Solomon's Reason, Shem Yaua
My Purpose and position:
The name of the Yaua will restored to the Church and Israel
Jesus and the name
Peter and the name
James and the name
John and the name
What is the reason Our Father in heaven does what he does? What is the reason for us the Church doing what we do? What is the reason Jesus did what he did?
These are vital question for we in the Church are heart people. We are a people who seek to be pure in heart and who worship the Father in Spirit and truth. Some of us expect another temple to built on Mount Moriah. Some of understand that we, the Church are the eternal temple of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But why would God have another temple? What is the ultimate the final cause as to why the Father would inspire another King like David, to design a temple and Solomon (peaceful) to build it? The answer to all these questions is for his name’s sake. The final cause for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to do things is for
Their name sake. We too need to do things lemaan shmo (For his names sake). Before we in the Church pray Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven: we pray “Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name”. Remember whereas as man looks on the outward appearance, The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, look on the heart. We desire from the depth of our heart for the Father to sanctify and hallow his name. The temple was built for a place for his name to dwell. The second was built for the same reason. The temple we are as the Church and we as individual saints are places where the Father, Son and Holy Spirit’s name dwells. So it is actually very vital for us in the Church to know the name of the God who we are here to glorify, for his name is norah fearful and nichbad (glorious).
Jesus and the Name
Clearly being the body of Christ means we really need to followers of Christ. He is the head we are the body. If what we teach is not based on his life, his word his teaching, his Spirit it will not last. On the last day it will be burnt up. So we need to listen to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches. Jesus is the light of the world (Or ha Olam) we follow him and if we follow him we will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life. So what did Jesus teach us about the name of his Father and indeed his name. The first thing we need to observe is what was the name of the Father of Jesus. For our Father is not like the god Marduk of Babylon having an unspeakable name. From the time of Enosh (Gen 4:26), to the time of the destruction of the second temple in 70 AD, the name was being spoken. It was not ineffable (arretos), and he was not anonymous. Even after 70 AD the name continued to be used in some communities because the Rabbis of the Talmud were still sending out decrees forbidding the use of the name up until 1000 AD. [1] So what is the name of Jesus Father, of Jesus and the Holy Spirit? Jesus tells us John 5:43 “I am come in my Father’s name and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name him you will receive”. Here he was speaking to the Yehudim who sought to stone him and “who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that come from the only God?’ So we have a question which name did Jesus come in? And the testimony of the gospels is absolutely unanimous in Matt 21:9, 23:39, Mark 11:9,10; Luke 13:35, 19:38, John 12:13. All four gospels refer us back to Psalm 118:26 on the day Jesus entered Jerusalem as King and prince of peace. Despite the fact that the gospels cover different aspects of the ministry of our Lord Jesus on this particular point they join together in testifying to the name in which Jesus came by quoting the last psalm of what has come to be known as the Egyptian Hallel, Psalms 113-118. This Psalm (118) is of great importance so please read it and reflect on the way the psalmist uses the name of God and various titles for God. This psalm, which is sung by the Jews at every Pesach, Pentecost, Sukkoth, Hanukah and Rosh Chodesh is full of Messianic content. Let us review what the four gospels tell us about the phrases “ Ana Yahwah Hoshia na” I beseech Yahwah, save please” in verse 25 and “Baruq Ha ba be shem Yahwah” “Blessed is he who comes in the name Yahwah” of verse 26.
“Hosanna in the Highest” and “Blessed is he who comes in the name Yahwah”
It was what has come to be called Palm Sunday, the 10th of Nisan AD 30. Jesus came riding down on a chamor (Ass) and upon a colt the foal of an Ass ( ayir ben atonot). Matthew reveals to us that he did this to fulfil Zechariah 9: 9 and Isaiah 62:11
“ Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold thy king cometh unto thee meek and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an Ass.” This king according to Zechariah would speak Shalom to the nations and his reign would be from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. The bow of war would be cut from the earth. This passage is Zechariah is well worth reflecting on in the context of Jesus coming and its purpose. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem a great multitude began to spread garment in the way and took branches from palm trees. And they cried “Hoshia na to Ben David: Baruq ha ba be shem Yahwah; Hoshia na”. These crowds in Jerusalem understood that Jesus was coming in the name Yahwah. So we see clearly that this is the name Jesus came in when he came to earth. And we in the Church are blessed to be able to join the with Church of the first century and to cry now, with the crowd blessed is he who come in the name Yahwah. Later on we will take up the question how do we pronounce the name of our God. We know it is not Allah, no Bel, nor Marduk or Nebu. It is not Baal, Dagon, Chemosh or Molech. All these do not qualify for the name of our God. Our God’s name is Yah or Yah-wah. I will present the evidence for this second pronunciation a bit later. For now let us continue with the testimony of the gospels and the prophets. Jesus approached Jerusalem with the cry of these crowds Hoshia na (Hosanna), Ben David, the first one of whom was Solomon. No doubt they remembered how Solomon who was enthroned twice, had also gone riding humbly on an Ass. We are reminded of the story in 1 Kings 1 how Adoniyah ben Haggith said to himself he would be King. He got horses and chariots and made a big fanfare just before David’s death. He had fifty men run before him hoping that if David died before he finished he would have gained the Kingdon all thinking this big fanfare was genuinely organized by David. But it was reported to David who had promised Solomon the throne. Adoniyah exalted himself, but Solomon waited. David then said to Benaiah ben Yehodiah, Tzadok ha Cohen and Nathan ha Navi to take Solomon and let him ride upon his own mule(pirdah), a beast of burden like an ass (chamor), take him to Gihon and anoint him King over Israel. This way of humility with a beast which was not for war, unlike the horse, was the way of Jesus. And when Jesus arrived in the city it was moved at his coming. The people were crying Hoshia na. Save us in the highest (beh Elyon). The word H-o-sh-i-a-h is the imperative form of the verb root yasha to be open wide and free. Again it is linked through the root to the name Ya-h-o-sh-a the name Jesus in Hebrew.
The psalm is a processional psalm and in ancient was believed to be linked to the feat of tabernacles and a year coronation. One commentary says “This is a thanksgiving liturgy for the king’s victorious return from battle”[2]. In Matthew 21 Jesus moved from the celebration into the temple where he started casting out the buyers and the sellers in the temple. He was approached by the chief priest and the elders of the people who asked for the source of his authority. Next the Pharisees begin to plan how to catch him out (Matt 22:15). Then the Saducees came to test him (Matt 22:23).The Pharisees return and finally Jesus does a long speech to the multitudes and his disciples (Matt 23;1) In Matthew 23:39 the Psalm is quoted in a different context. The last words he said in that speech and in the temple on that day were:
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed he that cometh in the name of YAHWAH. And YAHOSHUA went out, and departed from the temple”
So here we see the words in the mouth of Jesus himself in the temple. He is speaking to Jerusalem and what is he saying. He is saying that in order for them to see him they must be willing to say to him Baruq haba beshem Yahwah. The place where Yahwah’s name was to dwell was the temple in Jerusalem. And this phrase according the IBIOL commentary was a blessing pronounced by the priest on the annual arrival of the King
“A benediction is pronounced by the priests, who then bid procession with its garlands and palm braches to form a human chain of dancers up to the altar”[3] So perhaps we can conclude that until Jerusalem, including her authorities is willing to Bless Jesus with the blessing of one coming in the name Yahwah, sh ewill not see him. Now consider this. The present day Jerusalem does not even speak the name Yahwah. How on earth can they be ready to Bless Jesus coming in that name. This is why it is imperative to restore the name Yahwah to the mouth of the Church and Israel. This is why in the restoration of all things we can expect the so called ineffable name to be restored. In the days of Jesus the name was still definitely in use in the temple. It had not been forgotten. There are at least five sources which point to the use of the name Yahwah in the first century, mainly by the priests in the temple. I will quote a paper I wrote on Philo, Josephus and the Tetragrammaton to illustrate the evidence for the use of God’s name in the first century CE
“The idea of ineffable divine names has been traced back to Egypt and the cult of Isis and Ra. The actual dating of the ban on the Tetragrammaton is apparently uncertain. The Jewish Encylopedia article “Tetragrammaton” lists a number of scholars with differing ideas as to when and where the ban originated. It is however somewhere between the Babylonian Exile and the Hellenistic period. The Jewish literature we have in the second temple period indicate that there was a ban in some circles but as stated above it was not adhered in all circles. Legge, in his Forerunners and Rivals of Christianity p 37 states “The ineffability of the divine names was an old idea in Egypt, especially in the Osirian religion, where it forms the base of the story of Ra and Isis. So the name of Osiris himself was said to be was said to be ineffable…The name Marduk of Babylon is in the same way declared ineffable in an inscription of Neri…The name Yahweh became ineffable directly after Alexander. …In every case a magical idea that the god might be compelled by utterance of his secret name seems to be the root of the practice”.
However the source of the ban could have been Babylon for the pronunciation of divine names was guarded in the Babylonian mystery cults “ the true pronunciation of divine names was carefully hidden from the uninitiated multitudes.” [4]Clearly it is likely to come from a source somewhere in the diaspora for the Scriptures have a ban on the pronunciation of names of “elohim acherim” and many express commands indicating the need to call on the name Yahwah and even as Moses clashed with Pharoah they both used the divine name[5].
The use of the Tetragrammaton in the Hellenistic Period
If we were transported back in time to the first century AD and to Jerusalem, Israel and to the great day of the fast of Yom ha Kipporim we are told by some Jewish sources originating in that period that on that day the high priest would pronounce the name of the God of Israel, Yahwah, according to its letters. During his intercession we are told that he would use the name 10 times on that day. The words of the high priest are recorded in Mishnah Yoma 3:8, 4:2 and 6:2.
“O God[Yahwah] I Have committed iniquities, I have transgressed, I have sinned before thee, I an my house. O God [Yahwah], forgive the iniquities and transgressions and the sins which I have and transgressed and sinned before thee”[6]
The high priest, it is said, would utter the name and the assembled multitude of Israelites would prostrate themselves and respond “Blessed be the name of the glory of his kingdom forever and ever” “Baruch shem Kavod malchuto le olam va ed”. This was the day when the sins of Israel would be covered by the actions of the high priest as recorded in Leviticus 16 and in the Mishnah section Yoma.[7] The Mishnah, which although a late source can be used with critical comparison of other evidence to help us understand what happened regarding the name in the second temple period, also indicates that the name was used less and less after the reign of Simon the Just.[8] The use of the name was, according to the Mishnah restricted to the Temple area[9].
“How was the blessing of the priests carried out?...In the temple they pronounced the Name as written, but in the provinces with a substitute word”[10]
We have at least two other sources indicating the use of the name. The first, from the Mishnah, indicates that it was decreed that the name should be used in greeting one another in the temple.
The second from the Tosefta Yad 20 indicates that the Pharisees and the Hemero Baptists (“early morning bathers”) have a dispute with one another as to which context the name could be used in. From these texts we have at least four traditions in the Second temple period indicating the use of the expressed name. It was used by Temple cult on Yom Kippor, in the Aaronic blessing, by the Pharisees and the Hemerobaptists at the time of immersion, by persons attending the temple and greeting one another, which drew its authority from the example of Boaz when he greeted his workers with “Yahwah Imacem” and they responded “Yeveraqa Yahwah”.[11]. There is another context where it would appear the name was being used in the second temple period by a group clearly not agreeing with the so called ineffability of the name or the ban on the use of the name Yahwah. It is the document “Toldoth Yeshu”[12] which was a parody of the gospels. In this account dated to the 2nd or 3rd century Yeshu is accused of obtaining the right pronunciation of the name Yahwah and using it to produce his miracles. Although the book is clearly Midrashic it indicates perhaps that Yeshua’s community, the Nazarenes, appear to have been using Yahwah’s name to produce miracles and they did not adhere to the ban by the temple cult in Jerusalem.[13]
In light of this evidence there is no reason to suppose that Jesus didn’t actually use the name whilst in the temple and quoting Psalm 118:26. This blessing it’s the expected response of Jerusalem if they are to see the coming of Mashiach again. In is then important for the Church to begin to use the saying and the name according to it’s letter so that we can be ready. And when we are ready we can expect to see the return of our Lord to Jerusalem. Before we go on to explain how the name is to be pronounced we will finish the evidence of the four gospels.
In Mark the confession are made again as Jesus rode in to Jerusalem however there is a slight variation.
Hoshi ana Blessed is he that cometh in the name Yahwah:
Blessed be the kingdom of our Father David, that cometh in the name Yahwah: Hoshia ana in the highest. In this case he looked around the temple and walked out again. He then went back the next day and began to cleanse the temple. He cites Isaiah
“Is it nor written My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But ye have made it a den of thieves”
We see here the idea of My house brought in and a connection to the nations. This giving us a hint of the expectation that the House of Yahwah or Beit Yahwah would be recognized as such by all nations.
Isaiah says “Beiti beit tephilah yiqareh lekol ha amim”. The preceding verse speaks of the sons of the stranger who join themselves to Yahwah, to serve him, and to love the name Yahwah (le ahavah et Shem Yahwah). So we see here again in the allusions of Jesus a direct reference to the name Yahwah and how by loving this name even the benei necar (the son of the stranger) will be brought to the holy mountain of Yahwah and be made joyful in his house of prayer. We then in the Church can look forward to a house of Yahwah called a house of prayer, attended by those who love the name of Yahwah. This eschatological expectation is confirmed by Jeremiah (4) who speaks of Jerusalem receiving a new title Kisei Yahwah and of all nations being gathered to it to shem Yahwah (the name of Yahwah). Again we see with Jeremiah this emphasis not simply on being gathered to Jerusalem, but why Jerusalem? Because shem Yahwah abides there. The El Olam has a name and some how this infinite limitless God whom we serve is identified and set apart from all other so called deities in this name Yahwah. The nuance added by Luke 13:35 makes the eschatoloigical implications for the last days of the confession Baruq haba beshem Yahwah crystal clear.
Behold , your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you , Ye shall not see me until the time come when ye shall say, Baruq haba beshem Yahwah. Here is rebuke seems to be targeted to Herod. For some friendly Pharisees went to warn him of his life being in danger by Herod. Luke 1938 also adds a variation to the original confession. This time it is back to his descent from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem. The multitude included here are his disciples. So we can glean from Luke that Jesus entered Jerusalem with a large number of disciples. It was they who in Matthew and in Luke who recognized he was the Son of David coming in the authority of the name Yahwah. Even as Solomon had been first to inherit the throne of his Father David. As an example for the Church today the disciples at that time began to sing
“Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of Yahwah: peace in heaven and glory in the highest. Luke records that some Pharisees from among the multitudes told Jesus “Master rebuke your disciples”. He told them that if the disciples stopped the stones would cry out. And what were the disciples crying out. “Blessed the Kin who comes in the name Yahwah. Who knows perhaps the Pharisees were upset because the disciples were using the name. But someone will use the name even if the stones have to do it. This remind us of that wonderful Psalm fit for the future revival, Psalm 148. The stones of the Mount of Olives are encouraged with all creation “Let them praise praise the name of Yahwah: for his name alone is excellent. We oh Church are called in this day to join in this happy throng. They started 1973 years ago and we continue that same song. Yahwah name alone is excellent(nishgav). Blessed is he who comes in the excellent name Yahwah. If we in the Church will not do, and the people of Israel can not do it, who will praise Yahwah name and cry out from Jerusalem Blessed is he who comes in the name Yahwah. Needless to say Jesus did not rebuke his disciples. And then we see hear that sad fact of Jerusalem missing its day of opportunity
“If thou hadst known even thou, at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes…because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation”. The things which are for Jerusalem’s peace. What did these things include? Did they not include the blessing of him who came in the name Yahwah, the only nisgav name. You may wonder what has the name Yahwah to do with peace. And the answer is everything. For Yahwah would not let David build a temple for his name because he had shed much blood, he had fought many wars. Yahwah name at the end of the day gives peace. If we look at the scenes where his name was permitted by the Jewish authorities to be spoken we see three key area. Firstly on Yom Kippour. Here Yahwah would cover over the sins of Israel each year so that he could dwell in their midst. This pointed to Jesus High priestly ministry, in the Melchizedek priest. The High priest only one a year could enter into the Holy of Holies. As he made atonement for the people he would beseech Yahwah to forgive him, his household and Israel their sins. He would beseech using the name according to its letters. Would not the same be true of Jesus in his high priestly ministry. Hebrews tells us that one thing Jesus would do after his resurrection was to declare Yahwah’s name in the midst of his brethren, that is us.
For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see YAHOSHUA, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of GOD should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom all things, and by whom all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which GOD hath given me. Hebrews 2
The declaration of the name in the midst of the Church is connected with our brotherhood and our being a part of God’s family. We are the Children God had given Jesus and yet at the same time we are brothers. We see here how intimate a thing it is to be among those in the midst of who he is willing to call brethren. Added to this is the fact that Hebrews is quoting Psalm 8. We see Jesus, who is the Son of Man in the psalm. We have a witness here that the Son of Man Jesus refered to was not so much Ben Adam as Bar Enosh. If we want to that Psalm we would again see a wonderful connection with the name Yahwah, it beginning and ending with the same refrain
“O Yahwah our Lord how excellent (ma Adir) is you name in all the earth”
It would seem that the name has something to do with the subjection of all things under the feet of the Bar Enosh. Jesus also quotes this Psalm in dealing with those who want him to rebuke his disciples. Why all this focusing on the name? For the name is the reason. It is the motive for our action as a Church and for Jesus action as our saviour. The name motive has not left it is imperative. For the modern orthodox Jew Kiddush Hashem is supposed to be the highest motive. They are supposed to be will to die in order to sanctify the name. They supposedly do this only for a substitute of the name based around common noun, such as Ha Shem and Adonai. But we are privileged as the Church to by the Holy Spirit discover the name and then to use it as it ought to be used. Let us with the strangers of Isaiah 56 and the psalmist of Psalm 91 and our Lord Jesus learn to love the name Yahwah.
Returning to Luke we see that the rejection by the Pharisees and by Jerusalem those who were his own who did not receive lead to his weeping over the city of Jerusalem. The thing which were for its peace Jerusalem missed. And those things including the name became hidden from their eyes. After the temple was destroyed in 70 AD as Jesus prophesied, the Jewish authorities tried to ban the use of the name completely. And now go to any Jews and they will confess to you that no one knows how to pronounce this most excellent name, which alone is nisgav which is adir in all the earth. He who came beshem Yahwah the chief priests, the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy.
John’s gospel also testifies to this name being the name Jesus came in. I come, he said in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. In John again we see Jesus coming from Bethany. We see people with palm branches. This whole palm branch celebration is to do with the Feast of Tabernacles and yet Jesus is approaching during the lead up to Pesach. It is as though he doesn not need to follow the festivals for the festivals follow him. Now we here
Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of Yahwah. We are back to the daughter of Zion and the prophecy of Zechariah “Fear not daughter of Zion, behold thy king cometh sitting on an asses colt” Who is the daughter of Zion? Well we know David established Zion. And we know that 1030 year later or so the Church was born on Zion. We are the daughter of Jerusalem above as Paul reveals in Galations. The Church is Zion’s greatest daughter. And she has a king who will speak shalom to the nations. Why because he comes in the name Yahwah. Yahwah is the God who makes wars to cease to the ends of the earth. When the earth is filled with the glory of Yahwah, they neither harm nor destroy on all his holy mountain. Yahwah’s glory bring unity. When Yahwah teaches the nation they do not learn war any more. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called Son of El. Which El? The only true Elohim Yahwah. If his sons are peacemakers then he is the Father of all peacemakers he is the source of all peace making. His name as a result of it presence brings peace. The priests used the name in the temple every day when they dismissed the people. People used to go to the temple to watch this daily blessing. Yahwah had this to say of this blessing.
And YAHWAH 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,
YAHWAH bless thee, and keep thee:
Yevareqa Yahwah ve yishmereqa
YAHWAH make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
Yaer Yahwah panav aleiqa ve chuneqa
YAHWAH lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
Yahwah panav aleiqa ve yasem leqa Shalom
And they shall put my name upon (al) the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
We see then the purpose of this threefold blessing which Yahwah instituted and which is spoken among Jews and Christians all over the world. It is to bless the children of Israel by putting his name upon them. The very presence of his name on the leads Yahwah to come to Israel and to bless them. Where Yahwah’s name is there is blessing. And note the blessing includes keeping them, being gracious (from Chen)to them, h e would shine his face upon them and grace them. His face would be upon them and he would grant peace. How beautiful is Yahwah’s name on his people. Amos 9 tells up that his name would be called upon a group of Gentiles and we too have this privelege to have his name on us in Christ Jesus.
This was the way the priests blessed the people each day at the temple
“How was the blessing of the priest carried out? In the provinces it was spoken I three separate blessings, but in the temple as a single blessing. In the temple they pronounced the name as written, but in the provinces with a substitute word. In the provinces the priest raised their hands shoulder high, but in the temple above their heads, except for the high priest who raised his hand only as high as his forehead band.”[14] The high priest had a band around his forehead which had inscribed on it the name Yahwah. Lipamn teaches us a tradition that “The Shekinah-the presence of God”-rested over the temple when the Tetragrammaton was spoken. Therefore the priests hands had to be raise higher than in the provinces. The high priest had had the tetragrammaton written on the foreheadpiece he wore, and consequently he was not to raise his hands any higher”[15]
O give thanks unto YAHWAH; for good: because his mercy for ever.
Let Israel now say, that his mercy for ever.
Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy for ever.
Let them now that fear YAHWAH say, that his mercy for ever.
I called upon YAH in distress: YAH answered me, in a large place.
YAHWAH is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
YAHWAH taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see upon them that hate me.
Better to trust in YAHWAH than to put confidence in man.
Better to trust in YAHWAH than to put confidence in princes.
All nations compassed me about: but in the name of YAHWAH will I destroy (circumcise[16]) them.
They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about:
but in the name of YAHWAH I will destroy (circumcise) them.
They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns:
for in the name of YAHWAH I will destroy (circumcise) them.
Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but YAHWAH helped me.
YAH my strength and song[17], and is become my salvation (yeshuah[18]).
The voice of rejoicing and salvation(yeshuah) in the tabernacles of the righteous:
the right hand of YAHWAH doeth valiantly. The right hand of YAHWAH is exalted:
the right hand of YAHWAH doeth valiantly.
I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of YAH.
YAH hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, I will praise YAH:
This gate of YAHWAH, into which the righteous shall enter.
I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me,
and art become my salvation (yeshuah).
The stone (even) the builders refused is become the head of the corner (Rosh Pina).[19]
This is YAHWAH’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
This the day YAHWAH hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Save now, I beseech thee, O YAHWAH:
O YAHWAH, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
Blessed he that cometh in the name of YAHWAH:
We have blessed you out of the house of (Beit) YAHWAH.
EL YAHWAH, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, unto the horns of the altar.
Thou ELI, and I will praise thee: Elohai, I will exalt thee.
O give thanks unto YAHWAH; for good: for his mercy for ever.
Jesus told us to do regarding the name of his Father was to pray daily that it would be made holy, or sanctified or hallowed? We may wonder why should we pray that our Father in Heaven name should be sanctified? His name is Qadosh. His name is holy, why should we have to pray that it should be sanctified, every day as the first petition of our prayer? He and his name are they not intrinsically holy? They are indeed. However this hallowing then must refer to the realm of people. His name has to be set apart and sanctified in the mouths and hearts of the nations on the earth. It has been profaned because they do not give glory to his name. It is profaned because they nation look at Israel and Yehudah do not see a loving and wise people but a people rebellious against the will of their heavenly Father. The Yehudim are a people called by his name. But when the nations look at them, they often said, they can not even stay in their land, their God is not very powerful. Look how these people are suffering, can their God not protect them. Paul in rebuking on group says
“You who boast in the Torah, do you dishonor God through breaking the Torah?
For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, as it is written”
When some one boasting in the Torah does something contrary to Torah and behaves in an ungodly manner. The Father’s name get blasphemed. So the Father names needs to be hallowed among the nations, it needs to be set apart and glorified. Yahwah says
I want to talk to you about the reason Solomon built the first temple. That is I want to talk about the phrase For the sake of the name Yahwah. Solomon was building a temple so that Yahwah could have a place in the midst of Israel for his name to dwell.
It was for Yahwah names sake (Lemaan shmo) that the tabernacle stayed in Israel. It was Lemaan shmo for the sake of his name, that Yahwah raised up Pharoah. He said to him in Exod 6 For this reason I have raised you up in order that my name might be declared in all the earth. It was for his names sake that after Israel worshipped the golden calf, Yahwah did not destroy them, lest the enemy would say He brought them out of Egypt to destroy them in the wilderness. David asked Yahwah to forgive him his iniquities (awon) for the sake of his name in Psalm 25. Yahwah says “I said ‘here I am here I am’ to a nation that was not called by my name’ Being called by the name Yahwah is a privilege which carries with it responsibilities. For Yahwah says in one place that when the nations in the land would know that Israel were called by the name Yahwah, those nations would fear Israel. In another place he says to Israel Do not take the name of Yahwah in vain. In this command the language is that of marriage. If a women marries a man and takes his name, what is to be said of her if she then goes and sleeps with another man. She has taken the name in vain. Yahwah feels a lot of pain when people take his name in vain.
So Yahwah does many things for his name sake? This term names sake means at least two things. The first is that this specific name Yahwah which is linked to the root of the verb to be, when it is spoken will produce in the hearer and the listener a reaction of respect. When Yahwah does something for his name sake, it is in order that when his name is heard the nations will honor it and even show great fear about using this name wrongly or speaking lightly of this specific name. Unlike the common noun Elohim (God), Yahwah does not have possessive suffixes. With a common noun like Elohim (God ) or El, you place suffixes to express relationship to that person. So Elohim God becomes Eloheinu, when we want to say our God, Eloheiqa for your God, Elohai for my God, Elohav for his God, Eloheiha, for her God, Elohekem for your (plural) God, Eloheiken Your (plural feminine) God, Elohehem their God, Eloheihen their (third person plural feminine) God. When the word Elohim stands alone and in no particular relation it is Elohim and this is its absolute form. It actually mean gods but is used for the true God also. So Yahwah often says to Israel “I will be your God (Eloheiqa) and you will be my people ami”.
El another common noun for God becomes Eli (my God) in the mouth of the Psalmist in Psalm 22 and in Jesus mouth on the cross. The name Yahwah and the name Yahoshua (Yeshua or Jesus) do not go through these transformations in Hebrew. The name Yahwah occurs at least 6823 times in the Hebrew Bible[20] in each case it consists of the four letter Yod He Vav Heh. Whereas the noun Elohim occurs about 2700 times but in all the variations we have just mentioned. Grammatically Yahwah is a proper noun and if it were the name of anyone other than God it would be translated in all Bible as such.
So when Yahwah speaks of doing things for his names sake he is usually referring to a specific name made up of four letters or its contraction Yah[21] He wants all nation to honor this name and he decided to call a Hebrew people out for his name and later in Amos he speaks of a Gentiles being called by his name.
If we consider the eternal power and infinite knowledge and love of our Father it will gives us some comprehension of what intense glory and fear messy be due to this name. Yahwah, it is a name fearful (norah) and glorious (nichbad). It is holy (qadosh) and it is our help in times of trouble. Psalm 124 speaks to the Church and says “Our Help is in the name(shem) Yahwah” How we are privileged oh Church to serve a God who not only calls the stars by name, that is all of them, not only knows the numbers of hairs on every head in which ever existed, not only pays attention to a birds falling to the ground in outer Mongolia but who wants us to know and use his name and who wants his name to dwell in the midst of us. How privileged we are church to be the generation which will see the name Yahwah returned the fullness of truth to the mouth of his Church and finally to the people of Israel. We do not serve the gods of Babylon like Marduk ot the gods of Egypt like Isis and Osiris, these gods names were ineffable. That is these names were considered so high they could not be spoken. It is true that when Israel went into exile they cam under the influence of these religious philosophies which say the names of their gods can not be spoken. This is not the way of Yahwah. Yahwah says to Phaoroah who was supposed to be an incarnation of the god Horus “For this reason I have raised you up to show in you my power and in order that my name may be declared (discussed saper) in all the earth”. Marduks name may be ineffable[22] but Yahwah’s name most certainly was not in biblical times whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament.
The Name of God and the Temple
The Name Yahwah was tied very closely with the Temple Cult in both the first and the second temple. Jesus began to build a new temple and temple built of saved stoned and his name began to dwell in them. It is the connection of the name and the temple which makes it so important for the Church to unashamedly join with the King James Version and with the Jerusalem Bible, the Youngs Literal Translation and the Danby Bible[23] in restoring his name to her lips in praise, confession, thanksgiving, declaration, discussion and greeting. When we restore the name Yahwah we are preparing the way for the coming of Jesus. You may wonder how is this? The first reason is that Peter said heaven has received Jesus until the restoration of all things. Whilst Jesus is up there in heaven times of refreshing are falling on the earth. Let us focus on this restoration of all things. Jesus said after the death of John the Baptist, that Eliyahu has come and they did with them as they pleased. But then he said Eliyahu must come first and restore all things. So both Peter and Jesus declare that before the final coming of Mashiach there must be a restoration of all things. Well what does all things include? Does it not include the restoration of the name, which has been lost to the Jews for so many years, ever since the destruction of the second temple? Then temple was built for the name Yahwah. When Solomon built the temple he prayed that Gentiles would come and pray to Yahwah. They would receive an answer and go back to their nations and tell of the great things Yahwah, the God who had his house in Jerusalem, did. One of his motives was mission. Through the testimony of the gentile the name Yahwah would be glorified.
So he states “Hear thou I heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee, for: that all the people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded is called by thy name” (I Kings 3)
It is not the specific building which is significant rather it is the name which that house bears. Before the temple was built we see David praying this way
“Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in “Beit Yahwah” the house of Yahwah, for ever”.
Now here we see a house called the House of Yahwah that is a house called by his name. It was not a house of Cedar but it was a House of Yahwah. David believes he will be there for every day. Now the tabernaccle which David built to worship Yahwah was the place where he dwelt with Yahwah. It was in his word Beit Yahwah. We know from Amos 9 and Acts 15 that we are expected a restoration of this tabernacle of David or Beit Yahwah that is Yahwah’s house. It is very important to understand what Yahwah is doing in restoring his house. Please note the warning as well as the promise so that we can move with the gospel to all Israel.
“Fo lo I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifte , yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say the evil, shall not overtake nor prevent us. In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in days of old. That they may possess the remnant of men[24], and of all the nations, which are called by my name, saith Yahwah that doeth this.
So we see that the Beit Yahwah is to be raised up. And they will possess the remenat of Edom of man and the Gentiles called by Yahwah’s name. (Kol hagoim asher nikra shemi alehem neum Yahwah).
This is very important for usually it is Israel who have Yahwah name called upon them. But Amos looks to a day when the Tent of David will possess Gentiles who have Yahwah’s name called upon them.
James or Jacob sees this as prophesying the Gentiles entering in the Church and we remember James and Jesus were of the house of David. Notice also that the sinners I his people will be sifted out, and will die, even by the sword. But the Sifting will not lose on believer. For we see here the image used in the New Testament of the ministry of Jesus. First it is the sinner who will die. But Jesus came to save his people from their sins. So every Israelite or Hebrew has a way out, Yahoshua his name means he will save his people from their sins. Secondly John the Baptist speaking of him as gathering his wheat into his barn and separating the wheat from the chaff. How to you leave the community of the sinners who will die by the sword. By repentance toward God and faith towards Yashoshua the Mashiach, Jesus the Christ. The focus for us here is on the fact that David perceived himself as dwelling in the beit Yahwah that is the house of Yahwah. This house I am asserting is the tabernacle Yahwah had David establish to sing praises and thanksgiving to Yahwah. This will be restored in fullness in these last days so that the Gentiles who have Yahwah’s name called upon them will be possessed by this house, which is run from Israel by believers selected by Yahwah.[25]
So to call a house by the name Yahwah is a literal thing. It is a house that really bears the name Yahwah. David built a tabernacles which played the role of house in his life. However the actual temple was built by David which he built in his father place. David was not permitted to build it because he was a man of war and had shed much blood. The temple in the future will not be built by a man of war either. It will be built by a man of peace or a community of peace. Jesus is this man of peace.
Jesus the name and the Temple.
The name Yahwah was reveled to Abraham to a certain level. “I am Yahwah who brought you out of the Ur of Chaldees to give thee this land to inherit it.” (Gen 15:7) At this point Yahwah did not say to Abraham I am Yahwah your God as he did later to Israel. However he hundreds of years later appeared to Moses and said “Yahwah…this is my name for ever, my memorial from generation to generation of for all generations”. Now he had spoken to Abram promising the land. Now he was speaking to Moses because the time was come to fulfil the promise of the land. However Yahwah had not just promised Abraham land but that all nations would be blessed in his seed. So the land was a precursor to the blessing of the nations. Moses was told the name was forever and for all generations. So Moses who went to Pharoah in the name Yahwah knew the importance of the name.[26] When Moses want to appoint a successor he chose a man name Hosea (H-O-SH-A). This is the same name as Hosea and means salvation or deliverer. Moses changed him name so that it contained the name Yahwah. He changed it to Yahoshua (Y-H-O-Sh-A)- which means Yahwah saves[27]. This change of name and the importance of the new name is picked up very early on in the Church. The name Jesus is an English equivalent to the name Yahoshua as is Joshua. Eusebius notes it in the History of the Church and before him Justin Martyr even argues that it is Gods name from the fact that he equates the angel who lead them into the land with Yahoshua and notes that Yahwah said My name is in him. So he assumed that because he name was in him it meant the name he bore was God’s name.
The Generation then of Moses began to use the name Yahwah and passed it on to the following generations. The Generation of David began to produce many Psalms to the name Yahwah. And the earlier generations of Boaz used to Greet one another with the name. Boaz went to the field and greeted his harvesters with Yahwah imakem, Yahwah be with you. They replied “Yeveraqa Yahwah” Yahwah bless you.
The generation of Solomon built a house for the name of Yahwah to dwell in. So at some point the name perhaps moved from the Angel, to the Tabernacle to the Temple. In the of Rehoboam there was a split in the Kingdom. False gods began to entice Israel.
The name of God in Eschatology
I am talking to you Oh Church of God’ Grace, from my heart. We are in the last days and Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father
For many believers the area of discussion in this paper may be incomprehensible and may even be considered
To be taking away glory from Jesus. Somehow by talking about the name Yahwah some feel that we are being sidetracked from Jesus who saved us. Because of this I want to explain very basically my position. I was brought up in a Baptist Church called Holbeach Baptist Church in south east London. We used to go to boys brigade and to Christian camps. By the time I was nine years old I knew that I was a sinner. We went to a camp I think some where in Devon. And the preacher told us Jesus had died on the cross to save us fro our sins. I knew I was a sinner needed forgiveness of my sins. So I responded back there in 1974-5. I asked Jesus to be my savior. All I remember is running down Bowness road excited to tell my mum, I had accepted Jesus as my savior and entered in the blessing of the new covenant in his blood which was shed for the forgiveness of sin. How privileged we are oh Church to have available to us the forgiveness of sins. The blood of Jesus is truly powerful.
At this time we used to go to ABC Bible club at Allerford Chapel in Bellingham near Catford. That Church was a Charismatic Church. An old lady used to teach us. My big sister began to attend their young peoples group. And finally we as a family decided to join the Church. In this Church, somewhere around the age of 11 or 12 I was baptized in water. In our church we first go through lessons about the faith, I did this with my friend Clement and our Pastor Richard Haydon Knowell. Then when you and the pastor felt you were ready you would get baptized. I wanted to be baptized as a seal of the faith I already had and in obedience to the word of Jesus “whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved”. I understood I was already saved but as a step of obedience to Jesus I was baptized in water.
In our church we first testified to the congregation as to how we got born again and then we confess “Jesus is Lord”. Then the minister would say “On the basis of your confession that Jesus is Lord I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”. I am so thankful to Yahwah[28] for the forgiveness of sins and the relationship he permitted me with Jesus. Jesus changed my life, I entered the same covenant which Jesus established on Mount Zion about 1946 years before.
I mentioned that this Church was Charismatic. Well I used to listen to those people speaking in tongues and I used to think they were crazy.
Why build another Temple?
If we consider the ways and actions of our Eternal Father in the Bible we will understand very clearly that he has a motive and a purpose behind everything he does. He is the only wise God, he is a God who has all understanding. He is the Father who knows the number of the hairs on every head of every man who ever existed. He knows the date and the place of every bird which ever fell to the ground anywhere in all history. He knows. And this infinite and eternal knowledge we are told by Jesus is a sign of his love and concern for his creation[29]. If not one sparrow falls to the ground without our Heavenly Father knowing about it how is it he might not know the needs we his children have at every moment of our lives? The fact is that his concern for us and his whole creation means he watches continually and knows everything which has happened, is happening and will happen. Why does our Heavenly Father maintain such a close watch over his creation and more so over his own people? Perhaps light can be gained by looking at Psalm 25:10-11. In this Psalm King David, who has the reputation of being a man after our Father’s heart, makes a wonderful and essential request in prayer. He prays
“Kol archot Yahwah Chesed we Emet
Le notzrei brito ve edotav. Lemaan shimqa Yahwah
Ve selachtah leavoni Ki rav hu”.
For most of us David is writing in Tongues. We don’t understand what he says without the help of a translator. Let us consider what he says and tie it the Church. For our purpose it to help the Church which si characterized by grace.
The first words are “All the paths (or ways) of Yahwah are kindness or grace and truth. We are immediately reminded of the glory of the Word (devar or logos), Jesus. For we are told “We have beheld his glory even the glory of the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father full of Grace (chesed or chen) and Truth (emet). The next phrase can be seen to have at least to meaning. It is translated for unto (le) such as keep (notzrei)[30] his covenant (brito) and his testimonies (edotav). If the glory of Jesus the word is Chesed we Emet, [31] then he is one who keeps or watches or guards Yahwah’s covenant and his testimonies or witnesses. We too in the Church should be watchers of Yahwah’s covenants for we imitate Jesus even as he lives in us.
“For your names sake, O Yahwah, pardon my iniquity, for it is great”. “Lemaan Shimqa Yahwah”
Lemaan means for the sake of, shem is name qa means your and Yahwah is the person being spoken to. David wants his
He is Yahwah El Olam[32], Yahwah El Elyon and Yahwah El Roeh, Yahwah El Shaddai, Yahwah El Qana, Yahwah El Gibbor, and Yahwah El Tzevaoth. That is Yahwah the Eternal God, Yahwah the Most High God, Yahwah the Seeing God, Yahwah the Bosom God, Yahwah the Jealous God, Yahwah the Mighty God, Yahwah, the Armies God[33] Meditation on all these names will bring us a greater understanding of the God who has loved us and whom we are called to love with our lev (heart), nephesh (soul) and meod (everything else we have starting with our strength). Our Heavenly Father has a fullness an infinite and infinitely loving fullness. And Paul prays that we in the Church might, through Mashiach dwelling in our hearts and our hearts being strengthened with might by the Spirit, comprehend and know the height depth, length and breadth of the Ahavah Mashiach, the love of Mashiach which surpasses knowledge[34]. And for what purpose does he wants us to comprehend and know this Ahavah Mashiach? In order that we might be filled with the fullness of God. To be filled then implies rooting and grounding in love and comprehending and knowing love. One thing is certain to love someone better is aided by the fact that we know what he is about. Why do they do what they do? When we comprehend motive we can aid fulfillment in a more effective manner. You may be wondering why a gave you that small list of the names of our Heavenly Father, his Son, and the Holy Spirit.[35]
[1] See Tetragrammaton, The Jewish Encyclopedia
[2] p294 The Interpreter’s one volume commentary on the Bible, Abingdon Press 1971
[3] ibid p 295
[4] A. H Sayce Religion of the Ancient Babylonians p 4.
[5] See Exodus 6-9.
[6] Mishnah Yomah 3:8 p113 Lipman, E., The Mishnah, Oral Traditions of Judaism, New York, Schocken Books ,1970
[7] JE “Tetragrammaton” Indicates that the authorities were seeking to keep the usage of the name only to the temple. However the failure to succeed in this is shown by the fact that they were still making decrees about the ban on the name even up until the 10th century.
[8] We can not point exactly to which Simeon is being referred to the one who officiated around 300BC or the or Simeon the Hasmonean.
[9] At least the Mishanh indicates that among the Jewish Rabbis of the second and early third century there were a number of traditions indicating that whilst the second temple stood the Tetragrammaton was in use in its precincts.
[10] Lipman ibid 183
[11] A discussion of these issues can be read in G Alon Jews, Judaism and the Classical World 1977, “The Expressed Name”
[12] See Schonfield The Gospel of the Hebrews. And Smith note 10 below
[13] Morton Smiths Jesus the Magician, indicates that fact that many of the outside of the community of the Way or the Nazarenes accused Jesus of doing his miracles by the use of the name spoken according to its true pronunciation although this went against the ban on the name.
[14] P 183 The Mishnah, E lipman, Schocken 1974
[15] p 183 ibid
[16] The word here in Hebrew is Amilam which is from the root Milah meaning to cut off or circumcise. In Jesus I understand this to refer to the spiritual circumcision which nation receive when they enter the Church.
[17] This is from the first son the people of Israel sung after their redemption from Egypt and crossing the red sea in Exodus 15. It is also the song that will be sung in the final redemption of “that day” Isaiah 12:2
[18] This word Yeshuah is a feminine singular noun meaning salvation, the masculine would be Yeshua.
[19] The Hebrew text reads Li Yeshuah even maasu habonim haitah Le rosh pina For Yeshuah a stone they rejected the builders it has become the Head of the Corner, which is most interesting in that Jesus (Yeshua in Aramaic) applied this scripture to himself.
[20] That is the Masoretic text.
[21] Which occurs about 23 times by itself and another 26 or so times in Hallelu Yah
[22] See Legge Forerunners and Rivals of Christianity
[23] The 1611 edition of King James used IEHOVAH, this would pronounces Yehowah. The Danby and Young’s used Jehovah and the Jerusalem bible used Yahweh. I believe we need to begin to use Yah - wah
[24] or Edom
[25] I admit this last point is my observation.
[26] The commentary on the name was given to Moses, “This is my name not “this is his name” as Moses would have said if he were telling Israel.
[27] Holy Bible Cyclopedic Indexed Bible p 135 Num 13:16
[28] The name Yahwah is used anachronistically for I did not know his name then.
[29] Sermon on the Mount Matt 5-7
[30] This word notzrei can be seen as a contruct form of the word Notzrim. This was the Hebrew names of the early Christians in Jerusalem. See Hebrew translations of Acts 24:5, the term in English is the Nazarenes.
[31] These words we see when Moses is shown the goodness of Yahwah in Exodus 34. In that passage Moses prays to see Yahwah glory. Yahwah told him he would pass by him and proclaim his name. He does so three times saying Yahwah Yahwah Yahwah El Rachum ve chanun, ereq aphaim, rav Chesed ve Emet, notzer chesed lalaphaim noseh avon, vaphesha vechataah” See Ex 34:4-7
[32] Gen 21:33
[33] Tzevaoth can refer to the armies of Israel or the armies of the heaven including the stars.
[34] Ephesians
[35] We must never forget that all three are called El or Elohim in scripture and all three are manifested in the name Yahwah or Yah in scripture.
The name of the Yaua will restored to the Church and Israel
Jesus and the name
Peter and the name
James and the name
John and the name
What is the reason Our Father in heaven does what he does? What is the reason for us the Church doing what we do? What is the reason Jesus did what he did?
These are vital question for we in the Church are heart people. We are a people who seek to be pure in heart and who worship the Father in Spirit and truth. Some of us expect another temple to built on Mount Moriah. Some of understand that we, the Church are the eternal temple of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But why would God have another temple? What is the ultimate the final cause as to why the Father would inspire another King like David, to design a temple and Solomon (peaceful) to build it? The answer to all these questions is for his name’s sake. The final cause for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to do things is for
Their name sake. We too need to do things lemaan shmo (For his names sake). Before we in the Church pray Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven: we pray “Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name”. Remember whereas as man looks on the outward appearance, The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, look on the heart. We desire from the depth of our heart for the Father to sanctify and hallow his name. The temple was built for a place for his name to dwell. The second was built for the same reason. The temple we are as the Church and we as individual saints are places where the Father, Son and Holy Spirit’s name dwells. So it is actually very vital for us in the Church to know the name of the God who we are here to glorify, for his name is norah fearful and nichbad (glorious).
Jesus and the Name
Clearly being the body of Christ means we really need to followers of Christ. He is the head we are the body. If what we teach is not based on his life, his word his teaching, his Spirit it will not last. On the last day it will be burnt up. So we need to listen to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches. Jesus is the light of the world (Or ha Olam) we follow him and if we follow him we will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life. So what did Jesus teach us about the name of his Father and indeed his name. The first thing we need to observe is what was the name of the Father of Jesus. For our Father is not like the god Marduk of Babylon having an unspeakable name. From the time of Enosh (Gen 4:26), to the time of the destruction of the second temple in 70 AD, the name was being spoken. It was not ineffable (arretos), and he was not anonymous. Even after 70 AD the name continued to be used in some communities because the Rabbis of the Talmud were still sending out decrees forbidding the use of the name up until 1000 AD. [1] So what is the name of Jesus Father, of Jesus and the Holy Spirit? Jesus tells us John 5:43 “I am come in my Father’s name and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name him you will receive”. Here he was speaking to the Yehudim who sought to stone him and “who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that come from the only God?’ So we have a question which name did Jesus come in? And the testimony of the gospels is absolutely unanimous in Matt 21:9, 23:39, Mark 11:9,10; Luke 13:35, 19:38, John 12:13. All four gospels refer us back to Psalm 118:26 on the day Jesus entered Jerusalem as King and prince of peace. Despite the fact that the gospels cover different aspects of the ministry of our Lord Jesus on this particular point they join together in testifying to the name in which Jesus came by quoting the last psalm of what has come to be known as the Egyptian Hallel, Psalms 113-118. This Psalm (118) is of great importance so please read it and reflect on the way the psalmist uses the name of God and various titles for God. This psalm, which is sung by the Jews at every Pesach, Pentecost, Sukkoth, Hanukah and Rosh Chodesh is full of Messianic content. Let us review what the four gospels tell us about the phrases “ Ana Yahwah Hoshia na” I beseech Yahwah, save please” in verse 25 and “Baruq Ha ba be shem Yahwah” “Blessed is he who comes in the name Yahwah” of verse 26.
“Hosanna in the Highest” and “Blessed is he who comes in the name Yahwah”
It was what has come to be called Palm Sunday, the 10th of Nisan AD 30. Jesus came riding down on a chamor (Ass) and upon a colt the foal of an Ass ( ayir ben atonot). Matthew reveals to us that he did this to fulfil Zechariah 9: 9 and Isaiah 62:11
“ Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold thy king cometh unto thee meek and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an Ass.” This king according to Zechariah would speak Shalom to the nations and his reign would be from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. The bow of war would be cut from the earth. This passage is Zechariah is well worth reflecting on in the context of Jesus coming and its purpose. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem a great multitude began to spread garment in the way and took branches from palm trees. And they cried “Hoshia na to Ben David: Baruq ha ba be shem Yahwah; Hoshia na”. These crowds in Jerusalem understood that Jesus was coming in the name Yahwah. So we see clearly that this is the name Jesus came in when he came to earth. And we in the Church are blessed to be able to join the with Church of the first century and to cry now, with the crowd blessed is he who come in the name Yahwah. Later on we will take up the question how do we pronounce the name of our God. We know it is not Allah, no Bel, nor Marduk or Nebu. It is not Baal, Dagon, Chemosh or Molech. All these do not qualify for the name of our God. Our God’s name is Yah or Yah-wah. I will present the evidence for this second pronunciation a bit later. For now let us continue with the testimony of the gospels and the prophets. Jesus approached Jerusalem with the cry of these crowds Hoshia na (Hosanna), Ben David, the first one of whom was Solomon. No doubt they remembered how Solomon who was enthroned twice, had also gone riding humbly on an Ass. We are reminded of the story in 1 Kings 1 how Adoniyah ben Haggith said to himself he would be King. He got horses and chariots and made a big fanfare just before David’s death. He had fifty men run before him hoping that if David died before he finished he would have gained the Kingdon all thinking this big fanfare was genuinely organized by David. But it was reported to David who had promised Solomon the throne. Adoniyah exalted himself, but Solomon waited. David then said to Benaiah ben Yehodiah, Tzadok ha Cohen and Nathan ha Navi to take Solomon and let him ride upon his own mule(pirdah), a beast of burden like an ass (chamor), take him to Gihon and anoint him King over Israel. This way of humility with a beast which was not for war, unlike the horse, was the way of Jesus. And when Jesus arrived in the city it was moved at his coming. The people were crying Hoshia na. Save us in the highest (beh Elyon). The word H-o-sh-i-a-h is the imperative form of the verb root yasha to be open wide and free. Again it is linked through the root to the name Ya-h-o-sh-a the name Jesus in Hebrew.
The psalm is a processional psalm and in ancient was believed to be linked to the feat of tabernacles and a year coronation. One commentary says “This is a thanksgiving liturgy for the king’s victorious return from battle”[2]. In Matthew 21 Jesus moved from the celebration into the temple where he started casting out the buyers and the sellers in the temple. He was approached by the chief priest and the elders of the people who asked for the source of his authority. Next the Pharisees begin to plan how to catch him out (Matt 22:15). Then the Saducees came to test him (Matt 22:23).The Pharisees return and finally Jesus does a long speech to the multitudes and his disciples (Matt 23;1) In Matthew 23:39 the Psalm is quoted in a different context. The last words he said in that speech and in the temple on that day were:
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed he that cometh in the name of YAHWAH. And YAHOSHUA went out, and departed from the temple”
So here we see the words in the mouth of Jesus himself in the temple. He is speaking to Jerusalem and what is he saying. He is saying that in order for them to see him they must be willing to say to him Baruq haba beshem Yahwah. The place where Yahwah’s name was to dwell was the temple in Jerusalem. And this phrase according the IBIOL commentary was a blessing pronounced by the priest on the annual arrival of the King
“A benediction is pronounced by the priests, who then bid procession with its garlands and palm braches to form a human chain of dancers up to the altar”[3] So perhaps we can conclude that until Jerusalem, including her authorities is willing to Bless Jesus with the blessing of one coming in the name Yahwah, sh ewill not see him. Now consider this. The present day Jerusalem does not even speak the name Yahwah. How on earth can they be ready to Bless Jesus coming in that name. This is why it is imperative to restore the name Yahwah to the mouth of the Church and Israel. This is why in the restoration of all things we can expect the so called ineffable name to be restored. In the days of Jesus the name was still definitely in use in the temple. It had not been forgotten. There are at least five sources which point to the use of the name Yahwah in the first century, mainly by the priests in the temple. I will quote a paper I wrote on Philo, Josephus and the Tetragrammaton to illustrate the evidence for the use of God’s name in the first century CE
“The idea of ineffable divine names has been traced back to Egypt and the cult of Isis and Ra. The actual dating of the ban on the Tetragrammaton is apparently uncertain. The Jewish Encylopedia article “Tetragrammaton” lists a number of scholars with differing ideas as to when and where the ban originated. It is however somewhere between the Babylonian Exile and the Hellenistic period. The Jewish literature we have in the second temple period indicate that there was a ban in some circles but as stated above it was not adhered in all circles. Legge, in his Forerunners and Rivals of Christianity p 37 states “The ineffability of the divine names was an old idea in Egypt, especially in the Osirian religion, where it forms the base of the story of Ra and Isis. So the name of Osiris himself was said to be was said to be ineffable…The name Marduk of Babylon is in the same way declared ineffable in an inscription of Neri…The name Yahweh became ineffable directly after Alexander. …In every case a magical idea that the god might be compelled by utterance of his secret name seems to be the root of the practice”.
However the source of the ban could have been Babylon for the pronunciation of divine names was guarded in the Babylonian mystery cults “ the true pronunciation of divine names was carefully hidden from the uninitiated multitudes.” [4]Clearly it is likely to come from a source somewhere in the diaspora for the Scriptures have a ban on the pronunciation of names of “elohim acherim” and many express commands indicating the need to call on the name Yahwah and even as Moses clashed with Pharoah they both used the divine name[5].
The use of the Tetragrammaton in the Hellenistic Period
If we were transported back in time to the first century AD and to Jerusalem, Israel and to the great day of the fast of Yom ha Kipporim we are told by some Jewish sources originating in that period that on that day the high priest would pronounce the name of the God of Israel, Yahwah, according to its letters. During his intercession we are told that he would use the name 10 times on that day. The words of the high priest are recorded in Mishnah Yoma 3:8, 4:2 and 6:2.
“O God[Yahwah] I Have committed iniquities, I have transgressed, I have sinned before thee, I an my house. O God [Yahwah], forgive the iniquities and transgressions and the sins which I have and transgressed and sinned before thee”[6]
The high priest, it is said, would utter the name and the assembled multitude of Israelites would prostrate themselves and respond “Blessed be the name of the glory of his kingdom forever and ever” “Baruch shem Kavod malchuto le olam va ed”. This was the day when the sins of Israel would be covered by the actions of the high priest as recorded in Leviticus 16 and in the Mishnah section Yoma.[7] The Mishnah, which although a late source can be used with critical comparison of other evidence to help us understand what happened regarding the name in the second temple period, also indicates that the name was used less and less after the reign of Simon the Just.[8] The use of the name was, according to the Mishnah restricted to the Temple area[9].
“How was the blessing of the priests carried out?...In the temple they pronounced the Name as written, but in the provinces with a substitute word”[10]
We have at least two other sources indicating the use of the name. The first, from the Mishnah, indicates that it was decreed that the name should be used in greeting one another in the temple.
The second from the Tosefta Yad 20 indicates that the Pharisees and the Hemero Baptists (“early morning bathers”) have a dispute with one another as to which context the name could be used in. From these texts we have at least four traditions in the Second temple period indicating the use of the expressed name. It was used by Temple cult on Yom Kippor, in the Aaronic blessing, by the Pharisees and the Hemerobaptists at the time of immersion, by persons attending the temple and greeting one another, which drew its authority from the example of Boaz when he greeted his workers with “Yahwah Imacem” and they responded “Yeveraqa Yahwah”.[11]. There is another context where it would appear the name was being used in the second temple period by a group clearly not agreeing with the so called ineffability of the name or the ban on the use of the name Yahwah. It is the document “Toldoth Yeshu”[12] which was a parody of the gospels. In this account dated to the 2nd or 3rd century Yeshu is accused of obtaining the right pronunciation of the name Yahwah and using it to produce his miracles. Although the book is clearly Midrashic it indicates perhaps that Yeshua’s community, the Nazarenes, appear to have been using Yahwah’s name to produce miracles and they did not adhere to the ban by the temple cult in Jerusalem.[13]
In light of this evidence there is no reason to suppose that Jesus didn’t actually use the name whilst in the temple and quoting Psalm 118:26. This blessing it’s the expected response of Jerusalem if they are to see the coming of Mashiach again. In is then important for the Church to begin to use the saying and the name according to it’s letter so that we can be ready. And when we are ready we can expect to see the return of our Lord to Jerusalem. Before we go on to explain how the name is to be pronounced we will finish the evidence of the four gospels.
In Mark the confession are made again as Jesus rode in to Jerusalem however there is a slight variation.
Hoshi ana Blessed is he that cometh in the name Yahwah:
Blessed be the kingdom of our Father David, that cometh in the name Yahwah: Hoshia ana in the highest. In this case he looked around the temple and walked out again. He then went back the next day and began to cleanse the temple. He cites Isaiah
“Is it nor written My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But ye have made it a den of thieves”
We see here the idea of My house brought in and a connection to the nations. This giving us a hint of the expectation that the House of Yahwah or Beit Yahwah would be recognized as such by all nations.
Isaiah says “Beiti beit tephilah yiqareh lekol ha amim”. The preceding verse speaks of the sons of the stranger who join themselves to Yahwah, to serve him, and to love the name Yahwah (le ahavah et Shem Yahwah). So we see here again in the allusions of Jesus a direct reference to the name Yahwah and how by loving this name even the benei necar (the son of the stranger) will be brought to the holy mountain of Yahwah and be made joyful in his house of prayer. We then in the Church can look forward to a house of Yahwah called a house of prayer, attended by those who love the name of Yahwah. This eschatological expectation is confirmed by Jeremiah (4) who speaks of Jerusalem receiving a new title Kisei Yahwah and of all nations being gathered to it to shem Yahwah (the name of Yahwah). Again we see with Jeremiah this emphasis not simply on being gathered to Jerusalem, but why Jerusalem? Because shem Yahwah abides there. The El Olam has a name and some how this infinite limitless God whom we serve is identified and set apart from all other so called deities in this name Yahwah. The nuance added by Luke 13:35 makes the eschatoloigical implications for the last days of the confession Baruq haba beshem Yahwah crystal clear.
Behold , your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you , Ye shall not see me until the time come when ye shall say, Baruq haba beshem Yahwah. Here is rebuke seems to be targeted to Herod. For some friendly Pharisees went to warn him of his life being in danger by Herod. Luke 1938 also adds a variation to the original confession. This time it is back to his descent from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem. The multitude included here are his disciples. So we can glean from Luke that Jesus entered Jerusalem with a large number of disciples. It was they who in Matthew and in Luke who recognized he was the Son of David coming in the authority of the name Yahwah. Even as Solomon had been first to inherit the throne of his Father David. As an example for the Church today the disciples at that time began to sing
“Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of Yahwah: peace in heaven and glory in the highest. Luke records that some Pharisees from among the multitudes told Jesus “Master rebuke your disciples”. He told them that if the disciples stopped the stones would cry out. And what were the disciples crying out. “Blessed the Kin who comes in the name Yahwah. Who knows perhaps the Pharisees were upset because the disciples were using the name. But someone will use the name even if the stones have to do it. This remind us of that wonderful Psalm fit for the future revival, Psalm 148. The stones of the Mount of Olives are encouraged with all creation “Let them praise praise the name of Yahwah: for his name alone is excellent. We oh Church are called in this day to join in this happy throng. They started 1973 years ago and we continue that same song. Yahwah name alone is excellent(nishgav). Blessed is he who comes in the excellent name Yahwah. If we in the Church will not do, and the people of Israel can not do it, who will praise Yahwah name and cry out from Jerusalem Blessed is he who comes in the name Yahwah. Needless to say Jesus did not rebuke his disciples. And then we see hear that sad fact of Jerusalem missing its day of opportunity
“If thou hadst known even thou, at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes…because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation”. The things which are for Jerusalem’s peace. What did these things include? Did they not include the blessing of him who came in the name Yahwah, the only nisgav name. You may wonder what has the name Yahwah to do with peace. And the answer is everything. For Yahwah would not let David build a temple for his name because he had shed much blood, he had fought many wars. Yahwah name at the end of the day gives peace. If we look at the scenes where his name was permitted by the Jewish authorities to be spoken we see three key area. Firstly on Yom Kippour. Here Yahwah would cover over the sins of Israel each year so that he could dwell in their midst. This pointed to Jesus High priestly ministry, in the Melchizedek priest. The High priest only one a year could enter into the Holy of Holies. As he made atonement for the people he would beseech Yahwah to forgive him, his household and Israel their sins. He would beseech using the name according to its letters. Would not the same be true of Jesus in his high priestly ministry. Hebrews tells us that one thing Jesus would do after his resurrection was to declare Yahwah’s name in the midst of his brethren, that is us.
For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see YAHOSHUA, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of GOD should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom all things, and by whom all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which GOD hath given me. Hebrews 2
The declaration of the name in the midst of the Church is connected with our brotherhood and our being a part of God’s family. We are the Children God had given Jesus and yet at the same time we are brothers. We see here how intimate a thing it is to be among those in the midst of who he is willing to call brethren. Added to this is the fact that Hebrews is quoting Psalm 8. We see Jesus, who is the Son of Man in the psalm. We have a witness here that the Son of Man Jesus refered to was not so much Ben Adam as Bar Enosh. If we want to that Psalm we would again see a wonderful connection with the name Yahwah, it beginning and ending with the same refrain
“O Yahwah our Lord how excellent (ma Adir) is you name in all the earth”
It would seem that the name has something to do with the subjection of all things under the feet of the Bar Enosh. Jesus also quotes this Psalm in dealing with those who want him to rebuke his disciples. Why all this focusing on the name? For the name is the reason. It is the motive for our action as a Church and for Jesus action as our saviour. The name motive has not left it is imperative. For the modern orthodox Jew Kiddush Hashem is supposed to be the highest motive. They are supposed to be will to die in order to sanctify the name. They supposedly do this only for a substitute of the name based around common noun, such as Ha Shem and Adonai. But we are privileged as the Church to by the Holy Spirit discover the name and then to use it as it ought to be used. Let us with the strangers of Isaiah 56 and the psalmist of Psalm 91 and our Lord Jesus learn to love the name Yahwah.
Returning to Luke we see that the rejection by the Pharisees and by Jerusalem those who were his own who did not receive lead to his weeping over the city of Jerusalem. The thing which were for its peace Jerusalem missed. And those things including the name became hidden from their eyes. After the temple was destroyed in 70 AD as Jesus prophesied, the Jewish authorities tried to ban the use of the name completely. And now go to any Jews and they will confess to you that no one knows how to pronounce this most excellent name, which alone is nisgav which is adir in all the earth. He who came beshem Yahwah the chief priests, the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy.
John’s gospel also testifies to this name being the name Jesus came in. I come, he said in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. In John again we see Jesus coming from Bethany. We see people with palm branches. This whole palm branch celebration is to do with the Feast of Tabernacles and yet Jesus is approaching during the lead up to Pesach. It is as though he doesn not need to follow the festivals for the festivals follow him. Now we here
Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of Yahwah. We are back to the daughter of Zion and the prophecy of Zechariah “Fear not daughter of Zion, behold thy king cometh sitting on an asses colt” Who is the daughter of Zion? Well we know David established Zion. And we know that 1030 year later or so the Church was born on Zion. We are the daughter of Jerusalem above as Paul reveals in Galations. The Church is Zion’s greatest daughter. And she has a king who will speak shalom to the nations. Why because he comes in the name Yahwah. Yahwah is the God who makes wars to cease to the ends of the earth. When the earth is filled with the glory of Yahwah, they neither harm nor destroy on all his holy mountain. Yahwah’s glory bring unity. When Yahwah teaches the nation they do not learn war any more. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called Son of El. Which El? The only true Elohim Yahwah. If his sons are peacemakers then he is the Father of all peacemakers he is the source of all peace making. His name as a result of it presence brings peace. The priests used the name in the temple every day when they dismissed the people. People used to go to the temple to watch this daily blessing. Yahwah had this to say of this blessing.
And YAHWAH 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,
YAHWAH bless thee, and keep thee:
Yevareqa Yahwah ve yishmereqa
YAHWAH make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
Yaer Yahwah panav aleiqa ve chuneqa
YAHWAH lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
Yahwah panav aleiqa ve yasem leqa Shalom
And they shall put my name upon (al) the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
We see then the purpose of this threefold blessing which Yahwah instituted and which is spoken among Jews and Christians all over the world. It is to bless the children of Israel by putting his name upon them. The very presence of his name on the leads Yahwah to come to Israel and to bless them. Where Yahwah’s name is there is blessing. And note the blessing includes keeping them, being gracious (from Chen)to them, h e would shine his face upon them and grace them. His face would be upon them and he would grant peace. How beautiful is Yahwah’s name on his people. Amos 9 tells up that his name would be called upon a group of Gentiles and we too have this privelege to have his name on us in Christ Jesus.
This was the way the priests blessed the people each day at the temple
“How was the blessing of the priest carried out? In the provinces it was spoken I three separate blessings, but in the temple as a single blessing. In the temple they pronounced the name as written, but in the provinces with a substitute word. In the provinces the priest raised their hands shoulder high, but in the temple above their heads, except for the high priest who raised his hand only as high as his forehead band.”[14] The high priest had a band around his forehead which had inscribed on it the name Yahwah. Lipamn teaches us a tradition that “The Shekinah-the presence of God”-rested over the temple when the Tetragrammaton was spoken. Therefore the priests hands had to be raise higher than in the provinces. The high priest had had the tetragrammaton written on the foreheadpiece he wore, and consequently he was not to raise his hands any higher”[15]
O give thanks unto YAHWAH; for good: because his mercy for ever.
Let Israel now say, that his mercy for ever.
Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy for ever.
Let them now that fear YAHWAH say, that his mercy for ever.
I called upon YAH in distress: YAH answered me, in a large place.
YAHWAH is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
YAHWAH taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see upon them that hate me.
Better to trust in YAHWAH than to put confidence in man.
Better to trust in YAHWAH than to put confidence in princes.
All nations compassed me about: but in the name of YAHWAH will I destroy (circumcise[16]) them.
They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about:
but in the name of YAHWAH I will destroy (circumcise) them.
They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns:
for in the name of YAHWAH I will destroy (circumcise) them.
Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but YAHWAH helped me.
YAH my strength and song[17], and is become my salvation (yeshuah[18]).
The voice of rejoicing and salvation(yeshuah) in the tabernacles of the righteous:
the right hand of YAHWAH doeth valiantly. The right hand of YAHWAH is exalted:
the right hand of YAHWAH doeth valiantly.
I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of YAH.
YAH hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, I will praise YAH:
This gate of YAHWAH, into which the righteous shall enter.
I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me,
and art become my salvation (yeshuah).
The stone (even) the builders refused is become the head of the corner (Rosh Pina).[19]
This is YAHWAH’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
This the day YAHWAH hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Save now, I beseech thee, O YAHWAH:
O YAHWAH, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
Blessed he that cometh in the name of YAHWAH:
We have blessed you out of the house of (Beit) YAHWAH.
EL YAHWAH, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, unto the horns of the altar.
Thou ELI, and I will praise thee: Elohai, I will exalt thee.
O give thanks unto YAHWAH; for good: for his mercy for ever.
Jesus told us to do regarding the name of his Father was to pray daily that it would be made holy, or sanctified or hallowed? We may wonder why should we pray that our Father in Heaven name should be sanctified? His name is Qadosh. His name is holy, why should we have to pray that it should be sanctified, every day as the first petition of our prayer? He and his name are they not intrinsically holy? They are indeed. However this hallowing then must refer to the realm of people. His name has to be set apart and sanctified in the mouths and hearts of the nations on the earth. It has been profaned because they do not give glory to his name. It is profaned because they nation look at Israel and Yehudah do not see a loving and wise people but a people rebellious against the will of their heavenly Father. The Yehudim are a people called by his name. But when the nations look at them, they often said, they can not even stay in their land, their God is not very powerful. Look how these people are suffering, can their God not protect them. Paul in rebuking on group says
“You who boast in the Torah, do you dishonor God through breaking the Torah?
For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, as it is written”
When some one boasting in the Torah does something contrary to Torah and behaves in an ungodly manner. The Father’s name get blasphemed. So the Father names needs to be hallowed among the nations, it needs to be set apart and glorified. Yahwah says
I want to talk to you about the reason Solomon built the first temple. That is I want to talk about the phrase For the sake of the name Yahwah. Solomon was building a temple so that Yahwah could have a place in the midst of Israel for his name to dwell.
It was for Yahwah names sake (Lemaan shmo) that the tabernacle stayed in Israel. It was Lemaan shmo for the sake of his name, that Yahwah raised up Pharoah. He said to him in Exod 6 For this reason I have raised you up in order that my name might be declared in all the earth. It was for his names sake that after Israel worshipped the golden calf, Yahwah did not destroy them, lest the enemy would say He brought them out of Egypt to destroy them in the wilderness. David asked Yahwah to forgive him his iniquities (awon) for the sake of his name in Psalm 25. Yahwah says “I said ‘here I am here I am’ to a nation that was not called by my name’ Being called by the name Yahwah is a privilege which carries with it responsibilities. For Yahwah says in one place that when the nations in the land would know that Israel were called by the name Yahwah, those nations would fear Israel. In another place he says to Israel Do not take the name of Yahwah in vain. In this command the language is that of marriage. If a women marries a man and takes his name, what is to be said of her if she then goes and sleeps with another man. She has taken the name in vain. Yahwah feels a lot of pain when people take his name in vain.
So Yahwah does many things for his name sake? This term names sake means at least two things. The first is that this specific name Yahwah which is linked to the root of the verb to be, when it is spoken will produce in the hearer and the listener a reaction of respect. When Yahwah does something for his name sake, it is in order that when his name is heard the nations will honor it and even show great fear about using this name wrongly or speaking lightly of this specific name. Unlike the common noun Elohim (God), Yahwah does not have possessive suffixes. With a common noun like Elohim (God ) or El, you place suffixes to express relationship to that person. So Elohim God becomes Eloheinu, when we want to say our God, Eloheiqa for your God, Elohai for my God, Elohav for his God, Eloheiha, for her God, Elohekem for your (plural) God, Eloheiken Your (plural feminine) God, Elohehem their God, Eloheihen their (third person plural feminine) God. When the word Elohim stands alone and in no particular relation it is Elohim and this is its absolute form. It actually mean gods but is used for the true God also. So Yahwah often says to Israel “I will be your God (Eloheiqa) and you will be my people ami”.
El another common noun for God becomes Eli (my God) in the mouth of the Psalmist in Psalm 22 and in Jesus mouth on the cross. The name Yahwah and the name Yahoshua (Yeshua or Jesus) do not go through these transformations in Hebrew. The name Yahwah occurs at least 6823 times in the Hebrew Bible[20] in each case it consists of the four letter Yod He Vav Heh. Whereas the noun Elohim occurs about 2700 times but in all the variations we have just mentioned. Grammatically Yahwah is a proper noun and if it were the name of anyone other than God it would be translated in all Bible as such.
So when Yahwah speaks of doing things for his names sake he is usually referring to a specific name made up of four letters or its contraction Yah[21] He wants all nation to honor this name and he decided to call a Hebrew people out for his name and later in Amos he speaks of a Gentiles being called by his name.
If we consider the eternal power and infinite knowledge and love of our Father it will gives us some comprehension of what intense glory and fear messy be due to this name. Yahwah, it is a name fearful (norah) and glorious (nichbad). It is holy (qadosh) and it is our help in times of trouble. Psalm 124 speaks to the Church and says “Our Help is in the name(shem) Yahwah” How we are privileged oh Church to serve a God who not only calls the stars by name, that is all of them, not only knows the numbers of hairs on every head in which ever existed, not only pays attention to a birds falling to the ground in outer Mongolia but who wants us to know and use his name and who wants his name to dwell in the midst of us. How privileged we are church to be the generation which will see the name Yahwah returned the fullness of truth to the mouth of his Church and finally to the people of Israel. We do not serve the gods of Babylon like Marduk ot the gods of Egypt like Isis and Osiris, these gods names were ineffable. That is these names were considered so high they could not be spoken. It is true that when Israel went into exile they cam under the influence of these religious philosophies which say the names of their gods can not be spoken. This is not the way of Yahwah. Yahwah says to Phaoroah who was supposed to be an incarnation of the god Horus “For this reason I have raised you up to show in you my power and in order that my name may be declared (discussed saper) in all the earth”. Marduks name may be ineffable[22] but Yahwah’s name most certainly was not in biblical times whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament.
The Name of God and the Temple
The Name Yahwah was tied very closely with the Temple Cult in both the first and the second temple. Jesus began to build a new temple and temple built of saved stoned and his name began to dwell in them. It is the connection of the name and the temple which makes it so important for the Church to unashamedly join with the King James Version and with the Jerusalem Bible, the Youngs Literal Translation and the Danby Bible[23] in restoring his name to her lips in praise, confession, thanksgiving, declaration, discussion and greeting. When we restore the name Yahwah we are preparing the way for the coming of Jesus. You may wonder how is this? The first reason is that Peter said heaven has received Jesus until the restoration of all things. Whilst Jesus is up there in heaven times of refreshing are falling on the earth. Let us focus on this restoration of all things. Jesus said after the death of John the Baptist, that Eliyahu has come and they did with them as they pleased. But then he said Eliyahu must come first and restore all things. So both Peter and Jesus declare that before the final coming of Mashiach there must be a restoration of all things. Well what does all things include? Does it not include the restoration of the name, which has been lost to the Jews for so many years, ever since the destruction of the second temple? Then temple was built for the name Yahwah. When Solomon built the temple he prayed that Gentiles would come and pray to Yahwah. They would receive an answer and go back to their nations and tell of the great things Yahwah, the God who had his house in Jerusalem, did. One of his motives was mission. Through the testimony of the gentile the name Yahwah would be glorified.
So he states “Hear thou I heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee, for: that all the people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded is called by thy name” (I Kings 3)
It is not the specific building which is significant rather it is the name which that house bears. Before the temple was built we see David praying this way
“Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in “Beit Yahwah” the house of Yahwah, for ever”.
Now here we see a house called the House of Yahwah that is a house called by his name. It was not a house of Cedar but it was a House of Yahwah. David believes he will be there for every day. Now the tabernaccle which David built to worship Yahwah was the place where he dwelt with Yahwah. It was in his word Beit Yahwah. We know from Amos 9 and Acts 15 that we are expected a restoration of this tabernacle of David or Beit Yahwah that is Yahwah’s house. It is very important to understand what Yahwah is doing in restoring his house. Please note the warning as well as the promise so that we can move with the gospel to all Israel.
“Fo lo I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifte , yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say the evil, shall not overtake nor prevent us. In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in days of old. That they may possess the remnant of men[24], and of all the nations, which are called by my name, saith Yahwah that doeth this.
So we see that the Beit Yahwah is to be raised up. And they will possess the remenat of Edom of man and the Gentiles called by Yahwah’s name. (Kol hagoim asher nikra shemi alehem neum Yahwah).
This is very important for usually it is Israel who have Yahwah name called upon them. But Amos looks to a day when the Tent of David will possess Gentiles who have Yahwah’s name called upon them.
James or Jacob sees this as prophesying the Gentiles entering in the Church and we remember James and Jesus were of the house of David. Notice also that the sinners I his people will be sifted out, and will die, even by the sword. But the Sifting will not lose on believer. For we see here the image used in the New Testament of the ministry of Jesus. First it is the sinner who will die. But Jesus came to save his people from their sins. So every Israelite or Hebrew has a way out, Yahoshua his name means he will save his people from their sins. Secondly John the Baptist speaking of him as gathering his wheat into his barn and separating the wheat from the chaff. How to you leave the community of the sinners who will die by the sword. By repentance toward God and faith towards Yashoshua the Mashiach, Jesus the Christ. The focus for us here is on the fact that David perceived himself as dwelling in the beit Yahwah that is the house of Yahwah. This house I am asserting is the tabernacle Yahwah had David establish to sing praises and thanksgiving to Yahwah. This will be restored in fullness in these last days so that the Gentiles who have Yahwah’s name called upon them will be possessed by this house, which is run from Israel by believers selected by Yahwah.[25]
So to call a house by the name Yahwah is a literal thing. It is a house that really bears the name Yahwah. David built a tabernacles which played the role of house in his life. However the actual temple was built by David which he built in his father place. David was not permitted to build it because he was a man of war and had shed much blood. The temple in the future will not be built by a man of war either. It will be built by a man of peace or a community of peace. Jesus is this man of peace.
Jesus the name and the Temple.
The name Yahwah was reveled to Abraham to a certain level. “I am Yahwah who brought you out of the Ur of Chaldees to give thee this land to inherit it.” (Gen 15:7) At this point Yahwah did not say to Abraham I am Yahwah your God as he did later to Israel. However he hundreds of years later appeared to Moses and said “Yahwah…this is my name for ever, my memorial from generation to generation of for all generations”. Now he had spoken to Abram promising the land. Now he was speaking to Moses because the time was come to fulfil the promise of the land. However Yahwah had not just promised Abraham land but that all nations would be blessed in his seed. So the land was a precursor to the blessing of the nations. Moses was told the name was forever and for all generations. So Moses who went to Pharoah in the name Yahwah knew the importance of the name.[26] When Moses want to appoint a successor he chose a man name Hosea (H-O-SH-A). This is the same name as Hosea and means salvation or deliverer. Moses changed him name so that it contained the name Yahwah. He changed it to Yahoshua (Y-H-O-Sh-A)- which means Yahwah saves[27]. This change of name and the importance of the new name is picked up very early on in the Church. The name Jesus is an English equivalent to the name Yahoshua as is Joshua. Eusebius notes it in the History of the Church and before him Justin Martyr even argues that it is Gods name from the fact that he equates the angel who lead them into the land with Yahoshua and notes that Yahwah said My name is in him. So he assumed that because he name was in him it meant the name he bore was God’s name.
The Generation then of Moses began to use the name Yahwah and passed it on to the following generations. The Generation of David began to produce many Psalms to the name Yahwah. And the earlier generations of Boaz used to Greet one another with the name. Boaz went to the field and greeted his harvesters with Yahwah imakem, Yahwah be with you. They replied “Yeveraqa Yahwah” Yahwah bless you.
The generation of Solomon built a house for the name of Yahwah to dwell in. So at some point the name perhaps moved from the Angel, to the Tabernacle to the Temple. In the of Rehoboam there was a split in the Kingdom. False gods began to entice Israel.
The name of God in Eschatology
I am talking to you Oh Church of God’ Grace, from my heart. We are in the last days and Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father
For many believers the area of discussion in this paper may be incomprehensible and may even be considered
To be taking away glory from Jesus. Somehow by talking about the name Yahwah some feel that we are being sidetracked from Jesus who saved us. Because of this I want to explain very basically my position. I was brought up in a Baptist Church called Holbeach Baptist Church in south east London. We used to go to boys brigade and to Christian camps. By the time I was nine years old I knew that I was a sinner. We went to a camp I think some where in Devon. And the preacher told us Jesus had died on the cross to save us fro our sins. I knew I was a sinner needed forgiveness of my sins. So I responded back there in 1974-5. I asked Jesus to be my savior. All I remember is running down Bowness road excited to tell my mum, I had accepted Jesus as my savior and entered in the blessing of the new covenant in his blood which was shed for the forgiveness of sin. How privileged we are oh Church to have available to us the forgiveness of sins. The blood of Jesus is truly powerful.
At this time we used to go to ABC Bible club at Allerford Chapel in Bellingham near Catford. That Church was a Charismatic Church. An old lady used to teach us. My big sister began to attend their young peoples group. And finally we as a family decided to join the Church. In this Church, somewhere around the age of 11 or 12 I was baptized in water. In our church we first go through lessons about the faith, I did this with my friend Clement and our Pastor Richard Haydon Knowell. Then when you and the pastor felt you were ready you would get baptized. I wanted to be baptized as a seal of the faith I already had and in obedience to the word of Jesus “whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved”. I understood I was already saved but as a step of obedience to Jesus I was baptized in water.
In our church we first testified to the congregation as to how we got born again and then we confess “Jesus is Lord”. Then the minister would say “On the basis of your confession that Jesus is Lord I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”. I am so thankful to Yahwah[28] for the forgiveness of sins and the relationship he permitted me with Jesus. Jesus changed my life, I entered the same covenant which Jesus established on Mount Zion about 1946 years before.
I mentioned that this Church was Charismatic. Well I used to listen to those people speaking in tongues and I used to think they were crazy.
Why build another Temple?
If we consider the ways and actions of our Eternal Father in the Bible we will understand very clearly that he has a motive and a purpose behind everything he does. He is the only wise God, he is a God who has all understanding. He is the Father who knows the number of the hairs on every head of every man who ever existed. He knows the date and the place of every bird which ever fell to the ground anywhere in all history. He knows. And this infinite and eternal knowledge we are told by Jesus is a sign of his love and concern for his creation[29]. If not one sparrow falls to the ground without our Heavenly Father knowing about it how is it he might not know the needs we his children have at every moment of our lives? The fact is that his concern for us and his whole creation means he watches continually and knows everything which has happened, is happening and will happen. Why does our Heavenly Father maintain such a close watch over his creation and more so over his own people? Perhaps light can be gained by looking at Psalm 25:10-11. In this Psalm King David, who has the reputation of being a man after our Father’s heart, makes a wonderful and essential request in prayer. He prays
“Kol archot Yahwah Chesed we Emet
Le notzrei brito ve edotav. Lemaan shimqa Yahwah
Ve selachtah leavoni Ki rav hu”.
For most of us David is writing in Tongues. We don’t understand what he says without the help of a translator. Let us consider what he says and tie it the Church. For our purpose it to help the Church which si characterized by grace.
The first words are “All the paths (or ways) of Yahwah are kindness or grace and truth. We are immediately reminded of the glory of the Word (devar or logos), Jesus. For we are told “We have beheld his glory even the glory of the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father full of Grace (chesed or chen) and Truth (emet). The next phrase can be seen to have at least to meaning. It is translated for unto (le) such as keep (notzrei)[30] his covenant (brito) and his testimonies (edotav). If the glory of Jesus the word is Chesed we Emet, [31] then he is one who keeps or watches or guards Yahwah’s covenant and his testimonies or witnesses. We too in the Church should be watchers of Yahwah’s covenants for we imitate Jesus even as he lives in us.
“For your names sake, O Yahwah, pardon my iniquity, for it is great”. “Lemaan Shimqa Yahwah”
Lemaan means for the sake of, shem is name qa means your and Yahwah is the person being spoken to. David wants his
He is Yahwah El Olam[32], Yahwah El Elyon and Yahwah El Roeh, Yahwah El Shaddai, Yahwah El Qana, Yahwah El Gibbor, and Yahwah El Tzevaoth. That is Yahwah the Eternal God, Yahwah the Most High God, Yahwah the Seeing God, Yahwah the Bosom God, Yahwah the Jealous God, Yahwah the Mighty God, Yahwah, the Armies God[33] Meditation on all these names will bring us a greater understanding of the God who has loved us and whom we are called to love with our lev (heart), nephesh (soul) and meod (everything else we have starting with our strength). Our Heavenly Father has a fullness an infinite and infinitely loving fullness. And Paul prays that we in the Church might, through Mashiach dwelling in our hearts and our hearts being strengthened with might by the Spirit, comprehend and know the height depth, length and breadth of the Ahavah Mashiach, the love of Mashiach which surpasses knowledge[34]. And for what purpose does he wants us to comprehend and know this Ahavah Mashiach? In order that we might be filled with the fullness of God. To be filled then implies rooting and grounding in love and comprehending and knowing love. One thing is certain to love someone better is aided by the fact that we know what he is about. Why do they do what they do? When we comprehend motive we can aid fulfillment in a more effective manner. You may be wondering why a gave you that small list of the names of our Heavenly Father, his Son, and the Holy Spirit.[35]
[1] See Tetragrammaton, The Jewish Encyclopedia
[2] p294 The Interpreter’s one volume commentary on the Bible, Abingdon Press 1971
[3] ibid p 295
[4] A. H Sayce Religion of the Ancient Babylonians p 4.
[5] See Exodus 6-9.
[6] Mishnah Yomah 3:8 p113 Lipman, E., The Mishnah, Oral Traditions of Judaism, New York, Schocken Books ,1970
[7] JE “Tetragrammaton” Indicates that the authorities were seeking to keep the usage of the name only to the temple. However the failure to succeed in this is shown by the fact that they were still making decrees about the ban on the name even up until the 10th century.
[8] We can not point exactly to which Simeon is being referred to the one who officiated around 300BC or the or Simeon the Hasmonean.
[9] At least the Mishanh indicates that among the Jewish Rabbis of the second and early third century there were a number of traditions indicating that whilst the second temple stood the Tetragrammaton was in use in its precincts.
[10] Lipman ibid 183
[11] A discussion of these issues can be read in G Alon Jews, Judaism and the Classical World 1977, “The Expressed Name”
[12] See Schonfield The Gospel of the Hebrews. And Smith note 10 below
[13] Morton Smiths Jesus the Magician, indicates that fact that many of the outside of the community of the Way or the Nazarenes accused Jesus of doing his miracles by the use of the name spoken according to its true pronunciation although this went against the ban on the name.
[14] P 183 The Mishnah, E lipman, Schocken 1974
[15] p 183 ibid
[16] The word here in Hebrew is Amilam which is from the root Milah meaning to cut off or circumcise. In Jesus I understand this to refer to the spiritual circumcision which nation receive when they enter the Church.
[17] This is from the first son the people of Israel sung after their redemption from Egypt and crossing the red sea in Exodus 15. It is also the song that will be sung in the final redemption of “that day” Isaiah 12:2
[18] This word Yeshuah is a feminine singular noun meaning salvation, the masculine would be Yeshua.
[19] The Hebrew text reads Li Yeshuah even maasu habonim haitah Le rosh pina For Yeshuah a stone they rejected the builders it has become the Head of the Corner, which is most interesting in that Jesus (Yeshua in Aramaic) applied this scripture to himself.
[20] That is the Masoretic text.
[21] Which occurs about 23 times by itself and another 26 or so times in Hallelu Yah
[22] See Legge Forerunners and Rivals of Christianity
[23] The 1611 edition of King James used IEHOVAH, this would pronounces Yehowah. The Danby and Young’s used Jehovah and the Jerusalem bible used Yahweh. I believe we need to begin to use Yah - wah
[24] or Edom
[25] I admit this last point is my observation.
[26] The commentary on the name was given to Moses, “This is my name not “this is his name” as Moses would have said if he were telling Israel.
[27] Holy Bible Cyclopedic Indexed Bible p 135 Num 13:16
[28] The name Yahwah is used anachronistically for I did not know his name then.
[29] Sermon on the Mount Matt 5-7
[30] This word notzrei can be seen as a contruct form of the word Notzrim. This was the Hebrew names of the early Christians in Jerusalem. See Hebrew translations of Acts 24:5, the term in English is the Nazarenes.
[31] These words we see when Moses is shown the goodness of Yahwah in Exodus 34. In that passage Moses prays to see Yahwah glory. Yahwah told him he would pass by him and proclaim his name. He does so three times saying Yahwah Yahwah Yahwah El Rachum ve chanun, ereq aphaim, rav Chesed ve Emet, notzer chesed lalaphaim noseh avon, vaphesha vechataah” See Ex 34:4-7
[32] Gen 21:33
[33] Tzevaoth can refer to the armies of Israel or the armies of the heaven including the stars.
[34] Ephesians
[35] We must never forget that all three are called El or Elohim in scripture and all three are manifested in the name Yahwah or Yah in scripture.
posted by Evangelist Edi Nachman Bsc. PGCE @ 9:26 PM
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