried over almost unaltered into our English translation. What about Daniel, also a Hebrew name? What’s the English equivalent for Daniel? The name is Daniel, of course. How about Sarah and Martha?

These are all Hebrew names unaltered in the English translation because names simply are not translated. Names are transliterated, meaning that the sounds are brought across unchanged from one language to another. We have no problem with using these Hebrew names without an English equivalent because THERE IS NO ENGLISH EQUIVALENT! Why should Yahweh’s Name be any different? Why should the most important Name in the universe not just be altered, but completely replaced? (The term “god” is not an English word anyway. It derives from the Germanic Gott.)

Common Words and Names with ‘Yah’

One of the most popular words of praise is halleluyah. One can hear it in churches all around the globe. It’s one of the most ancient words of exultation in existence, and is a purely Hebrew term. “Hallel” means “praise” in Hebrew, and “Yah” is the first part of the sacred Name Yahweh (i.e. Yah-weh). Therefore halleluYah means “Praise Yah.” Most do not realize that the most common word of praise contains our Heavenly Father’s very Name—”Hallelu-Yah.” We see this word especially in the form hallelu-jah, but the “j” is derived from the Hebrew yod, which is a consonant-vowel equivalent to the Y. Another fact many overlook is that there was no letter J in any Hebrew, Greek or Anglo-Saxon alphabet. Therefore the original letter could not have been a J but an I or Y. The J is the newest letter in our alphabet and came into existence about the time of Christopher Columbus.

The “J” is merely an “I” with a tail on it, with a “juh” sound that evolved only recently. The “J” and “I” were used interchangeably until the 17th century. Scripture records many well-known names that contain the name of the Heavenly Father. “Elijah” was not pronounced that way in the Scriptures. It was “Eliyah,” a name that means, “my El is Yah.” Isaiah (YeshaYah) is a Hebrew name that means “salvation of Yah.” Jeremiah (YirmeYah) means “whom Yah raises up,” and Zephaniah (ZephanYah) is “hidden of Yah.” Many other writers and prophets were named after Yahweh, showing the close bond they had with Him.

Inconsistencies in Argument for English

If one sticks to the position that because we speak English we should not use Hebrew forms, then we shouldn’t use the forementioned names, either, because they are Hebrew names and “we don’t speak Hebrew.” It would not be right to apply that argument just to Yahweh’s Name and not to all the other Hebrew names and words in the Bible – like “Sabbath,” a Hebrew name, and “Messiah,” another Hebrew word.

What about all the cities in the Scriptures, like Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem, and the names of hundreds of other people, places, rivers, seas, deserts, and mountains? These would all need to be changed to English equivalents to be consistent with the argument calling for the exclusive use of English. The problem is, there are no equivalent English forms for these Hebrew names! Neither is there an adequate equivalent or substitute name or title for Yahweh’s great Name.

Let’s pursue this argument a bit further.

‘Dear (Nameless) President’

What is the English name for Yahweh? Can it be G-d, with a capital G?

First, we must realize that “god” is not a name but a title. Paul said there are gods many and lords many. Titles do not define specific individuals. There are many presidents in our country – presidents of corporations, colleges, board presidents, bank presidents…but there is only one president of General Motors, only one president of Harvard, only one president of Citibank – and each has a specific, identifiable name that he answers to.

If I wrote a letter addressed, “Dear President,” it could apply to any one of these presidents. Only when I include the name with that title do I reveal whom I am specifically addressing. If I pray to the god of this world, Paul in 2Corinthians 4:4 says that I could be praying to Satan because Satan is called a “god of this world,” as are thousands of other god deities man has worshiped throughout history. Even then, those deities had specific NAMES attached to their titles.

Our Foreign, English Language

Is “God” simply an equivalent for “Yahweh,” used by English-speaking, Bible believers?

Does He expect His people to change His Name to some other form according to the language they speak? And is that even possible? The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) says “god” derives from the Dutch god, stemming from the Old High German, gott.It sprang from the Gothic guth, going back to the Teutonic gudo, which stems from two Aryan roots – one meaning to invoke, the other to pour in the sense of a molten image.

The point is, can we say that God is an English word? Far from it! Its common English usage belies ancient foreign origins. Relatively few of the words we use in English are in fact pure English. The word “English” itself isn’t even English! England is from “Englaland,” land of the Angles. Who were the Angles? Germans from the lowlands of Germany who settled in eastern England in the 5th century (see “English,” OED)

Our Impure ‘English’ Language

Our Impure ‘English’ Language

Our Impure ‘English’ Language

English is a melting pot language that borrows extensively from many languages. The statement, “I speak English so I don’t use the Hebrew name,” is reasoning that lacks a historical basis in fact. Let’s analyze that statement and see just how “nonEnglish” the roots of our language really are. Discovering the origin of each of the words in that simple sentence proves enlightening indeed:

I = the letter I is the ninth letter of the alphabet, coming through the Latin from the Greek and ultimately from the Semitic or Hebrewyod – the first letter in Yahweh’s Name.
speak = from the German sprechen
English = a proper noun based in German, as already shown
so = akin to the Gothic swa
do = traces to sanskrit which was spoken in India
not = Old English nought, cognate to several Old Saxon and French formations
use = from Latin asus         
the = from Teutonic and Indo-European forms
Hebrew = Hebrew Eber, one who “crosses over.”
Name = Greek onoma .

In the statement, “I speak English, so I do not use the Hebrew Name,” the word “not” is the only one of those 10 words that is English in origin. English is not by any stretch a pure language. Much of it is from the Romance languages, and vast numbers of its words derive from Greek and Latin (and ultimately Hebrew). Most of the words we use in English come from some other language.

The point in all of this is that language has very little to do with the Name of the Mighty One of the Scriptures. He was Yahweh before He put man on earth. Before there were all these languages from Babel, He was Yahweh. His Name transcends language. “Yahweh” is existence personified. Psalm 135:13 says, “Thy Name endures forever, your memorial throughout all generations.” His Name is His memorial that endures for all time.

First Commandment Is Foundational

The Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:2 begin, “I am Yahweh your Elohim which brought you out of the Land of Egypt. You shall have no other mighty ones before me.” All false worship can ultimately be traced to a violation of this first of the Ten Commandments. Every sin we commit results from not putting Yahweh and His will, manifested by His laws, first.

Before He says anything, Yahweh establishes in the very first commandment that HE is Yahweh our Mighty One.Ecclesiastes 12:13 bears out this important truth: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear Yahweh and keep His commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man.” We continue in Exodus20:4: “You shall not make into you any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” Heathens did not worship a stone image as a stone, but as a representation of some deity. He says don’t manufacture these things because they will remind you of some other deity, and I am the only one you are to worship.

Moving on, verse 6 tells us that if we love Him to keep the commandments and He in turn will show mercy to us. Now notice verse 7: “Thou shalt not take the name of Yahweh your Elohim in vain.” What does it mean to take His Name in vain? Curse when you miss the nail with a hammer and smash your thumb? Or something far more significant?

Not in the Hebrew

“Take” is the Hebrew nasa, meaning to lift or bring to. Vain comes from shoaw, to rush over, bring to devastation, uselessness, waste – basically “take in vain” means to treat with neglect. When we trade His name exclusively for some title, we are breaking the Third Commandment.

“You shall not bring His Name to desolation or ignore it through neglect,” the com- mandment says. When we use a common title in worship, we are missing the most important aspect of who Yahweh is and what He stands for; what He is all about and what He can do for us. His Name describes the very essence of who He is – Yahweh: He is existence itself. No title can mean all that His name stands for. A title defeats the purpose of a name. It just sits there like a pasted-on label, with no depth of meaning and tied to no particular identity.

“I am Yahweh, that is My Name, and My glory will I not give to another,” He says in Isaiah 42:8. He and His Name are inseparable. Our hope is that you will grasp the awesome importance of this truth and will come to know your Creator through His personal, revealed Name Yahweh. Realize all that He can and will do for you if you will put Him first and honor His wonderful and powerful Name!

Now a push to unite all worship into monolithic, New Age religion is accomplishing its goals in the same way—exploiting key words that are important to proper worship and redefining them for mass consumption and unholy ends.

In the 44th chapter of Jeremiah we find our Heavenly Father Yahweh completely disgusted with His people and ready to wash His hands of them. We see a once exceedingly patient Father who has finally had enough of His rebellious children who insist on worshiping their own way no matter what.

After all the prophets He had sent to warn them, after all the trials they failed to overcome and the plagues and hardships they endured for their disobedience, nothing ever really changed.

Now the people say in defiance to the prophet, “As for the word that you have spoken unto us in the name of Yahweh, we will not hearken unto you. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goes for out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil” (Jer. 44:16-17).

Here Judah is openly reprobate and contemptuous, like a bratty child who acts up just as soon as his parent’s back is turned. These rebellious people are still wanting to worship the heathen gods. No matter what Yahweh says or does, they lust to follow the apostasy of the majority religions around them.

Yahweh decides it’s time for some drastic steps. Go ahead, then, Yahweh tells them. Keep your promise to worship in error—like the heathens around you. But know this, you may no longer use my Name. Notice:

“Therefore hear the word of Yahweh, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name, says Yahweh, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, Yahweh Elohim lives” (Jeremiah 44:26).

This is punishment for their refusal to worship Him in truth. He does not want His name tied to them or their sin of rebellion.

I follows, therefore, that for Judah to return to True Worship would mean that Judah would have to return to using His Name.

Name Identifies True Worship

The lesson for us comes down to this: You cannot worship properly without using His proper, personal Name. His Name defines the Father as well as the one worship that is uniquely His. The only True Worship in the Bible is done in and through His revealed Name.

We learn in Revelation 7:3, 14:1, and 22: 1-4 that the 144,000 faithful who are sealed in the end days are sealed with His Name in their foreheads. His Name separates True worshipers from the false and will give them literal protection from tribulation in the latter days.

Notice what James told the people gathered at Jerusalem: “Simon Peter has declared how Elohim at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name” (Acts 15:14).

The heathens had to come out of their false worship and adhere to the true Name. True Worship and His Name go together and cannot be separated.

Those who know the true Name but insist on using replacement titles are still in spiritual Egypt, in essence still sacrificing to the Queen of Heaven because they have not come to know the true Father, which comes from using His personal Name.

I there is one truth that is clearly shown throughout Scripture it is this: His Name and True Worship go hand in hand, they cannot be separated. He prohibits man from substituting His Name just as He disallows any worship other than what He prescribes.

By showing us in Jeremiah 44 that apostate worshipers are not allowed to use His Name, He is also showing us that only in His Name can one worship in truth.

The true Name is not just a matter of His “knowing who we mean” when we worship or call on Him. It is more than identity. His Name is the difference between being in the truth and being outside the truth. It’s the difference between worship that pleases Him and worship that provokes Him.

This truth is as difficult for some to accept as it is for them to accept the Sabbath over Sunday. It is nothing more than 2,000 years of entrenched tradition that has them confused. All they need to do is allow Yahweh to work with their hearts—show them the truth—and they will see the difference.

His Name identifies His people as it defines the right way of worship.

The prophet wrote: “O Yahweh, hear; O Yahweh, forgive; O Yahweh, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my Elohim: for your city and your people are called by your Name” (Daniel 9:19).

Names in our culture are mostly labels. Not so with Yahweh. His Name signifies the one and only true Heavenly Father as opposed to the false deities of apostate worship. His Name is a true means of identification, a link to the only true Creator.

The simple lesson for Israel and for us is this: Reject True Worship and you reject His name. The reverse is also true: Reject His Name for a substitute one, and you no longer have the authentic, True Worship of the Scriptures. The two are inseparable.

Danger in Name Apathy

Names and words are powerful in ways you may not have considered. Is there any danger to the notion that any name is acceptable in worship of our Heavenly Father?

Aside from keeping us from the truth, the typical nonchalance regarding the Heavenly Father’s Name and His atypical worship is part of the general indifference that will open the door to the universal, false religion to take control soon. At the heart of this system will be a demon-backed religious leader who will demand worship on a worldwide scale.

A book called New Age Bible Versions details how the way is being paved for the great deception. It reveals that the newer translations of Scripture are taking important words and terms associated with pure worship and generalizing them to appeal to a broad spectrum of worshipers.

Highly publicized recently is the taking of male references to Yahweh in Bibles and religious song books and replacing them with general references and pronouns like “She” for “He” (as worship of the ancient, feminine goddess Sophia returns to churchianity).

Ultimately, attempts will be made to include everyone of every faith under a single, global religion. To accomplish that, the wording in new Bibles will help to ease many into further false worship.

The move is subtle now; once churchianity is rendered even more pliable, however, the complete yielding to a one-world religion will come rapidly.

Paving the way for this universal religion is a reorienting of beliefs through the manipulation of words. Unaware of what is happening, the masses accept new terminology that moves them further from what truth they had.

Titles That Thrill Satan

Turn to Luke 4:8. This is Yahshua’s response to Satan’s invitation to fall down and worship the Evil One: “And Yahshua answered and said unto him, Get behind me, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship Yahweh your Elohim, and him only shall you serve” (Luke 4:8).

The KJV says “L-rd thy G-d.” The Aramaic or Hebrew, which Yahshua spoke, reads, “Yahweh your Elohim.” But even in the Greek, Yahweh’s Name would have remained unchanged.

If Yahshua actually said, “Lord thy God,” Satan would have been delighted. Why? Because He could have been referring to Satan himself. The Apostle Paul calls Satan the “god of this world” in 2Corinthians 4:4. In Matthew 12:24 Satan is called Beelzebub, which is another term for “Lord of the Flies.”

In effect our English translation says: it is written, you shall worship the lord god—which could just as well be Satan—and him only shall you serve!

We can see how the Adversary delights when people are led to worship in common titles today. Doing so removes them from the true Father and a false one is put in His place through a generic and incorrect identification.

Any time we are not worshiping Yahweh in His true Name, we are in danger of invoking false mighty ones manufactured by the Father of lies himself—even if done in ignorance.

Change the name of the one you worship and you change WHO you worship and the WAY he is worshiped. Substitute a universal title and remove yourself from the True Yahweh. It is not simply a matter of semantics; it is not simply a choice between two alternatives. It is a matter of true versus false identification—and proper worship versus erroneous worship!

That is why Yahweh characteristically introduces Himself by Name first, then specifies precisely what worship He expects: “I am Yahweh: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isa. 42:8). In Exodus 3, Yahweh tells Moses that His Name is Yahweh, then proceeds to explain how He will bring Israel out of the sin of Egypt. They would come to know True Worship, including the Holy Days, after they first learned His personal Name.

Power Through Words

We establish our beliefs through language. Language can inspire, convict, and challenge, as in the way Yahshua used it; or it can be used to manipulate and subjugate, as despots have done over the centuries. Words can sway emotion and opinion, as in a good movie or a good book.

Even husbands, wives, and children know what the wrong word or the right word can mean in their relationships.

The use of general titles like god and lord promote universalism, which is exactly the opposite of the True faith. True Worship is narrow, specific, well defined, and includes a relatively few faithful identifying the true Father by name (Matt. 7:14).

The way of error leading to destruction is broad and many will be walking on it, Yahshua said (v. 13). One way this is accomplished is by the argument that it does not matter what we call Him. Any name or title is acceptable.

As explained, titles like god and lord are general and apply to many different mighty ones, even to Satan himself. Pagan idols as well are called by the same titles commonly used as names for the Heavenly Father.

Titles do not fix personal identity. They are like the generic “human being.” To call on “G-d” is like calling your neighbor “the person.”

Today’s New Babel

Even the sacred Name of the Creator Himself can lose its significance when we allow others to manipulate with words and substitute names.

The human-centered, humanistic movement that began in the Renaissance is finally succeeding in eliminating the very language of sin, which derives from a higher power. We hardly ever hear in general society terms like “immorality,” “living in sin,” “fornication,” “virtuous,” and the like, anymore.

Today man has decided to set his own standards of what is right and proper. Sin and any references to it are out, because sin recognizes a Father above, and that directly conflicts with the idea that man himself is all-knowing.

Our culture is building a new Tower of Babel, where everyone speaks the same language of moral relativism. This movement is out to change the way people think about the issue of right and wrong itself by changing their language and how right and wrong are expressed. Forces working behind the scenes have seized on the power of language to promote their own agendas.

It’s all part of a revamping of Bible-based beliefs—to replace traditional and Biblical morality with humanistic beliefs. This in turn will prepare the way for the universal Man of Sin.

Instead of Biblical standards, we have today “political” correctness. As one author wrote, “Political correctness is an attempt to eliminate freedom of speech for those who hold traditional values and religious beliefs. It is overt social censorship designed to stifle the truth.”

But even greater implications are those that tamper with the very nature of Almighty Yahweh and His Word. Satan is out to obliterate Yahweh and the truth of Him in a final push to prepare for His own Antimessiah.

Not just everyday words but even the Word of Yahweh is being molested and modified for an unrighteous end. A recent report notes that a prominent publisher is packaging its Bibles for worldwide distribution with the insignia, “Good News for a New Age.”

Even more disturbing is how new versions are fiddling with the text itself.

Satan as God

Those who misunderstand the significance of words and names tell us that it doesn’t matter what you call the Heavenly Father. They say, “He knows who you mean” regardless. Oddly, however, those who tell us this exclusively employ the same “L-rd” and “G-d” titles, which by their universal use amount to false, replacement names.

Having been removed from the Name Yahweh, which identifies the True Mighty One of this universe and the specific worship He demands, modern worshipers have unwittingly accepted a generic title that takes them away from the only True Worship connected with His Name as well.

Not surprisingly, Satan has usurped this title. New Age and satanic writings describe Satan in terms that sound Biblical, calling Him the Divine God, saying Lucifer is God, the bringer of light, the savior of the world.

This fact will help to fulfill the prophecy of Revelation 13:4:

“And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

But how could it happen? Quite easily. The masses are already calling on their mighty one with the same terms and titles honored in both Christianity and Satanism.

Yahweh’s Unheeded Warning

A little more deception and they simply transfer the titles from one being to another! By definition, titles can apply to any number of persons or beings.

Thus is the final fulfillment of Deuteronomy 32:17: “They sacrificed unto devils, not to Elohim; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.”

There are many new “gods” coming up in this age of the New Age. Our society is becoming increasingly taken over by pagan worship and its many false deities.

But the biggest is yet to show. The very worship of the Antimessiah all starts with violating the warning in Exodus 23:13, which is just as applicable for us today as for Israel 3,000 years ago:

“And in all [things] that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of your mouth” (Exodus 23:13).

Yahweh knew clearly what He was doing by giving us this warning. He is Yahweh Almighty, the only True Father above. His Name defines Him and His name identifies Him, just as it does those He calls His People—who are called by His Name, Isaiah 43:7.