Names in Bible times carried much weight. They really meant something to those who knew the name. The name of a person described the character of a person. This is the context of the ancient Hebrew culture. The Hebrew nation would ascribe a new name to God as they would experience a new aspect of His character. New, not because God had changed for God does not change (Hebrews 13:8); but, because they had never experienced a certain attribute of God. God revealed Himself to His people in ways that they needed at the time of their need. When this would happen they would ascribe a name to Him to explain His character.
Today we meet God as Jehovah or Yahweh. These two names are synonymous. They are transliterations of the name used most often for God in the ancient Hebrew text, the Old Testament, YHWH. This, YHWH is also referred to as the Tetragrammaton. The transliterations are a result of the addition of vowels by commentators to YHWH. The ancient Hebrew culture did not use vowels when writing the name of God but they did when they spoke it. While YHWH is how it was originally written transliterations that come from the oral tradition of this name are Jehovah and Yahweh. Which one is used depends on the vowel structure used by the commentator. Either way YHWH is used 6,823 times in the Old Testament and is derived from the ancient word havah which means to be or to become. For the purpose of this writing, Jehovah will be used. It is the most commonly used transliteration today very likely because most early Bible translators used it instead of Yahweh.
When we read the word LORD in all capital letters in the Old Testament we are learning of God as Jehovah in context of His being or His existence. Jehovah is the self-existent One. The One who possesses in Himself essential life and eternal existence.
Although the name Jehovah was used as early as the book of Genesis in the beginning of time as we know it, Israel did not really grasp the significance of this name until Moses had an encounter with God at the
burning bush in Exodus chapter 3. Here Moses is called by God to lead His people out of bondage. Moses struggling with this call says to God what he believes the possible response of the Israelites will be, "What is His name?" (3:13) Here God introduces Himself as the great I AM--Jehovah--the self-existent One--the One who possesses both essential life and eternal existence. Jehovah is the everlasting God, the One who has no beginning and no end. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is all that is needed at any one point in our lives. He is bigger than our past, our pain, our hate, our anger, our doubts, our fears, our shame, our anxiety, our scars, our loneliness, our depression, and our addictions. Just fill in the blank and He can meet that need for He is our God, Jehovah and there is no other like Him.
Take a moment and thank God for being our Jehovah.
Recommended reading: Lord I Want to Know You by: Kay Arthur
Today we meet God as Jehovah or Yahweh. These two names are synonymous. They are transliterations of the name used most often for God in the ancient Hebrew text, the Old Testament, YHWH. This, YHWH is also referred to as the Tetragrammaton. The transliterations are a result of the addition of vowels by commentators to YHWH. The ancient Hebrew culture did not use vowels when writing the name of God but they did when they spoke it. While YHWH is how it was originally written transliterations that come from the oral tradition of this name are Jehovah and Yahweh. Which one is used depends on the vowel structure used by the commentator. Either way YHWH is used 6,823 times in the Old Testament and is derived from the ancient word havah which means to be or to become. For the purpose of this writing, Jehovah will be used. It is the most commonly used transliteration today very likely because most early Bible translators used it instead of Yahweh.
When we read the word LORD in all capital letters in the Old Testament we are learning of God as Jehovah in context of His being or His existence. Jehovah is the self-existent One. The One who possesses in Himself essential life and eternal existence.
Although the name Jehovah was used as early as the book of Genesis in the beginning of time as we know it, Israel did not really grasp the significance of this name until Moses had an encounter with God at theburning bush in Exodus chapter 3. Here Moses is called by God to lead His people out of bondage. Moses struggling with this call says to God what he believes the possible response of the Israelites will be, "What is His name?" (3:13) Here God introduces Himself as the great I AM--Jehovah--the self-existent One--the One who possesses both essential life and eternal existence. Jehovah is the everlasting God, the One who has no beginning and no end. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is all that is needed at any one point in our lives. He is bigger than our past, our pain, our hate, our anger, our doubts, our fears, our shame, our anxiety, our scars, our loneliness, our depression, and our addictions. Just fill in the blank and He can meet that need for He is our God, Jehovah and there is no other like Him.
Take a moment and thank God for being our Jehovah.
Recommended reading: Lord I Want to Know You by: Kay Arthur
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