Names of Yehovah: Shalom

Names of Yehovah: Yehovah Shalom

Introduction

The expression Jehovah Shalom is normally rendered, The LORD send peace. This is not a correct rendering, and the concept of peace is also normally not understood. This section will examine some aspects of this name-title.

Judges 6:1-24

The text is given literally rendered:

Judges 6:1 And the children of Israel did the bad in the eyes of Yehovah. And Yehovah gave them into the hand of Midian seven years. ²And the hand of Midian prevailed over Israel. The children of Israel made them the dens that are in the mountains and the caves and the strong holds from the faces of Midian. ³And it was, when Israel had sown. And Midian ascended, and Amalek, and the children of the east. And they ascended upon them. ⁴And they encamped against them. And they destroyed the increase of the land until thou come unto Gaza. And there remained no sustenance in Israel–neither sheep nor ox nor ass. ⁵For they and their cattle will ascend, and their tents. And they will come as grasshoppers for multitude. And there is no number to them and their camels. And they came into the land to destroy her. ⁶And Israel was greatly impoverished from the faces of Midian.

And the children of Israel screamed unto Yehovah. ⁷And it was when the children of Israel screamed unto Yehovah concerning the circumstances of Midian. ⁸And Yehovah sent a prophet man unto the children of Israel. And he said to them, “So said Yehovah Gods of Israel, ‘I, I caused you to ascend from Egypt. And I brought you out from the house of slaves. ⁹And I delivered you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors. And I drove them from before your faces. And I gave their land to you. ¹⁰And I said to you, “I am Yehovah your Gods. Fear ye not the gods of the Amorite in whose land ye are dwelling.” And ye have not hearkened into my voice!’”

¹¹And the Angel Yehovah came. And He sat under the oak that is in Ophrah which is to Joash of My-Father-Is-My-Helper. And his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress to hide from the faces of Midian. ¹²And the Angel Yehovah appeared unto him. And He said unto him, “Yehovah is with thee, mighty man of valour!” ¹³And Gideon said unto him, “With me is my Lords? And there is Yehovah with us? And why has all this found us? And where are all His miracles that our fathers recounted to us saying, ‘Did not Yehovah make us ascend from Egypt?’ And now Yehovah has cast us. And He has given us into the palm [of the hand] of Midian!”

¹⁴And Yehovah turned unto him. And He said, “Go in this thy strength. And thou shalt save Israel from the palm of Midian. Haven’t I sent thee?” ¹⁵And he said unto Him, “With me is my Lords? Via what shall I save Israel? Behold, my thousand is the poor in Manasseh. And I am the least in the house of my father.” ¹⁶And Yehovah said unto him, “Because I will be with thee. And thou shalt smite Midian as one man!” ¹⁷And he said unto Him, “If, na, I have found favour in thine eyes, and thou shalt do for me a sign that thou art speaking with me! ¹⁸Do not, na, withdraw from this until my coming unto thee. And I will bring my resting. And I will rest [it] to thy faces.” And He said, “I, I will sit until thy return.”

¹⁹And Gideon came. And he made a goat-kid and an ephah of flour matzahs. He put the flesh in a basket. And he put the broth in a pot. And he brought [it] out unto Him under the oak. And he approached.

²⁰And the Angel of the Gods said unto him, “Take the flesh and the Matzahs. And rest [them] unto this rock. And pour out the broth.” And he did so. ²¹And the Angel Yehovah sent the end of the staff that is in His hand. And He touched into the flesh and into the matzahs. And the fire ascended from the rock and ate the flesh and the matzahs. And the Angel Yehovah walked from his eyes. ²²And Gideon saw that He is the Angel Yehovah.

And Gideon said, “Aha, my Lords Yehovah! For therefore I have seen the Angel Yehovah faces unto faces!” ²³And Yehovah said to him, “Peace to thee. Fear not. Thou shalt not die.” ²⁴And Gideon built an altar there to Yehovah. And he called to him Yehovah-Is-Shalom-Unto-This-Day. It is yet in Ophrah of My-Father-Is-My-Helper.

It is imperative to understand what took place in order to understand the name Gideon gave to the altar. I will point out some things from the Hebrew text. (Incidentally, the Hebrew particle, na, isn’t translated; its purpose is to soften the sharpness of a communication in order to show that no demand and no anger is part of the communication.)

Yehovah sent a prophet to Israel (verse 8). He did not send the prophet to tell the Israelis what to do, but to explain to them why He was so angry with them. Yehovah reminded Israel of what He had done in the past. The offense of the Israelis was in their fearing the gods of the Amorite. There is only One God Who alone is to be feared by Israel: Yehovah. Yehovah is jealous if Israel fears any other god in front of His faces. Since He has no backside, He sees every action of every Israeli (and everyone else).

Verse 11 introduces the Angel Yehovah. The Hebrew is , which can mean “an angel of Yehovah” or “the angel of Yehovah,” but more often means “Angel Yehovah,” referring to Yehovah Himself as His own messenger (as it does in this case). His appearance was not extraordinary, but His behaviour was; He came and sat. He then appeared to Gideon, because Gideon didn’t see His arrival. He then called to Gideon who was in the winepress.

Yehovah does not exaggerate or lie. When He stated, “Yehovah is with thee, mighty man of valour,” it was the Truth.

Gideon’s quick reply was, “There is Yehovah with us?” “Where are all His miracles?” Gideon was not pleased with Yehovah’s silence, and he made it clear to the stranger. He knew that Yehovah had given the Israelis into the palm of Midian.

The text states that Yehovah turned to him. He had been speaking to him, but the eye contact had not been there. Now Yehovah addressed him directly with commands, ending with the question, “Have not I sent thee?”

Gideon didn’t miss a beat: “My Lords is with me? Via what shall I save Israel?” This man was behaving in a most appropriate and business-like fashion with the King of Glory. Yehovah knew him and chose him for such reasons.

When Yehovah answered His questions with the statement, “Because I will be with thee,” He was saying much more than merely, “I will accompany thee.” The expression, “I will be,” is the Name by which Yehovah identified Himself when Moshe asked Him what Name to announce to the Israelis who were slaves in Egypt. Yehovah’s reply to Gideon could have been rendered, “Because I-Will-Be is with thee!” With Yehovah being with him, Gideon could now smite Midian as if Midian were one man!

Gideon was not foolish. He wanted a sign (that couldn’t be feigned by forces of evil) that Yehovah Himself was speaking with him. Yehovah is always willing to do what is necessary to identify the Truth to one who desires to know the Truth. Gideon’s sign was not a demonstration of a lack of faith; the request for the sign was given by faith. Yehovah honoured it.

Throughout the entire conversation, Yehovah had remained sitting—or if He stood, there is no text indicating this.

The preparation for battle must have taken some hours.

The differing identifications of Yehovah are very important in these passages. Verse 20 introduces the title “the Angel of the Gods” (). The word angel means messenger, and it always has this designation. A human can as easily be called a messenger as an angelic being or Yehovah. Since the word Gods refers to the True and Living God of Avraham, Isaac and Jacob when used this way, He is all the Gods there are, and any other god is false. He is the God of the field, the God of creation, the God of power, the God of the oceans, the God of war, the God of peace. Israel too often feared false gods. This text shows the Messenger of the True Gods appearing to Gideon.

The Messiah, Who Himself was born flesh, and was and is the bread of life (literally, of the lives), was also the Rock that produced the waters of lives. He voluntarily gave Himself to be the sacrifice. The Angel Yehovah showed this to Gideon in a type. He then walked away from Gideon as Gideon watched as if he were portraying the resurrection. Gideon knew that He is the Angel Yehovah by this.

Gideon then became struck with terror. He knew that no one could see Yehovah faces to faces and live (though he was theologically wrong), and here was Messenger Yehovah faces to faces with him! Yehovah spoke to him one more time, declaring that peace was his. He was not to fear what he had experienced; he wouldn’t die.

Gideon responded by building an altar to Yehovah. He named the altar according to what he realized: “Yehovah is Shalom unto this day.” He already knew that Yehovah had been Israel’s peace in times past and for the fathers. He now saw that Yehovah continued to be Israel’s peace unto this day. (He will be Israel’s peace at the very end of the Tribulation.)

The word peace has a number of different connotations. It is not merely a lack of war. The word indicates a debtless relationship or the payment of a debt; the completion of an agreed transaction; no outstanding disagreements; vengeance for a crime. (There is no peace when a crime goes unavenged.)

August 26, 2011July 5, 2017

Names of Yehovah: Nissi

Names of Yehovah: Yehovah Nissi

Introduction

The Bible has many name/title combinations for the God of Israel; it would take years to show them all. Some of those name/title combinations are only visible in Hebrew (and in rare literal translations) because translators didn’t view them as names or titles. The following is an example of one that translations do acknowledge.

Exodus 17:8-15

The text is given literally rendered:

Exodus 17:8 And Amalek came. And he fought with Israel in Rephidim. ⁹And Moshe said unto Yehoshua, “Choose for us men. And go out. Fight with Amalek. Tomorrow, I am standing on the top of the hill. And the rod of the Gods [HaElohim] is in my hand.” ¹⁰And Yehoshua did as Moshe had said to him to fight with Amalek. And Moshe, Aharon, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. ¹¹And it came to pass, when Moshe will elevate his hand, and Israel will prevail. And when he will rest his hand, and Amalek will prevail. ¹²And the hands of Moshe are heavy. And they took a stone. And they put under him. And he sat upon her. And Aharon and Hur supported his hands from this one and from this one. And his hands were faith unto the coming of the sun. ¹³And Yehoshua discomfited Amalek and his people to the mouth of a sword. ¹⁴And Yehovah said unto Moshe, “Write this, a memorial in the book. And put in the ears of Yehoshua. For blotting, I will blot the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens!” ¹⁵And Moshe built an altar. And he called his name ‘Yehovah Neessee.’

The frequently used title (Elohim) literally means Gods. It can refer to the One True and Living God, Yehovah (which is normally the case), or it can refer to false gods (as it does in Exodus 20:3). The title, Elohim shows that Yehovah is all the Gods there are, since the Bible opens with this pronouncement: “In the beginning, Gods (plural) created (singular) the heavens and the land.”

Our present text uses the word , which differs by the addition of the article ‘the.’ The expression ‘The Gods’ becomes all the more significant, dismissing anything that is not part of The Gods as not gods.

Three men go up to the top of the hill to wait for the battle. Each man has a position, and two have roles as types (typology: a person, item or time that is significant, and pictures a person, item or time that is far more significant). Moshe is a type of Yehovah the Father, being placed as a god to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:1); Aharon the High Priest is a type of the entire people of Israel since Yehovah has placed all Israel as a high priest to the races. Israel the priest has access to all parts of the Temple/Tabernacle. Hur is from the tribe of Judah (Exodus 31:2); Judah’s role in Israel’s salvation is significant.

The text does not tell how Moshe knew to take two other men with him. Moshe noticed that Israel prevailed when his hands were up, and Amalek prevailed when they were down. Aharon and Hur set a stone under Moshe so that he could be seated. His hands were heavy, and the men had to hold them up in the air in order for Israel to prevail.

The text states that Moshe’s hands were faith. Moshe, Aharon and Hur already had faith, and didn’t need to see Moshe’s raised hands; the raised hands were for the Israelis and for readers. Faith was provided, and only obedience was necessary.

Moshe then built an altar. He did what others before him did: he named the altar, in this case calling it , Yehovah my Signal. The word Signal also carries the idea of something placed very high so that others who need to see it and who understand its significations will be able see it.

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah has several very important references to the Standard, a reference to the same word (or root word) that is used above:

Isaiah 49:20 The children that thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, “The place is too narrow for me! Give place to me and I shall dwell!” ²¹Then thou shalt say in thine heart, “Who has begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and I am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? And who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these—where are they?” ²²Thus says the Lord Yehovah, “Behold, I will elevate my hand to the races and set up my standard to the peoples. And they shall bring thy sons in arms! And thy daughters shall be carried upon the shoulders. ²³And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers. They shall bow down to thee with the faces toward the land, and lick up the dust of thy feet. And thou shalt know that I am Yehovah! For they who wait for me shall not be ashamed!”

Isaiah 59:16 And He saw that [there is] no man. And He wondered that [there is] no intercessor. Therefore His arm brought salvation unto Him. And His righteousness—it sustained Him. ¹⁷For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon His head. And He put on the garments of vengeance [for] clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. ¹⁸He will repay accordingly, according to [their] deeds—fury to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies. He will repay recompense to the coastlands. ¹⁹So shall they fear the Name Yehovah from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of Yehovah shall lift up a standard against him! ²⁰And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them who turn from transgression in Jacob,” says Yehovah. ²¹ “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says Yehovah: “My spirit that is upon thee and my speeches that I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed,” says Yehovah, “from henceforth and for ever!”

Isaiah 62:8 Yehovah hath sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength, “Surely I will no more give thy grain food for thine enemies. And the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine for which thou hast laboured. ⁹But they who have gathered it shall eat it and praise Yehovah. And they who have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my Holy One.” ¹⁰ “Go through! Go through the gates! Prepare ye the way of the people! Cast up! Cast up the highway! Gather out the stones! Lift up a standard above the peoples!” ¹¹Behold, Yehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the world: “Say ye to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, thy Salvation comes! Behold, His reward is with Him! And His work is before Him!’ ¹²And they shall call them, ‘The holy people!’ ‘The redeemed of Yehovah!’ And thou shalt be called, ‘Sought out!’ ‘A city not forsaken!’” ¹ “Who is This Who comes from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah?—This [that is] glorious in His apparel, travelling in the greatness of His strength?” “I Who speak in righteousness, mighty to save!” ² “Why [art thou] red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him who treads in the winevat?” ³ “I have trodden the winepress alone. And none is with me of the people. For I will tread them in mine anger! And I will trample them in my fury! And their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments! And I will stain all my raiment! ⁴For the day of vengeance is in my heart! And the year of my redeemed is come!” ⁵ “And I looked. And [there is] none to help. And I wondered that [there is] none to uphold. Therefore my own arm brought salvation unto me! And my fury–it upheld me! ⁶And I will tread down peoples in mine anger! And I will make them drunk in my fury! And I will bring down their strength to the earth!” ⁷ “I will mention the graces of Yehovah—the praises of Yehovah according to all that Yehovah has bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the House of Israel that He hath bestowed on them according to His mercies and according to the multitude of His graces. ⁸For He said, “Surely they are my people–children won’t lie.” So He became theirs for a Saviour. ⁹ He was afflicted in all their affliction. And the angel of His faces saved them! He redeemed them in His love and in His pity. And He bare them and carried them all the days of old. ¹⁰But they rebelled, and vexed His holy Spirit. Therefore He was turned to be their enemy. He fought against them. ¹¹Then He remembered the days of old–Moshe, His people– ‘Where is He who brought them up from the sea with the shepherd of His flock? Where is He who put His holy Spirit within him, ¹²that led by the right hand of Moshe with His glorious arm, dividing the water before them to make Himself an everlasting Name, ¹³that led them through the deep as a horse in the wilderness, they shall not stumble?’ ¹⁴As a beast goes down into the valley, the Spirit of Yehovah caused him to rest. So did Thou lead thy people to make thyself a glorious name!”

Moshe was prophesying when he named the altar Yehovah Neesee. The experience that Israel experienced in a comparatively minor (yet very significant) battle in Moshe’s day will be repeated during the Tribulation in a very large way! Yehovah Himself will be the standard as He descends to the land riding a horse and surrounded by a cloud. There will be no stars to compete with His brightness in that day. The sun will have become extremely dim, and the moon will not give light. Every city will be dark. Messiah will circle the earth as He descends, and every eye shall see Him in His brightness (including the eyes of blind folks). His descent will occur after Jerusalem calls for Him according to His promise:

Matthew 23:37 “Jerusalem! Jerusalem that kills the prophets and stones them who are sent unto thee! How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathers her chickens under wings, and ye would not! ³⁸Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. ³⁹For I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth until ye shall say, ‘Blessed is He Who comes with the Name Yehovah!’”

The standard of Yehovah, Messiah Himself, will come after two days. The land of Israel will be rescued by the destruction of Israel’s nearby enemies. The strangest judgment in the Bible, one often mentioned and explained in detail in Matthew 25, will then take place.

May 11, 2011July 5, 2017

How Can One Know that She Pleases God?

Introduction

This is a copy of an examination given to those at the Way House of Ministries to Women, Arkansas sometime in 1990. Terri was one present, and the following is a copy of the examination as she wrote it (with a few grammar corrections). Please note the careful answers, and the way she went about proving her answers.

1. How can one know that she is pleasing God?
a. Write out the reason.
b. Give Biblical proof for each part of your answer.

A. God is consistent. Jehovah’s standard of righteousness and justice never changes. Based on these two things plus the testimony that those in the Bible who in the fear of God, obeyed, they pleased God by following the same standard of righteousness and justice.

God never changes.

B. God is consistent: Proof:

Mal 3:6 “I am Jehovah I change not.”
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man that He should grieve himself; hath he not said, and shall He not do it? or hath he spoken or and shall he not make it good?”
Romans 11:29 “The gifts and callings of God are without repentance.”
James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is not variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Hebrews 13:8 Messiah Yeshua is the same yesterday, and today and forever.”

Those who feared Jehovah obeyed— There are several cases of those who followed His standards and pleased Him. In Hebrews 11:2 the Bible states, “For by it (Faith) the elders obtained a good report.” This good report means that Jehovah was very pleased by what they did and most importantly by their fear of Him. Jehovah was very pleased by Abel. Jehovah even testified of His gifts (Heb 11:4). Enoch’s whole testimony was that He pleased God.

Abraham was an example of someone who obeyed (Heb 11:8).
Sarah also was one who pleased Jehovah.
Joseph so obeyed Jehovah and kept His Standard that he refused to sin when given the opportunity.
David was a man after Jehovah’s heart.
Elizabeth and Zacharias were two Saints who definitely met the requirements for pleasing Jehovah. Luke 1:6 “And they were both righteous before Jehovah walking in all the commandments and ordinances of Jehovah blameless.

Because of all these facts, if one knows the standards and justices of Jehovah, and obeys, then they should know with utter certainty that they please Jehovah.

October 17, 2010August 22, 2016

The Use of the Name Yehovah

Hyperlinked Table of Contents

Introduction

Of What the Name Consists

Repeating the Commandments to the Children

Adding To or Subtracting From the Torah

Thou Shalt Swear By My Name

Who Is the Name?

Disciples Were Taught the Name

“Hallelujah” And Its Friends

Issues of Truth, and Pleasing God or Man

Lord, Baal, and Such

Placing Fences around the Law

Thou Shalt Not Pronounce the Name of the False Gods

Individual Cases of the Name, And What These Show

Introduction

As has been true for centuries, there is a real aversion among a number of Jewish sects to pronounce the Name Yehovah. This has to do with an extension of the commandment, “Thou shalt not take the Name of Yehovah thy God in vain.” But what does the Teaching of Yehovah truly state regarding these issues? This writing is dedicated to one who truly loves the Name Yehovah, and who has been outraged that His Name would be expunged from the lips of those who claim to know Him.

Of What the Name Consists

Folks have debated the derivation of the Name , Yehovah for years. Many scholars believe that it is more likely to have been pronounced Yahweh indicating breath or air, since God is a spirit. These scholars rarely seem to pay attention to the Biblical statement of the derivation of this name, and therefore, to its correct pronunciation. Before considering this, there was a pagan god named Javeh. Some have tried to link Yehovah’s name to this name. Those who go along with any relationship to either Javeh or Yahweh demonstrate great ignorance of the Scriptures.

Exodus 3:13-15 in Hebrew reads:

Exodus 3:13

The literal rendering of this passage is as follows:

Exodus 3:13 And Moshe said unto the Elohim, “Behold I am coming unto the sons of Israel. And I will say to them, ‘Gods of your fathers sent me unto you!’ And they shall say to me, ‘What is his name?’ What shall I say unto them?” ¹⁴And Elohim said unto Moshe, “I Will Be Who I Will Be!” And He said, “Thus shalt thou say to the sons of Israel, ‘I Will Be sent me unto you!’” ¹⁵And Elohim said more unto Moshe. “So shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel, ‘Yehovah Gods of your fathers, Gods of Avraham, Gods of Isaac and Gods of Jacob sent me unto you!’ This is My Name to Hider. And this is My Remembrance to generation, generation.”

From the above, the term Yehovah must be related to the term I-will-be. Orthodox Jewish children taught in Orthodox schools learn what the Name means; they sing its meaning: “He will be, He is, He was.” The Name Yehovah is a contraction derived in the following way:

Yehiyeh+Hoveh+Hayah

He will be+He is+He was

Ye+Hov+ah

He will be, is, was.

The Bible often employs such contractions. Yehovah is abbreviated again to Yah, and is used as a Name in that form.

Since this is declared in Exodus, this is Yehovah’s own derivation of His Name. Anyone who desires to argue with this is arguing with the Torah. (Scholars who make their livings from the Bible are paid to argue against the Bible; expect this from them.)

Repeating the Commandments to the Children

In the famous passage known as the Shma, we have this command to Israel:

ShmaExtended

This literally reads:

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hearken-thou, Israel! Yehovah our Gods Yehovah is One! ⁵And thou shalt love Yehovah Thy Gods via all thy heart and via all thy being and via all thy very-much! ⁶And these speeches that I am commanding thee today shall be upon thy heart. ⁷And thou shalt repeat them to thy children. And thou shalt speak via them via thy sitting in thy house and via thy walking in the way and via thy lying-down and via thine arising.

The text commands, “thou shalt repeat them.” It gives no permission to change any of the words. Part of them is the Name Yehovah. If Yehovah had desired other words to be repeated into the children, including HaShem (the Name), Adonai (my Lords), or Elokim (an intentional variant of Elohim), He would have stated this in the Torah. When Yehovah gave “these words,” He meant what He said with all the authority of these words. Changing these words to other words is a sinful violation.

The next set of paragraphs will further explore this violation.

Adding To or Subtracting From the Torah

Deuteronomy 4:2 Ye shall not add upon the speech that I am commanding you and ye shall not diminish from him to guard the commandments of Yehovah your Gods that I am commanding you.

Deuteronomy 12:32 (KJV; 13:1, Hebrew) All the speech that I am commanding you: ye shall guard him to do. Ye shall not add upon him and ye shall not diminish from him.

If Yehovah commanded to repeat these words into the children, no one is permitted to change these words to other words, and no one is permitted to repeat the changed words into the children. Doing so is sin.

Rabbi Yeshua stated,

Matthew 5:17 “Don’t think that I am come to destroy the Torah or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. ¹⁸For I say faith unto you: until the heavens and land pass, one yod or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Torah until all is fulfilled! ¹⁹Therefore, whoever shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of the Heavens. And whosoever shall do and teach, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of the Heavens.”

It is typical for men to try to demonstrate their zeal for God by improving upon His Teaching. It is also typical for men to try to please other men by choosing to not offend men even at the risk of offending God.

Thou Shalt Swear By My Name

Yehovah in His wisdom commanded the Israelis to swear via His Name. If they vowed, they were to use His Name. Thus, His Name had to be used for such solemn acts. They weren’t usually forced to vow, but when they did, they had to use His Name:

Deuteronomy 6:13 Thou shalt fear Yehovah thy God and serve Him. And thou shalt swear via His name.

Deuteronomy 10:20 Thou shalt fear Yehovah thy God. Thou shalt serve Him, and thou shalt cleave to Him. And thou shalt swear via His name.

There are many titles for God, but they are not names. Elohim literally means gods, and this is also used for the false gods (as in Exodus 20 where Israel is commanded to have no other gods before Yehovah’s faces). Adonai means my lords, and it is also not a name, but a title. According to the command, the Israelis must use His name if he/she will vow.

Who is the Name?

This may seem like a strange question, but in the Psalms (for example) there are far more accolades given to the name Yehovah than to Yehovah Himself! These phrases may bring this to remembrance:

Praise the Name Yehovah
Glorify His Name
Sing unto His Name
Magnify His Name

Why would the text honour a name—a special title of identification—more than the holder of the name?

Isaiah 30:27 Behold, the Name of Yehovah comes from far; His anger is burning and the burden is heavy! His lips are full of indignation and His tongue is as a devouring fire! ²⁸And His breath shall reach to the midst of the neck as an overflowing stream to sift the races with the sieve of vanity!

The Name is coming in this text. Yehovah Himself isn’t the subject of the sentence. If a careful reader were to follow the Name through the Scriptures, that reader would find the presence of this wording in the most curious places. Even in the text, “His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, etc.,” it is as if His Name is a person. The expected wording would be more like this: “His Messiah shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, etc.”

Disciples Were Taught the Name

Yehovah taught His students the Name:

John 17:6 “I have manifested thy Name unto the men that thou gave me from the world. They were thine, and thou gave me them. And they have kept thy speech!”

John 17:12 “While I was with them in the world, I kept them via thy Name. I have kept those whom thou gave me; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition so that the Scripture will be fulfilled.”

John 17:26 “And I have declared and will declare thy Name unto them so that the love with which thou hast loved me will be in them; and I will be in them.”

To manifest a Name is to make that Name become visible. Manifestation isn’t merely a matter of understanding, but a matter of visibility. Yeshua stated, “I have declared thy Name unto them.” This would be necessary only if they somehow didn’t know His Name! Thus, we see that the tradition of not using the Name had already come into practice, and Rabbi Yeshua corrected this practice among His students!

“Hallelujah” And Its Friends

It struck me as both curious and inconsistent when I learned that religious Jewish communities refuse to pronounce the Name Yehovah, and often refrain from using Elohim, choosing instead to say Elokim. It is tradition when counting to change the number 15 (consisting of Yod, 10, + Heh, 5—the letters for Yah having the value of 10 + 5) from 10 + 5 to 9 + 6 just to avoid writing the Name Yah; yet the same tradition permitted saying Hallelujah and names like Jeremiah (YeremYahu in Hebrew, with Yahu being an abbreviated form for Yehovah). If the Name Yehovah is so special that it mustn’t be pronounced, the Name Yah is more special since it is far rarer in the Scriptures! The number 16 is likewise changed since it is Yod + Vov, or Yoh, a possible contraction of Yehovah (as used in the name Yo-el, Joel). Yet, these names are commonly employed by very Orthodox Jewish parents when naming their children; the Name is being used for very mundane purposes! If any non-believer in the God of Israel has the Name Yo-El, Joel, his very life is taking the Name in vain! This name is declaring a Biblical truth while the holder of the Name is declaring that ‘truth’ to be a lie! It also struck me that those who claim to have such a high regard for the Name Yehovah that they refuse to pronounce it would sing songs employing worlds like Hallelujah where the Name Yah is repeated over and over again (vain repetition of the Name is also against the Teaching of God), besides the contradiction of singing this Name at all. Is this ignorance, or is it hypocrisy?

Consider how the Name of Yehovah is being used in vain when singing a command employing it where the command won’t be carried out. Singing “Praise ye Yehovah,” which is “Commend ye Yehovah” (for specific things He has done) without hearers responding according to the command is giving a false command in His Name. In all the Psalms where His Name is so used, there is always a response with specific commendations! Psalm 150 is perfect example. The choirs sang the command and the People responded by commending Yehovah.

Some have the audacity (or ignorance) to use “Hallelujah!” as an expletive, like a religious person might use the expletive, “Hosannah!” or like a non-religious person might use “holy mackerel!” Yehovah will not hold him guiltless who uses His Name in vain:

Exodus 20:7 and Deuteronomy 5:11 Thou shalt not lift the Name Yehovah thy Gods to a vanity; for Yehovah will clear him who lifts His Name to a vanity!

Issues of Truth, And Pleasing God or Man

Does a person desire to pursue Truth and pleasing God, or does one desire to not offend man and tradition even if it means compromising on the commandments of God? One who takes the latter view will not produce good fruit (in the Biblical sense). Anyone who fears God doesn’t concern himself with the traditions of man that violate obedience. Daniel knew that he was violating a new tradition by praying other than to the king; he did so, knowing it would be an offense. Yet, he stood firm. Yehovah honoured his stance. Man-pleasers cannot be God-pleasers. Truth cannot be compromised, even to avoid offense. A tradition that teaches contrary to Scriptures is a tradition that challenges the authority of Yehovah.

Lord, Baal, and Such

The term Lord (in Hebrew) basically means sir, and is a term of respect in view of rank or service. It is also a term of submission, and can be used of a slave toward a master. The term Baal (in Hebrew) also means lord, and is used of a woman toward her husband. It is also the name of a false god. It is used in much the same way as the term lord is used in religious communities around the world today. A Buddhist uses the term lord to refer to Buddha with the same zeal and love as Christians do. Lord is not a specific term. It describes a rank, a position; it doesn’t specify a person or the deity.

Matthew 7:1 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but rather, he who does the will of my Father Who is in the heavens. ²Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord! Lord, haven’t we prophesied in thy Name, and cast out devils in thy Name, and done many wonderful works in thy Name?’ ³And I will then profess unto them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from me, ye who work iniquity!’”

Who was this lord that these identified as being their lord? They were addressing some other being. They obviously used Lord often; that is why Yeshua used “Lord! Lord!” Some even did great things that would seem to prove that the power of God was with them. They were obviously fooled even if they helped others in the process; their work was iniquity! How strange it is that it is considered appropriate to use this term that is also used for all the pagan gods instead of identifying the god (God) in whom one truly believes by name!

Who is this Elokim? Who is HaShem? Who is G-d? Who is L-rd? As I mentioned above, Elokim is Elohim with the middle letter intentionally changed so as not to take the Name in vain accidentally. Whose idea was this? If one takes the ‘name’ Elokim in vain, is it any less serious than taking Elohim in vain if both refer to the same God? And who is HaShem (the Name)? Is this not the very One who is the bearer of the Name? And if HaShem is improperly used, is there less guilt than if the doer/speaker takes Yehovah in vain? Who is G-d? When I was young, I learned what G-d meant. It was used in literature replace “God damn.” Is it better to use G-d rather than God? Is it safer to use L‑rd rather than Lord?

Consider the following logic argument regarding a separate issue; see if this same argument can be used here:

Matthew 5:33 “Again, ye have heard that it has been said by them of old time, ‘Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shall perform thine oaths unto the Lord.’ ³⁴But I say unto you, don’t swear at all—neither by the heavens, for it is God’s throne, ³⁵nor by the earth, for it is His footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King; ³⁶nor shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou can’t make one hair white or black!”

If we use this logic argument, using even part of a title of identification that is known to identify the One Whose Name is Holy is still using Him Who is Holy! So, why use HaShem when this only refers to Yehovah? And if this doesn’t refer to Yehovah (as Lord), why use it at all? It makes sense to use Lord in the Name Lord Yehovah, since Yehovah is clearly identified as being the specific Lord to whom one is referring. Otherwise, why follow the pagans who do the same practices?

Placing Fences around the Law

I already discussed adding and subtracting or changing items in the Teaching (Torah) of Yehovah. This is a brief discussion of the concept of ‘placing fences around the Torah (Teaching). According to Jewish tradition, one reason why the God of Israel has been so angry with Israel is because Israel has not kept the Torah. (This is also Biblically true.) The rabbis felt that the Messiah will come when the Jewish People will faithfully keep the Torah, and the faces of Yehovah will return back toward Israel for blessing. The Jewish People (including all Jewish individuals) have not kept the Torah with its regulations, however. So, the rabbis felt that if regulations were made that would normalize the keeping of the Torah, and would guard individual Israelis much farther back from even coming close to breaking the Torah, this would bring the Jews into Torah compliance.

Thus, if the text stated not to seethe a goat kid in its mother’s milk, why not legislate that meat and dairy were not to be eaten in the same meal in order to keep an Israeli from accidentally doing this? But then, there might be the accidental mixture of meat and dairy if the same utensils were used to prepare meat and dairy. So, they legislated to have separate pans, pots, dishes, spoons, etc.: one for meat and one for dairy. They viewed this as placing a fence around the Torah to keep the Jewish People far from violating its commands. However, in the process of building this very large and detailed fence, they violated the Torah they sought to protect. They added many commands to the Torah, which is a violation of the Torah! Instead of increasing righteousness, it increased rabbinic discussions on the Torah and on this Fence which became, in effect, the ‘Jewish Orthodox New Testament’! If God had meant for them to do this, He would sent prophets to give this part of the written Torah.

Any oral transmission of information goes through changes after a while. Only written communications have greater certainty of being the same if great care in copying is employed.

This Fence around the Torah is called the “Oral Law,” and it is deemed as holy as the written Torah, or more so! It is deemed more binding than the written Torah by some very Orthodox groups! This certainly violates the written Torah given to Moshe.

The refusal to pronounce and use the Name Yehovah is part of the Oral Law. Thus, it is not a neutral choice; it is participation in wrong-doing. The use of the Name Yehovah is vital for any obedient Jewish person.

Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass, whosoever shall call on the name Yehovah shall be delivered: for deliverance shall be in mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as Yehovah said, and in the remnant whom Yehovah shall call.

Calling upon HaShem, the Name isn’t good enough; identify your God! Tolerate no fences around the Torah, the Teaching of the Gods of Israel!

Thou Shalt Not Pronounce the Name of the False Gods

I was amazed that the Teaching of God could be so easily switched around. While the Torah commands the use of Yehovah’s Name for swearing and for teaching children, and for anyone who will read the Scriptures out loud, it also prohibits the pronunciation of the names of false gods!

Exodus 23:13 “And ye shall guard via all that I said unto you. And ye shall not remind-of the name of other gods. He shall not hear upon thy mouth!”

Thus, Jewish tradition has reversed the whole command, and feels free to mention the names of the false gods, while not being at liberty to mention the Name of the True and Living God, Yehovah!

Individual Cases of the Name, And What These Show

The following texts show something specific about the use of the Name Yehovah:

Psalms 116:13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call via the name Yehovah.

There is a direct connection between taking the cup of salvation, and calling via the name Yehovah!

Psalms 116:17 I will offer the sacrifice of confession to thee, and will call via the name Yehovah.

Thee is separated from the Name Yehovah. The speaker states that he will offer to ‘thee’ (to Yehovah) the sacrifice of confession, and he will call—not upon thee, but rather the Name Yehovah.

Zephaniah 3:9 For then I will flip-over to the peoples a pure tongue to call—all of them—via name Yehovah, to serve him, one shoulder!

This is obviously a future event. At that time, they will all call via the Name Yehovah! But then, shouldn’t folks who believe the texts be doing so now?

Genesis 12:8 And he removed from there unto a mountain on the east of Bethel. And he pitched his tent. Bethel is on the west and Hai is on the east. And he built an altar there unto Yehovah. And he called via the name Yehovah.

He didn’t call on “HaShem.”

Genesis 26:25 And he built an altar there. And he called upon the name Yehovah. And he pitched his tent there. And Isaac’s servants dug a well there.

Neither Abraham nor Isaac feared to use the Name. Rather, they feared to not use the name.

1 Samuel 20:42 And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace forasmuch as we have sworn both of us via the name Yehovah, saying, ‘Yehovah be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed forever.’”

This is an example of what it means to swear in the name Yehovah: “Yehovah be between me and thee.”

2 Samuel 6:18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering ascensions and peace offerings, he blessed the people via the name Yehovah of hosts.

Yehovah’s fuller name/title includes His military position!

Psalms 129:8 And they who go by don’t say, “The blessing of Yehovah is upon you; we bless you via the name Yehovah.”

This shows the proper way of blessing one via the name of Yehovah (although this is a negative text): “The blessing of Yehovah is upon you.”

Psalms 7:17 I will praise Yehovah according to His righteousness! And I will ‘ballad’ to the name Yehovah most high!

How does one ‘ballad’ to a name?

Psalms 20:7 Some [trust] in chariots, and some in horses. But we will remember the name Yehovah our God!

What individuals prove to have the desire to forget the Name more than those who refuse to make mention of it? In the Psalm, the speakers will remember that Name!

Psalms 102:15 The races shall fear the name Yehovah, and all the kings of the earth thy glory!

The races will fear the Name! They will only fear it if they knew what it is and Who it is!

Psalms 102:20 (Hebrew) For His Holy-[One] looked-down from the height! Yehovah peered from the heavens unto land ²¹to hearken to [the] groan of a prisoner, to open sons of death ²²to scroll name Yehovah in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem ²³via the gathering of unified peoples and kingdoms to serve Yehovah!

How does one scroll a name that isn’t ever mentioned?

Psalms 113:1 Praise ye Yehovah! Praise, ye slaves of Yehovah! Praise Name Yehovah!

How can one praise (that is, commend) a name? What can a name do? It must be a person!

Psalms 116:4 I then called upon Name Yehovah. Yehovah, deliver my soul, na!

(The Hebrew particle na is a softener of something that might sound like a demand; it is softened to something akin to a request or a non-demand.)

This text shows how this speaker will call upon Name Yehovah, and how the speaker will know that Name Yehovah and Yehovah are the same, and yet different.

Psalms 135:1 Praise ye Yehovah. Praise ye Name Yehovah! Praise, ye slaves of Yehovah!

The speaker commends Yehovah and then Name Yehovah as separate beings!

Psalms 148:5 They shall praise Name Yehovah! For He commanded, and they were created!

Who created? It doesn’t say that Yehovah created in this text, since Name Yehovah is being commended for this! Name commanded, and they were created!

Psalms 148:13 They shall praise Name Yehovah! For His Name alone is enfortressed! His glory is upon land and heavens!

How can a name be enfortressed? How can a being be enfortressed? If Yehovah can show up as a Rock that provides water, He can show up as a giant Rock Fortress. (Limiting Yehovah isn’t too smart.) If Name Yehovah is Yehovah and is separate from Yehovah, He also can easily show up as a giant Rock Fortress in which fleeing ‘good guys’ of Israel and of the races can escape! (Anyone who doesn’t believe that Yehovah can be in two places at the same time doesn’t believe in the Biblical Yehovah. Anyone who doesn’t believe that Yehovah can show up with a separate identity—that is, as Name Yehovah—has a very limiting view of Yehovah, and doesn’t believe in the Biblical Yehovah. Such a person truly will do better in Islam where the absolute oneness of their deity never permits their deity to take on separate identities.)

Proverbs 18:10 Name Yehovah is a tower of strength! The righteous-[one] runs into it, and is enfortressed!

This tower of strength will be a literal tower. The righteous person will run into this tower, and will be enfortressed from pursuing enemies. (These events will occur in the very distant Tribulation that is so well-described in the Bible.)

Isaiah 56:6 “And the sons of the foreigner joined unto Yehovah to minister-to Him and to love Name Yehovah to be to Him to slaves and to bless Name Yehovah, and every guard of the Shabbat from piercing him (her, Dead Sea Scroll of Isaiah) and grasping-[ones] via my Covenant, ⁷and I will bring them unto the Mountain of my Holy-[One]! And I will rejoice them in the House of My Prayer! Their ascensions of her and their sacrifices of her shall ascend to desire upon my altar! For my House shall be called House of Prayer to All the Peoples,” ⁸declared my Lords Yehovah, Gatherer of expelled-[ones] of Israel!

Loving and blessing Name Yehovah must be significant and important. No one can say that he/she loves and blesses Name Yehovah who will not even pronounce that name, and who doesn’t even know what the name is!

Isaiah 60:9 For, islands shall hope to me, and ships of Tarshish in her first-[place], to bring thy sons from a distance, their silver and their gold with them, to Name Yehovah thy Gods and to Holy-[One] of Israel! For He bright-glorified thee!

They will bring these physical things to the Name Yehovah and to the Holy One of Israel; “For, He (not they) bright-glorified thee!”

Amos 6:10 And a man’s uncle shall take him up, and he who burns him, to bring out the bones from the house. And he shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, “[Is any] yet with thee?” and he shall say, “No.” Then shall he say, “Hold thy tongue! For we shall not make mention of the name Yehovah!”

These conversing folks during an extreme time of oppression didn’t feel the freedom to make mention of the Name Yehovah. What is the excuse, today?

Micah 4:5 For all the peoples shall walk—a man via the name of his gods. And we, we shall walk via Name Yehovah our Gods to Hider and onward!

That will be a great day! There will be no fear or reluctance because of potential offense to do so!

Everyone who fears Yehovah of Hosts, the Gods of Israel, use His Name! Use it properly! Don’t be like others who shout that “God is his name!” (That makes as much sense as shouting regarding a hero, “Person is his name!”)

September 1, 2010August 24, 2016

Names of Yehovah: Kana

Names of Yehovah: Yehovah Kana

Introduction

The various names of Yehovah given in the Bible describe His character, His attributes and His personality. One aspect of Yehovah’s character is that He is a jealous deity. This document will consider this jealousy.

The text is from Exodus 34:

Exodus 34A

Exodus 34B

Exodus 34:10 And He said, “Behold, I am cutting a covenant straight-in-front-of all thy people. And all the people that thou art in the midst of him shall see the making of Yehovah! For he, what I am making thy people, is fearsome! ¹¹Guard to thee what I am commanding thee today! Behold, I am expelling the Emori and the Cnaani and the Khiti and the Prizi and the Khivi and the Yevusi from thy faces! ¹²Cause-to-guard to thee lest thou wilt cut a covenant to an inhabitant of the land that thou art coming upon her, lest he will be to a snare in thy midst! ¹³For ye shall break-down their altars. And ye shall smash- their totem-poles -to-shivers. And ye shall cut his happy-groves. ¹⁴For thou shalt not prostrate to another mighty-[one]. For Yehovah Jealous is His Name. He is a jealous mighty-[One]— ¹⁵lest thou wilt cut a covenant to an inhabitant of the land. And they shall whore after their gods. And they shall sacrifice to their gods. And he shall call to thee. And thou wilt eat his sacrifice. ¹⁶And thou wilt take from his daughters to thy sons. And his daughters shall whore after their gods. And they shall cause- thy sons -to-whore after their gods.”

I will now consider this text in detail:

“Behold, I am cutting a covenant straight-in-front-of all thy people.” Yehovah’s covenant won’t be hidden in any way, and its being cut won’t be in secret.

A covenant is cut because the throat of the animal sacrificed when a covenant is cut is slit. Thus, whenever a covenant is made in the Bible, the verb to cut is used to describe the process (whether an animal is actually sacrificed or not). A covenant is always made with a god or with the Gods of Israel as a participant. It differs from a promise in this way. The deity employed becomes the guard of the covenant to exact vengeance if the covenant isn’t kept. A vow doesn’t have a blood-sacrifice part to it, while a covenant either does, or assumes that blood (of a sacrifice) is involved.

“And all the people that thou art in the midst of him shall see the making of Yehovah!” This making isn’t referring to the covenant, but instead what Yehovah will cause the Israelis to become. He will make them terrifying! Moshe is in the midst of the people of Israel; the Israelis will see what Yehovah will make of them.

“For he, what I am making thy people, is fearsome!” This way, enemies of Israel will greatly fear the Israelis.

“Guard to thee what I am commanding thee today!” This is a warning and command to the people of Israel as one unit. Thee refers to the people of Israel, and not just to Moshe.

“Behold, I am expelling the Emori and the Cnaani and the Khiti and the Prizi and the Khivi and the Yevusi from thy faces!” Yehovah mentioned six of the races that lived in the land of Canaan in this text. He will throw these races out, and will start by ordering the Israelis to annihilate them—to do genocide upon them.

These groups had become very vile in their perversions, and had refused warnings for centuries. Yehovah owns the land of Israel, and He owns all living things. He created all creatures. Since these groups became vile and extremely evil, and wouldn’t repent, He determined to destroy them from the faces of the planet. If Yehovah is truly the living and only God, He has every right and all power to do this. If, on the other hand, there are other gods with power, they can defend these peoples and stop the Israelis. If the deity of Islam is the real deity, he can and will stop the Israelis and throw them out of the land. If he isn’t, he won’t have the power no matter how zealous and fervent the followers of Islam become.

Incidentally, whenever folks must defend their gods and must fight for their gods, they prove that their gods are impotent. Whenever folks are easily offended for the sake of their gods, they prove that their gods don’t have the power to be offended for themselves, and they also prove that they don’t really have confidence in the power of their own gods. Folks with a strong and a mighty deity never have to defend that deity. If others hurl insults at their deity, they just wait for their deity to take action on his own behalf. Only impotent deities must be defended. Only folks who are uncertain and without confidence must defend ‘the mighty’ (who obviously are not mighty enough to defend themselves).

“Cause-to-guard to thee lest thou wilt cut a covenant to an inhabitant of the land that thou art coming upon her, lest he will be to a snare in thy midst!” Yehovah warned the people of Israel to refrain from making any covenant with any inhabitant in Canaan. The Israelis were free to make covenants with all the pagan races around the land of Canaan, but not with any of the mentioned races in Canaan. (The Palestinians were not listed with these races to be annihilated.) The Israelis were never given commands to annihilate or harm friendly pagan neighbours outside of Canaan. Yehovah has no interest in destroying idolatrous races unless they become vile (which usually means that they become ‘hyper-sexually perverted’ and start doing human sacrifices). He saved some idolatrous races from harm, and He did this without an agenda of ‘converting’ them. (He even saved Nineveh though it had become vile, because Nineveh temporarily turned from its vile behaviours.)

If the Israelis do cut a covenant with even one inhabitant in the land, that inhabitant will become a snare—a trap—to the people of Israel, leading them into idolatrous and vile practices. (Be aware that Rahab and her family were exceptions that Yehovah sanctioned. Rahab turned from the sin of her people of Jericho. Her family was sanctified by being her property—her family, and doing what Rahab was commanded in order to live.)

“For ye shall break-down their altars.” The Israelis must do this after annihilating the inhabitants! Breaking down altars of folks who are living is never the right thing to do. What good does that do? It only makes for bitterness, and later for vengeance and needless wars. When one religious group attacks the monuments and idols of another religious group that is still alive, that attack doesn’t destroy the idols; it just causes the attacked group to gain strength, and then finally joining with others to attack the original attacking group!

Yehovah commanded the Israelis to break down the altars of the Canaanites so that the Israelis wouldn’t begin using their gods! This command wasn’t for the sake of the races in Canaan, but instead for the sake of the Israelis (who always have had a tendency to adopt the false gods of others, and their practices).

“And ye shall smash- their totem-poles -to-shivers.” If the Israelis obey the commands of Yehovah, they will not become archaeologists! An archaeologist is responsible to find, preserve, study and explain the artifacts and histories of the civilizations that previously existed. Those artifacts are placed into museums. Those museums become preservation ‘temples’ of former deities, explaining how they were served. Yehovah’s command is to smash those artifacts to shivers, making certain that they cannot be preserved and studied, and making certain that the Israelis cannot use them to recommence former idolatries!

“And ye shall cut his happy-groves.” These ‘happy-groves’ were beautiful gardens where live sexual pornography was both performed and viewed. Since they didn’t have film to record these things, they did live shows to support the gods and goddesses. Pornography is always idolatry. Yehovah commanded the removal of those gardens by cutting them down.

“For thou shalt not prostrate to another mighty-[one].” That ‘mighty one’ is either a deity or is deity-like. If the Israelis will obey Yehovah, they won’t be forced to prostrate to another deity.

“For Yehovah Jealous (, Yehovah Kana) is His Name.” This is a legitimate name to use when addressing Yehovah! The word jealous and the word zealous are exactly the same in Hebrew. The English language makes a distinction between the two words, but there is none in Hebrew. One who is jealous has a great zeal for something or someone. Yehovah doesn’t appreciate it when Israelis prostrate before other gods or other god-like characters; He owns the Israelis as His people.

“He is a jealous mighty-[One]…” Israel is His, and He always views Israel as His. (Other groups that try to harm the Israelis or that try to act as the protector of Israel bring out Yehovah’s jealousy. They don’t understand what this will finally bring on them. On the other hand, groups and individuals who set out to save the lives of Israelis behave as friends to Yehovah.)

“…lest thou wilt cut a covenant to an inhabitant of the land.” He again warns about this.

“And they shall whore after their gods.” The Israelis will certainly whore after the gods of Canaan. There is much that attracts the Israelis to go after Canaanite gods.

“And they shall sacrifice to their gods.” The Israelis will become fervent followers of Canaanite gods and goddesses, making vows and giving requests to those deities. This will bring the jealous wrath of Yehovah on the Israelis.

“And he shall call to thee. And thou wilt eat his sacrifice.” He refers to an inhabitant of the land of Canaan.

“And thou wilt take from his daughters to thy sons.” This begins intermarrying, which will finalize the relationships to the gods of Canaan.

“And his daughters shall whore after their gods.” The daughters of the Canaanite inhabitant won’t go after Yehovah, but instead will whore after the Canaanite gods. There will not be an exchange of faiths; there will be only faiths in the gods of the Canaanites!

“And they shall cause- thy sons -to-whore after their gods.” The Canaanite daughters will cause the sons of the people of Israel to whore after their gods. This causation won’t be by force; it will be by their beauty, by their lips, by their kisses, by their desirability, and by their expressions that their husbands will join them in their participations. The Israeli men will love this, and will love these women. In the meantime, Yehovah’s fury will arise, and He will go after the Israelis to slaughter them. He will also bring other races against them to enslave them so that they won’t have time or strength to ‘play.’

August 31, 2010August 24, 2016

Names of Yehovah: Tzidkenu

Names of Yehovah: Yehovah Our Righteousness

Introduction

Names of Yehovah are found all over the Bible. Yehovah greatly values names to the point that He sometimes commands name changes. Names identify actions. When a Biblical list of names is literally rendered and the names are connected, they form prophetic statements. Yehovah’s names tell His character and what He will do or be. This document gives such a case.

The following two texts take readers into the End Times when Yehudah (Judah) and Jerusalem will be filled only with righteous citizens. They explain what will occur at that time. The first text starts with Jeremiah 23:5 and the second with Jeremiah 33:15:

Jeremiah 23

Jeremiah 23:5 “Behold, days are coming,” declared Yehovah. “And I will cause- a righteous Branch -to-stand to David. And a King will reign. And He will prudently-do. And He will do justice and righteousness in the land. ⁶Judah will be saved and Israel will abide to safety in His days. And this is His name that he will call Him: Yehovah our Righteousness.”

Identifying pronouns in any text is always one of the most important activities of a reader. I will propose objects to the pronouns in the above text:

Jeremiah 23:5 “Behold, days are coming,” declared Yehovah. “And I will cause- a righteous Branch -to-stand to David. And a King will reign. And He [the King] will prudently-do. And He [the King] will do justice and righteousness in the land. ⁶Judah will be saved and Israel will abide to safety in His [the King’s] days. And this is His [the King’s] name that he [David] will call Him [the King]: Yehovah our [the Israelis’] Righteousness.”

If these identifications are correct, both David and King Messiah—the righteous Branch—will be present. This Branch, King Messiah, will be identified as Yehovah our Righteousness, the righteousness of the Israelis.

Jeremiah 33:14 and following seems to be saying the same thing, but it isn’t:

Jeremiah 33

Jeremiah 33:14 “Behold, days are coming,” declared Yehovah. “And I will make-arise the good speech that I spoke unto the House of Israel and concerning the House of Yehudah! ¹⁵In those days and in that time, I will branch a branch of righteousness to David. And he will do justice and righteousness in the land. ¹⁶Yehudah shall be saved and Jerusalem shall abide to safety in those days. And this is whom Yehovah our righteousness will call to her!” ¹⁷For so said Yehovah, “A man sitting upon a throne of the House of Israel will not be cut to David ¹⁸and to priests the Levites. A man will not be cut from-to the faces of the ascension ascending and incense, a resting and doing sacrifice all the days!”

Two texts in the Bible are frequently similarly worded while they declare very different details. The similar wording is so that a reader can know that they are indeed related, but the differences are so that readers who are careful will make the necessary distinctions in order to understand the texts.

I will propose identifications of the pronouns in the above text:

Jeremiah 33:14 “Behold, days are coming,” declared Yehovah. “And I [Yehovah] will make-arise the good speech that I [Yehovah] spoke unto the House of Israel and concerning the House of Yehudah! ¹⁵In those days and in that time, I [Yehovah] will branch a branch of righteousness to David. And he [the branch of righteousness] will do justice and righteousness in the land. ¹⁶Yehudah shall be saved and Jerusalem shall abide to safety in those days. And this [the Branch of righteousness] is whom Yehovah our righteousness will call to her [to Jerusalem]!” ¹⁷For so said Yehovah, “A man sitting upon a throne of the House of Israel will not be cut to David ¹⁸and to priests the Levites. A man will not be cut from-to the faces of the ascension ascending and incense, a resting and doing sacrifice all the days!”

This text and the literal rendering need further explanation. I will take it in its pieces, proposing what each part declares.

“Behold, days are coming.” These are the days of the reign of the Messiah, known also as the Millennium (a 10-century period).

“And I [Yehovah] will make-arise the good speech that I [Yehovah] spoke unto the House of Israel…” It is a good speech because it is a restoration and not an act of wrath against Israel. Yehovah spoke this good speech unto the House of Israel. This text assumes recognition of the split of the Land of Israel into two parts: the House of Israel and the House of Judah. That split will be healed. These prophecies that Yehovah gave were spoken during the time of the split, and they can be found in texts (as in Ezekiel) when the split is regularly shown. In this case, the prophecy was given unto the House of Israel.

“…and concerning the House of Yehudah!” The prophecy was spoken concerning the House of Judah, though it was given unto the House of Israel.

“In those days and in that time…” Those days are the days of the Messiah; that time is the time of the Millennium.

“…I [Yehovah] will branch a branch of righteousness to David.” This branch of righteousness will be that part of Israel that will come from David’s lineage, and thus also from Judah. The entire surviving part of David’s lineage will be completely righteous, and will live that way.

“And he [the branch of righteousness] will do justice and righteousness in the land.” That sums up the character of all the activities of this branch from David. Justice is rendering a right decision based on all facts. Righteousness is doing what is right (ethically right and morally right) according to Yehovah’s view of what is right.

This land refers to the Land of Israel, and it also refers to all the land on planet Earth.

“Yehudah shall be saved…” Judah will be saved from the following and to the following:

From sin
To righteousness
From enemies
To live before Yehovah
From uncleanness
To moral and ethical cleanness
From iniquities (forms of moral/ethical guilt before Yehovah)
To innocence
From transgressions (crossing the commanded boundaries of Yehovah’s Teachings and commands)
To obedience of the Torah (the Teaching)
From death
Unto life (and to having children)

“…and Jerusalem shall abide to safety…” No enemies of the Israelis will be found on the entire planet.

“…in those days.” These are the days of King Messiah (Messiah Immanuel).

“And this [the Branch of righteousness] is whom Yehovah our righteousness will call to her [to Jerusalem]!” The One called Yehovah our Righteousness, Who is King Messiah and Who was formerly known as Salvation (Yeshua), Who brought righteousness to all Israel, will call this righteous Branch from David to come to Jerusalem located on Great Mount Zion.

“For so said Yehovah, ‘A man sitting upon a throne of the House of Israel will not be cut to David and to priests the Levites.’” The Biblical word cut indicates the following:

Being slaughtered
Being permanently disconnected from Israel
Being damned

It is similar to reverse circumcision—where the foreskin is cut and the person is discarded!

If a man won’t be “cut to David and to priests,” that indicates that mortal humans from the lineage of David and the lineage of the priests will continue to live and have children; they will also continue in their offices of rulers and priests.

“A man will not be cut from-to the faces of the ascension ascending…” Hebrew wording permits both from and to to be connected to the same word. The expression, to the faces of, indicates right in front of something or someone. Adding from indicates a removal; thus, being “cut from-to the faces of the ascension” means that the man is violently taken so that he is no longer able to be in front of the ascension (in front of the sacrifice of the ascension), and thus no longer able to serve as a priest (since he is dead). This text declares that a man in the priesthood will therefore continue to serve as a legitimate priest, sending the ascension sacrifices to Yehovah.

“…and incense…” Special priests were assigned to send incense to Yehovah; men in that lineage will continue to do so throughout the Millennium.

“…a resting” This resting is a gift that one places—rests before another to take (to receive). Every sacrifice is a type—that is, it is a picture of some very important event, person or group. The same is true of the sacrifice identified as a resting (wrongly rendered in nearly all translations).

“…and doing sacrifice all the days!” A vital part of the restoration of all things is the restoration of sacrifices. Since every sacrifice is a type, and therefore a teaching tool, restoration of the teaching tools, along with infallible teachings, is a vital part of the plan of Yehovah for Israel.

What the types typify (picture) are almost unknown today, and were barely understood in history. These types will be well-understood after the Tribulation and during the Millennium, and they can be understood now, if a person is willing to consider texts very literally and apply thought to them.

Thus, the priests of Israel will again do sacrifices, ascensions, incense and restings before Yehovah.

Yehovah our Righteousness will be one of the Names of the Messiah of Israel Who will reign as King.