The Importance of Names Part 2

The name of our Heavenly Father is YHWH, commonly referred to as Yahweh. If you look at the Hebrew Scriptures, references to the Heavenly Father are four Hebrew letters: Yud, Hey, Vav, Hey. This name occurs about 6800 times in the Hebrew Bible. Since the Name Yud Hey Vav Hey was considered too sacred to be pronounced by Jews, ADONAI was substituted in its place. In written texts, like the Bible, the vowel points of ADONAI were inserted under the consonants Yud Hey Vav Hey to remind readers to articulate ADONAI instead of Yud Hey Vav Hey. The incorrect name JEHOVAH arose from a Christian lack of understanding of this Jewish custom. There is a popular song that says: "there is no God like Jehovah." I agree; there isn't. Remember that there was no "J" in Biblical Hebrew. Most all English translations translate Yud Hey Vav Hey as LORD. The question is, is this an acceptable name for our Heavenly Father? The answer is no! I suggest that to substitute LORD for YHWH is a violation of Scripture. First, consider Exodus 20: 7: "You do not bring the Name of YHWH your Elohim to naught, for YHWH does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to naught." (ISR) If you change His Name you are bringing dishonor to Him and His Name to naught. Who is man to change the Name of the Father? Second, consider Deuteronomy 4:2: "Do not add to the Word which I command you, and do not take away from it, so as to guard the commands of YHWH your Elohim which I am commanding you." (ISR)To change His Name transgresses this commandment. You are adding a name instead of honoring the true Name. Third, "lord" is not an innocent title. You can trace it back to a Roman house-deity. Lord comes from the old English spelling of "Lard" which comes from "Lar/Larth Lares," Estruscan and Roman deities associated with Sun-worship. Lares was the guardian spirit of the house and fields. The Greek word "Kurios" was originally a title for the Greek and Roman Sun-deity "Helios" and was called "The Kurios (Lord) of Heaven and Earth." The title "Lord" was eventually applied to all heathen deities and sadly to YHWH in most English Bibles. If you believe that there is a Name that brings salvation, do you want to call on the original true name,or a substitute with pagan roots? How serious do you think the Creator of the world, the One that is your Heavenly Father, feels about His Name? Who do you think would be behind a plot to take His true Name away from His people? There is a Name for our Heavenly Father and it is YHWH, i.e. Yahweh. Do not bring it to naught. There are ramifications.