Name Above All Names
All Scriptures taken from the Son Of Man Bible, SOMB.bblx e-Sword Bible program module. Original work at www.door43.org. Son Of Man Bible e-Sword module (SOMB.bblx and SOMB.bbli), The Word module (SOMB.ont), and MySword module (SOMB.bbl.mybible), were created and edited by Gene Benjamin II. These Bible modules are available for download on PC, Apple, Android, and other Linux devices from www.biblesupport.com and www.wordmodules.com. On biblesupport.com do a search for “Unlocked Literal Bible 9” then scroll down, and on wordmodules.com do a search for “Son Of Man Bible” then scroll down.
We’re not here to bash any human or to bash anyone’s personally held religious beliefs. We’re here only in pursuit of the truth of Yahweh’s word. Yeshua stated in John 17:17, “Set them apart by the truth. Your word is truth.” We just want to study his word freely, openly and honestly, seeking nothing but the truth. We have no agenda or ax to grind with anyone on this planet, except the devil and his demons. Ahmen!
In light of the above, here’s what Yeshua himself stated about the end times in Mark 13:5, “Many will come in my name and say, ‘I AM,’ and they will lead many astray.” Just file that verse in the back of your mind for now, but you will see its significance later in our study. In this post-believing world, deceived multitudes forget that there is only one Name that we need to worry about. Paul said it best in Philippians 2:1-11, “If there is any encouragement in Messiah, if there is any comfort from his love, if there is any fellowship of the Ruach, if there are any tender mercies and compassions, 2then make my joy full by thinking alike, having the same love, being united in Ruach, and having the same purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfishness or empty conceit. Instead, with humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should take care not only for your own needs, but also for the needs of others. 5Think in The Way that was also in Messiah Yeshua. 6He existed in the form of Yahweh, but he did not consider his equality with Yahweh as something to hold on to. 7Instead, he emptied himself. He took the form of a servant. He appeared in the likeness of humans. He was found in appearance as a man. 8And being found in the circumstance of a human, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death of an execution stake! 9Therefore, Yahweh also highly exalted him. He gave him the name that is above every name. 10He did this so that in the name of Yeshua every knee should bend, the knees of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth. 11And he did this so that every tongue should confess that Yeshua Messiah is Sovereign, to the glory of Yahweh the Father.”
I had hoped that I would not ever have to address this issue, but there are so many names being thrown around for Yahweh and Yeshua, that I thought I should at least address the Father’s name today. Let’s head back in time to the video we uploaded to Youtube the other day about the Names. And, let’s remember one of our first rules of interpretation: Context, context, context. Another good rule of interpretation is grammar, grammar, grammar. So, let’s look at Exodus 3, Moses’ conversion and calling at the burning bush. In verses 4-6, Yahweh reveals himself to Moses first as the Almighty, Elohim. Then Yahweh calls Moses to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. Moses argues with Yahweh, and then we come to the troublesome verse 14, where Yahweh revealed his Name. Let’s quote verses 13-14, “Moses said to the Almighty, “When I go to the Israelites and tell them, ‘The Almighty of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and when they say to me, ‘What is his name?’ what should I say to them?” 14The Almighty said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” The Almighty said, “You must say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”” You could translate it as, “I will be who I will be,” which may be more accurate. That word translated as I AM, or I WILL BE, is the Hebrew word ‘hayah’. It is an action word meaning to be, to exist, to become, to happen. Yahweh was simply stating a quality of His Divine nature, His eternal existence. Yahweh always was, always is, and will always be. Revelation 1:8, “I am the Aleph and the Tav, the beginning and the end,” says the Sovereign, “the one who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” This verb, ’hayah,’ describes the action of Yahweh always existing, being alive, forever: in eternity past, present, and future. This verb, Strong’s # H1961 is used 3650 times in the First Covenant and only a handful of times does it refer to Yahweh’s eternal existence. It is very often rendered, “it came to pass.” This is the word used to describe the evening and morning becoming the first day, second day, etc., of creation week. This verb is NOT a noun, proper noun, or proper name. Under the rule of interpretation known as the law of first mention, this verb is first used in Genesis 1:2, telling us the earth “became” or “was” without form and empty. Are you going to tell me that it was Yahweh who made the earth formless and void? I don’t think so!! He had just created the heavens and the earth, why would He have destroyed his new creation? He didn’t. But He did tell Moses this verb is His name, or at least the root verb of His name.
Exodus 3:14 is not even the first verse in Exodus 3 where this word ‘hayah’ is used. It’s actually first used in Exodus 3:1 showing us that it was Moses “shepherding” Jethro’s flock of sheep, not Yahweh! In other words, Moses was passing his time in Midian as a shepherd. ‘Hayah’ means to be, become, come to pass, happen, fall out, etc. Then, in verse 12, the word is used again, but this time it is Yahweh speaking the word, “The Almighty replied, “I will certainly be with you. This will be a sign to you that I have sent you. When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship the Almighty on this mountain.”” Why didn’t the King James translators capitalize this word in verse 1 or verse 12? Hayah simply means Yahweh will always exist, He will always be. That’s the best way TO BE someone’s Savior and Deliverer!!
Now, let’s get some more context from Exodus 3, look at verses 15 and 16, “The Almighty also said to Moses, “You must say to the Israelites, ‘Yahweh, the Almighty of your ancestors, the Almighty of Abraham, the Almighty of Isaac, and the Almighty of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is how I will be mentioned for all generations.’ 16Go and gather the elders of Israel together. Say to them, ’Yahweh, the Almighty of your ancestors, the Almighty of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me and said, “I have indeed observed you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.”
Did you catch that? Yahweh stated it clearly and emphatically that His eternal Name is Yahweh! Yahweh, the third person form of the verb ‘hayah’, I AM. Yahweh, the Name that Moses and everyone else is to use for all eternity to call on our Divine One, our Almighty. Yahweh, Strong’s # H3068, means the existing one, self existent or eternal. The verb ‘hayah’ is the root word used to build the Hebrew Name: Yahweh. Yahweh’s name is used over 6800 times in the First Covenant. And no human alive today knows exactly how to pronounce his name!! Some scholars believe there may be an infinite number of ways to pronounce his name. That makes sense to me. He is infinite, so why wouldn’t there be an infinite number of ways to pronounce his name? When Yahweh says in verse 15 that “This is my name”, the “This” is referring back to the proper noun, the proper name in verse 15, “Yahweh”. He is NOT referring back to the verb “I will be” in verse 14.
Here’s what Paul Sumner, over at www.hebrew-streams.org has to say about Yahweh’s name:
BEGIN QUOTE “What does “Yahveh” mean? As he revealed it to Moses, God’s full name is actually Ehyeh asher Ehyeh — “I will be what I will be.” Ehyeh is the Qal imperfect first person form of the verb havah: “I will be.” God says to Moses: “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘Ehyeh — I will be’ has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14-15). Ehyeh by itself is God’s shortened name when he speaks of himself in the first person: In contrast, when people refer to God in the third person, he taught them to say “Yahveh — He will be” (not “I will be”). [Insights from Gerald H. Wilson, Psalms Volume 1, p. 210]” END QUOTE
Do you understand what Paul Sumner just stated? Yahweh is the only One who can speak in the FIRST PERSON about Himself, NO ONE ELSE IN THE UNIVERSE CAN SPEAK IN THE FIRST PERSON AS YAHWEH!! ‘Hayah’, the word in verse 14, written as ‘Ehyeh’, is in the Qal form as an imperfect first person verb. When we want to say Yahweh’s name, he taught Moses in verse 15 to say, “Yahweh,” the third person form that says “He will be.” Do you get it? Only the person referring to himself can say “I AM,” or “I WILL BE,” no other person can say it like the person referring to himself in the FIRST PERSON. All others refer to that person in the (second or) THIRD PERSON. How soon we adults forget our grade school grammar lessons. Only Yahweh can say ‘Ehyeh’, since and when He’s talking about Himself. I, AND ALL OTHER HUMANS, ANGELS, AND DEVILS, HAVE TO SAY YAHWEH, for proper grammar usage when speaking or writing.
So now, do you understand the significance of what Yeshua said in John 18:5-6, “They answered him, “Yeshua of Nazareth.” Yeshua said to them, “I AM.” Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with the soldiers. 6So when he said to them, “I AM,” they went backward and fell to the ground.” ONLY the Almighty Himself can say “Ehyeh” or “Hayah” or “Ahayah”, because He is speaking in the first person. Since Yeshua and Yahweh are united as one, Yeshua can also say “I AM” or “I WILL BE”, since He is echad with the Father.
Be blessed and have a blessed day.
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