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GOD’s Names

GOD’s Names

Usually the Bible uses the Name of GOD in singular form (e.g. Ex. 20:7 or Ps. 8:1), however there are many references to the Holy Name of the Creator, often forms that express His magnificent attributes.
Scripture presents many references to the Names of GOD, but the primary names in the Old Testament are YHWH, El Elyon, El Shaddai, and in the New Testament Theos, Kyrios, and Patēr (πατήρ meaning Father in Greek).

Show respect for the Name of GOD is one of the Ten Commandments, and even in ancient Jerusalem the Holy Name was pronounced only once a year by the High Priest, on the day of Yom Kippur. This is to understand how powerful and worthy of the utmost respect the pronouncement of the Name of God must be.

 

14 GOD said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
(Exodus 3, 14)
 

אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶהʾ(transliterated to ehyeh ʾašer ʾehyeh) “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh”. The common English translation is “I am who I am”, but since Hayah means “existed” or ” was” in Hebrew, it could literally be better translated as “I will be who I will be”, with the resulting theological and mystical implications of the Jewish tradition. In fact, according to Jewish grammatical rules, the verbal form used in Hebrew can be translated with past, present and future time, indicating a timeless truth that is not born, does not change and does not die. Such is GOD, and in fact the other translations proposed were: “I am he who was there, who is there and who will be there”, or “I am he who is always present”, “I am there”.

COMMENT: This is one of the seven Names that are attributed to GOD in the Jewish Bible. In ancient times these seven Names of the GOD of Israel had to be treated with extreme care and attention by the scribes:

 

 

15 GOD also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, 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, the Name you shall call me from generation to generation.
(Exodus 3, 15)
 
 
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your GOD, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his Name.

(Exodus 20, 7)

 

 
14 Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous GOD.
(Exodus 34, 14) 

 
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am GOD Almighty ; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
(Genesis 17, 1) 

 

In the year of the death of King Uzziah, I saw the LORD sitting on a high and exalted throne, and His lower extremity filled the Temple.
2 Seraphim stood above for Him, six wings, six wings to each one; with two he would cover his face, and with two he would cover his feet, and with two he would fly.
3 And one called to the other and said, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.”
(Isaiah 6, 1-3)
 

 

The name ” Three times Holy” comes from this expression in Isaiah and then found also in the later Book af Apocalypse (Rev 4, 8): “Holy Holy Holy”.

 

 

8 “I am YHWH; that is my Name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.
(Isaiah 42, 8)

 

 

5 I am YHWH, and there is no other; besides Me there is no god: I will strengthen you although you have not known Me.
6 In order that they know, from the shining of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides Me; I am the LORD and there is no other.
7 Who forms light and creates darkness, Who makes peace and creates evil; I Am the LORD, Who makes all these.
(Isaiah 45, 5-7) 

 

6 Therefore my people will know my Name; therefore in that day they will know that it is I who foretold it. Yes, it is I.”
(Isaiah 52, 6) 

 

21 “Therefore I will teach them, this time I will teach them my power and might. Then they will know that my name is YHWH.
(Jeremiah 16, 21)

 

 

12 “ ‘Do not swear falsely by my Name and so profane the Name of your GOD. I am YHWH.
(Leviticus 19, 12) 

 

9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our FATHER in heaven, hallowed be your Name
(Matthew 6, 9)

 

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the FATHER and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
(Matthew 28, 19)

 

10 The Name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
(Proverbs 18, 10)

 

 

4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his Name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!
(Proverbs 30, 4)

 

COMMENT: After questioning readers about the natural world, Agur ended up questioning man’s limits in spiritual knowledge. One can know his name (the nature of GOD, his character) and the name of his son. With regard to all these things, we humbly depend on GOD’s revelation for our knowledge.
Agur knew that there was something special about the Son of GOD. The name of his Son: Agur knew that there was something special about the Son of GOD. We do not know to what extent he prophetically anticipated the Messiah, the Son of GOD, Jesus Christ, but Agur was aware that GOD had a Son and that the Son had a name.
The Christian interpreter, however, cannot but think of the Son of GOD here and remember that he came down from above to reveal the truth to his people (John 3, 31-33). Moreover, since “GOD” is the only possible answer to these questions, it is striking that the text speaks of his “son”.

 

 

8 Then I will ever sing in praise of your Name and fulfill my vows day after day.
(Psalm 61, 8)

 

 

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the LORD God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
(Revelation 1, 8)

 

 
18 He replied, “Why do you ask my Name? It is beyond understanding.”
(Judges 13, 18)
 

 

15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, FATHER.”
(Romans 8, 15)

 

 

7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our GOD. 8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.
(Psalm 20, 7-8)

 

 

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of GOD the FATHER.
(Philippians 2, 10-11)

 

 
13 Moses said to GOD, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The GOD of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his Name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 14 GOD said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” 15 GOD also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, 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, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.
(Exodus 3, 13-15)

 

 

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