YHWH...
The "Name" of the Father in heaven.
Most Hebrew "Names" had meanings. Names of people today in general are often less like that. They are given based on what the parents prefer to call their children. Sometimes the name may simply be one that the parent likes, or it may be the name of a relative. This is even sometimes the case in ancient Israel during Jesus time, where many people expected the parents to name their child after a relative. (Luke 1:61) (Luke 1:59,60,61,62,63,64) But notice this; the angel of the Lord told Zechariah, that he should name his son John, (Luke 1:13) , and that is what both he and his wife did. Mary the mother of Jesus was also told what name to give her son by an angel. (Luke 1:31)
The names in the bible, are unlike the names parents give their children today. Most bible names have meanings that encompass so much more. God brought the animals to Adam to see what Adam would call each of them. (Gen 2:19)
Although the bible fails to say this, it is unlikely that Adam simply picked a nice sounding name. I think Adam was very careful about this assignment... Adam probably studied the animal and thoughtfully decided on a name that fit the animal.
God even changed the names of some persons to describe the individual more accurately. For example at age 99 God changed Abraham's name from Abram to Abraham, and his wife's name from Sarai to Sarah.(Gen 17:1-5; Gen 17:15)
These names defined some of the attributes of an individual.
In this sense the Father's "name" is less likely just a "proper name" as we understand names today. It is probable that no human could comprehend it's full meaning. (Compare Rev 19:12; Rev 2:17) These two scriptures alone show us that a "name" is more than simply a person's "name" as we understand it today. There is so much more meaning that we can fail to discern. The white pebble (or stone) that is given to the faithful who conquer, is known only to the one who receives it. (Rev 2:17) When Jesus said "I have made your name "known"...it meant something other than making the spelling or sound of the "name" of God known. (Most of the Jews of his day already had a better handle on the Hebrew language than we do).
Even Pharoah of Egypt "knew" that part of it...But did he really "know" God ? . (Exodus 5:2)
Holman Christian Standard Bible
But Pharaoh responded, "Who is Yahweh that I should obey Him by letting Israel go? I do not know anything about Yahweh, and besides, I will not let Israel go."
YHWH: The descriptive "name" of God.
For us to routinely use that descriptive name, as if it were a proper name, may be the wrong thing to do.
Here is an interesting thought: How would you address your earthly father? You could call him "Father" or possibly "Dad".
Out of respect for your father, would you call him by his first name? Would you introduce him to your friends using his first name?
Would you introduce your earthly father by his descriptive name... as..."He who caused my birth"? Would you introduce your earthly mother as "She that gave birth to me"?
(I think most people would consider that disrespectful.)
Jesus is going to hand everything back over to his "Father".
(1 Cor 15:24, 28)
When he does, God will become all things to everyone.
If Jesus calls his Father..."Father", then what will we call him when we become God's earthly children?
Jesus told the Samaritan Woman at the well, that "True Worshipers" would worship the "Father" with spirit and truth, for indeed, the "Father" is looking for suchlike ones to worship him.
(John 4:21, 23, 24)
It makes me wonder...since Jesus had many opportunities to verbally make the spelling and sound of God's descriptive "Name" known, then why didn't he? Instead he simply and respectfully called God..."Father", as did the Apostles and disciples. They all had ample opportunity to use the "Name", but if you search the scriptures, it would be a difficult task without their original writings, to conclusively challenge the fact that this is absent.
The True God's name, a verb form of Hebrew, means "To be"..."He causes to become"...so he can be whatever he has to be to accomplish his purpose. He can cause to be whatever he will, to accomplish his purposes. {Hebrew verb...hawah..."to be"}.
Knowing God's "name" means understanding him as fully as we humans can.
It means having faith in the meaning of his name, that he will live up to his "Name"...specifically, the description of what his name means.
Jesus would never have followed any man-made traditions. Nor today, would he use any "man-made" names for God, as Bible translators do today, simply because that name was in use for a couple of centuries.
( The J is absent in Hebrew. The J that Bible translators use, comes from the Germanic language in much later centuries.
Those translators also decided to place vowels from the Hebrew word Adonai as well.
In the Hebrew language ... the word "hovah" essentially means; to destroy, ruin, disaster, to make mischief, according to some. This descriptive "name" more of a description of Satan, than it is of Almighty God...the one who creates and gives life). (Genesis 1:31)
The name "Hovah" fails to convey a creator of life and good.
See this link..Hovah
at brother Paulo Vincentini's site.
If we had the original manuscripts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John from the First Century, as well as all the original letters that Luke, Paul, Peter, James and John wrote, there would be little controversy as to whether Jesus used God's descriptive name as has been said by the Watchtower organization.
We fail to have the original First Century manuscripts. We only have parts from the second and third century at the earliest. Those could have been corrupted by the then already existing men of lawlessness.
We are unable go back in time to the first century to hear whether they used the divine name. Were we there to listen to Jesus or his Apostles speak, we would be able to know, however, without this possibility to go back in time, to know how to "pronounce" the divine "name" would be even more difficult.
God has promised that the understanding of the "scrolls" (bible) would be opened up to us in the time of the end.
If Jesus called God "Father", then why not imitate him?
You can imitate Jesus. It is allowed.
Agape,
Obadiah
The "Name" of the Father in heaven.
Most Hebrew "Names" had meanings. Names of people today in general are often less like that. They are given based on what the parents prefer to call their children. Sometimes the name may simply be one that the parent likes, or it may be the name of a relative. This is even sometimes the case in ancient Israel during Jesus time, where many people expected the parents to name their child after a relative. (Luke 1:61) (Luke 1:59,60,61,62,63,64) But notice this; the angel of the Lord told Zechariah, that he should name his son John, (Luke 1:13) , and that is what both he and his wife did. Mary the mother of Jesus was also told what name to give her son by an angel. (Luke 1:31)
The names in the bible, are unlike the names parents give their children today. Most bible names have meanings that encompass so much more. God brought the animals to Adam to see what Adam would call each of them. (Gen 2:19)
Although the bible fails to say this, it is unlikely that Adam simply picked a nice sounding name. I think Adam was very careful about this assignment... Adam probably studied the animal and thoughtfully decided on a name that fit the animal.
God even changed the names of some persons to describe the individual more accurately. For example at age 99 God changed Abraham's name from Abram to Abraham, and his wife's name from Sarai to Sarah.(Gen 17:1-5; Gen 17:15)
These names defined some of the attributes of an individual.
In this sense the Father's "name" is less likely just a "proper name" as we understand names today. It is probable that no human could comprehend it's full meaning. (Compare Rev 19:12; Rev 2:17) These two scriptures alone show us that a "name" is more than simply a person's "name" as we understand it today. There is so much more meaning that we can fail to discern. The white pebble (or stone) that is given to the faithful who conquer, is known only to the one who receives it. (Rev 2:17) When Jesus said "I have made your name "known"...it meant something other than making the spelling or sound of the "name" of God known. (Most of the Jews of his day already had a better handle on the Hebrew language than we do).
Even Pharoah of Egypt "knew" that part of it...But did he really "know" God ? . (Exodus 5:2)
Holman Christian Standard Bible
But Pharaoh responded, "Who is Yahweh that I should obey Him by letting Israel go? I do not know anything about Yahweh, and besides, I will not let Israel go."
YHWH: The descriptive "name" of God.
For us to routinely use that descriptive name, as if it were a proper name, may be the wrong thing to do.
Here is an interesting thought: How would you address your earthly father? You could call him "Father" or possibly "Dad".
Out of respect for your father, would you call him by his first name? Would you introduce him to your friends using his first name?
Would you introduce your earthly father by his descriptive name... as..."He who caused my birth"? Would you introduce your earthly mother as "She that gave birth to me"?
(I think most people would consider that disrespectful.)
Jesus is going to hand everything back over to his "Father".
(1 Cor 15:24, 28)
When he does, God will become all things to everyone.
If Jesus calls his Father..."Father", then what will we call him when we become God's earthly children?
Jesus told the Samaritan Woman at the well, that "True Worshipers" would worship the "Father" with spirit and truth, for indeed, the "Father" is looking for suchlike ones to worship him.
(John 4:21, 23, 24)
It makes me wonder...since Jesus had many opportunities to verbally make the spelling and sound of God's descriptive "Name" known, then why didn't he? Instead he simply and respectfully called God..."Father", as did the Apostles and disciples. They all had ample opportunity to use the "Name", but if you search the scriptures, it would be a difficult task without their original writings, to conclusively challenge the fact that this is absent.
The True God's name, a verb form of Hebrew, means "To be"..."He causes to become"...so he can be whatever he has to be to accomplish his purpose. He can cause to be whatever he will, to accomplish his purposes. {Hebrew verb...hawah..."to be"}.
Knowing God's "name" means understanding him as fully as we humans can.
It means having faith in the meaning of his name, that he will live up to his "Name"...specifically, the description of what his name means.
Jesus would never have followed any man-made traditions. Nor today, would he use any "man-made" names for God, as Bible translators do today, simply because that name was in use for a couple of centuries.
( The J is absent in Hebrew. The J that Bible translators use, comes from the Germanic language in much later centuries.
Those translators also decided to place vowels from the Hebrew word Adonai as well.
In the Hebrew language ... the word "hovah" essentially means; to destroy, ruin, disaster, to make mischief, according to some. This descriptive "name" more of a description of Satan, than it is of Almighty God...the one who creates and gives life). (Genesis 1:31)
The name "Hovah" fails to convey a creator of life and good.
See this link..Hovah
at brother Paulo Vincentini's site.
If we had the original manuscripts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John from the First Century, as well as all the original letters that Luke, Paul, Peter, James and John wrote, there would be little controversy as to whether Jesus used God's descriptive name as has been said by the Watchtower organization.
We fail to have the original First Century manuscripts. We only have parts from the second and third century at the earliest. Those could have been corrupted by the then already existing men of lawlessness.
We are unable go back in time to the first century to hear whether they used the divine name. Were we there to listen to Jesus or his Apostles speak, we would be able to know, however, without this possibility to go back in time, to know how to "pronounce" the divine "name" would be even more difficult.
God has promised that the understanding of the "scrolls" (bible) would be opened up to us in the time of the end.
If Jesus called God "Father", then why not imitate him?
You can imitate Jesus. It is allowed.
Agape,
Obadiah
