1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Names of God

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Askjo, Jun 24, 2010.

  1. Askjo

    Askjo New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2003
    Messages:
    3,736
    Likes Received:
    0
    I want to research on the names of God because 2 groups contradicted each other in regard of using the names of God. I need your help because I need to explain more to someone about that. Do you know the names of God? Let me give you an example:

    Yahushua
    Iesous
    YHVH
    JHVH
    YHWH

    These groups argued over YHWH vs JHVH. If you think someone uses Yahushua against Jesus Christ, is it wrong or not? Also, if use Yahushua during preaching or teaching? I wonder why they use the Messianic name into teaching and preaching, instead of the name of Jesus? Is the use of the name Yahushua dangerous? I notice there is a Y, but what about J? What about the name Jehovah? Why does Hebrew not have J? It uses Y. I'm puzzled, and try to research, but I can't find J. I've heard J came up about 500 years ago, but I'm not sure if there is a J in another foreign language. I don't know. Can you give more information that I'm looking for? Any comments? Support it or against it? More discussions? Please help me understand better. Thank you for your help.
     
  2. John Toppass

    John Toppass Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2008
    Messages:
    1,080
    Likes Received:
    8
    I do not think Hebrew has a "J" in the alphabet.
     
  3. RAdam

    RAdam New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2009
    Messages:
    2,100
    Likes Received:
    0
    I think arguing between names of God is a pretty fruitless endeavour. If someone wants to call Him Iesous that is fine, I'll just call Him Jesus. If someone wants to call Him JHVH or YHWH that is fine, I'll just call Him God.
     
  4. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2000
    Messages:
    30,285
    Likes Received:
    507
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Example of how a translation can do serious damage to theology, eh?

    The "pet name" for God (known as El, El Elyon, El Shaddai, El ho'alom, et al) was a four-letter tetragrammeton. Special name, known to the Jews (read Exodus and story of what Moses was to say to the elders)

    In English YHWH. It was so special/sacred that the Jews STILL TODAY substitute the generic "Adonai" or Lord in its place. It is never spoken or written.

    If some Christians care to use YHWH (pronounce YAH-way) I would say G-d bless 'em. If they want to follow the ancient translators and put the vowel sounds from Adonai with the letters and change the Y to J because that was common in 1500-1900, then they can call it Jehovah.

    (Odd side-note: as a history buff I have some old newspapers. I have a London paper from WWII that spoke of "Nazis invade Jugoslavia". I saw that and went "Huh?". Even as that recently the J replaced the Y in writing but was still pronounced as a Y. Kind of like my "PVBLIC SCHOOL" I attended built at the turn of the century.)

    Language changes and evolves. I would give great slack if someone wanted to pray to YHWH or Abba or Adonai or God or such. I do get irritated by migrant workers called Jesus (HAY-seus)
     
  5. John of Japan

    John of Japan Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2005
    Messages:
    19,349
    Likes Received:
    1,772
    Faith:
    Baptist
    The Hebrew language originally did not have vowels in the written language. What are called vowel points (symbols added to the Hebrew alphabet) were added later. This is why the old timers pronounced God's name as Jehovah. The Yahweh pronunciation is more modern. In my own opinion, we'll never know exactly how it was pronounced since no one wrote down the pronunciation (as Dr. Bob says, it just wasn't pronounced out loud).

    Concerning the "J" sound, many languages have that phoneme (basic sound in a language). I'm not sure about that Yahushua name you mentioned, but it could be the name Joshua pronounced in modern Hebrew, and that is the Hebrew for "Jesus." However, the Iesous name is the name Jesus in Greek, which like Hebrew also did not have a "J" sound.
     
  6. NaasPreacher (C4K)

    NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2003
    Messages:
    26,806
    Likes Received:
    80
    I and J are like conjoined twins. They have only been separated a short while. That's why there is no 'J Street' in Washington DC.
     
  7. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
    Moderator

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2001
    Messages:
    11,850
    Likes Received:
    1,084
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I don't think it's necessarily wrong, wrong, wrong, but I don't see any compelling reason to do so (aside from speakers of Hebrew). Something like Yahushua is closer to the way it was pronounced in the Semitic languages (there are a number of ways to transliterate the name because there are three different spellings of the name in the biblical texts, and it appears Yehoshua or, better, the clipped version Yeshua, is more likely), but that doesn't mean much to an English speaker accustomed to hearing Jesus.

    It is dangerous if someone pretends that there is some biblical injunction about or mystical or spiritual advantage to using that particular name. There's often a good deal of mumbo-jumbo wrapped up in this argument, almost all of it fruitless.

    And, by and large, people outside your immediate group have no idea you're actually talking about Jesus. The writers of the inspired Greek texts were satisfied with a transliteration that only approximated the Semitic pronunciation, and I can't see why we must insist on linguistic purity in this area.

    Greek did not have a consonantal Y sound, so it was transliterated with two characters, I and E, pronounced roughly "ee-ay" (say it real fast and it will approximate a Y sound. The Greek spelling carried over to Latin and then to English, and the modern J English sound became attached to the letter within the last few hundred years when, as Roger pointed out, the J was developed as a variant of I. You will notice that the original KJV uses I instead of J. (Greek also did not have the sh sound, so a simple s sound was used.)
     
    #7 rsr, Jun 26, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 26, 2010
  8. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2000
    Messages:
    30,285
    Likes Received:
    507
    Faith:
    Baptist
    There is no intelligent life there, either . . ;)
     
  9. Askjo

    Askjo New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2003
    Messages:
    3,736
    Likes Received:
    0
    I am curious to ask you question -- Can we use the Messianic name instead of Jesus today? For example, let me say, "Are you saved by accepting Yahushua as your personal Savior? Yahushua died for you. Yahushua,... Yahushua,... YHWH,.... YHWH,..." Why not name Jesus?
     
  10. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
    Moderator

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2001
    Messages:
    11,850
    Likes Received:
    1,084
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Sure, but there's no compelling reason to do so, other than to be pedantic; Jesus is just fine for English speakers.
     
  11. Jedi Knight

    Jedi Knight Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2009
    Messages:
    5,135
    Likes Received:
    117
    Well scripture says at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and ever tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. I think there are too many cults around that confuse and we should lift up the name that is above all names. :jesus:
     
  12. Askjo

    Askjo New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2003
    Messages:
    3,736
    Likes Received:
    0
    What about YH vs IH comparing to YHWH vs JHVH?
     
  13. Askjo

    Askjo New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2003
    Messages:
    3,736
    Likes Received:
    0
    Wonder why the Gentiles used the Messianic name against Jesus because they are not Jews on the New Testament times? Or when they used Messianic name, are they cultists by follwing Hebrew culture today?
     
  14. Benoni

    Benoni Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2010
    Messages:
    261
    Likes Received:
    1
    It has been said there are over two hundred different names for God in the Bible and there is a deep reason for this. A name is more than a simple means of identification, something by which we address people specifically and individually. In biblical usage there is much in a name! In Bible times names were chosen with great care and were frequently given by prophetic utterance or under divine inspiration so that the names actually revealed the nature, character, attributes, and destiny of the person, and thus carried a message to all who spoke or used that name.

    In the scriptures the innermost being of a man is expressed in his name. That is why Esau declares of his conniving brother, "Is he not rightly named Jacob (supplanter)? For he has supplanted me these two times" (Gen. 27:36). After wresting with the angel of the Lord, however, Jacob underwent a change of attitude and alteration of character which was accompanied by a change of name. Having seen the "face" or presence of God he was no longer the same man that he had been before his encounter with the Lord. Since name and character are absolutely identified there had to be a change in Jacob’s appellation! The angel of the Lord, therefore, said, "Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel (Prince): for as a prince thou hast power with God and with men, and hast prevailed" (Gen. 32:28).

    "I will set him on high because he has known my name" (Ps. 91:14). To know His name is to become, in union with Him, the name-nature of God in every hour and in every way. To know His name is to enter in to the pure inner life of God, and exude His nature, His life, His character and all else that He is. To know means more than mere intellectual understanding or carnal knowledge. It means "intimate union" as when "Adam knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain" (Gen. 4:1). Some people think because they use or pronounce the names Yahweh, El Elyon, Yahshua, and all the other Hebrew names they have dug out of the concordance, that this truly honors the Lord, makes the use of these names magical, procures favor with God, or is a mark of spirituality. People without a revelation from the Lord, or participation in His life, are disposed to go back and use the "letter" of that given to past generations of men of God. Some even become so radical that they re-write the Bible, inserting the Hebrew names in the New Testament text, although they do not appear in the ancient manuscripts!

    The Psalmist says, "And they that know Thy name shall put their trust in Thee" (Ps. 9:10). The message is clear: "They that have experienced the inworking, the development and formation of Thy nature will confidently trust in Thee." If this has not been your experience yet — that is, the inworking and formation of His nature within — then you do not yet know the name of the Lord though you may be zealous to consistently use the Hebrew words Yahweh, Yahshua, and all the other name forms in the Old Testament.

    Again the scripture declares that "the name of Yahweh is a strong tower." There are many precious revelations coming forth these days concerning the names of God, and the depth of meaning therein. Some immediately get caught up in the externals, with an emphasis on the mechanics — the spelling, syllables, and pronunciation of the names — dealing with the outward or "letter" of the Word. But it is the "letter" that killeth — that is, there is no life in those things! They strike no chord deep in my spirit. In fact, they leave me somewhat cold and uninspired. The "spirit" of the Word gives life! The spirit is the substance, the essence and reality of His nature that the outward name reveals. As Ray Prinzing has so aptly written, "Of this we are certain, there is a walk that is ‘not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life’ (II Cor. 3:6). When certain truths are set down as a doctrine, and one receives only the letter thereof, it does not serve to gender life within, it only becomes one more burden to bear, adding to the load of traditions and commandments. But when the Spirit of God illumines the inner man, quickens the heart to receive that Word of Life within, it is not some doctrine to contend for, but it is a LIFE TO BE LIVED."

    So the Lord gives this promise to the overcomer: "I will write upon him the name of my God." Is God going to literally write upon the overcomer the Hebrew letters of the name Y-A-H-W-E-H? Is this some form of tattoo we are to have burned into our flesh? Certainly not! Realizing the awesome glory and power that was given to Moses by the Lord when He proclaimed His name to him, we can well understand the significance of "the name of my God" which is to be written upon all who overcome. It is certainly not the Hebrew name of the Father, nor is it a new spiritual name that some are now using for themselves. Rather, it is the impartation of HIS CHARACTER AND AUTHORITY! Let us clearly understand the deep truth of God’s Word! When He proclaims or writes His name upon His called and chosen elect, He is in fact imparting to them His honor, His authority, His nature, and His power. It has nothing to do with letters of the alphabet or phonics! J Preston Eby
    Names of God
    ELOHIM: (GOD) Ex.33:34 Heb. To “swear”, It describes one who stands in a covenant-relationship ratified by an oath.

    God’s goodness, his nature (name, character, authority)

    YAHVAH, YAHVAH-EL of compassion and favor, Slow to anger & abundant in loving kindness & faithfulness: keeping loving kindness to a thousand generations, forgetting iniquity and transgression and sin, though leave not utterly unpunished. Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon sons’ sons, unto a third & forth generation. Ex. 34: Rotherham


    Judgment: Every time God judges a matter it was not from anger as humans know it, but from zeal to show forth His righteousness. Yes deprived those wicked people of life on this earth for it is His right to withdraw that life. Notice every time the Bible uses the name Jehovah there is always another name or nature attached, showing us God is a balance God in His judgements.

    God is not only teaching His Word but also His Nature.

    Jehovah T’ Sidkinu, The LORD OUR Righteousness (Jer. 23:6)
    Jehovah M’ Kaddesh, The Lord Who Sanctifies (Lev. 20:7)
    Jehovah Shalom, The Lord our peace (Judges 6:24)
    Jehovah Shammah, The Lord our ever Present God (Ezek. 48:35)
    Jehovah Rapha, The Lord our Healer (Ezek. 15:26)
    Jehovah Jireh, The Lord our provider (Gen. 22:14)
    Jehovah Nissi, The Lord our Victory (Ex. 17:15)
    Jehovah Rohi, The Lord our Shepherd (Ps. 23:1)
    Jehovah T’sur, The Lord our Strength (Ps. 19:14)
     
Loading...