"The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of יְחוׇֹח, make His paths straight.'"
Yeshayah (Isaiah)40:3
Mattithyahu (Matthew) 3:3
For information on my use of Hebrew for names, books of the Bible, and passages; please visit the Home Page for this site.
What's in a Name?
Growing up in the age of Christian television, it became more and more obvious that the teachings of Paul Crouch, Benny Hinn, John Hagee, Oral Roberts, and a whole host of others; were leading believers in Messiah down a very dark path of destruction and deception.
Unfortunately, this wave of error has not subsided, but continues to flourish and grow. Under the tutelage of preachers like Joel Osteen, Steven Furtick, Joyce Meyer, Paula White, and the ever-popular Rick Warren; not only is the Church bombarded with heresy after heresy - NOW they are told that believers in Messiah and those that follow Islam, serve the same God. The moniker for this new world religion is Chrislam.
But as I have been watching this and praying about what to do, I have been going through a transformation as well.
The Name of God!
In my studies, I have been examining the languages that the scriptures were written in, and I found myself wondering, what is the Name of God? It seemed the best place to start would be the very first verse in the Bible, as recorded in my King James Version.
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
Genesis 1:1 KJV
However, knowing that the Book of Genesis was originally written in Hebrew, further research was going to be necessary if I wanted to gain better comprehension. What I discovered is that when properly transliterated, the term is not God, but Elohim. (Strong's Concordance - #H430)
During this process, I found a Bible translation that transmits more of the depth of the Hebrew meanings buried in the Scriptures. This is the translation I primarily use for that very reason. It is a welcome addition to the King James Version I have been using and reading for decades. Some of the other tools I use for research are the Hebrew-Greek-English Interlinear Bible (TIB), and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance.
With this understanding, a more correct rendition of Genesis 1:1 would be:
"In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth." Bereshith (Genesis) 1:1
Written in Hebrew script, Elohim appears as: אֱלהִם. Unlike English, Hebrew is written, and read from right to left. The Hebrew letters are Aleph, Lamed, Hey, Yod and Samekh.
The term Elohim in Hebrew actually denotes a sense of plurality. The letters Yod and Samekh at the end of the word, conveys this very idea. However, this is not a declaration of their being many gods, but designates One, as muti-faceted. Which was so eloquently expressed when man was created!
"And Elohim said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according
to Our likeness...'" Bereshith 1:26a (emphasis mime)
The term Elohim appears over 2,500 times in the Old Testament of the Bible. However, Elohim is NOT a Name, it is a title. In the Hebrew scriptures the Holy Name is written thus: יְחוׇֹח. Reading again from right to left, the Name is viewed as Yod, Heh, Vav, Hey.
By translating English letters for the first letters of the Hebrew, and mirroring them to apply reading left to right, we get YHVH. The technical term for these four letters is called the tetragrammaton. Like English, it is necessary to have vowel sounds to be able to correctly pronounce a word. For example, the jots and tittles that accompany the letters, is how we get the transliteration for the Name Yehovah.
Without them, pronouncing the Name would not be possible. It would be like trying to pronounce the word house, without the letters o, u, and e! When the original King James Bible was being transliterated and translated, the rabbi's involved in the endeavor considered the Name of God too holy to pronounce.
This was a practice that was in place since at least the Third Century A.D. At that time, speaking the Name of God was forbidden by not only Jewish Religious leaders, but also the Roman's that occupied the land of Yehudah (Judea). This may have been due to the fact the Disciples of the Messiah were preaching and healing not only in the Name of Yeshua, but also in the Name of Yehovah.
I Will Call Upon the Name of Yehovah
The Third Commandment in English versions of scriptures reads:
"Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain;
for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his
name in vain." Exodus 20:7 KJV
The word vain is defined as useless or empty. The Hebrew to English seems to give a slightly more definitive emphasis.
"You do not bring the Name of יְחוׇֹח your Elohim to naught,
for יְחוׇֹח does not leave the one unpunished who brings
His Name to naught." Shemoth (Exodus) 20:7 (emphasis mine)
Naught is defined as nothing, or without power! A similar scripture is also found in the New Testament.
"Having a form of godliness but denying the
power of it." 2 Timothy 3:5 TIB (emphasis mine)
The religious leaders and rabbi's took it upon themselves to define this instruction to mean that speaking the Holy Name of Yehovah was forbidden! However, this was not the intention of the command, nor was it the common practice.
"And [Abram] built there a slaughter-place to
יְחוׇֹח, and called on the Name of יְחוׇֹח."
Bereshith (Genesis) 12:8b (emphasis mine)
"And there Abram called on the Name
of יְחוׇֹח." Bereshith 13:4b (emphasis mine)
"Give thanks to יְחוׇֹח, call upon His Name,
Make known His deeds among the peoples!'"
Dibre haYamim Aleph (1 Chronicles) 16:8 (emphasis mine)
"I make known Your Name to My brothers; In the midst of the assembly I praise You." Tehillim (Psalms) 22:22 (emphasis mine)
Location, Location, Location
How much emphasis and value does Yehovah Elohim place on His Name? It was One of the main reasons that King Shelomoh (Solomon) built the Temple in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem)!
"And see, I [Shelomoh] intend to build a house for the Name
of יְחוׇֹח my Elohim, as יְחוׇֹח spoke to my father Dawid (David)..." Melakim Aleph (1 Kings) 5:5 (emphasis mine)
"Now יְחוׇֹח has established His word which He spoke,
and I have been raised up instead of my father Dawid,
and sit on the throne of Yisra’el, as יְחוׇֹח promised, and
built a house for the Name of יְחוׇֹח Elohim of Yisra’el."
Melakim Aleph 8:20 (emphasis mine)
"[Shelomoh] does build a house for My Name..."
Shemu'el Bet (2 Samuel) 7:13 (emphasis mine)
"In this house and in Yerushalayim, which I have chosen
out of all the tribes of Yisra’el, I put My Name forever."
Melakim Bet (2 Kings) 21:7b (emphasis mine)
"And I [Shelomoh] have built the House for
the Name of יְחוׇֹח Elohim of Yisra’el."
Dibre haYamin Bet (2 Chronicles) 6:10b (emphasis mine)
Variations on a Theme!
The first recorded written form of Ancient Hebrew was a pictograph language known as Paleo-Hebrew, from approximately 10 B.C. Like most languages, the written form has evolved over several millennia. The current and most well known manuscripts used today, are called The Masoretic Text, or Modern Hebrew.
Hebrew Masorite scholars, from whom the Masoretic Text is named, were the ones that developed the vowel system to aid in pronunciation. However, because the Name was considered too holy to pronounce, the term Adonai was inserted as a substitute.
Although Adonai is VERY COMMON within Jewish and Christian circles, the term does not always appear as a stand alone in Hebrew text. With the necessary vowels included, Adonai is written, אֲדֹנָי. Again reading right to left, the letters are Aleph, Daleth, Nun, and Yod. However, sometimes, it is proceeded by the letter lamed (ל), and at other times different vowels are removed or added. These are just a few examples of how the Hebrew text, spoken as Adonai; was transliterated to scripture. The English words are highlighted.
אְדֹבׇ֔י - "And Abram said, Lord God..." Genesis 15:2a KJV
אְַדֹנָי֒ - "And Moses said unto the Lord..." Exodus 4:10a KJV
לאֲדֹנָי - "the Lord GOD will wipe away tears
from off all faces..." Isaiah 25:8a KJV
לַֽאדֹנׇי - "And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry..."
Genesis 18:30a KJV
The differences may seem subtle, but they are significant. Also worth noting is that the English term Adonai is not found anywhere in the King James Version of the Bible. Perhaps the different spellings of the Hebrew is an example of the old adage, Too many cooks spoil the soup! The reluctance of the many rabbinical scholars that assisted in the translations seems to have caused some misunderstanding in deciphering the Hebrew to English.
In Hebrew text of the Old Testament sometimes the letter lamed (ל) would be added at the beginning of the tetragrammaton. Instead of יהוה, it might be written as ליחוה. Neither of which contained the necessary vowels! Again, to prevent any chance of mispronunciation, when the tetragrammaton began with the letter lamed, the English term LORD was written in all capital letters as a substitute. Such was the case in the translation of Psalm 95.
"O come, let us sing to the LORD..." Psalm 95:1a KJV
However, in the previously noted Isaiah 25:8; יהוה was used in the text. In Psalm 95, it was the aforementioned ליחוה. The Interlinear Bible (TIB)* transliterates both as Jehovah.
"...and the Lord Jehovah (יהוה) will wipe away tears
from off all faces..." Isaiah 25:8a TIB
"O come, let us sing to Jehovah (ליהוה)!"
Psalm 95:1a TIB
*The Interlinear Bible, Hebrew-Greek-English. Sovereign Grace Publishers, Jay P. Green Sr., ©1986
Over the course of time researchers have discovered numerous Hebrew manuscripts that contain the Name with all of the vowels properly placed. Verifiable proof that the correct English pronunciation of the tetragrammaton with the vowels; is Yehovah!
Lets Just Praise the Lord?
Because modern English is a conglomeration of many different languages, the same word can have varied definitions. Such is the case when using the term Lord. Many Bible versions also run into this predicament. However, sometimes a cautionary substitution can be problematic. At various times the Israelites forsook the LORD to worship the Chaldean deity Baal.
“And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the
LORD, and served [the Baals].” Judges 12:11-12 KJV
This can be where an issue arises, because Baal can also be translated as Lord! This is yet another example where the title Adonai comes into play. The term can be construed as a synonym of the Hebrew titles Adon (Lord) or Adonai (my Lord). It is also possible that some of the ancient Hebrews used the terms Ba'al (Lord) and Ba'ali (my Lord), when referring to the Elohim of Yisra'el.
Not Many, but One!
When Elohim spoke in Bereshith (Genesis) 1:26; "Let US make man in OUR image"; who was the "US"? The complete reality of the scope of Who this was referring to; would not be fully known until the coming of the One who was the Word made flesh.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim,
and the Word was Elohim...And the Word became flesh and
pitched His tent (dwelt) among us..." Yohanan (John) 1:1, 14a
The world knows the Word that became flesh by His most familiar Name; that of Jesus. In the Hebrew text the Name for the Messiah is יֵשׁוּצַ, which transliterates to Yeshua. [For more on the meaning of the Name Yeshua, please visit the Home Page on this site https://slhos5.wixsite.com/thewildernesscry ]
When translated into English, the phrase of In the beginning, is used in both Bereshith (Genesis) 1:1, and Yohanan (John) 1:1. I believe the harmony of these two passages were placed there, to add further credence to Messiah Yeshua being One expression of Elohim.
This plurality of Elohim was given the English moniker of the Godhead by the man that wrote most of what is contained in the New Testament; the Apostle Sha'ul, whose name in English is Paul.
"For in [Messiah Yeshua] dwelleth all the fulness of
the Godhead bodily." Colossians 2:9 KJV
When confronted by the religious leaders of the day, Messiah Yeshua used the same term that Yehovah Elohim spoke to Mosheh (Moses) - "I AM".
“Thus you shall say to the children of Yisra’el,
‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Shemoth 3:14b
“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham
came to be, I am.” Yohanan 8:58b
Messiah Yeshua also proclaimed to one of His disciples:
"He who has seen Me has seen the Father..." Yohanan 14:8b
This sense of plurality was also addressed by those that followed Messiah Yeshua, and knew Him personally. It is recorded in the Book of Ma'asei (Acts), that the Apostle Kepha (Peter) had to confront two disciples about their attempts at deception. The apostle proclaimed that by their actions they had lied to Elohim! Thus giving Ruach ha'Kodesh the same reverence due to the Most-High!
"But Kepha said, 'Hananyah, why has Satan filled your heart to
lie to the Set-apart Spirit (Ruach ha'Kodesh)...You have not
lied to men but to Elohim.'" Ma'asei 5:3a; 4b (emphasis mine)
The Apostle Yohanan (John) in his letter to disciples of Messiah Yeshua wrote the following:
"For there are three bearing witness in Heaven: the Father, the Word,
and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one." 1 John 5:7 TIB
Elohim (the Godhead) is the collective title for the Father (Yehovah), the Son (The Word, known as Yeshua, or Jesus), and Ruach ha'Kodesh (the Holy Spirit). The term Godhead, has also been coined as The Trinity.
One of the best examples we have in the Bible of Elohim (the Godhead) being revealed as three separate, but united personalities; is when Messiah Yeshua was baptized by Yohanan the Immerser (John the Baptist).
"And having been immersed, יֵשׁוּצַ (the Word) went up
immediately from the water, and see, the heavens were
opened, and He saw the Spirit of Elohim (Ruach ha'Kodesh) descending like a dove and coming upon Him, and see, a voice
out of the heavens, (The Father) saying, 'This is My Son, the Beloved, in whom I delight.'" Mattithyahu 3:16-17
Setting the Bar High!
Even though Yehovah Elohim places such great emphasis on His Name, there is something even higher!
"...you have magnified Your Word above ALL YOUR NAME".
Psalms 138:2b TIB (emphasis mine)
When Elohim created the heavens and the earth, Ruach ha'Kodesh hovered above the waters.
"In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth.
And the earth was without form and empty, and darkness was
on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of Elohim was moving
on the face of the waters." Genesis 1:1-2 TIB (emphasis mine)
Elohim SPOKE and light came into existence!
"And Elohim said, 'Let light come to be,' and light came to be." Bereshith 1:3
Here we have a demonstration of the plurality of Elohim from the very beginning of creation! Yehovah, The Word, and Ruach ha'Kodesh; working together as One in perfect harmony!
Also consider what is necessary for speech to be communicated? Words! As previously noted the Bible declares that the One now known as Yeshua, is the Word of Elohim made flesh.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
Elohim, and the Word was Elohim. He was in the beginning
with Elohim...And the Word became flesh and pitched His
tent among us." Yohanan 1:1-2; 14a (emphasis mine)
The Bible also tells us that the WORD of Yehovah Elohim created all things!
"All came to be through Him, and without Him not even
one came to be that came to be." Yohanan 1:3
"Because in Him (the Word) were created all that are in the
heavens and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether
thrones or rulerships or principalities or authorities –
all have been created through Him and for Him."
Qolasim (Colossians) 1:16
The Word of Elohim is also called a light.
"Your WORD is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path."
Tehillim (Psalms) 119:105 (emphasis mine)
This is also one of the metaphors that Yeshua used in describing Himself.
"Therefore יֵשׁוּצַ spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the light
of the world. He who follows Me shall by no means walk in
darkness, but possess the light of life.'" Yohanann 8:12
Every Knee Shall Bow!
“Turn to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For [I AM],
and there is none else. I have sworn by Myself, a word has
gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return,
so that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue swear."
Yeshayah (Isaiah) 45:22-23 (emphasis mine)
The Apostle Sha'ul quoted this verse to the Followers of Messiah Yeshua in Rome.
"For it has been written, 'As I live, says יְחוׇֹח, every knee shall
bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to Elohim.'"
Royiyim (Romans) 14:11 (emphasis mine)
The Name Above All Names!
Mirroring the above passages, and in keeping with Yehovah Elohim's declaration as noted in Psalms 138:2 - that He has placed His Word above ALL His Name - the Apostle Sha'ul wrote to the disciples in Philippi:
"Elohim, therefore, has highly exalted [the Word]
and given Him the Name which is above every name, that at
the Name of יֵשׁוּצַ every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and
of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and every tongue
should confess that יֵשׁוּצַ Messiah is Master, to the esteem of
Elohim the Father." Pilipiyim (Philippians) 2:9-11 (emphasis mine)
Called by My Name
Another often quoted passage of scripture is from the Book of Second Chronicles.
"If my people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will
I hear." 2 Chronicles 7:14 (emphasis mine)
I believe this is one of the greatest reasons to KNOW and UNDERSTAND what His Name is!
Unless otherwise noted, all scriptures on The Wilderness Cry taken from:
"The Scriptures 2009", Copyright© 1993-2015 by the Institute for Scripture Research (ISR).
All rights reserved. Used with permission.
AMP - refers to The Amplified Bible, Zondervan Bible Publishers, Grand Rapids Michigan;
13th Printing, March 1985
KJV - King James Version, public domain
TIB - The Interlinear Bible, Hebrew-Greek-English. Sovereign Grace Publishers, Jay P. Green Sr., ©1986
The Wilderness Cry, © 2004 - 2025, Stewart Hoskinson, writer and publisher.