Growthtrac Community

[Anthony]

God has lots of titles, labels, and names we call Him. But what is his name? If there is one thing we know from reading our bibles, the Name a person is giving and is called by is very very important.

So what is God's Name?

[Janine]

One of the great things about letting the Bible speak for itself is the fun of searching out names God calls Himself. I promise myself a study on that ASAP.

Like, if Isaiah or another prophet is quoting something God inspired him to say, and God calls Himself "the God of your fathers" or "the Judge" or "the Husbandman", whatever... then why should you not address Him that way?

Jesus called Him "Abba", and Paul spoke about reasons why we cry out to Him calling Him "Abba". I guess "Abba" would be like "Pappa". "Daddy", perhaps. A loving title for a highly valued, dearly loved father.

Have you seen the posters of all of Jesus' names, or the Father's names, or the Spirit's names? Makes for a great devotional time, just considering all His names.

[Davep]

It seems that God made a big deal about names in the bible. Big enough that he had Sarah, Abraham, Jacob, and Paul change their names. Sure God has lot of adjectives and titles, but those are not his name.

It seems to me that if I'm going to call you on the phone, that I would say Hello Bob, not Hello Sunny, or Hello Powerful One. Shouldn't we be calling God by his name?

Even the word God is too generic for our LORD.

Our LORD has a name and it is YHWH, Yahweh.

[Janine]

Are you saying that any mail addressed to God will be returned to sender-

unless it's labeled with four Hebrew letters - no vowels - they didn't have any - and the exact way they pronounced those vowel-less words depended a lot on which school or region they were in -

Are you saying we are not communication with our Father unless we call him by His name, that one specific name?

We speak English. Why would we not call Him by that YHWH name, only translated into English?

So I guess to be properly respectful of my father I need to call him Joseph instead of Daddy?

[Davep]

We speak English. Why would we not call Him by that YHWH name, only translated into English?

What might that be? What does YHWH translate into English as? When was the last time you used that translation?

It is on thing to translate a word or a phrase phonetically into English, that is change the spelling but keep the sound, but completely change someone's Name? Also if that was the case why not translate all those hard to pronounced Hebrew names in the Old Testament into English?

[Janine]

Well, why not?

As often as not, when some unpronounceable name pops up in the OT, a translation is also given. So we could just use that for the guy's or gal's name.

What does Yahweh, or Jehovah, depending on your line of thought, mean in English anyway?

"Self-existent", I think. The One who is. "I Am".

So call God "You", I suppose; He's the one, the only one, who really is.

In Him we live and move and have our being.

But, no one "be's", no one is, without Him. No one exists free-standing but Him.

[Davep]

To call upon Yahweh, using God is being generic. If you call upon his Holy Name, it should be unique. Anyone can call upon their diety of choice, most people believe in God. Muslims believe in God, Mormons believe in God, etc.

We call upon Jesus ( this is another name substitition problem as well), yet most Christians go with the generic "Oh God" or "Oh Lord" one statement fits all approach.

I guess Jesus said it best
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

[Anthony]

Some people render the four-letter Name as "Jehovah," but this pronunciation is particularly unlikely. The word "Jehovah" comes from the fact that ancient Jewish texts used to put the vowels of the Name "Adonai" (the usual substitute for YHVH) under the consonants of YHVH to remind people not to pronounce YHVH as written. A sixteenth century German Christian scribe, while transliterating the Bible into Latin for the Pope, wrote the Name out as it appeared in his texts, with the consonants of YHVH and the vowels of Adonai, and came up with the word JeHoVaH, and the name stuck. - Tracey R Rich


Pronouncing the Name of God

[Janine]

People went through, and some still go through, a lot of trouble to avoid speaking or writing about God at all, never mind in a manner they'd consider irreverent. Like, they write "G_d", so you'd know what they meant but they didn't need to sully or make common the name "God" by writing it.

"God" is useful to me as His name. It's no matter that there are others called "gods", the false gods, the fake gods. Sometimes I think of it as a case of the One and Only being so magnificent, that the "wanna-be" gods just sort of usurped His title. Just like there's many a "kleenex" but only one "Kleenex".

If I call Him by a love-name, a father-name, a title, whatever... He knows who I am, and He knows I'm addressing Him.

[Davep]

God" is useful to me as His name.

It is that way because that is what has been handed down from those who came before us. We simply parrot what came before us. It was good enough for them, so it is good enough for me.

But the topic is one that any seeking Christian should study and have an appreciation and understanding of.

Additional Study:
The Names of God

[Janine]

If I truly parroted "God" because I heard it growing up, "God" would swiftly be followed by "####". :crazy:

[Jujubee]

Our LORD has a name and it is YHWH, Yahweh.

Where did you find this? Just curious.


Ok, God also has more than one name apparently. I have been studying this for just a couple of days, and I found these in Exodus, which peaked my interest.

Exodus 3:13-15

Exodus 3
And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

Further in Exodus 6:3 the bible says:
And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. \


I agree with Davep on one thing. Jesus did say it best, however I put emphasis on a different word.


Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

When I pray, I call him by his name. Father.

Julie

[Janine]

Papa. Daddy. Abba.

[Davep]

If you are studing the OT, check out this Hebrew Bible site.
OT Hebrew Bible

Here is another good website, which deals with God's names
Names of God

[Berretta]

I have to say that I agree with both of you but I have to interject that I must lean more to the side of Janine on this one by stating the following. The calling of GOD's name has more to do with a person's established relationship with him rather than the text book way to structurally erecting a prayer.

What is most important here is that we KNOW who we are talking to. We are intimate with the deity at the other end of this very personal phone call. Is it important to know his name or names? Sure. Each one brings with it a source of power and direction that address our needs to be healed or proteted or freed from bondage.

But what is most important is that when we go down on those knees or stand or whatever we do, we go to speak to someone who really cares about us. Someone who we expect to hear from and not just some sounding board for us to throw religious speak at in hopes that our situation will change through our own efforts later.

The name of God for me is Daddy. 1 John 3:2