The Names Of God – Yahweh or Jehovah
In our 2 previous Bible study articles, The Names Of God In The Bible and Part 2, we studied the names of God and their meanings. God has a variety of names listed in the Bible. Each name describes a particular part of God’s character and glory.
In these next 2 articles we will focus in on one of the names of God – Yahweh or Jehovah. Yahweh is translated into the English name Jehovah. In the original Hebrew Bible, the name Yahweh is actually shown as YHWH. It was common practice in ancient Hebrew not to include vowels in God’s name. Thus the use of YHWH.
Typically Yahweh appears in most English Bible versions as LORD in capital letters. When you see LORD in your Bible (most versions), this is God’s name Yahweh (YHWH). In most cases and Bible versions when you see Lord without capital letters, it is the word Adonai. Adonai means lord or master. It is more of a description or a title of God as being the Lord, than a personal name of God.
Isaiah 42:8 ” I am the LORD (YHWH), that is My name. I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images.”
Psalm 29:2 “Ascribe to the Lord (Adonai) the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in holy array.”
The Names Of God – Yahweh or Jehovah
The Name of God – Yahweh Reveals God’s Self Existent & Eternal Nature
Exodus 3:13-15 “Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name ? ’ What shall I say to them ?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” (YHWH); and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM (YHWH) has sent me to you.’” God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.”
In Exodus 3:14 God answers Moses’ question of “What is Your name ?” by saying “I AM WHO I AM” (YHWH). This reflects the nature of God as being the self existent and eternal God. God always has been and always will be.
Revelation 1:8 reflects the self existent and eternal nature of God – “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “ who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
The Names of God – Yahweh or Jehovah Reveals That God Is The Lord With Authority
Exodus 6:3 shows that God revealed Himself as God Almighty (El Shaddai) to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. “and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty (El Shaddai), but by My name, LORD (YHWH) , I did not make Myself known to them.” Then it shows that God is revealing Himself to Moses and Israel in a new way as YHWH or LORD (Jehovah).
“El Shaddai” (translated God Almighty) is first found in the revelation God made of Himself to Abraham (Genesis 17:1). It is used by Isaac (Genesis 28:3), and repeated in the revelation made to Jacob (Genesis 35:11 ). This reveals that God is of “overpowering strength” or is the “Almighty or All Powerful God”.
By revealing to Moses and Israel that God is YHWH (“LORD”), He is showing Moses and Israel that He is the LORD of His people. And that He has authority over His people as God.
Psalm 83:18 “That they may know that You alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.
2 Chronicles 20:6 “and he said, “O Lord, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You.”
The Names Of God
Yahweh or Jehovah – Reveals That God Is The Redeemer
In Exodus 3:7-8 God tells Moses “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings.8 So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey…”
God is revealing Himself as the Redeemer of His people from their suffering at the hands of Egypt. This is a picture of the way that God will redeem his future people from their sins through Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate Redeemer.
Deuteronomy 7:8 “but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”
Jeremiah 23:6 “In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness.”
Luke 1:68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people.”
In Part 2 we will continue to study the names of God and look at more meanings of the Yahweh or Jehovah.
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Other Links
Religion vs Relationship With God
Why Should You Pray & Spend Time With God ?
Is Jesus Your First Love ? Part 2
Prayer Is Passion To Seek & Know God
God’s Purpose & Mission For You And Your Church
Spiritual Gifts: All Christians Have Gifts
Jesus Wants To Heal You & Set You Free
Salvation & The Gospel Of Jesus Christ
The Kind of Christian & Church God Wants
Kevin Bart has been a Jesus follower for over 40 years. Kevin has taught Bible study classes, small groups, and discipleship classes for many years. He developed Pursuing Intimacy With God after many years of seeking God and studying His word.
Kevin is a former business owner, and current international missions ministry leader with more than four decades of combined business and ministry experience. After building and running a successful business for 23 years, with God’s guidance and blessings, he sold his company to dedicate himself to full-time global missions.
For over 20 years, Kevin and his wife Nancy have led an international missions ministry. Utilizing learned business and financial management skills, as well as knowledge and experience in travel points and miles, to date they have had 51 mission trips to 36 countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
