Names of God (part 2) 2.26.17

Last week we discussed the distinction between the titles for God and the name of God. Yes, He is The LORD, but His name is Yehovah (YHVH) or Yahweh (YHWH) as it is transliterated into English. Today we are looking at what His name actually means. 

When Moses asked God what he should say when asked who sent him, God told him to say I AM that I AM sent you. This gives us direct insight into the meaning of His name.

YHVH means the eternal, self-existent one. He has no beginning or end. He always has been and always will be. That should be enough, but His name reveals so much more.

In Hebrew, each letter in the alphabet is represented by a picture and a number. When putting the pictures together for Yod Hei Vav Hei (YHVH), we get a revelation that God has been proclaiming from the very beginning.

• Yod represents a hand doing a mighty deed. 
• Hei means to look at or behold. 
• Vav represents a shepherd's staff or iron nail. 

What do we get when we combine the Hebrew letters YHVH? Behold the hand, behold the nail.

The prophecy of our redemption revealed in the sacred name. That is why we are to exalt His name, make mention of His name, proclaim His name. Why do we substitute His name for a generic title? What a beautiful name it is!!

References:

Names of God (Intro) 2.19.17

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

The main purpose of today's lesson is to understand the distinction been names and titles, especially when used about God. There are many titles used in reference to God and Jesus: God, Lord, Creator, Father, Master, Savior, Christ, Messiah, King, Prince, etc.  These are all true and accurate titles but none of these reveal to us His name.

Approximately 7,000 times in the Old Testament alone, the revealed name of God, YHWH, pronounced in English as Jehovah or Yahweh, has been substituted with the title "The LORD."  On just about any page you turn to, in any given translation, you will find the title "The LORD" or "The LORD your God."

Yes, He is "The LORD" your God, but the original text that is translated "The LORD" is Strong's #H3068, YHWH, which is the proper name of the one true God. The word "Lord" is Strong's #H136, Adonai, which is used only 434 times in the Old Testament, and is almost always used in reference to a human. It would be like using the word "Sir" or "Mr." or "Senor" as a respectful title to someone.

So why has His name been substituted with His title?  We are commanded not to use His name in vain but that does not mean we should not say it at all.  In fact, we are commanded many times to make mention of His name (Isaiah 12), to exalt and bless His name, and to call on His name.  Is there any Biblical command to substitute the Name of the one true living God with His title, or is that the tradition of man?

Does it really matter what we call God?  What does it say about the character of God that He has revealed His personal name to us? I have several titles that people call me based on their relationship with me: husband, daddy, pastor, mister, hey you... but my friends just call me Kevin. Our God is not just some supreme being sitting in outer space somewhere. He calls us His own children, His people, His friends. If we are friends of God then we are free to call Him by His name...in a reverent way of course! How personal is that?

What is His name? Now you know!

The next couple of weeks we will look at the meanings of His name and the name of His Son.

Shalom (02.05.17)

This is lesson #5 of our Sunday School series Basic Hebrew Words Everyone Should Know.


Shalom (Strong's #7965) pronounced shaw-lome - From 7999; safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace, favor, perfect, prosperous, rest, wholeness....

KJV Usage: Occurs 236x in 208 verses in OT. Peace (175x), Well (4x), Peaceably (9x), Welfare (5x), Salute (4x), Prosperity (4x), Safe (3x), Health (2x), Misc (20x).

The Old Testament meaning of Shalom is peace, completeness, soundness, and well-being of the total person. This peace was considered God-given, obtained by following the Law (Torah) (Psalm 119:165). Peace sometimes had a physical meaning, suggesting security (Psalm 4:8), contentment (Isaiah 26:3), prosperity (Psalm 122:6-7), and the absence of war (1 Samuel 7:14). The traditional Jewish greeting, shalom, was a wish for peace. 

In the New Testament, peace often refers to the inner tranquility and poise of the believer whose trust is in God through Messiah. This understanding was originally expressed in the OT writings about the coming Messiah/Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6-7). 

The peace that Jesus spoke of was a combination of hope, trust, and quiet in the mind and soul, brought about by a reconciliation with God. Such peace was proclaimed by the host of angels at Messiah's birth (Luke 2:14) and by Jesus Himself in His Sermon On The Mount (Matthew 5:9) and during His ministry. He also taught about this kind of peace at the Last Supper, shortly before His death (John 14:27).

The Apostle Paul later wrote that such peace and spiritual blessedness was a direct result of faith in Messiah (Romans 5:1) and the He Himself is our peace...(Ephesians 2:14). 

Another interesting thought, the word Jerusalem in Hebrew is Yerushalayim, which is made up of two Hebrew words; yeru which means "to flow, to point the way, to teach" and shalom which means "the peace of God". So Jerusalem is supposed to be the place where we will learn and experience the peace of God.

In the Book of Revelation (and many OT prophecies) we read that the followers of God will live in a "New Jerusalem" in God's Kingdom - and we will have a 1,000 years of shalom (peace, perfection, completeness, wholeness) when the Messiah rules from Jerusalem. Can you wait for that?

Peace out!

Tefillah (01.22.17)

This is lesson #3 of our Sunday School series Basic Hebrew Words Everyone Should Know.

Tefillah (Strong's 8605), pronounced tef-il-law, intercession, supplication, by implication a hymn: - prayer.  KJV usage: prayer 77x in 70 verses (OT).  From the root word palal (Strong's 6419) which means to judge.

How often do we use prayer as nothing more than an emergency call or a cold call to God?  Too often we only pray when we need or want something from God - which is understandable considering the Old English word "pray" means to "ask or beg".

But the Hebrew word for prayer - tefillah - means to "self evaluate".  So to the Israelites of the Bible, prayer was not a time when they asked God for things... it was a time when they examined themselves.  They would use prayer as a way to compare their actions, behavior and attitude against God's holiness.

Could this idea change your prayers today?  Read through the prayers of David in the Book of Psalms.

Emunah (01.15.17)

This is lesson #2 of our Sunday School series Basic Hebrew Words Everyone Should Know. 

Emunah (Strong's #530), pronounced "em-oo-naw" - literally firmness; figuratively security; moral fidelity: - faith, faithful, faithfully, faithfulness...

KJV usage: Occurs 49x in 49 verses (OT).

Most people think of faith as an intellectual decision - "I believe in God therefore I have faith."  But the Hebrew word for 'faith' - emunah - is less about knowing and more about doing.

Emunah literally means "to take action", so to have faith is to act.  It's kinda like a staircase; you may intellectually know the stairs go up to the next level, but until you climb the stairs you won't experience the next level.  What you do is more important than what you know.

What do you need to change today to ensure your faith is defined by what you do, instead of what you know?