What is God’s Name?
Do you know Almighty God’s name? His name isn’t God, Jesus, Lord, Adonai, or Father. While He is our God, Lord, and Father—these are some of His roles—they aren’t His personal name.
God revealed His personal name to Moses as YHWH. Although the name YHWH occurs 6827 times in the Hebrew scriptures, Jews and Christians today don’t know how to pronounce YHWH, and modern English Bible translators universally replace YHWH in the Bible with the word LORD. As a result, we Christians have almost-totally lost the importance of God’s name YHWH in our faith. Why is the name YHWH important?
God Wants His Disciples to Know His name.
If we don’t know His name, we cannot:
- Exalt His name – Isaiah 24:15
- Call on His name – Joel 2:32, Zechariah 13:9
- Fear His name – Isaiah 59:19, Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:11
- Do all in His name – Colossians 3:17
- Minister in His name – Deuteronomy 18:7
- Bless in His name – 2 Samuel 6:18
- Come in His name – Psalm 118:26
- Curse in His name – 2 Kings 2:24
- Know His name – Psalm 9:10, 83:18, Jeremiah 16:21
- Praise His name – Psalms 113:1, 122:4, 135:1
- Walk in His name – Micah 4:5, Zechariah 10:12
Yeshua Revealed God’s Name to His Disciples
Yeshua made the Father’s name known to His disciples, and Yeshua protected them using God’s name. In the Garden of Gethsemane, on the night before He was crucified, Yeshua prayed:
“I have made Your name known to the men whom You gave Me out of the world…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, 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…O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 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.” (from John 17:6-26)
How Should We Pronounce God’s Name?
There is power in God’s name, and there’s evidence (detailed in the video series linked below) early Christian disciples used God’s name to heal and work signs and wonders. Out of jealousy, by the year 150 AD, Jewish leaders forbid people from speaking the name, excommunicating Jews who spoke the name YHWH. In the centuries since then, they said that YHWH doesn’t have vowels, and therefore nobody can be sure how to pronounce it. Today, Jewish and Messianic Christian disciples still substitute “Adonai” (Lord) or “HaShem” (the Name) instead of pronouncing Almighty God’s name. These manmade traditions are why almost all English Bibles today substitute the word “LORD” in the 6827 places where the original Hebrew text says YHWH.
Over the centuries people speculated how to pronounce YHWH—they inserted vowels to create the various forms we’ve all heard: Yahweh, Jehovah, Yahuwah, etc.
This series of videos presents compelling scriptural evidence for the correct vowels (and pronunciation) of God’s holy name – Ya-ho-vah, with a slight emphasis on the last syllable. This evidence is in (at least) 227 ancient Hebrew scripture manuscripts, and they all agree.
Why is it Important to Use God’s Name?
The World Uses Generic Terms
People commonly refer to the Almighty as “the Lord” or “God.” But, what most people don’t realize is that the pagan word Ba’al also means ‘lord,’ and Satan is the ‘god of this world.’ And so, by avoiding the use of God’s personal name Yahovah, people make their praise, prayer, and faith generic. The word “God” can, therefore, refer to a multitude of spiritual entities—whichever one you and your listeners prefer. Yahovah isn’t directly addressed or glorified, even though that may be a person’s intent.
It’s politically correct in the secular world for people to say, ‘God bless you,’ or ‘thank God’ for something. Politicians and celebrities commonly use these terms, without specifying which god they’re referring to. Similarly, many false ‘ministers’ generically mention ‘god,’ but they’ve learned (or been forced by their organization) to avoid saying the name of Jesus, for fear of offending a non-Christian. To them, the generic term ‘God’ is inclusive and acceptable, but the name ‘Jesus’ is divisive.
Disciples Use Specific, Personal Names
As disciples of Yeshua, the Son of Yahovah, the Living God, the Almighty, we need to be specific and personal in the use of divine names. Yeshua taught us to pray to the Father:
“Abba, Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name—Yahovah.”
When we use His name, Yahovah, we’re being specific and personal concerning who we’re addressing and glorifying, and there’s power in His name.