Monday, January 14, 2013

The Names of Our God and Why it Matters

It is amazing how much is buried in translation.  For instance, the true names of God...translated as God, Lord, Lord God, God Almighty or Lord our God for instance.  The real names are SO important to understanding everything!  In Exodus 6:2-4 it says this:

 And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord  I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord I was not known to them.  I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers. (NKJV)


In the Complete Jewish Bible it translates Lord as Adonai, which isn't correct either as it is still disguising the name of YHWH, which is important.

God is Elohim
Lord is YHWH, (Yahweh)

So what this verse is saying is essentially, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob knew me as Elohim but did not know me as YHWH as I will make myself known to you.

However, we see when we go back into Genesis that God does make himself known by both names.

In Genesis 1-2:3 the name used is Elohim, it is associated with him being the Creator and the relationship to all he created to be fruitful and multiply and walking with Adam in the garden in the covenant with each other.

In Genesis 2:4-3:24 his name changes to YHWH (you can even see this in the translations, it goes from God to Lord God thus becoming a different name, which is lost to us if we just read it).  This name is associated with the garden (land) and what happens there, the curse and the blessing after they must leave the garden including the fact that He would judge those who sin.

In Genesis 15:1-20 we see the name YHWH being used again in this passage as regards to the covenant made which has to do with the land (vs. 8-19) and there is a connection with their eventual enslavement and deliverance from Egypt. 

In Genesis 17:1-14 the name is again Elohim in regards to the multiplying of Abraham's offspring and the relationship that exists between Abraham and Elohim and how there is again another covenant made as at the beginning.

So, we are at the place where God makes himself known as YHWH miraculously bringing them out of the land of Egypt and its bondage.  This is what he is referring to in Exodus 6:2-4,   how he will make himself known to them now as their Redeemer.

We find out that Pharaoh is very, very stubborn and does not let them leave and so, Egypt goes through a time of judgement, the 10 plagues.  Through this YHWH shows the Egyptians that He is the only true God (Elohim), he judges them by their gods, including Pharaoh.  Here is what Exodus 6:6-8 says will happen and how it lays out the remainder of the Torah in a sort of outline.

Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.  I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.  And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord.’”  (NKJV)

Remember Lord here is the name of YHWH. 

1. I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. (Exodus 7:14-13:16)
2. I will rescue you from their bondage.  (Exodus 13:17-14:14)
3. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. (Exodus 14:15-18:27)
4. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. (Exodus 19:1-Leviticus)
5. I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage.  (Numbers-Deuteronomy)  

Four of these "I will's" correspond to the Passover Seder as the four cups as follows:

1. Cup of Sanctification ( I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. Exodus 7:14-13:16)
2. Cup of Plagues/Wrath ( I will rescue you from their bondage. Exodus 13:17-14:14)
3. Cup of Redemption (I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Exodus 14:15-18:27)
4. Cup of Praise (I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Exodus 19:1-Leviticus)

All four cups speak of the work of the Messiah.  The letters that make up the name YHWH have this meaning:

1. The letter yod (Y) comes originally from the picture of a hand.
2. The letter hey (H) comes from the picture of a window.
3. The letter vav (W) comes from the picture of a nail or hook.

Thus it would be through the hand of YHWH (God), pierced by a nail that salvation and deliverance would come to His people!  The name YHWH teaches us about the work of the Messiah.  Without this, we miss way too much.  

If you want to know more, please visit these sites:

Restoration of Torah - This is the study we are using right now, there is also a children's version for each lesson.  (The study above comes from Va'eira under the Exodus tab)

Test Everything - 119 Ministries - Really appreciate this site, very good teachings.  


May YHWH bless you and keep you!  

~Have Courage

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