In this post, I am going to address the different theories about the TRUE name of GOD our Father.  In order to do them justice, I am going to try to include as much information on each one as I can and in their own words.  So, if you are ready to delve into this topic…buckle your seat belts and gird up your loins.  There is a lot of information to cover here.

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יהוה

The Powerful Name YAHWEH

The Sacred Name is dynamic. It

Is the essence of the Creator Himself.

Did you know that great miracles were worked in the Old Testament through the personal Name of the Most High? And that the early New Testament Assembly, following the Hebrew tradition, also worked might miracles by calling on that name?

The personal Name of the Creator had been obscured through superstition, even as it is hidden today.

The Creator’s Name is the key to understanding biblical faith. Discover the power and glory of the Ruler of the universe by discovering His personal, revealed Name, and the original and true name of your glorious Savior.

The scriptures are not expressed in lofty, nebulous ideas but in concrete descriptions of a real entity – a living, intelligent, and powerful Being named YAHWEH. Those who know the Name of YAHWEH and use it, know that they can trust Him to fulfill His promises (Psalm 9:10).

The Creator’s Name is the key to understanding biblical faith. Discover the power and glory of the Ruler of the universe by discovering His personal, revealed Name, and the original and true name of your glorious Savior.

The scriptures are not expressed in lofty, nebulous ideas but in concrete descriptions of a real entity – a living, intelligent, and powerful Being named YAHWEH. Those who know the Name of YAHWEH and use it, know that they can trust Him to fulfill His promises (Psalm 9:10).

Yet because the Jews had superstitiously determined that the sacred Name was too holy to pronounce, they and “Christianity” after them have substituted whatever names they wanted. They forgot or ignored YAHWEH’S holy Name.

“How long shall it be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? Yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; which think to cause My people to forget My name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor; as their fathers have forgotten My name for Baal,” Jeremiah 23:26-27. (Baal means “Lord”)

Yahweh, the very Name that offered protection, blessings, and salvation was deleted from common usage and the various names of Baal were substituted in its Listen to the stinging rebuke Yah’shua the Messiah hurled toward the learned men of His day. Luke 11:52,

“Woe unto you, lawyers! For ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” His is a warning to anyone who thinks the name of YAHWEH is not important enough to use and worship in.

To reject the Name of YAHWEH is to reject eternal life! This is why is became necessary for YAHWEH to reveal Himself again to man and reveal His Name.

Hiding Name Unlawful

There are many references to the use of YAHWEH’S Name. It is important enough to YAHWEH to include it in the law. In Exodus 20:7 we are warned, “Thou shalt not take the name of YAHWEH thy Elohim in vain; for YAHWEH will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.” The word vain actually means to make desolate. YAHWEH’S Name is holy and is to be treated as such. “Let them praise Thy great and terrible [awesome] name; for it is holy.” Psalm 99:3

Through the use of YAHWEH’S holy Name Israel was victorious in wars (Psalm 20:7). Because they had been calling upon the Name of YAHWEH, Genesis 12:8 and 1

Kings 18:24, they found safety (Proverbs 18:10). YAHWEH put His Name on Israel according to the priest’s law as stated in Numbers 6:22-27:

“And YAHWEH spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, “On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying unto them, ‘YAHWEH bless thee, and keep thee: YAHWEH make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: YAHWEH lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.’ And they shall put My name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.

In addition there were numerous warnings against profaning or defiling His Name. Notice what Ezekiel has to say:

“And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned My holy name, when they said to them, ‘These are the People of YAHWEH, and are gone forth out of His land.’ But I had pity for Mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, ‘Thus saith YAHWEH Elohim; ‘I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for Mine holy Name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them: and the heathen shall know that I am YAHWEH.’ Saith YAHWEH Elohim, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.” Ezekiel 36:20-23

In Psalm 83:16-18 we read,

“Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek Thy name, O YAHWEH. Let them be confounded and troubled forever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: That men may know that Thou, Whose name alone is YAHWEH, art the Most High over all the earth.”

Why is it so important that we be required to call upon YAHWEH’S Name? In Psalm 91:14-16 our question is answered, “Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him. I will set him on high, because he hath known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”

If we love the Heavenly Father, we will use His Name.

Promises Through His Name

There are many promises attached to the Name of YAHWEH: deliverance, being set on high, answers, help in time of trouble, long life, and salvation. Are you beginning to understand the great significance and importance that YAHWEH Himself has attached to His Name? Do you use the revealed, personal Name of YAHWEH? If not, then how can you claim the promises under a different name?

YAHWEH’S Name, “being filled with His very self, is active and powerful, for it is the sign of His real presence in the midst of His people.” (The New Shaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge. Vol. 12.) There is no doubt that when Israel called upon the Name of their Mighty One they expected great things to occur. They weren’t disappointed, either. Why? “Because the diving name discloses the Almighty’s nature, it is laden with the authority, power, and holiness of YAHWEH Himself, this accounts for the great reverence for the name which is one of the distinctive features of Israel’s faith.” (Shaff-Herzog)

The new covenant faith stands in line with this historical revelation, for it affirms that YAHWEH’S Name was manifested in Yah’shua the Messiah. Thus, when Yah’shua said in John 17:6 “I have manifested thy name,” He not only reconfirmed YAHWEH’S Name but opened up the way of salvation. Almighty YAHWEH today is reaffirming His covenant with His people through Yah’shua by the revelation of His Name.

YAHWEH is the covenant Name of the Almighty. Knowing YAHWEH’S Name is important in coming into a covenant relationship. Often the covenant relationship is expressed in the phrase ‘to know that I am YAHWEH’ in which an act of power is demonstrated in salvation of His people.

“To know that I am YAHWEH” appears at least 26 times in the Hebrew Scriptures and invariably shows YAHWEH’S faithfulness toward His people. This can be seen in Exodus 6:7: “I will be (‘Ehyeh) their Elohim and they shall be (Yihu) my people.” “I will be to you an Elohim, and you shall know that I am YAHWEH.”

We see then that the “Yah’shua yoshia” (Aramaic text), the Mighty One who saves His people, is the same as “Ehyeh yihu,” the Mighty One of the covenant.

“And ‘haAdon,’ whom you seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in.” (Malachi 3:1) This, of course, refers to the Sinaitic covenant known as the Ten Commandments. It was YAHWEH Who gave the Ten Commandments and Who also resided in the innermost section of the Holy of Holies. The covenant relationship is the basis of the knowledge of YAHWEH and is expressed in the personal revelation of YAHWEH’S Name as the True Mighty One, the maker of the covenant.

“And He declared unto you His covenant, which commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and He wrote them upon two tablets of stone,” Deuteronomy 4:13.

A Legal Contract

The covenant, which is an agreement between YAHWEH and a particular group of people, becomes a legal document when bearing the legal names of the parties. It continues in effect as long as both parties are performing their part of the legal agreement, which in the case of YAHWEH’S covenant is keeping His commandments. 1 John 2:3 and 5:3.

If you were promised to inherit a great deal of wealth—riches beyond imagination—you would want your correct name on the legal document authorizing such an inheritance, wouldn’t you? It would be extremely important, also, that the one authorizing the inheritance had his legal and correct name on this document. Using any other name would void the agreement.

In the same manner it is important to use the only Name that has ever identified the Almighty: YAHWEH. It is His legal covenant or contractual name. Without it, either by omission or substitution, you have no legal contract—and that contract is the inheritance of greater glory—Salvation!

Essence of the Sacred Name

But YAHWEH’S Name is more. It embodies His very essence.

You would not accept being called another name. Your name is you. You are bothered when your name is only mispronounced, let alone mistaken by another.

The same is true of YAHWEH. Pronouncing YAHWEH’S Name is more than a mere disturbance of air molecules. It is the expression of His very being. That is why the “Word of YAHWEH” came to the prophets with all the authority of YAHWEH Himself.

With this same authority the Apostles worked among the people. On the day of Pentecost the Apostle Peter boldly quoted Joel 2:32,

“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of YAHWEH shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21.

Yah’shua is Messiah

Messiah’s name had a predecessor in the form of the Israelite general Yah’shua (Joshua). The significance of Yah’shua (Joshua) as the one who led the Isrelites into the promised land, a type of salvation, is inescapable. The name of the Messiah is indeed identical to that of the famed Israelite general, for in Acts 7:45 and again in Hebrews 4:8 the two names are interchanged (Translators mistakenly inserted “Jesus” here, a mistranslation of Yah’shua.)

Both leaders who took their followers into the promised land are correctly named Yah’shua.

The name Yah’shua defined in the Wycliff Bible Encyclopedia: “The full name Jehoshua (Numbers 13:16) means ‘Yahweh is salvation.’” This is the primary meaning that we will look into for the name of the Messiah.

Let us look at Matthew 1:23, a prophecy taken from Isaiah 7:14

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which, being interpreted is, El with us.” Emmanuel or Immanuel was a title of the prophesied Messiah that was to renew the promises made to David and show that YAHWEH had not cast off His people.

The Wycliff Bible Encyclopedia also says, “El is with us” which is probably taken from ‘Immadiyahu, Yah(u) is with me,’ or ‘Immanuiah, Yah(weh) is with us.” It is appropriate, then, that when YAHWEH Elohim of the Hebrew scriptures emptied Himself of His self-inherent power and life (Philippians 2:7) and came unto His own people (John 1:11) that He should be known as Immanuel, YAHWEH (Elohim) is with us.”

How unbelievably exciting it must have been to hear the play on words, “Yah’shua yoshia,” meaning: The eternal, self-existent mighty one, YAHWEH, is salvation and shall save His people; or as we know it, Yah’shua: for He shall save His people.

Note, however, that the name Immanuel was not ascribed as a “proper name (like Yah’shua), but that He should come to be known in His character, as YAHWEH Elohim manifested in the flesh, and the living bond of holy and most intimate fellowship between YAHWEH and men from henceforth and forever.” (Interpreters One Volume Commentary of the Bible).

With profound earnestness and excitement John wrote in 1 John 1:1-3: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life, (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His son Yah’shua the Messiah…” The knowledge that he and the others who knew Yah’shua personally as the YAHWEH Elohim of the Hebrew scriptures—the very spokesman of the family of YAHWEH, the “I Am” of Exodus 3:14, the great supreme power of the universe, the Almighty—was fantastically incredible!

As the YAHWEH of the scriptures, Yah’shua had the right to bear the sacred name. And He did! All that Yah’shua did, he did in the name of the Father, YAHWEH. Not once did He ever seek to make his own human name prominent. In revealing the sacred name to His disciples, He also acknowledged that the glory of the sacred name was also His:

“And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.” John 17:5-6.

{To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David.} O YAHWEH our Sovereign, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. (Psalm 8:1)

Give unto YAHWEH the glory due unto his name; worship YAHWEH in the beauty of holiness. (Psalm 29:2)

And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen. (Psalm 72:19)

Help us, O Mighty One of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake. (Psalm 79:9)

Not unto us, O YAHWEH, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake. (Psalm 115:1)

I am YAHWEH: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. (Isa 42:8)

So we see that the glory of YAHWEH is connected to His name, the same name Yah’shua was asking to be glorified in! Even the Talmud, accusing Yah’shua of witchcraft and sorcery, accusing him of bearing the Tetragrammaton, the sacred name, by carving it upon his thigh. Tattooing was forbidden, and Yah’shua certainly did not break the law, but it is significant that in some manner He is acknowledged as bearing the sacred name.

If Yah’shua did not proclaim salvation in His human name, but continually pointed to the Father’s great name, what is the name of salvation which He supposedly bore? The answer is in understanding that there is a difference in what is written as opposed to what is read.

What was written was the name YAHWEH-Savior, but was removed from the official records. Here is how that was accomplished. The name YAHWEH was removed by erasing the second “Hey” (ה) leaving the name Yah’shua, which was the prophesied Messianic Name. Notice that there is only one letter difference:

The name YAHWEH-Savior:	ע	ו	ש	ה	ו	ה	י
was erased:	ה
Leaving: Yah’shua:	ע	ו	ש	ו	ה	י

This understanding is critical because of the warning “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)” Mat 24:15

Daniel prophesied regarding an abomination standing in the holy place, the Temple of YAHWEH. First, what is in the Holy Place? It is the place where YAHWEH resides. Something, however, is replacing YAHWEH, which is detestable. If YAHWEH resides in us, then we become the Temple of YAHWEH, and His Name resides in our heart and mind—unless, another name—a human name, is in it’s place!

The exaltation of a human name above The Great Name, YAHWEH, is idolatry, and an abomination to our heavenly Father! Since no human name, not even the given name of our Savior, Yah’shua, can be exalted above The Great Name, only The Great Name can be used! This is why Yah’shua proclaimed the Name of the Father, and why He was condemned to death.

Why The Erasure

Mat 26:64-66 Yah’shua 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.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.” (cf. Mar 14:62-64)

What did the high priest hear? According to the interpretation of the scriptures at that time, it was blasphemy to speak the sacred name, and in both speaking and writing it was common practice to use a euphemism, or representation to avoid an actual word. However, it was no euphemism that caused the high priest to rip his robe and immediately charge this young rabbi with blasphemy! He spoke the sacred name, YAHWEH!

Yah’shua was accused and sentenced for the very serious crime of blasphemy, and part of the punishment of such a crime was to have your name removed from the official records, thus disinheriting you from Israel and all the promises of YAHWEH (Exo 32:33; Deu 29:20; Psa 69:28; Rev 3:5). Moreover, it was prophesied!

“But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.” Jer 11:19

To comply with the edict of the high priest, the scribes would be required to erase the name He used, YAHWEH-SHUA. So, by erasing a single letter, the door of salvation was again shut, leaving generations of readers in darkness, lest the glorious light of haShem, the Name, should shine upon their hearts.

Apostles Persecuted for the Name

All of the Apostles, including Peter, knew that “YAHWEH is Salvation.” Nor may we assume that this acknowledgement was an abnormality, for in nearly every case the Apostles taught and preached salvation in the name of YAHWEH. For this reason they were persecuted vehemently by the Jewish religious establishment.

We see in Acts 5:27

“…and the high priest asked them, saying, ‘Did not we straightly command you that you should not teach in this name? And, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.’”

Remember, Yah’shua did not come in his own name, but in the great name of the Father, the forbidden name. Notice in the above passage that the Apostles had previously been warned about preaching in the forbidden name, which of course they ignored. We also notice that Jerusalem was filled with their teaching, and that preaching in the name of YAHWEH was regarded as a doctrine. This caused a great deal of alarm on the part of the political and religious establishment owing to the fact that they were afraid of a swift Roman reprisal for the insurrection that was supposedly taking place.

Spoken To Paul

At another time, Jerusalem was in an uproar when the Apostle Paul was being defended by the Roman guard, Acts 21:30-33. When Paul had obtained permission to speak to the people, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, Acts 22:2.

“(And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence).”

Paul, now reiterating his experiences on the road to Damascus, tells his audience in Hebrew the name of the Messiah, YAHWEH-Shua (vs.8). There can be no mistake that “YAHWEH-Shua” is the original sacredly inspired name because Paul received it directly from Him in Hebrew.

When speaking in his own defense before King Agrippa (recounting his experience on the road to Damascus) Paul relates:

“At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Sire? And He said, I am YAHWEH-Shua whom thou persecutest,” Acts 26:13-15.

We must remember that Saul, or Paul, was a very strict Pharisee, and very upwardly mobile. He knew that to worship any other than YAHWEH clearly violated the law and was blatant idolatry…and instant suicide for his budding career. Therefore, the only name that could possibly bring instant compliance could only be The Great Name—YAHWEH! This is clearly evident in the next few verses.

“But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto YAHWEH, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.”

We are clearly told people are to be turned from Satan to YAHWEH, and that forgiveness, inheritance, sanctification and faith is in YAHWEH, and being identified as the One speaking to Paul! The resurrected and glorified Messiah identified Himself to Paul, in the Hebrew language, as YAHWEH-Shua, the promised Redeemer and Savior!

Paul Proclaimed the Name

Was Paul faithful? Indeed! In 1 Corinthians 15:3 we read:

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that YAHWEH’Shua died for our sins according to the scriptures.”

What message was he instructed to carry? In Acts 9:15 we read,

“But YAHWEH-Shua said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before nations, and kings, and the children of Israel:” and “that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

Paul’s two-fold mission was to bear the Great Name of Messiah, YAHWEH-Shua, and to witness His resurrection. This Paul did as we have seen by the example in Acts 21:30 through 22:1-2.

Paul was faithful in bearing Messiah’s name to the nations and Israel. For millennia Israel has looked for salvation from YAHWEH.

In Isaiah 62:11 we find a most amazing statement, which properly understood can open new understanding, Isaiah 62:11 reads, “Behold, YAHWEH hath proclaimed to the end of the world, ‘Say ye to the daughter of Zion, “Behold, thy Salvation cometh; behold His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.”’”

“His” points back to Salvation and describes Salvation as a person. The Hebrew root word used here is yasha, meaning salvation, liberty, deliverance, free, to be safe, and deliver. Therefore, YAHWEH’S Salvation was to come to set at liberty, deliver, free and cause to be safe, the daughter of Zion; and this we know to be the consequence of sin, death.

The Psalmist, in recounting the Exodus of the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, shows not only the errors of the people but also the greatness of YAHWEH Elohim. The main point is summarized in Psalm 106:21:

“They forgot Elohim their savior, which had done great things in Egypt.”

They took the greatness of YAHWEH lightly and turned away from Salvation, and yet YAHWEH, being full of graciousness and mercy, promises that not only Israel but also

“all flesh shall know that I, YAHWEH, am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Isaiah 49:26.

This is clearly pointed out in Habakkuk 3:13, “Thou went forth for the salvation of Thy people, even for salvation with your anointed….” It is plainly said that the salvation of the people is with Messiah. If we remember here that as a personal name Yah’shua is the pointer to the sacred name, then there can be no doubt: YAHWEH is our Savior!

Just as Today, He is Rejected

The Word of this salvation was indeed sent to them but they “received Him not.” They could not see their salvation, YAHWEH, coming to them “lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon the colt the foal of an ass,” as Zechariah 9:9 describes. They couldn’t comprehend the “Hope of Israel, the Savior” as “a stranger in the land,” Jeremiah 14:8.

Even today YAHWEH-Shua is still a stranger to many for the messages of many false messiahs have gone forth and obscured the glorious message that YAHWEH is Salvation. They have preached other messiahs by other names.

Don’t Neglect Your Salvation

These truths are recorded in the scriptures for our admonition so that we might believe not only what is said but also to believe on His Name. Let us not neglect so great a salvation, YAHWEH our Savior, for He is the only human being who has ever lived to bear The Great Name. Read and believe…

“This is the Stone which was set at naught by you builders which is become head of the corner, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved,” Acts 4:11-12.

Miracles are still performed in YAHWEH’S Name today. A changed life is one of the greatest of miracles. Those who have accepted the name YAHWEH-Shua, “the only name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved,” and have been baptized unto His name have made that first step. They have accepted the salvation that our heavenly Father YAHWEH has sent to this earth—His Son.

As His Spirit is given, YAHWEH empowers that individual to overcome the temptations and trials of the world, the flesh, and the devil. He continues to grow in the stature and fullness of the Messiah. Truly, a miracle takes place when old things pass away and all things become new.

A new creation in Messiah is that miracle.