Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Is the divine name of God really known (edit)?

The name LORD, usually represented by the ‘Tetragramatton’ [YHVH] is mentioned 6,000 times in the Old Testament and in other instances by the word Adonai. There are Jewish scholars who teach that there are 72 names of God and mystics believe that the entire Torah is one long name for God. Be that as it may, there are basically only two places in Scripture where the LORD reveals the divine name (Cp. Exodus 3: 14; Isaiah 42: 8).


Proverbs 30: 4
Who has ascended up into heaven, or descended [to earth]? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bounded 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 you can tell?

Genesis 4: 26b
Then men began to call upon the name of the LORD [YHVH].

Genesis 13: 4
Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD [YHVH].

Genesis 21: 33
And Abraham planted a [sacred] grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the everlasting God [El Olam].

NOTE: El is just a general name for God (deity), especially among the inhabitants of Canaan, including Abraham; or a supernatural being such as an angel, like with Jacob (Cp. Genesis 23: 30).

Genesis 26: 24-25a
And the LORD [YHVH] appeared unto him (Isaac) the same night and said, “I AM the God [Elohei] of Abraham your father: fear not, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for My servant Abraham’s sake. And he built an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD [YHVH].

NOTE: God [Elohei] is singular here.

Genesis 32: 29-30
And Jacob asked him, “Tell me, I pray you, your name. And he said, ‘Wherefore is it that you ask after my name?” ’ And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place PeniEl: for I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved.

Judges 13: 17-18
And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD [YHVH], “What is your name, that when your sayings come to pass we may do you honour?” And the angel of the LORD [YHVH] said unto him, “Why do you ask thus after my name, seeing it is secret [phlai]?”

Exodus 3: 14
And God [Elohim] said unto Moses, “I AM THAT I AM [ehyeh-asher-ehyeh]: and He said, ‘Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel, I AM [ehyeh] has sent me to you.” ’

NOTE: Breaking down the mysterious name could look like this: (e)H-Y(e)-H; since there is no “e” sound in Hebrew, a better substitute is the silent letter “a” ( א). Now it leaves AH-YA-H (Ahyah); which reveals: AH (divine Father); YA (divine Mother/Holy Spirit); H (divine Son)-at least, in my opinion. Also, God [Elohim] is plural. Interestingly, it is unknown where the English letters (J) or (W) come from as in names such as Jehovah or Yahweh because neither are included in the Hebrew alphabet and are not even part of the name I AM [ehyeh/eH-Ye-H]. Consequently, the divine name is unpronouncable although there are approximations as to what translators think it might sound like by adding vowel soundings to the consonants.

Exodus 6: 2-3
And God [Elohim] spoke unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD [YHVH]: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty [El Shaddai-Cp. Genesis 17: 1; 28: 3; 35: 11; 49: 25], but by My name Yehovah/Yahveh [YHVH] was I not known to them.

Psalms 83: 18
That men may know you, whose name alone is Yehovah/Yahveh [YHVH] are God Most High [Elyon] over all the earth.

Isaiah 42: 8a
I am the LORD [YHVH] that is My name.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
May 1, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com