Why Do We Not Use The Name Of God YHVH?

[Douglas Hendrickson]

Name of God? For wat?
Probably a new name, probably SUMTHYNG LIKE.

I like tat on.

 

[Douglas Hendrickson]

Ah, you didn't like JEEZUS. That's all righty. Sounds like a swear word when I typed it. I can see that.

That is how we say it though. I don't pray using that spelling.

You probably don't pray at all - since you make it all about you.
Since Your Jeezus.

(Are yE sure - it's knot Jeesus (Or "G's us" for shore.)

 

[FredVB]

Name of God? For wat?

The issue comes up, because the name was used the most frequently in the original writing of the scriptures, the Hebrew scriptures. In these, certainly in Exodus 3:15, God, shown by this name, which was surely "Yahweh", required the name be known for remembering, in all generations, with revealing himself with this name. There is nothing wrong with referring to Yahweh, as I do, while seeking obedience to him, trusting in Christ for needed righteousness.

 

[Stillicidia]

He kinda doesn't care. He let you know his name, and then we floundered it.

I will tell you God is ok, Lord is ok, Father is ok, Dad is ok. He wants you to call him Dad. Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is ok, the Father of Lights is ok, the Great Creator is ok, but not just "creator" because there are peoples unseen who can go by that.

 

[FredVB]

It is not that "He kinda doesn't care", God cares as it shows with it shown in Exodus 3 verse 15, besides the rest of the almost 7000 times the name is shown in the revealed scriptures. God said to Moses, "You shall tell the children of Israel this, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations." It was always known that with traditions of men the name as revealed would be forgotten in pronunciation, yet that was still said for it, so the name is still known by some, with it to be used in remembrance. Of course it is fine to use the reference "God", "Lord", and "heavenly Father", none of those contradict or eliminate importance of remembering the revealed name of Yahweh. God is actually the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. I use the term of Creator, which God is, and without saying "great" with that saying "Creator" with the capitalized initial letter in writing only God is meant, as the Creator could and did create from nothing preceding being there, as no people can do, and people are only creators if they are in an inferior sense, such as I would be.

Referring to God as "Dad" is not revealed from scriptures, and certainly not "Daddy" as some say, and even if you were told that is the meaning of "Abba", it is not.

 

[Jaxxi]

Why use 'God' or 'Lord' when those aren't names?

There are a few reasons. The first being that we cannot pronounce it correctly. The second being that we are not pure enough beings to utter the name of God. We are so far from being perfect, and as much as we sin we simply are not worthy. Another reason is it keeps us safe from using the Lords name in vain. As much as the word God is already used in vain, do you think humans can actually be trusted with the Lords real name? Hardly. Even Jesus Christ never called Him by His real name...as we do not call our parents by their real names...we use Mom and Dad. So it is also a sign of respect.

 

[FredVB]

It is important to individuals to have truth to share in what they communicate. So still knowing this I am sorry to need to tell you that every point you made in that post is in error, even though some people think in those ways. Or was God wrong when saying "This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations", and with it still known that with traditions of men the name as revealed would be forgotten in pronunciation, yet that still said for it. The way of saying it right must still be around then, and I trust those with expertise saying "Yahweh" was the most likely pronunciation, I have also seen there is ancient Greek writing of that name corresponding to that pronunciation. People in the Bible were not perfect, and it did not mean they could not speak his name. And fi is wrong to use the word God speaking it in vain, which I say it is too, whether the name "Yahweh" is used or not is not relevant to the commandment for that being violated, not sauying the name does not make any safe from using it in vain, it does disrespect him to do nothing to remember his name for all generations. And Jesus did make his name known, as we are told in the Bible.

 

[Der Alte]

It is important to individuals to have truth to share in what they communicate. So still knowing this I am sorry to need to tell you that every point you made in that post is in error, even though some people think in those ways. Or was God wrong when saying "This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations", and with it still known that with traditions of men the name as revealed would be forgotten in pronunciation, yet that still said for it. The way of saying it right must still be around then, and I trust those with expertise saying "Yahweh" was the most likely pronunciation, I have also seen there is ancient Greek writing of that name corresponding to that pronunciation. People in the Bible were not perfect, and it did not mean they could not speak his name. And fi is wrong to use the word God speaking it in vain, which I say it is too, whether the name "Yahweh" is used or not is not relevant to the commandment for that being violated, not sauying the name does not make any safe from using it in vain, it does disrespect him to do nothing to remember his name for all generations. And Jesus did make his name known, as we are told in the Bible.

It has often been said that the correct pronunciation of the tetragrammaton יהוה/YHWH was lost. But according to the Jewish Encyclopediia this is incorrect.

Jewish Encyclopedia - Names of God
Of the names of God in the Old Testament, that which occurs most frequently (6,823 times) is the so-called Tetragrammaton, Yhwh (יהוה), the distinctive personal name of the God of Israel. This name is commonly represented in modern translations by the form "Jehovah," which, however, is a philological impossibility (see Jehovah). This form has arisen through attempting to pronounce the consonants of the name with the vowels of Adonai (אדני = "Lord"), which the Masorites have inserted in the text, indicating thereby that Adonai was to be read (as a "keri perpetuum") instead of Yhwh. When the name Adonai itself precedes, to avoid repetition of this name, Yhwh is written by the Masorites with the vowels of Elohim, in which case Elohim is read instead of Yhwh. In consequence of this Masoretic reading the authorized and revised English versions (though not the American edition of the revised version) render Yhwh.
In appearance, Yhwh (יהוה) is the third person singular imperfect "kal" of the verb ( הוה ("to be"), meaning, therefore, "He is," or "He will be," or, perhaps, "He lives," the root idea of the word being, probably, "to blow," "to breathe," and hence, "to live." With this explanation agrees the meaning of the name given in Ex. iii. 14, where God is represented as speaking, and hence as using the first person—"I am" (אהיה, from ( היה, the later equivalent of the archaic stem ( הוה). The meaning would, therefore, be "He who is self-existing, self-sufficient," or, more concretely, "He who lives," the abstract conception of pure existence being foreign to Hebrew thought. There is no doubt that the idea of life was intimately connected with the name Yhwh from early times. He is the living God, as contrasted with the lifeless gods of the heathen, and He is the source and author of life (comp. I Kings xviii.; Isa. xli. 26-29, xliv. 6-20; Jer. x. 10, 14; Gen. ii. 7; etc.). So familiar is this conception of God to the Hebrew mind that it appears in the common formula of an oath, "hai Yhwh" ( חי־יהוה = "as Yhwh lives"; Ruth iii. 13; I Sam. xiv. 45; etc.).
If the explanation of the form above given be the true one, the original pronunciation must have been Yahweh ((יהוה) or Yahaweh (יהוה). From this the contracted form Jah or Yah (יה ) is most readily explained, and also the forms Jeho or Yeho (יהו ), and Jo or Yo (יו contracted from יהו, which the word assumes in combination in the first part of compound proper names, and Yahu or Yah (יהו) in the second part of such names. The fact may also be mentioned that in Samaritan poetry יהוה rimes with words similar in ending to Yahweh, and Theodoret ("Quæst. 15 in Exodum") states that the Samaritans pronounced the name Iαβέ. Epiphanius ascribes the same pronunciation to an early Christian sect. Clement of Alexandria, still more exactly, pronounces 'Iαουέ or 'Iαουαί, and Origen, 'Iα. Aquila wrote the name in archaic Hebrew letters. In the Jewish-Egyptian magic-papyri it appears as Ιαωουηε. At least as early as the third century B.C. the name seems to have been regarded by the Jews as a "nomen ineffabile," on the basis of a somewhat extreme interpretation of Ex. xx. 7 and Lev. xxiv. 11 (see Philo, "De Vita Mosis," iii. 519, 529). Written only in consonants, the true pronunciation was forgotten by them. The Septuagint, and after it the New Testament, invariably render κύριος ("the Lord").
Link to: Jewish Encyclopedia online​

 

[pat34lee]

There are a few reasons. The first being that we cannot pronounce it correctly. The second being that we are not pure enough beings to utter the name of God. So it is also a sign of respect.

Who told you those reasons? They didn't come from the bible. As for pronunciation, what makes you think any pronunciation is wrong? Do you think 12 tribes and all the people living with them from other nations all pronounced it the same? Hardly likely. If someone tells you that a certain pronunciation is wrong, ask how they know it, unless they know the correct name?

Purity not required. The ineffable name concept is purely pagan and refers to false gods.

And respect. Is any generic term respectful when you use it to replace a name? Never. Even pets have names. To have no name is to be nobody. And we did that to our creator.

Please look through some of the following verses, remembering that when it says "the name of the LORD", it means "the name Yahweh".
http://bibledatabase.org/cgi-bin/bib_search/bible.cgi

 

[Der Alte]

Who told you those reasons? They didn't come from the bible. As for pronunciation, what makes you think any pronunciation is wrong? Do you think 12 tribes and all the people living with them from other nations all pronounced it the same? Hardly likely. If someone tells you that a certain pronunciation is wrong, ask how they know it, unless they know the correct name?
Purity not required. The ineffable name concept is purely pagan and refers to false gods.
And respect. Is any generic term respectful when you use it to replace a name? Never. Even pets have names. To have no name is to be nobody. And we did that to our creator.
Please look through some of the following verses, remembering that when it says "the name of the LORD", it means "the name Yahweh".
http://bibledatabase.org/cgi-bin/bib_search/bible.cgi

How many times is anyone, including Jesus, in the NT recorded as speaking the name יהוה/YHWH?

 

[Radrook]

The name for God in the OT is specifically YHWH.

But the Trinity Doctrine teaches that this had been Jesus 'name prior to his incarnation.
Well, at least that is what I have been recently told when I mention YHWH and Jesus.

 

[pat34lee]

How many times is anyone, including Jesus, in the NT recorded as speaking the name יהוה/YHWH?

We have no way to know, because it was expunged or changed to Lord or Father (or power, see below) by early Christians following the Rabbinic ban on use of the name. For the question, "Do we know he used it?" The answer is yes. If you can search Greek words, any time kyrios is used, that is most likely from Yahweh in the original. That is a carryover of how the OT Greek treated the name as it became banned.

John 17:6
I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

John 17:26
And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare [it]: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Matt 26:64
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

The word 'power' would originally have been Yahweh, or why did the High Priest say this was blasphemy? Also look up the stoning of Stephen. He also spoke the name and was stoned for blasphemy.

"there is strong evidence that Yahushua spoke the name aloud in Mt. 4:7; 4:10; 5:33; 21:42; 22:37 & 22:44."
http://www.eliyah.com/saidname.html

 

[Radrook]

We have no way to know, because it was expunged or changed to Lord or Father (or power, see below) by early Christians following the Rabbinic ban on use of the name. For the question, "Do we know he used it?" The answer is yes. If you can search Greek words, any time kyrios is used, that is most likely from Yahweh in the original. That is a carryover of how the OT Greek treated the name as it became banned.

John 17:6
I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

John 17:26
And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare [it]: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Matt 26:64
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

The word 'power' would originally have been Yahweh, or why did the High Priest say this was blasphemy? Also look up the stoning of Stephen. He also spoke the name and was stoned for blasphemy.

"there is strong evidence that Yahushua spoke the name aloud in Mt. 4:7; 4:10; 5:33; 21:42; 22:37 & 22:44."
http://www.eliyah.com/saidname.html

Maybe it was due to the superstitious Jewish aversion to pronunciation of God's name that Jesus did not effusively engage in using the divine name. Perhaps to avoid stumbling the crowds? Or stumbling those that were to become his first disciples ad apostles? Perhaps his relative restraint can be viewed from that perspective. Surely an unrestrained usage of the divine name would have provided his enemies with the necessary fodder for his arrest and execution much earlier than it occurred.

 

[Celestial Warrior]

I THINK JESUS WANTS US TO CALL GOD JUST "FATHER". FATHER IS WHO HE IS, THAT IS HIS NAME IF YOU BELIEVE UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

"FATHER" IS THE "NAME" THAT JESUS GAVE TO GOD YHVH WHO FORMERLY WAS KNOWN UNDER THE OLD COVENANT AS "I AM". FATHER JUST EXISTS AND NO REAL NAME CAN BE GIVEN TO THAT WHICH IS SO MARVELOUS IT CANNOT BE ADEQUATELY DESCRIBED. ALL NAMES ARE JUST DESCRIPTIONS OF HIS CHARACTER - SUCH AS CALLING HIM LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, THEY ARE MERELY TITLES OF HIS CHARACTER. THE GREATEST NAME YOU CAN GIVE TO HIM, IS FATHER AND NO ONE ELSE UPON EARTH SHOULD BE GIVEN THIS TITLE, SO SAYS OUR LORD JESUS:
Mat 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

THEREFORE, BECAUSE OUR LORD JESUS SPOKE THOSE WORDS, HIS NAME IS NOW CALLED HEAVENLY FATHER.

THAT IS WHY OUR LORD JESUS ASKED US TO PRAY TO OUR FATHER IN THIS MANNER:

Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

HIS NAME IS: FATHER

Why use 'God' or 'Lord' when those aren't names?

 

[Der Alte]

We have no way to know, because it was expunged or changed to Lord or Father (or power, see below) by early Christians following the Rabbinic ban on use of the name. For the question, "Do we know he used it?" The answer is yes. If you can search Greek words, any time kyrios is used, that is most likely from Yahweh in the original. That is a carryover of how the OT Greek treated the name as it became banned.

What evidence do you have which clearly shows that the name YHWH was ever written in any NT text and that it was expunged or changed? What you consider most likely is only speculation

The word 'power' would originally have been Yahweh, or why did the High Priest say this was blasphemy? Also look up the stoning of Stephen. He also spoke the name and was stoned for blasphemy.

Actually this is also incorrect. Here is how the stoning of Stephen is written.

Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. ​

"Calling upon and saying, Lord Jesus" the Greek words for "God" or "the Lord' do not occur between "upon" and the word "and." There is no, zero, none manuscript evidence for the claim you posted.

"there is strong evidence that Yahushua spoke the name aloud in Mt. 4:7; 4:10; 5:33; 21:42; 22:37 & 22:44."

http://www.eliyah.com/saidname.html

Eliyah's forum was one of the first I joined about 16-17 years ago. I was banned because they only allow people who believe as they do to be members. There are no Hebrew or Greek scholars there and it is not a good source for any Biblical information.
.....The name "Yahushuah" does not exist in Hebrew. If you want factual information about this I suggest you go to the Jewish Encyclopedia online.
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8906-joshua-jehoshua#anchor6

 

[FredVB]

How many times is anyone, including Jesus, in the NT recorded as speaking the name יהוה/YHWH?

You made good points that the name of God corresponds to "Yahweh" as we pronounce it, And Yahweh did say the name was for all generations, even knowing already how history would progress. It is said that Jesus made the name of God known. Even if it was not generally, why would Jesus keep it from his followers?

 

[Der Alte]

You made good points that the name of God corresponds to "Yahweh" as we pronounce it, And Yahweh did say the name was for all generations, even knowing already how history would progress. It is said that Jesus made the name of God known. Even if it was not generally, why would Jesus keep it from his followers?

"Why would Jesus keep it from His followers?" Virtually all of the followers of Jesus during His lifetime were Jews who would have known the name of God. There would have been no need for Jesus to make the name known to them.

 

[FredVB]

Jews of the time would have known of the name of God, but as it had been said, the taboo from their tradition (not from God) had them forget pronunciation of it, though from what Yahweh said it should still have been and should still be pronounced. Jesus didn't go by those traditions, and even if not pronouncing the name with others he didn't withhold from that with believers who were his followers, John 17:6. It certainly was originally remembered among believers with the phrase Hallelu Yah.

 

[FredVB]

"When they say, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?"
God said, "Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: 'Yahweh God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations." Exodus 3

"Yahweh, Yahweh God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation." Exodus 34

This is what Yahweh says, "By those who come near me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified." Leviticus 10

"Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O Yahweh. Let them be confounded and dismayed, yes let them be put to shame, that they may know that you, whose name alone is 'Yahweh', are the Most High over all the earth." Psalms 83

"Teach me your way, O Yahweh, I will walk in your truth, unite my heart to fear your name." Psalms 86

"Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Yahweh, in the light of your countenance. In your name they rejoice all day long, and in your righteousness they are exalted." Psalms 89

"It is good to give thanks to Yahweh. And to sing praises to your name, O Most High. To declare your lovingkindness in the morning, and your faithfulness every night, on an instrument of ten strings, the lute, and the harp, with harmonious sound. For you have made me glad with your work, I will triumph in the work of your hands. O Yahweh, how great are your works! Your thoughts are so very deep. Psalms 92

I said, "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh of hosts!" Isaiah 6

"Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to Yahweh, to serve him, and to love the name of Yahweh, to be his servants, everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and who holds fast my covenant, even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer." Isaiah 56

 

[Jaxxi]

Because as much as we sin, we are not worthy to utter His name, and it protects His name so that no one is saying His name in vain. It also protects others as well.