Spelling and Pronunciation not lost? 31. Several claim that the spelling and pronunciation of the "names" has not been "lost", and that this helps support the "names" doctrines.
In response, we would simply refer to "Appendix 1", at the end of this article. To date, we have identified nearly 200 names, more than 90 names each for the Father and the Son, all used by pro-names groups.
Some pro-names groups also dispute this. For instance:
"In English you most often see this Name as "Yahweh." The certain original pronunciation has been lost. Over 30 different pronunciations are known to the Kabbalists."
(Source: http://www.yhwh.com/asimple.htm)Another names group also disputes this:
(22) But how can we be sure that "Yahweh" is the correct pronunciation of the divine name? There have been many convincing arguments presented for pronouncing God's name one way or another. There are very persuasive arguments for "Yahve", "Yahweh," "Yahu" and several other forms. Yet, in reality, all these arguments are to a great extent based upon some kind of assumption or theory.
Some small groups have even went so far as to make individual salvation dependent upon using whatever pronunciation they have chosen for his name. However, if this were true, some people in certain lands could loose out simply because they do not have the same sounds in their language; as a result their pronunciation would be different. For instance, many languages do not have a sound for "W" in their language. If "Yahweh" is the demanded pronunciation they would be in difficulty, because they would probably end up pronouncing the "W" similar to a "V" or "B." To make salvation dependent upon a certain pronunciation is very narrow-minded, and we have no reason to believe that God is doing so.(23) Thus the uncertainty of exactly how the divine name should be pronounced should preclude us from demanding one or another pronunciation. Such has led many into spending many fruitless hours of argument and unnecessary discord. Hundreds of hours have been spent trying to prove a favorite pronunciation that could have been spent in feeding the sheep and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14; Mark 16:15; Acts 5:42; 8:4; 1 Peter 5:2)
(26) The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967, vol. 14, page 1065, after discussing the usual meanings given to God's name, states: "All these explanations, however, overlook the fact that in Ex 3:14 a merely folk etymology of the name, based on the qal form of the verb `to be,' is given. Grammatically, because of its vocalization, yahweh can only be a hi`phil or causative form of this verb, with the meaning `He causes to be, He brings into being.' Probably, therefore, yahweh is an abbreviated form of the longer, yahweh aser yihweh, `He brings into being whatever exists.' The name, therefore, describes the God of Israel as the Creator of the universe."
(Source: The Divine Name, A Restoration Light Publication, Copyright © 1995, Revised 1997, 1999, R. R. Day , http://www.reslight.addr.com/divine.html).What does the Encyclopedia Judaica actually say about the pronunciation of "yhwh"?
"The much quoted statement from the Encyclopedia Judaica, that the pronunciation of the YHWH was never lost is predicated upon the idea that a few of the early Greek writers of the Christian Church testify to a pronunciation very nearly like Yahweh. What Sacred Names writers fail to mention, with respect to the statement in the Encyclopedia Judaica, is that the preservation of the proper pronunciation of the YHWH is limited to the first syllable, Yah, only" (Volume 12, page 118). See also Encyclopedia Judaica, Vol. 1, article 'God, Names of.'
(Source: http://www.bibleresearch.org/law/sacredname.html)
Some say that Eze. 39:7 proves that the pronunciation of "yhwh" has not been lost.
"So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel."The context of Eze. 39 is the judgment of God against Gog and Magog, which is a prophetic event. The statement is "I will make known", future tense, not present tense.
Rev. 19:12 shows that when Christ returns, he has a name, as yet unknown to men. "...and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself." This cannot be a name which has been "preserved" but is one which has never been revealed to any man. Verse 13 says "...his name is called The Word of God." Verse 16 says, "...he hath on his vesture (garment) and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."Zeph. 3:9 tells us that sometime in the future, we will be given a "pure language". It can't be Hebrew, since some people already have that language, and it obviously isn't "pure".
When we receive this "new" language we shall probably learn this "unknown" name of Christ.Who is the "Lord, the Holy One" in Israel, mentioned in Eze. 39:7? It's more obvious when we show the Hebrew transliteration to English, Yisra'el, (he will rule as God). The "Holy One" in Isra-el, is "el".
Eze. 39:7 refers to God's name as being "polluted". God explains in Eze. 36:20 how Israel profaned his name.
"And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his land." (See also verses 21-23).God says they "profaned" his "holy name" by claiming to be his people, (the people of the Lord, Israel), while practicing unrighteousness. They "took" (bore, carried) God's name in vain (Ex. 20:7). (See "The Third Commandment", above.)
32. Some say that a "true prophet will come in the name of Yahweh". This says that use of the Hebrew names is a sign of a "true prophet". This also says that any prophet who doesn't use Hebrew names is a false prophet.
"Today there are many who claim to be prophets who come to us in the name of "the Lord," all of whom we can readily recognize as not being sent by the true God, Yahweh. A true prophet will come in the name of Yahweh, not in the name of a god called "the Lord." A true prophet will speak in agreement with the written Word of God. Everything a true prophet of Yahweh prophesies will come to pass, else he is a false prophet."
(Source: http://www.reslight.addr.com/divine.html)There are some today who claim to be prophets, who use some variation of "yhwh". For example, David Koresh, leader of a Waco group of Branch Davidians, used the "sacred names". His prophecies did not come to pass. Yahweh ben Yahweh also used the Hebrew names. He and several of his followers are currently in prison for murder, racketeering and arson (see Appendix 1).
Christ was and is a prophet (Mt. 13:57). At his Second Coming, "he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD (2962, kurios, lord) OF LORDS." (Rev. 19:16).
"For the Lord (3068) your God is God of gods, and Lord (113, adown, lord) of lords,..." (Deu. 10:17).
Whether one considers it a name or a title, the word on Christ's "vesture" (2440, himation, clothes, garment) and on his thigh (3382, meros, thigh) is not "yhwh", but "Lord". In verse 12 of Rev. 19, "and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself." Since men do know the word, "yhwh" as a name, obviously, this unknown name is something else. In verse 13, "...and his name is called The Word of God.", not "yhwh".
All this helps demonstrate why the ultimate conflict between the names arguments and the NT is not just linguistic, but doctrinal.33. That the original "one language" of the whole earth, from Adam to the Tower of Babel, was Hebrew. Archaeology has revealed a number of early languages, but Hebrew was not among them. Early languages and the history of the Hebrew language are topics which are easily found in any good library or on the Internet.
"There is abundant proof that the Great Flood of Noah's time did happen. However, there is no evidence that the language that Noah and his family spoke before this flood was Hebrew, because the flood destroyed the evidence. However, artifacts have been discovered that seem to indicate that a written language different from Hebrew existed before the Great Flood.
In the spring of 1891 a farmer named J.H. Hooper discovered a buried wall many thousands of feet long, this wall extends from the Hiawassee river north of Chattanooga southward, where it dips under the Tennessee river. Upon this wall a number of blocks were discovered which were covered with hieroglyphs of a strange language interspersed with small pictures of the sun, crescent moon, and animals, many of which were unidentifiable. All together 872 individual characters were noted with many being repeated which indicates that these hieroglyphs were indeed a written language
(Translations of the New York Academy of Sciences (11:26-29) written by A.L.Rawson).Tennessee Wall Hieroglyphs:
At Lawn Ridge north of Peori, Illinois, in August 1870 three workmen who were drilling a well brought up from a depth of 114 feet a coin-medallion in the drilling mud. This coin-medallion was about the size of a U.S. quarter and made of a copper alloy, machine rolled and acid etched with the picture of a woman on one side and the picture of a crouching animal on the other. Around the outer edges of both sides were found glyphs of very definite character, that show all the signs and form of alphabetic writing
(Sparks From a Geologist Hammer by Professor Alexander Winchell).While these two discoveries do not prove that Hebrew was not one of the language of the pre-flood world; their discovery does document extremely ancient languages of unknown origin that bear no resemblance to ancient or modern Hebrew, or any other known script.
According to the Encyclopaedia Judaica, article 'Alphabet', the Hebrews adopted the alphabetic script along with cultural values from the Canaanites during the eleventh and twelfth centuries B.C.. They followed and used the Phoenician script until the ninth century B.C. when they began to develop their own national script. So, the Hebrew alphabet, as we know it today, had its origin in the proto-Canaanite alphabet and is not 'sacred' in any sense of the word. "
(Source: http://www.bibleresearch.org/law/sacredname.html)
34. Some seem to believe that "inherent"power and authority come to anyone accepting the "names" arguments and invoking the "names". This is emphasized more by those groups which express "new age" beliefs and by those whose doctrines lean toward mysticism. Simon the Sorcerer tried to buy this power (Acts 8:9-24). Paranormal powers are among the "gifts" of the Holy Spirit, which are "given", not bought, nor taken by force (Mat. 11:12).
As we discussed earlier, a name is "something other than the reality". Power and authority are available but the belief that they come with the knowledge and use of "special" or "secret" names is traceable to Jewish Kabbalism (mysticism).35. Some say that Psa. 68:4 proves that God has only one name.
"Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him."This does not say God has only one name. If it did, then "yahweh", the most popular choice of pro-names groups, would be incorrect. It does say that "JAH" is a name, just as other scriptures give other "names" for God. (See also Appendix 3, "Names of the Father and the Son").
36. Some say that Hosea 2:16-18 proves that we must use only God's name, which according to them is "yhwh".
"And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi [husband]; and shalt call me no more Baali [lord].
For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely."This says nothing about calling God by the name "yhwh", but says rather that we shall, in the future, call him "Ishi" (husband). It does not say that we should not call him "Baali" (lord, master) now.
(See also, "The Baal Connection" above. See Appendix 7, "The Truth Regarding Inspired Titles")37. One objection made by pro-names supporters is that other names of God originated in paganism. History and scripture actually show just the opposite.
"From the earliest times, it was the habit of the heathen nations to apply the appellations 'Savior', 'Redeemer', and 'Physicians of souls' to their gods, demigods, and heroes. The appellation 'Our Savior' was the usual designation of the god Aesculapius as well as Bacchus, Jupiter, and Hercules. 'Son of God' and 'Savior of the world' were expressions with which the heathen were quite familiar. Mercury was distinguished in the pagan world by the title of 'Logos' or 'The Word' (Taylor, pp. 8,153,156,183).
Taylor is correct in his observation that the heathen used such appellations, but he is incorrect in his assumption that the Christians copied these expressions from the heathen. The Bible reveals that it was the other way around.
'Orpheus, the earliest poet in Greek legend, states that Bacchus was a lawgiver. He calls him 'Moses' and says he was the one who gave the two tables of law. In all the ancient forms of invocation to the Supreme Being similar expressions are found such as 'Io Terombe', 'Io Baccoth', 'Hehovah Evan', 'Hevoe', 'Eloah', and 'Io Nissi'. It was from Nissi ('my banner'_one of the names of JHWH was JHWH-Nissi) that the Greeks formed Dionysius"(Taylor, pp.188-189).
Taylor admits that the heathen took the names of the true God and applied them to their deities. Much of the confusion regarding the appropriation of names has been generated by writers such as Robert Taylor who, in recognizing the absorption of paganism into what is called Christianity today, assumes the Hebrews did the same thing in the development of their religion. But history and the Bible demonstrate the opposite. It was the heathen, during the Old Testament period, who absorbed the names of the true God into their paganism. That the name Zeus is a corruption of one of the names of the true God, which is seen in the Aramaean account of the Flood. When Deucalion (Noah) entered the Ark with his wife and family, all the beasts came to him in couples because Zeus (Adad) had ordered it (The Mythology of All Races, Vol. 5).
Informed Bible students are aware that both the names of the Greek Zeus and the Roman Jove are derived from the Hebrew YHWH. As Paul states, "The heathen did not like to retain God in their knowledge" (Rom.1:28) and they applied the names of God to their idols."
(Source: http://www.bibleresearch.org/law/sacredname.html).38. Hebrews 13:15-16 is cited by pro-names groups as proof that the use of the Hebrew name "yhwh" in the worship of God is required.
"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."This text does not say which name to use, nor does it say that any name other than Yahweh displeases him.
39. Jeremiah 8:8-9 is used by pro-names groups to describe how the name (yhwh) was "removed" from the Scriptures.
"How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?"This text says nothing about a sacred name. It says nothing about adding to or taking away from scripture. In discussions about any other doctrine, it is usually emphasized how meticulous the Jews were in obeying God's commands about accurately preserving the original scriptures. This text simply states that "wise men" have rejected the "word" of the Lord, not the "name" of the Lord. It also says God's word was "rejected" not "removed".
40. Exodus 20:7 and Leviticus 19:12 are quoted by pro-names groups as a condemnation of the substitution of any name other than Yahweh, saying the word "vain" means "to falsify", "to bring God's name to nought", or "to substitute"
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." (Ex. 20:7).
"And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord." (Lev. 19:12).These scriptures say nothing about "substitution" or that "substitution" is somehow evil. If only one word were correct, then all the other forms of address used throughout scripture to address God are substitutions. God himself uses more than one shem (name) to refer to himself. Can we be more righteous than God?
"The Hebrew authority Gesenius says the usage of the word 'vain' in these scriptures means, 'utter not the name of Jehovah upon a falsehood' (i.e., do not swear falsely). This means that one should not use the name of Yahweh when falsely swearing, but it has no reference to using a substitute name for God (see Gesenius, p. 807).
(Source: http://www.bibleresearch.org/law/sacredname.html).(See also, "The Third Commandment", above.)
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