Is God's name Jehovah? Part 4

What is the correct name for the One we worship, Yahweh? or Jehovah? or does it even matter?* According to Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2 page 5 here, a WT publication, the name "Jehovah  is the best known English pronunciation of the divine name.” 

God's name comes from the Hebrew letters pronounced Yod He Waw He. These four letters are known as the Tetragrammaton (Greek “four letters”) and correspond to the English YHWH. Based on Hebrew and Greek manuscripts, the most accurate transliteration of YHWH is “Yahweh.” See my blog Is God's Name Jehovah? Part 2 here.

Yahweh’s Name appears nearly 7,000 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. Exodus 20:7 reads, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain." The word “vain” comes from the Hebrew לשווא transliterated "shav," translation: falsehood, nothingness, emptiness of speech, lying, and worthlessness.

Why would this be a command? Why would God command us to be careful how we use His name? Why would He punish people who take His name in vain?

The answer is simple.  It is because God is Holy, pure, perfect, and righteous. To use His name is to bring attention to who He is. To use His name means that you are acknowledging His existence. To use His name is to call upon the One who has proclaimed who and what He is by His name.

God's name comes from the Hebrew verb "to be." In Exodus 3:14, Moses was at the burning bush and he asked God what His name was.  God replied, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you." God is the infinite being.  He is the one who inhabits eternity. Psalm 90:2 says, "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." God is the one who inhabits eternity. He did not say his name was Ashtorith, Baal, Molec, or Allah, which are all names people give to false god’s. His name is the transcendent, the eternal, the continuously present and holy pronouncement of "I AM". In English we see this as Yahweh (see my blog What is God’s Name Part 2 here.)

When you call upon His name, you are calling upon Him. Using His name in any form should be taken with great seriousness. The name of God is Holy because it is self given. It comes from God's own mouth and God is holy. God did not adopt the name that some group of people gave to Him. He disclosed His own name.

Adam was given dominion over the animals and He was given the right to name them. But no one has dominion over God.  No one has the right to name God. God has always existed and He knows who He is. He is the eternal one. He is the creator.  He is the one who has always been.  He is the one who was existing before the creation of the universe and before time existed.  He is the great, "I AM." Out of God's own nature, out of His own heart, He disclosed His holy name to us.  It is self -given.  His name is Holy and is not to be used in a vain way. God commands us not to use His name in vain. 

To misuse God's name means literally, "to lift it up to or attach it to emptiness. To use it incorrectly." No one is to use the Lord's name in this manner. God wants you to guard your words and make sure you are not using God’s name in vain even in normal conversation.

When we ignore His Name we are breaking this commandment. Also, according to the Old and New testaments, those who call upon Yahweh’s Name will be saved, Joel 2:32 and Acts 2:21. Beyond the scriptural significance, people prefer being called by their personal names and not by a replacement someone may randomly choose. Our Creator is no different. He too desires to be called by His personal revealed Name, Yahweh.

For more information on this topic see, The Yehovah Deception here and Yahweh or Jehovah here.

Is God's Name Jehovah? Part 1 here