“Jehovah”—No Such Word

Honoring the name of God is not just esteeming the letters in His name, nor speaking His name in hushed or quiet tones. The ancient Israelites attached such a sacredness to the name of God that they would not say it aloud. They thought that hallowing God’s name meant hallowing the name itself. How utterly foolish and absurd! They paid honor to the actual letters of God’s name, yet, on occasion, thought nothing about disobeying His Word and denying His truth.

One great Hebrew scholar points out that there is no such word as “Jehovah” in the Hebrew language, although it appears in English translations of the Old Testament. The name of God in Exodus 3:14, where the Almighty gave His name to Moses—(“I AM WHO I AM”)—is Yahweh, the English equivalent of which is “Jehovah.” The Israelites would not say the word “Yahweh,” and eventually the vowels were taken out and mixed with the consonants of another Hebrew word to form the word “Adonai.” This was done as a device to avoid having to say the real word “Yahweh.” How ridiculous can you get?

Let us be quite clear, then, about what Jesus meant when He taught us to pray, “Your name be honored as holy.” God’s name stands for who He is—His mercy, His compassion, His love, His power, His eternity, and so on. When, as God’s children, we come to Him to honor His name, we do more than enter into a religious routine. We contemplate all that His name stands for and reverence Him for who He is.

Further Study

Gn 15; 22:14; Ex 15:26; 17:15; Jdg 6:24; Ps 23:1; Jr 23:6; Ezk 48:35

List some of the names of God.

What do they mean?