Thursday, February 10, 2011

His Name - YHVH

YHVH is a Tetragrammaton. The Hebrew language is a consonantal language, possessing no vowels. Vowels were pronounced but not written. They were transmitted orally from generation to generation. Most people today pronounce it, Yaweh, although that is only our best human guess at the pronunciation.

His Name, YHVH, I am יהוה. His name appears over 7,000 times in Scripture. Yet, His title is replaced in 99% of all translations.

Why was YHVH removed from most Bibles? Well, the Jewish people took the verses saying not to take His Name in vain, very seriously. They began to use the name Adonai in place of YHVH. Whatever the case, the removal of the Tetragrammaton probably created a different theological climate from that which existed during the New Testament period for the first century. The Jewish YHVH lost some of His distinctiveness with the passing of the Tetragrammaton.

Isaiah 42:8 says, "I am YHVH, that is My Name, and My esteem I do not give to another, nor My praise to idols."

That being said I am not being legalistic in implying that you can only use the name of YHVH and none other. I believe that He has many titles. But that is His distinct name. Just as I might be Ma'am or Mrs - but my real name is Rebekah.

I have found a wonderful translation called, The Scriptures, and it keeps all the sacred names in the text. I would recommend it to anyone seeking to dig deeper in their Hebrew roots.

No comments:

Post a Comment