The Miqra At the Home of John and Marie August 11 2018 The Creators Magnificent Name Part 1 Getting to Know and Articulate the Creators Revealed Name Whats in a Name Why is it a big deal that Elohim has a name ID: 716033
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Slide1
Shabbat Shalom
Welcome to
The
Miqra
At the Home of John and Marie
August 11, 2018Slide2
The Creator’s Magnificent Name
Part 1
Getting to Know and Articulate the Creator’s Revealed NameSlide3
What’s in a Name?
Why is it a big deal that Elohim has a name?
My name is the unique identifier of me
A name associates a
person with personality, appearance,
reputation and
accomplishments
What if you forget someone’s name?
He
is the one "
from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named
" (Ephesians
3:15)Slide4
Shem
– the Hebrew Word for “Name”
The word
mv,
(
shem
)
means "name, fame, renown, reputation, memorial." It is used in the
Tanach
(OT) to
refer to the personal name of individuals
.
It
(probably) derives
shem
from the Arabic root
wsm
"to mark or brand," hence an external mark to distinguish one thing or person from another. Slide5
Shem
– the Hebrew Word for “Name”
Out of the ground the LORD Elohim formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought
them
to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that
was
its name (
mv,
shem
)
. So Adam gave names (
mv,
shem
)
to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him (Genesis
2:19-20
).Slide6
What’s in a Name?
The concept of personal names in the OT often included existence, character, and reputation (1Sam 25:25). Often the plural form of
shem
is rendered as "persons, " (e.g.
Num
1:2, 18, 20;
Num
3:40, 43;
Num
26:55). Further "to cut off the name" was equal to liquidating the person himself (
Deut
7:24;
Deut
9:14; 1Sam 24:21 [H 22] etc.). The name chosen for a child was often descriptive of the parent's wishes or expectations for the personality that was to mature. Slide7
Personal Names
And Adam called his wife's name (
mv,
shem
)
Eve, because she was the mother of all living (Genesis 3:20).
Then
Lamech
took for himself two wives: the name of one
was
Adah, and the name of the second
was
Zillah (Genesis 4:19).
And as for Seth, to him also a son was born;
"
and he called his name (
mv,
shem
) '
Enosh
.'" Then
men
began to call on the name (
mv,
shem
)
of the LORD (
hwhy
Yahuwah
). (Genesis 4:26)
And he called his name (
mv,
shem
)
Noah, saying, "This
one
will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD (
hwhy
Yahuwah) has cursed" (Genesis 5:29).
To Eber were born two sons: the name (
mv,
shem
) of one
was
Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name (
mv,
shem
)
was
Joktan
(Genesis 10:25).Slide8
What is the Creator’s Name?
And Elohim said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship Elohim on
this mountain.”
Mosheh
said to Elohim, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The Elohim of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his
mv,
(
shem
, "
name")?' Then what shall I tell them?" Elohim said to
Mosheh
, "I AM WHO I AM.
(
Exodus 3:12-15 NIV)Slide9
I Am
hy
<+
h.a
,(
rv
<
åa
]
hy
<
ßh.a
,(
(eh-
yeh
asher
eh-
yeh
)
hy
<+
h.a
,(
is the first person singular form from the “to be” verb
hy"h
'
(
hayâ
)
to be, become, exist, happen.
It is translated “I am”Slide10
What is the Creator’s Name?
This
is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" Elohim also said to
Mosheh
, "Say to the Israelites,
hwhy
(The LORD),
the Elohim of your fathers-- the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac and the Elohim of Jacob-- has sent me to you.' This is
my name
(
mv
,
shem
)
forever
,
and this is
my memorial
from
generation to generation." (Exodus 3:12-15 NIV)Slide11
What’s in a Name?
He said to say two things to Israel:
You shall say
, “'I AM has sent me to
you”
You shall say
,
“
hwhy
(The LORD),
the Elohim of your fathers-- the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac and the Elohim of Jacob-- has sent me to
you.Slide12
Does “I am” =
hwhy
?
Almost!
I am is the first personal singular of the “to be” verb
hwhy
is from the same verb. Probably a participle form.
It means “he who is” or “the Being”
and is represented in the New Testament as “the one who was and who is and who is to come.”Slide13
Memorial
This
rk,zE
(
zeker
), remembrance, memorialSlide14
hwhy
This
is the personal, unique name of Elohim! This is the name by which Elohim is known. This is the name which
Mosheh
was to use to refer to the Elohim in heaven. But not just
Mosheh
. This is the personal name which all men are to use when calling upon Elohim. It is, as Elohim Himself said, "
my
mv,
(
shem
, "
name")
forever,
and my memorial from
generation to generation
." That means that Elohim is to
forever
be remembered by this name. That
also means
Christian believers of the 21st century are to
remember
and
call upon
the Creator
by this name
!Slide15
In Isaiah
I
am
hwhy
(Yahuwah)*, that
is
My mv,
(
shem
, "
name"); And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images (Isaiah 42:8).
I
am
hwhy
(Yahuwah)*, and
there is
no other;
There is
no Elohim besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That
there is
none besides Me. I
am
hwhy
(Yahuwah)*, and
there is
no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I,
hwhy
(Yahuwah)*, do all these
things'
(Isaiah 45:5-7).Slide16
In Jeremiah
Will a man make gods for himself, Which
are
not gods? Therefore behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know My hand and My might; And they shall know that My
mv,
(
shem
, "
name")
is
hwhy
(Yahuwah
)
(Jeremiah 16:20,21).
Moreover the word of
hwhy
(Yahuwah
)
came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the prison, saying, "Thus says
hwhy
(Yahuwah
)
who made it,
hwhy
(Yahuwah
)
who formed it to establish it.
hwhy
[Yahuwah
]
is
His
mv,
(
shem
, "
name"): 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know' (Jeremiah 33:1-3).Slide17
In the Song
hwhy
(Yahuwah
)
is
my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He
is
my Elohim, and I will praise Him; My father's Elohim, and I will exalt Him.
hwhy
(Yahuwah
)
is
a man of war;
hwhy
(Yahuwah
)
is
His
mv,
(
shem
, "
name") (Exodus 15:2,3).Slide18
In the Psalms
Fill
their faces with shame, That they may seek Your
mv,
(
shem
, "
name"),
hwhy
(Yahuwah
).
Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; Yes, let them be put to shame and perish, That they may know that You, whose
mv,
(
shem
, "
name") alone
is
hwhy
(Yahuwah
),
are
the Most High over all the earth (Psalm 83:16-18).Slide19
In Amos
For
behold, He who forms mountains, And creates the wind, Who declares to man what his thought
is,
And makes the morning darkness, Who treads the high places of the earth --
hwhy
(Yahuwah)* Elohim of hosts
is
His
mv,
(
shem
, "
name") (Amos 4:13).
He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning And makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the face of the earth;
hwhy
(Yahuwah)*
is
His
mv,
(
shem
, "
name") (Amos 5:8).
He who builds His layers in the sky, And has founded His strata in the earth; Who calls for the waters of the sea, And pours them out on the face of the earth --
hwhy
(Yahuwah)*
is
His
mv,
(
shem
, "
name") (Amos 9:6). Slide20
How Do We Say His Name?
The LORD
Yahweh
Yehovah
Yahovah
Yahuwah
Yod
hey
waw
hey
Which? Or some other pronunciation?Slide21
The Name
in the Hebrew Masoretic Text
1. The most common occurrence in the Hebrew Bible is the pointing
hw"hy
>
(
Yehvah
) which occurs 5658 times in the MT. Nearly everyone agrees that this articulation is impossible because of the rules of grammar and common sense.
2. The vowel pointing
hA'hy
>
(
Yehovah
) occurs 44 times in the MT, i.e. in
Bereshith
3:14 and 9:26 and
Shemot
3:2 and others, and this vowel configuration is thought by most Jews to be the correct pointing.
3.
hwIhy
/
(
Yehvih
)
occurs twice at Genesis 15:2,8.
4.
hwIhy
>
(
Yehvih
) occurs 271 times.
5. But you also find
hAihy
/
(
Yehovih
) which occurs once at Judges 16:28, and
6.
hAihy
>
(
Yehovih
)
which occurs 31 times - Ezekiel 8:1; 12:10 and others.Slide22
The LORD
In the preface to many English bibles, the editors make clear that
Elohim's personal
name
is not "the LORD"! And His
name
is not "God" or "Adonai" either. "The LORD" is a
substitution
for the true name of Elohim which is
hwhy
(Yahuwah). "Lord" is a translation of the Hebrew word
adonai
(which can also be translated
"master"
)
.
The title "Lord" is then capitalized as a convenient way of acknowledging that they are rendering the Hebrew word "YHWH." "God" is merely a generic title of classification like the words, "human," and "animal." And "Adonai" is a Hebrew word of respectful salutation which is usually translated in modern English as "Mr." or "Sir."Slide23
A Case for Yahweh
The first part comes in agreement with the shortened form Yah
The
waw
has the articulation “w”
Problems – No agreement with any of the vowel
pointings
of the MT
The hey (“h”) Never has a stop (Shewa) in the Hebrew languageSlide24
A Case for
Yehovah
First, the vowel points given the name in the Masoretic Hebrew text centuries ago seems to favor this pronunciation. The pointing which has by far the most occurrences is
hw"hy
>
(
Yehvah
). This pointing is just one vowel point short of being vocalized "
Yehovah
." The vowel pointing
hA'hy
>
(
Yehovah
) also has a significant number of occurrences. And two other vowel
pointings
,
hAihy
/
(
Yehovih
) and
hAihy
>
(
Yehovih
)
have the long "o" vowel sound which is missing in
hw"hy
>
(
Yehvah
). And all of the
pointings
of this name in the MT begin with "
Yeh
."Slide25
A Case for
Yehovah
Second, the rules of Hebrew grammar tend to shorten the first syllable in a longer name ("
Yeh
" instead of "Yah"). Nearly all Hebrew names which begin with the
hy
(
yohd
hey) are pronounced "
Yeh
...." Some of those include "
Yehoshua
," "
Yehoiada
," "
Yehudah
," "
Yehu
." And there are many more. By contrast, the vocalization "Yah" as the first part of the Name is not attested to in the Hebrew MT as an option for the full name
hwhy
.Slide26
A Case for
Yehovah
The articulation
Yehovah
is consistent with other Hebrew names as pronounced and carried down through the MT Hebrew text. It's hard to argue against the pronunciation accepted almost unanimously by the Hebrew speaking people. However, there are at least two reasons why we may doubt that
Yehovah
is the correct way to say the Name of the Almighty.Slide27
A Case Against the Articulation
Yehovah
First, as we have already pointed out, the premise of those who pronounce the Name "
Yehovah
" is that the manuscript evidence has greater weight when deciding which articulation is correct. But I think that premise may be off the mark. Since the writing of some of the earliest writings of Scripture, some 2500 years went by before the Rabbis put vowel points to the Hebrew manuscripts. Thus, we have no way of knowing that the Rabbis actually used the correct vowel points. It is difficult to put any trust in the Pharisees, Scribes and Rabbis throughout the centuries when we consider their blatant attempt to hide the correct pronunciation of the Name of Elohim. In their view, merely vocalizing the Name correctly is worthy of the death penalty! (see more below) So, whether some manuscript has the correct vowel pointing or not cannot be known by us with any certainty.Slide28
A Case Against the Articulation
Yehovah
Second, the third letter in the Name is pronounced as a “v” in modern Hebrew. But most scholars believe it was articulated as a “w” sound in ancient Hebrew. The “v” sound is probably because of the influence of modern European languages, such as German. So, if the rest of the sounds in the Name are correct, the ancient articulation would have been
Yehowah
.Slide29
A Case for Yahuwah
There are
also some very good reasons for the vocalization of
Yahuwah
which many
Messianics
have been convinced by. Those reasons follow. Since it appears highly likely that the Rabbis tampered with the vowel pointing, we must throw out the pointing as it occurs in the MT and try to reconstruct the vocalization using other evidence. We begin this task by taking note that the name
hwhy
in the Hebrew is made up of 4 letters - which may be transliterated as
yohd
, hey,
vav
, hey. These four letters are consonants but also bring with them vowel sounds. These are pronounced as follows:
Yohd
= "
ee
" as in week OR "y" as in yard. Hey = "ah" as in Bach.
Vav
(
waw
)
= "
oo
" as in food. Hey = "ah" as in bah OR "ay" as in bay.Slide30
A Case for Yahuwah
Thus, if we put together these sounds, we arrive at "
ee
ah
oo
ah" or "y ah
oo
ah." But when we say words, the sound of the word does not equal the sound of each of the letters, one right after the other. If so, my name would sound like "d-ay-v-
i
-d." When we say words we blend and combine the sounds of the letters and it usually does not sound like we are pronouncing each letter. Taking "
ee
ah
oo
ah," this blends into the sounds "yah" "
oo
-ah." And finally, "Yahuwah."Slide31
A Case for Yahuwah
Taking a different approach to reconstructing the vocalization of the Name, consider the following: In
Tehillim
(Psalms) 150, the expression,
Hallelu
Yah
is used a number of times. The Hebrew reads,
Hy
"
Wll.h
; Note that "
hallelu
" means "(you) praise." It is an imperative and is a call to praise: "you all, praise...." The "yah" part of the expression is the abbreviated, poetic form of the name
hwhy
. The vowel sound between the
yohd
and the
hey
is the "a" sound, pronounced
ah
. This expression is never pronounced
hallelu-yeh
, but all agree that it is vocalized as
hallelu
-yah
. Slide32
A Case for Yahuwah
Also, grammatically speaking, it is significant that the letter
hey
has a dot in the middle of it. This is called a
mappiq
. It's purpose is to let the reader know that this letter is not to be cut off or silenced. The letter is to have a full sharp pronunciation. The expression should be pronounced,
hallelu
Yah
with a full "h" sound as in a sharp exhale of air from the mouth.
It would be strange indeed given that the known correct
vocalization
of the poetic short form of the Name is "Yah" if the full name of Elohim were not pronounced beginning with "Yah." You would expect that since "Yah" is the shortened form that "Yah" would occur somewhere in the full name. Thus, it makes good sense that
Yah
is the correct pronunciation of the first part of the full name.Slide33
A Case for Yahuwah
This pronunciation "
Yahu
" is testified to in names that use these first 3 letters of the 4 letter name of Elohim. Jeremiah the prophet's name, in Hebrew, utilizes the first three letters of the name
hwhy
. Jeremiah's name in Hebrew is
Why"ßm.r
>
yI
(pronounced, "
Yirm
yahu
"). Here, "
yahu
" is the correct vocalization of Jeremiah's name and this suggests that it is also the correct pronunciation of the first three letters of the name of Elohim.
The names of Isaiah and Elijah, in Hebrew, also are pronounced the same way:
Why"[.
v;y
>
(pronounced "
Yesha’
yahu
") and
WhY"liae
"(pronounced "
Eli
yahu
") testify to the vocalization of
Yahu
. So, all three of these well known names substantiate that
Yahu
is the correct pronunciation of the first three letters of God's Name.Slide34
A Case for Yahuwah
On a personal note, I have been persuaded and have been pronouncing Elohim's name as
Yahuwah
for about eight years now. On balance, I still prefer
Yahuwah
as the correct way to say His Name. Yet, I often pronounce the Name as
Yehovah
wherever it is accepted. I do not want my personal opinion to get in the way of honoring His Name. Though others may have intellectual or textual reasons for pronouncing the name of Elohim differently than I have shown here, let's not quarrel or break fellowship over the exact articulation of the Name. The important point is that we recognize that Elohim has a name and that he wants us to call upon Him by that Name.Slide35
Calling On Yahuwah
6
I call on you, O Elohim, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer
.
(Psalm 17)
3
I call to Yahuwah, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies
.
(Psalm 18)
7
Hear my voice when I call, Yahuwah; be
merciful to me and answer me. (Psalm 27)
To
you I call, Yahuwah my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit
.
2
Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place
. (Psalm 28)Slide36
Shabbat Shalom
Welcome to
The
Miqra
At the Upper Room Chapel
Fort Mill, SC
August 18, 2018Slide37
The Creator’s Magnificent Name
Part 2
Exploring the Impact of the Ineffable Name Doctrine on the Use of the Creator’s NameSlide38
Taking His Name in
Vain
You
shall not take the name of
hwhy
(Yahuwah) your Elohim in vain, for
hwhy
(
Yahuwah) will not hold
him
guiltless who takes His name
mv
, in vain (Exodus 20:7
).
You
shall not take the
name of
hwhy
(Yahuwah) your Elohim in vain, for
hwhy
(
Yahuwah) will not hold
him
guiltless who takes His name
mv
, in vain (Deuteronomy 5:11).Slide39
In Vain?
T
he
Hebrew word,
sha-ve
, which means "emptiness, vanity, falsehood, nothingness, emptiness of speech, lying, worthlessness (of conduct)." To take Elohim's name in vain would be, therefore, to regard His name as worthless, empty or nothingness. Slide40
Lifting Up the Name in an Oath
The
Torah instructs us to take our oaths in his
name:
Fear
Yahuwah your Elohim, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. (
Devarim
6:13)
Fear
Yahuwah your Elohim and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. (
Devarim
10:20)
To
take an oath in the name of Yahuwah is to guarantee the trustworthiness of the oath. You are essentially presenting the reputation and character of Yahuwah as proof of the reliability of the oath. Slide41
Yahusha
Speaks About Swearing
Again
, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to Yahuwah.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is Elohim's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by
Yerushalayim
, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (
Mattityahu
5:33-37)Slide42
Ellipsis
When he is cited as saying, "
do not swear at all
," we should understand that in context he is saying, "
do not swear
falsely
at all
." This is simply a case of
ellipsis
, which means "to omit a word or phrase which is necessary for a complete syntactical construction but not necessary for understanding." This is quite common. The writer assumes the reader understands the context and therefore can fill in the missing word or phrase because the context demands it.Slide43
Swearing Falsely is Forbidden
You
must not swear falsely in my name
, so that you do not profane the name of your Elohim. I am Yahuwah (
Vayiqra
[Leviticus] 19:12
).
The
reading of the Shem Tov Hebrew Matthew manuscript confirms this understanding. The Hebrew reads, "
but I say to you that you should not swear by anything falsely
." The Hebrew word utilized is
sha-ve
, which means "in vain, useless." The instruction is not to swear in vain such as the Pharisees taught was acceptable.Slide44
Taking an Oath
When
we swear in Yahuwah's name, we are implying that our oath is as reliable as Yahuwah's own character and reputation. Thus, when we break an oath sworn in his name, we are proclaiming that Yahuwah cannot be trusted and that he, like our oath, is unreliable. If that isn't "boring a hole in Yahuwah's name" then words no longer have any
meaning.Slide45
Doing What You Say
When
you make a vow to Yahuwah your Elohim
you must not delay in fulfilling it
, for otherwise he will surely hold you accountable as a sinner (
Devarim
[Deuteronomy] 23:21
).
If
a man makes a vow to Yahuwah or takes an oath
of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised (
Bamidbar
[Numbers] 30:2
).Slide46
The Prophets on Taking Oaths
But
they must carefully learn to follow the religious practices of my people. Once they taught my people to swear their oaths using the name of the
elohim
Baal. But then,
they must swear oaths using my name, saying, "As surely as Yahuwah lives, I swear." If they do these things, then they will be included among the people I call my own
. But I will completely uproot and destroy any of those nations that will not pay heed,'" says Yahuwah (
Yirmyahu
12:16,17).Slide47
Isaiah
"Listen
to this, O house of
Ya'acov
, you who are called by the name of
Yisrael
and come from the line of
Yehudah
, you who take oaths in the name of Yahuwah and invoke the Elohim of
Yisrael
-- but not in truth or righteousness-- (
Yeshayahu
48:1)Slide48
Your Conduct Profaning the Name
A second way one might “take his name in vain” is by claiming relationship with him but not doing as he commanded.
You mock his good name when you don’t do what he says. Thus, his name is emptied by your disobedience.Slide49
Concealing the Name
A third way one can “take his name in vain” is by substituting his name and not using or pronouncing his name. This is tantamount to denying who he is.
There are many “Lords” who are worshipped. Only by Naming the Creator can we properly identify who He is whom we are honoring.Slide50
The Ineffable Name
Doctrine
The
sacred name
hwhy
was freely used by the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by
Mosheh
, by prophets, by priests and by all others who enjoyed covenant relationship with the Creator. And the sacred name was exactly pronounced by all of the
same.
At
least until the destruction of the First Temple in 586 B.C.E. this name (
hwhy
) was regularly pronounced with its proper vowels, as is clear from the Lachish Letters, written shortly before that date. (
Encyclopaedia
Judaica, Vol 7, p. 680)Slide51
Understanding the Historical Reasons for Banning the Use of the Name of the Creator
the Seleucid king, Antiochus Epiphanes (175-164) persecuted the Jews in the city of Jerusalem, desecrated the temple of
hwhy
and severely profaned and blasphemed the sacred name of Elohim. The Jews were forced, under the threat of death, "to depart from the laws of their fathers, and to cease living by the laws of Elohim" (2 Maccabees 6:1). Antiochus attempted to Hellenize the Jews; that is, to force them to accept and practice the culture of the Greeks. Part of this attempted Hellenization of the Jews included a prohibition against keeping Sabbath and a prohibition against using and pronouncing Elohim's sacred name. Slide52
Under Antiochus
Sabbath-keeping and the practice of circumcision had been forbidden under the pain of death; law-keeping Jews were subjected to every degradation and brutality imaginable; and pagan sacrifices and prostitution were established in the holy temple at Jerusalem. The reign of terror under Antiochus also brought with it the vile abuse and the prohibition against the sacred name as part of his program of forced Hellenization. ("Prohibition Against Sacred Name" in
The Sacred Name Yahweh
[Qadesh La Yahweh Press, Second Edition, 1995], pp.142,3).Slide53
What’s in a
Name?
One
of the results of the Jewish uprising was the formation of three religious parties in Israel - the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes. And with them came a new religious climate in Israel which focused on the "traditions of the fathers" as a guiding force for scriptural
interpretation.
In
the eyes of the rabbis, everything possible had to be done to avoid such horrible blasphemy from ever occurring again. It was time to build "a fence around the Torah (Law)." (
Ibid
.,
p.143)
Thus
, the religious rulers began to formulate an interpretation of the Scriptures which became known as the Oral Law and eventually found a written form in the Talmud
.Slide54
The Fence Around the Torah
This oral tradition, whose purpose was to build "a fence around the Torah," featured additional guidelines which explained the "intention" of the Torah, and soon came to be rigorously imposed on the common people by the three religious parties in Israel. Laws were formulated and enforced which put stringent restrictions on the Sabbath day activities and in other areas of Jewish life, including the use and pronunciation of the sacred name,
Yahuwah
. Responding to the way the sacred name had been desecrated by Antiochus, the religious elite placed restrictions on the use of Elohim's sacred name.Slide55
A Ban on the Speaking of the Name
The Jewish religious leaders pressed forward with an ultra-pious interpretation of Leviticus 24:16 - which commanded that anyone, whether Israelite or alien, who had blasphemed (did violence to) the name
hwhy
, should be stoned to death - and a misunderstanding of Exodus 20:7, and Deuteronomy 5:11, which commanded that no one was to carry the name of
hwhy
to worthlessness. These passages were now understood to mean that it was profane even to utter the sacred name. Only the very pious were permitted limited use of the name, and the practice quickly degenerated into a superstition. Its assumption was that all men were evil, and as the
Midrash
Tehillim
concludes, the world was not worthy enough to pronounce the "whole name." (
Ibid
., p.144.)Slide56
Further References to the Ban
The
Manual of Discipline
in the Qumran scrolls provides further confirmation of this ban on the use of the
name:
Any
man who mentions anything by the Name which is honored above all shall be set apart (i.e. banished) (
Man. of Disc.
6:27)
In
the
Yoma
in the Mishnah we
read,
One
does not pronounce the ineffable name outside (of the temple). Ten times did the high priest pronounce the name. (
Yoma
3:8; 4:1,2; 6:1,2; 8:9.)Slide57
Is Pronouncing the Name Blasphemy?
An interesting detail of this ban on the use of the sacred name and pertinent to our understanding of the conflict between Messiah and the Pharisees is that any such verbalization of the name
hwhy
was considered to be blasphemy. And at a trial, one could not be convicted unless he had exactly pronounced the sacred name:Slide58
What’s in a Name?
"The blasphemer" is not culpable unless he exactly pronounces the name. (
Sanh
. 7:5. Quoted from
The Sacred Name
hwhy
,
Qadesh
La Yahuwah Press, 1995, p.156. The footnote goes on to say, "William Arnold brings our attention to the fact that the Hebrew expression ... literally means that the blasphemer, to be guilty, must pronounce the sacred name
hwhy
'exactly'")Slide59
When on Trial For Saying the Name
…
They
even laid down a very specific procedure for bringing a conviction of blasphemy. According to the Mishnah, the following is an example of that procedure:
Rabbi Joshua ben
Karha
says: On every day they examined the witnesses with a substituted name, "May Jose smite Jose." When sentence was to be given they did not declare him guilty of death with the substituted name, but they sent out all the people and asked the chief among the witnesses and said to him. "Say exactly what you heard." and he says it; and the judges stand up on their feet and rend their garments, and they may not mend them again. And the second witness says, "I also heard the like," and the third says, "I also heard the like." (
Ibid
.)Slide60
Is Pronouncing the Name Blasphemy?
The
Stone Edition
Tanach
, published by
Mesorah
Publications, ltd. renders
Vayiqra
(Leviticus) 24, verses
11 and 15/16 as follows:
The son of the Israelite woman
pronounced
the Name and blasphemed - so they brought him to Moses; the name of his mother was
Shelomis
daughter of
Divri
, of the tribe of Dan.
Any man who will blaspheme his God shall bear his sin; and one who
pronounced
blasphemously the Name of HASHEM shall be put to death, the entire assembly shall surely stone him; proselyte and native alike, when he blasphemes the Name, he shall be put to death.Slide61
What’s in a Name?
According to Rabbinic tradition, anyone who speaks or pronounces the Name is to be put to death. Thus this Rabbi was condemning me because I was using the Name. He suggested to me that the verb in those verses,
bq;n
"
(pronounced "
naqav
") is a rare verb and should always be translated "pronounce." Thus, in their view, I and all who say the Name are guilty of a crime deserving the death penalty. Slide62
Does
naqav
mean “pronounce”?
The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
defines this word as "to pierce, bore; blaspheme; appoint."
The BDB Hebrew Lexicon
renders it as "pierce, bore, prick off." And the
Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament
(
HALOT
) translates it "to bore through; to fix, establish; to denote, mark; to slander."Slide63
What Does
neqav
Mean?
Words from this same three letter root include:
bq,n
<:
("
neqev
") - "subterranean passage, mine" (as something which is dug out or a hole bored through);
bq,n
<
(
neqev
) technical term relating to jeweler's work;
tb,Q,m
;
(
maqqevet
) "hammer"; and
tb,Q,m
;
(
maqqevet
) "a hole, an excavation, a quarry." Also, interestingly, this word is used in the Siloam inscription for "piercing through," i.e. digging the tunnel (
TWOT
).Slide64
Naqav
in the
Tanach
Yahoiada
the priest took a chest and
drilled
a hole in its lid. He placed it on the right side of the altar near the entrance of Yahuwah's temple. The priests who guarded the entrance would put into it all the silver brought to Yahuwah's temple (2
Melakim
12:9
).
Now
look, you must be trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed staff. If a man leans for support on it, it
punctures
his hand and wounds him. That is what Pharaoh king of Egypt does to all who trust in him (2
Melakim
18:21).Slide65
Naqav
Can
anyone catch it by its eyes, or
pierce
(
naqav
) its nose with a snare? (
Iob
40:24
).
Can
you put a cord through its nose, or
pierce
(
naqav
) its jaw with a hook? (
Iov
41:2
).
Look
, you must be trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed staff. If someone leans on it for support, it
punctures
(
naqav
) his hand and wounds him. That is what Pharaoh king of Egypt does to all who trust in him (Yeshayahu36:6
).Slide66
More
naqav
in the
Tanach
You
were in Eden, the garden of Elohim. Every precious stone was your covering, the ruby, topaz, and diamond, the beryl, onyx, and jasper, the sapphire, turquoise, and emerald; your settings and
engravings
(
naqav
) were made of gold. On the day you were created they were prepared (
Yechezqel
28:13
).
You
pierce
(
naqav
) the heads of his warriors with a spear. They storm forward to scatter us; they shout with joy as if they were plundering the poor with no opposition (Habakkuk 3:14
).
You
have planted much, but have little harvest. You eat, but are never filled. You drink, but are still thirsty. You are clothed, but not warm. Those who earn wages end up with
holes
(
naqav
) in their money bags.'" (
Chaggai
1:6
).Slide67
Leviticus 24:11, 15-16
In
both of these verses, and in the context as a whole, the word is used in parallel with "to curse
.”
The
Yisraeli
woman's son
misused the Name and cursed
....
Moreover
, you are to tell the sons of
Yisrael
, 'If any man
curses his Elohim
he will bear responsibility for his sin, and one who
misuses the name of Yahuwah
must surely be put to death. The whole congregation must surely stone him, whether he is a foreigner or a native citizen; when he misuses the Name he must be put to death.Slide68
Curse
The
Hebrew word
ll;q
'
(pronounced "
qalal
") means "to be slight, swift, trifling, of little account; to curse." Just as the 3rd Word (Commandment) implores us not to use the name of Yahuwah in vain (means the same as
qalal
), we are told here not to use his Name in a slight or trifling manner - which is to "misuse" the Name. As in the style of Hebraic poetry, the phrases, "will bear responsibility for his sin" and "must surely be put to death" are clearly parallel in thought. So also, the parallel usage of these two verbs,
qalal
and
naqav
, imply that they are being used synonymously. In the account of this man's blasphemy, he misused the Name by slighting it or using it in a derogatory sense. He was not guilty of any crime by simply pronouncing the Name. He was guilty
of
MISusing
the name.Slide69
Did Messiah Use and Reveal the Name?
I have manifested
Your name
(i.e. the name
hwhy
- Yahuwah) to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. (John 17:6, NAS)Slide70
The Gethsemane Prayer
O
righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me;
and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known
, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them. (John 17:25,26)Slide71
Does Elohim Want Us to Know His Name?
Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So
Yahusha
is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, "
I will declare your name to my brothers
; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises." (Hebrews
2:11-12
, NIV)Slide72
The Conclusion
The
Name of Elohim was known since the beginning.
The Patriarchs called upon him by name.
The Jews banned the use of the Name
The Christians, in the Greek and all subsequent translations follow suit in concealing the Name
Elohim wants us to call upon him by his true Name
It is those who call upon the name of Yahuwah who will be saved