Who is God? What do you
mean when you use this term? What does someone else mean when they use it? How
do you know what they mean? How do you praise His name?
There’s great
confusion in the world today about “God”. Everyone seems to talk about "God". Many claim Him as their “Supreme Being” – but…
In the course of human
history there are thousands of references to hundreds of different
gods and goddesses. Some of their names are familiar, and some are not. Some of
their names are mere variations of the original. But somewhere every “god” or "goddess" has
a specific name by which they are known. And there are specific ideas which are associated with them.
As an example, let me just
identify a few familiar names that almost anyone would recognize: Buddha,
Allah, Confucius, Horus, Amen Rah, Zeus, Astarte, Athena, Mars, Mercury,
Saturn, Thor, Odin, Hermes, Hercules, etc. I think you get the idea. You know
many of these names, if not all of them.
It's very important to be certain which "god" or "goddess" you believe in and worship. The nature and character of your god affects everything you do in relation to that god. If you worship a particular god, then you'd best know what that god stands for and why you're following that one instead of another one. Not all "gods" are the same. They represent different ideas, principles and concepts. If you're going to commit your life to following one, you'd better understand what they represent. If you don't know these things it's pretty meaningless to say you follow them, because you don't even know what they stand for, and without that knowledge you can't know why you are following that particular one.
Now, do you know the
personal name of your god? Is your god The God of Israel; The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Is your god the God of The Bible or perhaps the G-d of the Torah? Is He known to you as simply "God", The LORD, G-d, Ha-Shem, Adonai, Heavenly Father, etc.
Perhaps you know Him by one or more of these titles, but do you know His personal name?
- And if
you don’t know it, why don’t you know it?
This is a vitally
important subject for every Christian and Jew. God, or G-d, as most refer to Him, has a
unique and special personal name. That name is specially and deeply connected to His character, His nature. We are told to worship in His name, praise His name, keep His name holy, honor and bless His name, etc. But how can you really do
these things if you don’t even know His name?
There are books written
about “the names of God”. I have several of them on my bookshelves. Yet if you
examine these “names” you will very quickly discover they are not “names” at
all. The God of Israel, the God of The Bible, does not have many different
names. He has only one specific “memorial” name that is to be remembered for
every generation – for all eternity, past, present, and future. And He has
personally declared what that name is in His Word (The Torah, The Scriptures, The Bible).
It is
absolutely astonishing that most of the very people who claim to worship God and
adore Him as their “God” have no idea what His personal name is.
What’s
in a Name?
Most people refer to Him by
his titles, or His attributes, but not by His personal name. To understand this
concept I ask you to consider calling everyone you encounter only by their title, i.e. -
Mister, Miss, Ms, Mrs. Sir, Son, Daughter, Brother, Sister, Uncle, Aunt,
Mother, Father, Cousin, etc.
If you did this you would
eliminate the uniqueness attached to each person. No one would have any
individuality. In a room full of people there would many who could answer to
such a title, and in many cases everyone in the room could answer to virtually
any of these titles. The point is this: if you’re not specific in identifying
the person to whom you are speaking (or referring), who will know you are
speaking (or referring) to them? There is no clarity in your speech.
Sadly, this is
precisely what most people do as they speak to, or about, “God”. Many don’t
seem to even know which “god” they are speaking about. They don’t know his
character, his nature, his teachings, his desires, etc. And many do not know what "god" they really believe in. They just want some kind of help
for a problem they’re dealing with, and they don’t know where else to turn. So
they cry out to “God” – "The Man Upstairs", "The Big Guy in The Sky" - whatever that means; whoever that is.
I was watching a news
report on television the other day. They had a Muslim cleric from Lebanon on
the program. He was discussing “God”, (the captions had it capitalized
exactly this way). He was justifying the actions of some other Muslims by using
the term “God”. They were portrayed as acting on “God’s behalf. They were
among those who are willing to kill themselves and others as a “duty” to “God”.
I don’t know about you, but
this is not the same “God” I believe in, worship, pray to, hope in, etc. And I
am deeply opposed to the idea of having my “God” even remotely associated with
his “God”. They are not the same, and never will be. His “god” is Allah. My
“God” is YAHWEH! Praise be to YAHWEH!
We have reached a crucial
point in world history. We have millions of people believing in gods that are
not gods at all. Allah is the corrupt invention of one man, Mohammed, who stole
many ideas about Allah (The Moon God) from the Jewish traditions he learned as
a youth. He created a new “god”, even claiming him to be the god of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob.
Allah is not, was not, and
never can be the same as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He did not
“exist” until long after these men were dead. So how could he be their “god”?
He is the fictional creation of a delusional man. He is not a real “god” at
all.
There are gods of wood,
stone, and metal. There are gods that are rivers, cows, or birds, etc. The
Egyptians worshipped the dung beetle and many other gods. The Philistines worshipped golden
hemorrhoids. Countless nations worshipped the sun, the moon, or the stars. There are others who are of mere mental construct, a fiction of
someone’s imagination.
Most of them are not alive;
they have no life in them, no breath in them, no ability in them to do or to be
anything except what their very essence allows. Most are inanimate objects that have absolutely no life in them whatsoever. They cannot speak. They cannot move. They can do nothing at all, except sit in one place. Often, there are many different copies of the same "god". They're supposed to represent that "god", but they are mere copies, and not gods at all. Yet they are still called “gods”, because some people
foolishly believe they are something more than what they really are.
The gods of ancient Greece,
mythical heroes, are but fictions. They never existed, and do not exist now.
Strangely, many can clearly remember their names. They know they “were
gods”. Interestingly, even the Greeks had a place for “the unknown god”. Paul
was able to teach them some things about who this unknown god really is – the
God of Israel, the God of The Bible. He is the living God, the One who has life
in Himself. He is the one who created all that exists, and sustains it every
moment. Paul taught them His name.
Today it seems many people worship this “unknown God”. They don’t know His name. To them He’s just “God”.
His personal name is virtually unknown. That’s tragic. His name has been
“stolen” from history, edited out of the historical record at many points. Most crucially, His name has been edited out of His own Word to His people - The Torah, The Scriptures, The Bible. In its place we are given "surrogates", replacements, substitutions! This is an abomination!
How has this happened? It’s
been done primarily through the use of the “traditions of men”. Tradition has
declared His name to be “ineffable”; too sublime and too holy to even mention
it. Proscriptions were established against using it under the guise of some
claim that it was being “protected”.
Seriously, do you truly
believe The God of all creation, the One who spoke everything into being, needs
anyone to protect His name? Who are you kidding? He’s all-powerful,
all-knowing, all-mighty, eternal, glorious, supreme above all else. Who is
going to prevent Him from protecting His own name? He is certainly capable of
doing that all by Himself, if indeed He wants it protected. But this fiction is
the creation of man’s traditions. It’s not His desire at all.
Quite contrary to man’s
traditions, He has declared what His personal name is, and how it is to be
treated. There are numerous Scriptures dealing with these matters, if you
choose to look for them. The revelations that come when you do this are
astounding when compared to the absence of His name among the very people who
claim to worship and honor and serve Him.
But lets’ bring this down
to a practical level. If you are going to present an honor to someone, perhaps
in the form of a plaque or a trophy, will you just put their title on it, without putting their name on it? Surely
you’d never be so rude and unthinking as to do such a thing to someone to whom
you wanted to give a special honor. Yet this is exactly what we do when we
refer to God without using His personal name. We show Him virtually no honor.
We treat him as less than a person.
This is tragic. This is
actually shameful. How can you properly worship and serve someone as “The
Supreme Being” and not know His personal name?
Here’s the
essence of the problem:
IF YOU DO NOT KNOW
HIS NAME:
How can you worship
Him “in His name”?
How can you serve
“in His name”?
How can you pray “in
His name”?
How can you teach
“in His name”?
How can you baptize
“in his name”?
How can you heal “in
his name”?
How can you bring
others to salvation “in His name”?
IF YOU DON’T KNOW
HIS PERSONAL UNIQUE NAME,
how can you do anything
“in His name”?
The
Meaning of a Name
In the Hebrew culture one’s
name identified the nature, personality, and/or purpose of the person. It
represented their character, their authority, and their identity. To the
Hebrews, the name, in essence was
the person. If the name was there they considered the person associated with
the name to be there also, in some sense at least, even though they might be
physically miles away. The name and the person were inseparable. It's as if
without a name they didn’t really exist.
This perspective is
essential for one seeking to understand The Word of “God”. The prime examples
are The Tabernacle and The Temple. As long as God’s name was there it was
believed His presence was there. If another name was placed upon The Temple it was
no longer seen as the “House of ‘God’”. It belonged to someone else. This
actually happened at certain points in the history of the nation of Israel.
It’s recorded in Scripture. The name of another “god” was put upon this
building, and it desecrated The God of Israel, because it removed His name. He
was no longer to be seen as being in residence there. The new "god" was now in residence in the Temple.
God
Is A Victim of Identity Theft
Now we come to the real
heart of the problem for the Christian and Jewish communities. The personal
name of “God” (G-d, or Adonay, The LORD, etc.) has been removed from His
Word. In its place there are
multiple substitutes. We’ve been
told they are His “names”, yet virtually all of them are mere titles. They are
not names at all. Several of them are simply names of places, not names of
“God”.
Perhaps you can understand
this better if you consider the basic problem with identity theft today. Someone
steals the name of another and perpetrates fraud by using that name as if it
were their own name. In essence, they replace their own name with that of
another. It’s a substitute name.
It’s not real. Then they use that substitute and try to convince others this is
their real name, and they then steal the “authority” of that person – they use
“the other person’s name”.
This is virtually identical
to what has happened with the personal name of God. A substitute “name” has
been given to Him. In this case, it’s not even a name at all, it’s a title. I think you get the basic idea. Someone falsely misrepresents something as
being the personal name of God – and perpetrates fraud upon countless
unsuspecting persons. This action brings dishonor upon God’s name, just as identity
theft brings dishonor upon the person whose name has been stolen and
misrepresented.
Because of the information
I need to present next, it’s essential that I identify God’s personal name. His
personal name is YAHWEH. You’ll see
it used in the comments that follow. I’ll explain where this information is
found, and its significance, as we continue.
Listed below are some
of the terms that are often used as God’s “names”. These are treated as names based on the traditions of men. I’ve included the
definitions of these terms from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance so you can see
for yourself what they mean. You can verify this information as well by
checking other reference books that carry virtually the same information.
His
name is not “God”
Total words translated as “God” in the KJV Bible = 4444.
Total number of different words thus translated – 13
Hebrew, 16 Greek.
Insertions – 66. The word was inserted into the text with no word
in the original text to provide a basis for it.
Not all of them mean “God”.
Not all of them are applied to “God”.
Only 308 are directly connected to His personal name. Each of them
is mis-translated. (More on this in a moment.)
H3068 Yhwh hDwøh◊y = 4
3068. hDwøh◊y Yhwh; from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal;
name of God:
—the
Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
H3069 Yhwh hIwøh◊y = 304
3069. hIwøh◊y Yhwh; a variation of 3068 (used
after 136, and pronounced as 430, in order to prevent the repetition of the same sound, since
elsewhere 3068 is pronounced as 136): —God.
136. yÎnOdSa }Adonay, ad-o-noy´;
am emphatic form of 113; the Lord (used as a proper name of God only): —(my) Lord.
(This is not
a proper name of God. Strong is in error on this.)
113. NwødDa }adown, aw-done´;
or (shortened) NOdDa
}adon, aw-done´; from an unused root (meaning to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine):
—lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with “Adoni-”.
430. MyIhølTa }elohiym, el-o-heem´; plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used
(in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God;
occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a
superlative: —angels, x exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), x (very) great,
judges, x mighty.
Notes:
1. Pay special attention to the definition given in #3069. Note that when it is used with 136 it’s pronounced as 430 – not as it should be pronounced normally, but for a specific reason that’s based only on “the traditions of men”. Otherwise, it’s pronounced as 136, Adonay. Hmm, this seems odd, does it not? Why would you pronounce a term as something different if deception is not involved? Read the definitions given for 136, 113, and 430. You will immediately see there’s a real problem here.
2. In Strong’s Concordance there typically is a (: -) in the definitions, followed by one or more additional terms. It’s important to identify that those words after the (: -) are the words that are found in the KJV translation into English. These are words that are actually used in the text of the scriptures in connection with this Hebrew or Greek term. They are often rather different from the proper definition given. They are not to be considered as part of the definition itself, however.
His
name is not “The Lord”.
Total words translated as “Lord” in the KJV Bible - 7,836.
Total number of different words thus translated - 9 Hebrew, 5
Greek.
Insertions – 17. The word was inserted into the text with no word
in the original text to provide a basis for it.
Not all of them mean “god”.
Not all of them are applied to “God”.
Only two of these are directly related to His personal name. Both
are mis-translated (See His name is not God above).
H3068 Yhwh
hDwøh◊y (variant)
3068. hDwøh◊y Yhwh; from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; name of
God:
— the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
H3069 Yhwh hIwøh◊y = 1
3069. hIwøh◊y Yhwh; a variation of 3068 (used after 136, and
pronounced as 430, in
order to prevent the repetition of the same sound, since elsewhere 3068 is
pronounced as
136): —God.
His
name is not Jehovah.
Jehovah is a perversion of
His name, with a very long history that reveals it is a total fabrication. To
begin with, the letter J was never part of the Hebrew language. In fact, it
didn’t even exist in the English language until about 500 years ago. (See Letter “J”) There are countless
articles in numerous books, dictionaries, lexicons, concordances, etc. that
confirm the false nature of this term as the name of God.
The
compound names often used in connection with Jehovah are also not names of God. In most cases they are not even titles
for Him, but rather are names of places. For more information please see , Jehovah - Wrong from the Start.
His
name is not Elohim.
The very first verse of
Scripture states:
Gen. 1:1 In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and
the earth.
These opening words may
lead one to believe that Elohim is the name of the Creator. But this term is
not a name. It is used of any so-called “deity. It is a title, or description,
but it is not a name. It means mighty, or mighty one. Perhaps “mightiest” is
more accurate.
Given below are the
definitions from Strong’s Hebrew Concordance that pertain to these terms. You
can see for yourself the meanings attributed to them.
430. MyIhølTa }elohiym, el-o-heem´; plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense;
but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the
supreme God; occasionally
applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:
—angels, x exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), x (very) great, judges, x mighty.
433. ;AhwølTa }elowahh, el-o´-ah; rarely (shortened) ;AhølTa }eloahh, el-o´-ah} probably prolonged (emphat.)
from 410; a deity or the Deity: —God, god. See 430.
410. lEa }el, ale; shortened from 352; strength; as adjective, mighty;
especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity): —God (god), x goodly, x great, idol,
might(-y one), power, strong. Compare names in “-el.”
352. lˆyAa }ayil, ah´-yil; from the same as 193; properly, strength; hence, anything strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or other strong tree: —mighty (man), lintel, oak, post, ram, tree.
In the very beginning it
was not necessary to discriminate which “mighty one” was intended, for there
was only One. Yet even before man was created and placed within the creation
it’s clear that there was a need to identify more fully who this was.
Gen. 2:4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they
were created, in the day that YAHWEH, the Mighty One (Elohim), made the earth and the heavens…
Most of you, when you pick
up your Bible and read this verse, will find something like this: “the LORD God”. You need to understand that this is not what the original text contained. Because of teachings
based upon human tradition, and not upon
he Word of YAHWEH, men replaced the Hebrew, YAHWEH Elohim - My™IhølTa h¶Dwh◊y, –with the words “the LORD God”.
This was done under
the pretext of “honoring” YAHWEH by refusing to allow His personal name to be
spoken, among other things. But, I repeat, this actually dishonors YAHWEH by
removing His personal name from His Word, making it very difficult for His
people to know His truth. Here’s a glimpse of what was done:
The
Jewish Encyclopedia (p. 203) states (emphasis added):
“from
a reverential feeling that the Name ought not to be pronounced except with
consecrated lips and to consecrated ears, the substitute ‘Lord’ came into use.” It then goes on to add: 1) Yet
this simple measure, introduced to guard the Name against profane use, formed
one of the most powerful means of securing to the Biblical God the universal
character with which He is invested as the Lord of Hosts and the Ruler of men
and nations. YHWH, as the God of Israel, might still be taken as a tribal God; The
Lord is no longer the God of one people; He is Lord of all the world, the
Only One.
Ancient Greek translators, following this lead, substituted the name Yahweh with kyrios (Lord) and theos (deity) in both the Septuagint and New Testament books. Subsequent Latin versions, like the Vulgate, followed suit, replacing Yahweh with Dominus (Lord).
From
the Revised Standard Version we
read:
“…the
use of any proper name for the one and only God, as though there were
other gods from whom He had to be distinguished, was discontinued in Judaism
before the Christian era and is entirely inappropriate for the universal faith
of the Christian Church.”
RSV, p. vii
What’s vitally important is that this is a perversion, an alteration, of the Word of YAHWEH. Scripture strictly forbids this practice. YAHWEH will not treat this offence lightly.
Ex. 20:7 “You shall not take the name of YAHWEH, your mighty One (Elohim), in vain, for YAHWEH will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
Deut. 4:2 You shall not add to the word which I (Moses) command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of YAHWEH (the LORD) your Elohim (God) which I command you.
Deut. 5:22 “These words YAHWEH (the LORD) spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.
Deut. 12:32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
Ps. 89.3 “My covenant I (YAHWEH) will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.”
Prov. 30:6 Add not to His words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
Eccl. 3:14 I know that, whatever Elohim (God) does, it shall be forever: nothing can be put (added) to it, nor any thing taken from it: and Elohim (God) does it, that men should fear before Him.
Mal. 3:6 “For I, Yahweh, do not change.”
Rev. 22:18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the
prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, YAHWEH (God) will add to
him the plagues that are written in this book; (19) And if any man shall take
away from the words of the book of this prophecy, YAHWEH shall take away his
part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this
book.
Note: This is the final book of the Scriptures. It can be understood that this
refers to the entire Scripture record.
The
Personal Name of The Creator
There is one particular passage where Elohim (God) declares specifically and unequivocally what His personal name is. This passage is the most important of all for identifying this personal name, .but it is not the only passage that does so.
Ex. 3:13 And Moses said unto Elohim (The Mighty One), Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and shall say to them, The Elohim (The Mighty One) of your fathers has sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, “What is His name?” What shall I say unto them? (14) And Elohim (The Mighty One) said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM (Literally - I am the Eternally Existing One, or, I am Eternal Existence): and He said, Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, I AM (The Eternally Existing One) has sent me to you. (15) And Elohiym said moreover unto Moses, Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, YAHWEH (Hebrew – hDwøh◊y - YHWH), Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob, has sent me unto you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial unto all generations.
I AM - 1961. hÎyDh hayah, haw-yaw; a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary): —beacon, x altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, x have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, x use.
Memorial -
2143. rRk´z zeker, zay´-ker; or rRk‰Rz zeker, zeh´-ker;
from 2142; a memento, abstr. recollection (rarely if ever);
by implication, commemoration: —memorial, memory, remembrance, scent.
2142. rAkÎz zakar, zaw-kar´; a primitive root; properly, to mark
(so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; also (as denominative from 2145) to be
male: —x burn (incense), x earnestly, be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful,
recount, record(-er), remember, make to be remembered, bring (call, come, keep,
put) to (in) remembrance, x still, think on, x well.
YHWH - 3068. hDwøh◊y Yhwh; from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; name of God: —the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
3069. hIwøh◊y Yhwh; a variation of 3068 (used after 136, and pronounced as 430, in order to prevent the repetition of the same sound, since elsewhere 3068 is pronounced as 136): —God.
This is very clear. There is no doubt or confusion. God has a personal name. It is YAHWEH. It is His name FOREVER! It is His “memorial” unto ALL generations – past, present, and future. It is His eternal name.
The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary comments: (p. 425)(Emphasis added)
God’s self-revelation in history is underscored by the giving of his name, in Semitic thought tantamount to disclosure of his true character.
This dictionary adds: (p. 747)
The name conveys the authority of the person even when absent. To speak or act in another’s name is to participate in that person’s authority (1 Sam. 17:45; 25:9; Acts 4:7). The principle is that of prophecy and revelation (Exod. 3:13–14; Deut. 18:19; John 5:43). God’s name reveals his character and salvation in which people may take refuge (Ps. 20:1 [MT 2]; cf. Isa. 25:1; 56:6); to treat God’s name as empty is to despise his person (Exod. 20:7).
Listed below are some additional passages that speak of His personal name:
Ex. 15:3 YAHWEH is a man of war: YAHWEH is his name.
Prov. 30:4 Who has ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His son’s name, if thou can tell?
Is. 42:8 I am the YAHWEH: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
Is. 43:15 I am YAHWEH, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.
Is. 44:6 Thus
says YAHWEH, the King
of Israel, and His redeemer, YAHWEH of Assemblies; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no elohim (god). (7) And who, as I,
shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for Me, since I appointed
the ancient people, and the things that are coming, and shall come. Let them
show it to them? (8) Fear not, neither be afraid: have I not told you from that
time, and have I not declared it? You are
even my witnesses. Is there an eloah (god, deity) besides me? Indeed, there
is no Rock (tsuwr - rock, strong one); I know not any.
6697. r…wx tsuwr, tsoor; or rUx tsur, tsoor; from
6696; properly, a cliff (or sharp rock, as compressed); generally, a rock or
boulder; figuratively,
a refuge; also an edge
(as precipitous): —edge, x (mighty) God (one), rock, x sharp, stone, x
strength, x strong. See also 1049.
6696. r…wx tsuwr, tsoor; a primitive root; to cramp, i.e. confine
(in many applications, literally and figuratively, formative or hostile):
—adversary, assault, beset, besiege, bind (up), cast, distress, fashion,
fortify, inclose, lay siege, put up in bags.
Note: The reference to the Rock is a powerful theme in Scripture. It is used often to refer to YAHWEH. Many times the concept is connected to protection, to fortresses, etc.
Is. 45:5 I am YAHWEH, and there is none else (nothing exists), there is no elohim (god) besides Me: I girded you, though you have not known Me, (6) that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides Me. I am YAHWEH, and there is none else. (7) I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I, YAHWEH, do all these things.
Note: “none else” is repeated twice – a confirmation of the
meaning, a provision of two witnesses to the Truth.
none - 369. NˆyAa }ayin, ah´-yin; as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle: —else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare 370.
else - 5749. d…wo {uwd, ood; a primitive root; to duplicate or repeat; by implication, to protest, testify (as by reiteration); intensively, to encompass, restore (as a sort of reduplication): —admonish, charge, earnestly, lift up, protest, call (take) to record, relieve, rob, solemnly, stand upright, testify, give warning, (bear, call to, give, take to) witness.
5750. dwøo {owd, ode; or dOo {od, ode; from 5749; properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more: —again, x all life long, at all, besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer, (any) more(-over), x once, since, (be) still, when, (good, the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet (within).
Is. 45:21 Proclaim it, and bring them near. Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, YAHWEH? And there is not another elohiym (god) besides Me; a just God (El) and a Savior; There is none besides Me. (22) Look unto Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God (El), and there is none else. (23) I have sworn by Myself (the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return) that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
410. lEa }el, ale; shortened from 352; strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity): —God (god), x goodly, x great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong. Compare names in “-el.”
3467. oÅvÎy 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: —x at all, avenging, defend, deliver(-er), help, preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation, save(-ior), get victory.
Is. 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am El (God), and there is none else; I am God (Elohim – plural form, in unity), and there is none like Me, (10) declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done; saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure:”
Is. 48:12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, My called; I am He; I am the first, I also am the last.
Is. 48:17 Thus says YAHWEH, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am YAHWEH, your Elohim (God), Who teaches you to profit; Who leads you by the way that you should go.
Is. 49:26 And I will feed them that oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunk with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, YAHWEH, am your savior and your redeemer, The Mighty One of Jacob.
Amos 5:8 Seek Him that makes the seven stars and Orion, and turns the shadow of death into the morning, and makes the day dark with night: that calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the face of the earth: YAHWEH is His name.
Amos 9:6 It is He that builds his stories in the heaven, and has founded His troop in the earth; He that calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the face of the earth: YAHWEH is His name.
Note: The NT uses theos for “God”. Yet these verses reveal that YAHWEH is “God”, The Father. Hence, theos in the NT means the exact same thing. It should be translated as YAHWEH.
Luke 1:49 For He that is mighty (elohim) has done great things to me; and holy is His name.
John 20:31 But these are written, that you might believe that YAHUSHUA is The Messiah, the Son of YAHWEH; and that believing you might have life through His name. (Through the name of YAHWEH.)
James 3:9 With it we bless YAHWEH, even the Father; and with it we curse men, who are made after the similitude of Thee Elohim. (as Adam was)
Lies and
false writings
The warnings are many
concerning the issue of altering YAHWEH’s Word. Likewise, there are many
warnings concerning false teachers and promoters of lies. Here are a few of the
verses that identify these issues:
Jer. 8:5 Why has
this people slidden back, Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding? They hold
fast to deceit. They
refuse to return. (6) I
listened and heard, but
they do not speak aright. No man repented of his wickedness, saying, “What have I done?’ Everyone
turned to his own course,
as the horse rushes into the battle. (7) “Even the stork in the heavens knows
her appointed times; and the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow observe the
time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of YAHWEH (the LORD). (8) “How can you say, ‘We
are wise, and
the law of YAHWEH (the LORD) is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works
falsehood. (9) The
wise men are ashamed; they are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected
the word of YAHWEH
(the LORD), so what wisdom do they have?
Jer. 16:19 YAHWEH (O LORD), my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come to You from the ends of the earth, and shall say, “Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.” (20) Shall a man make gods unto himself, but they are not gods? (21) Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know; I will cause them to know My hand and My might; and they shall know that my name is YAHWEH (The LORD).
Jer. 17:1 The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is engraved upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
Names of
Other gods
Ex. 23:13 “And in all that I have said to you, be circumspect and make no mention of the name of other gods, nor let it be heard from your mouth.
1Cor. 8:2
But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he doesn’t yet know as he ought to
know. (3) But if anyone loves YAHWEH (God), the same is known by Him. (4)
Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no
idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other elohim (god) but one.
(5) For though there are things that are called “gods,” whether in the
heavens or on earth; as there are many “gods” and many “lords;” (6) yet to us
there is one elohim (God), The Father, of whom are all things; and we are for
Him; and one Sovereign (Lord),
YAHUSHUA (Jesus), The
Messiah (Christ),
through whom are all things; and we live through Him.
There are a couple of other things to address before we conclude this article. There is another name that does appear in Scripture. In the KJV it appears as JAH. In a few other translations it also appears as YAH. I have included the details on this below so you can understand what it represents. Following that is a review of Isaiah 9:6, which is often used as a basis for claiming God has other names. I'll let the information presented speak for itself.
JAH – Properly, YAH
JAH is a perversion of YAH. YAH is a variation, often considered to be a contraction, of YAHWEH. The “J” presents a problem, since there is no “J” in Hebrew. This is, therefore, an incorrect translation, and this is well established in the literature. See Letter “J”.
Ps. 68:4 Sing unto Elohim (God), sing praises to His name: extol Him who rides upon the heavens by His name, YAH (JAH), and rejoice before Him.
3050. ;hÎy Yahh, yaw; contraction for 3068, and meaning the
same; Jah, the sacred name:
—Jah, the Lord, most vehement. Compare names in “-iah,” “-jah.”
Note: This occurs only in Ps. 68.4 in the KJV.
Special Case - Isaiah 9:6
Some will perhaps point to
Isaiah 9.6 and claim there are other names for God. However, this verse does
not change the name of YAHWEH or YAHUSHUA, either one, nor does it really
provide different names for them.
Shem can also refer to one’s character or
honor, not just to one’s personal name. That appears to be what’s indicated
here – character. The name of YAHWEH does not change, for YAHWEH does not
change; nor does the name of YAHUSHUA, The Messiah (Jesus).
Is. 9:6 For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given: and the government (empire, kingdom, or rule) shall be upon His shoulder (neck): and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, Everlasting (Eternal) Father, Prince of Peace.
Now, read it as follows and
see if this makes sense to you:
Is. 9.6 For unto us a child
is born; unto us a son is given. And the Supreme Rule shall be upon His
shoulder (upon Him - i.e. - shall be His burden). And His character shall be
proclaimed as: Miraculous, Counselor, Mighty Warrior, Eternal Father, King of
Salem (pointing to the future reign in the New Jerusalem.)
None of these are names.
Each describes an aspect of His character. The definitions are given below so
you can read them for yourself. When you remember that the context of any verse
is crucial to its understanding this verse takes on a whole new meaning.
government:
4951. h∂rVcIm misrah, mis-raw´; from 8280; empire: —government.
Webster’s Dictionary: Empire = supreme rule; absolute power or
authority; dominion
8280. h∂rDc sarah, saw-raw´; a primitive root; to prevail: —have power (as a prince).
shoulder:
7926. MRk◊v shkem, shek-em´; from 7925; the neck (between the shoulders) as the place
of burdens;
figuratively, the spur of a hill: —back, x consent, portion, shoulder.
7925. MAkÎv shakam, shaw-kam´; a primitive root; properly, to incline (the shoulder to a burden); but used only as denominative from 7926; literally, to load up (on the back of man or beast), i.e. to start early in the morning: — (arise, be up, get (oneself) up, rise up) early (betimes), morning.
name:
8034. M´v shem, shame; a primitive word (perhaps rather from
7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064); an
appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor,
authority, character:
—+ base, (in-) fame (-ous), named (-d), renown, report.
called:
7121. a∂r∂q qara}, kaw-raw´; a primitive root (rather identical with
7122 through the idea of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e.
properly, address by name,
but used in a wide variety of applications): —bewray (self), that are bidden,
call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention,
(give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read,
renowned, say.
7122. a∂r∂q qara}, kaw-raw´; a primitive root: to encounter, whether accidentally or in a hostile manner: —befall, (by) chance, (cause to) come (upon), fall out, happen, meet.
Wonderful (a miracle), Counselor (advice, counsel), mighty el (God - Mighty Warrior), everlasting (eternal) Father, The Prince of Peace.
6382. aRlÚRp pele}, peh´-leh; from 6381; a miracle: —marvelous thing, wonder(-ful, -fully).
6381. aDlÚpD• pala}, paw-law´; a primitive root; properly, perhaps to separate, i.e. distinguish (literally or figuratively); by implication, to be (causatively, make) great, difficult, wonderful: —accomplish, (arise...too, be too) hard, hidden, things too high, (be, do, do a, show) marvelous(-ly, -els, things, work), miracles, perform, separate, make singular, (be, great, make) wonderful(-ers, -ly, things, works), wondrous (things, works, -ly).
3289. XAoÎy ya{ats, yaw-ats´; a primitive root; to advise; reflexively, to deliberate or resolve: —advertise, take advise, advise (well), consult, (give, take) counsel(-lor), determine, devise, guide, purpose.
410. lEa }el, ale; shortened from 352; strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity): —God (god), x goodly, x great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong. Compare names in “-el.”
1368. rwø;b…ˆg gibbowr, ghib-bore´; or (shortened) r;Ob…ˆg gibbor, ghib-bore´; intensive from the same as 1397; powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant: —champion, chief, x excel, giant, man,
mighty (man, one), strong (man), valiant man.
1397. rRb…‰Rg geber, gheh´-ber; from 1396; properly, a valiant man or warrior; generally, a person simply: —every one, man, x mighty.
5703. dAo {ad,
ad; from 5710; properly, a (peremptory)
terminus, i.e. (by
implication) duration, in the sense of advance or perpetuity (substantially as a noun, either with or
without a preposition): —eternity, ever(-lasting, -more), old, perpetually, +
world without end.
5710. h∂dDo {adah, aw-daw´; a primitive root; to advance, i.e. pass on or continue; causatively, to remove; specifically, to bedeck (i.e. bring an ornament upon): —adorn, deck (self), pass by, take away.
1. bDa }ab, awb; a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application): —chief, (fore-) father(-less), x patrimony, principal. Compare names in “Abi-”.
8269. rAc sar, sar; from 8323; a head person (of any rank or class): —captain (that
had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper, lord, ((-task-))master,
prince(-ipal), ruler, steward. (A
KING is the chief ruler of a kingdom or empire)
8323. rArDc sarar, saw-rar´; a primitive root; to have (transitively, exercise; reflexively, get) dominion: —x altogether, make self a prince, (bear) rule.
7965. MwølÎv shalowm,
shaw-lome´; or MølÎv shalom, shaw-lome´; from 7999; safe, i.e. (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health,
prosperity, peace: —x do, familiar, x fare, favor, + friend, x great, (good)
health, (x perfect, such as be at) peace (-able, -ably), prosper(-ity, -ous),
rest, safe(-ty), salute, welfare, (x all is, be) well, x wholly.
7999. MAlÎv shalam, shaw-lam´; a primitive root; to be safe (in mind, body or estate); figuratively, to be (causatively, make) completed; by implication, to be friendly; by extension, to reciprocate (in various applications): —make amends, (make an) end, finish, full, give again, make good, (re-)pay (again), (make) (to) (be at) peace(-able), that is perfect, perform, (make) prosper(-ous), recompense, render, requite, make restitution, restore, reward, x surely.
At this point it should be
abundantly clear to you that Christians and Jews alike have been given some
very misleading and confusing information. It’s time to correct
things. It's time to proclaim the name of YAHWEH, and that of His Son, YAHUSHUA, clearly and accurately. This needs to begin with the family of YAHWEH. Please go to Serious Bible Errors for more detail on this very important matter.
The time has come for every
person who claims to believe in “God” to take personal responsibility for what
they believe. (This has really always been the case.) There is simply no good
reason today for ignorance of the Truth. We have available to us all the tools
we need to rediscover what The Word of YAHWEH says to us. It’s time to use
those tools and time to dispel the myths of tradition.
May His NAME,
YAHWEH, be honored and praised for all eternity!