Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on January 9, 2022

What is your fathers name? For most people, that question is easy to answer. Now, what is your heavenly Fathers name? Most Jews and Christians would find it difficult to answer that question. When God sent Moses to deliver the children of Abraham that were slaves in Egypt, they did not yet know or serve God.

Moses asks God, Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you. Now they may say to me, What is His name? What shall I say to them? God said to Moses Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, Yehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations. (Exodus 3:13-15)

In Hebrew Gods name is (YHWH). It is called the tetragrammaton the four letters. It appears 6519 times in the Bible. The Jewish Publication Society Tanakh (Old Testament) uses HaShem (the Name) wherever appears in the Hebrew text. So why do you not find Yehovah in most translations of the scriptures? Tradition! There are various reasons for the tradition, all seeking to honor the name. Some say it is replaced with Lord to avoid mispronouncing it and thereby taking it in vain. Others consider the name too holy to speak outside of the Temple which was destroyed in 70 A.D.

There are two reasons why it is important to know and use Gods name. The first is helps us build our relationship with Him. My name is Dr. Samuel Abbate. People that only know me on a professional basis address me by that name. My wife, friends and family address me as Samuel. When we address our Father by title instead of by name, we create a distance that He never intended. We should address our loving Father by His name.

The second reason is it helps us correctly understand the Scriptures. All four Gospels (Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4-6, John1:23) quote Isaiah 40:3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord (Yehovah); Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. The Gospels teach that John the Baptist is that one and he is announcing the coming of the Messiah. More than that, He is announcing that Messiah is not just a man but God the Father in human form. We miss that truth when we read Lord and think that it is just a title of respect for the Messiah.

In John 10:30 Jesus said, I and the Father are one. One meaning unity. This echoes Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel! Yehovah is our God, Yehovah is one! One in Hebrew is ehad, which also indicates unity.

Let us call our loving Father by His name with all reverence and respect. He is our Abba! Father! (Galatians 4:6).

Go here to read the rest:

The Holy Name of God | | news-journal.com - Longview News-Journal

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