WHAT IS GOD'S NAME (5)?
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) Does God DEMAND we refer to him using a special or "sacred" name - or does he even care? Do people sin when they refer to our Creator as GOD? Do requests and pleas for help go UNHEARD if a particular Hebrew word referencing the Almighty is NOT used in prayer? Is it sinful and disrespectful to call the Savior of the world Jesus or Jesus Christ?
b) There are many arguments supporting the doctrine that, like a unique key, God is reachable only through a SPECIAL name whose spelling or pronunciation is correct. One of the most popular set of names used to refer to God revolves around what is known as the Tetragammaton. The Tetragammaton is composed of four consonants, usually YHVH or YHWH, that are used in the Hebrew language to refer to God. When ancient Hebrew was written it was done so without any vowels. Those who read the consonants referring to God were forced to supply the vowel sounds that were missing.
1. The strongest proof
a) The greatest argument that combats the belief that God wants to be referred to by some special name or title is the Greek language itself from which we get the New Testament. The word "kurios" (Strong's Concordance #G2962), from which the English word Lord is derived, occurs 665 times while "theos" (from which we get the word God) occurs 1,345 times. Interestingly, in several places where the Old Testament is quoted, the GREEK kurios for Lord is used in place of the Tetragammaton (YHWH / YHVH) that was used in the Hebrew! One example of this is in Matthew 3 which quotes a passage from Isaiah.
i) Prepare a road for the Lord (kurios), make a straight path for him to travel (Matthew 3:3)
b) The orginal language version of Isaiah 40:3 from which Matthew 3:3 quoted uses YHVH (Strong's Concordance #H3068) for "the Lord." The apostle Paul also substituted YHVH when he quote Old Testament verses (see 1Corinthians 1:31; Romans 4:8; 9:23, etc.). When Jesus made his triumphal arrival in Jerusalem the people did not say YHVH or variation thereof when the quoted Psalm 118:26 but rather the following.
i) "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord (kurios)!" (Matthew 21:9)
c) When Jesus quoted the Psalms in reference to Himself He did not say YHVH or YHWH or insert vowels to pronounce the word correctly. Had he done so the self-righteous religious leaders who HATED him who have had him immediately executed (see Luke 20:41-44)!
The End ...
0. Introductiona) Does God DEMAND we refer to him using a special or "sacred" name - or does he even care? Do people sin when they refer to our Creator as GOD? Do requests and pleas for help go UNHEARD if a particular Hebrew word referencing the Almighty is NOT used in prayer? Is it sinful and disrespectful to call the Savior of the world Jesus or Jesus Christ?
b) There are many arguments supporting the doctrine that, like a unique key, God is reachable only through a SPECIAL name whose spelling or pronunciation is correct. One of the most popular set of names used to refer to God revolves around what is known as the Tetragammaton. The Tetragammaton is composed of four consonants, usually YHVH or YHWH, that are used in the Hebrew language to refer to God. When ancient Hebrew was written it was done so without any vowels. Those who read the consonants referring to God were forced to supply the vowel sounds that were missing.
1. The strongest proof
a) The greatest argument that combats the belief that God wants to be referred to by some special name or title is the Greek language itself from which we get the New Testament. The word "kurios" (Strong's Concordance #G2962), from which the English word Lord is derived, occurs 665 times while "theos" (from which we get the word God) occurs 1,345 times. Interestingly, in several places where the Old Testament is quoted, the GREEK kurios for Lord is used in place of the Tetragammaton (YHWH / YHVH) that was used in the Hebrew! One example of this is in Matthew 3 which quotes a passage from Isaiah.
i) Prepare a road for the Lord (kurios), make a straight path for him to travel (Matthew 3:3)
b) The orginal language version of Isaiah 40:3 from which Matthew 3:3 quoted uses YHVH (Strong's Concordance #H3068) for "the Lord." The apostle Paul also substituted YHVH when he quote Old Testament verses (see 1Corinthians 1:31; Romans 4:8; 9:23, etc.). When Jesus made his triumphal arrival in Jerusalem the people did not say YHVH or variation thereof when the quoted Psalm 118:26 but rather the following.
i) "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord (kurios)!" (Matthew 21:9)
c) When Jesus quoted the Psalms in reference to Himself He did not say YHVH or YHWH or insert vowels to pronounce the word correctly. Had he done so the self-righteous religious leaders who HATED him who have had him immediately executed (see Luke 20:41-44)!
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