The genus of the name, Yahweh, is that it is not a noun, it's a verb, and so you can't objectify a verb and therefore you can't make an idol out of it. It is most naturally understood in the vocative, as an address. A name is that way, as an address. The Bible has a lot of metaphors for God but Yahweh is the unique Biblical word for the Presence -- the One who is present to us and we have to be present to Him. I thought the song "Yahweh" uses the word in a way that partakes of its genius, its uniqueness. It's a personal address: "Yahweh, Yahweh." He's not talking about God, he's talking to God, or calling out to God.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Genus of the name
I recently read an interview of Eugene Peterson where he was asked about U2. I found this comment quite interesting about one of U2's recent songs.
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Eugene Peterson completely omitted God's personal name, Yahweh/ Jehovah out of his entire "translation" of the Holy Bible. (He called his version "The Message.") It is meant - by the Author of the Holy Scriptures - to be in there some 7000 times. Most translations keep God's name in there at least 2-3 times anyway. "The Message" left it out entirely. (It also took excessive "liberties" with the Scriptures to the point meanings were often lost.)
The name Yahweh/ Jehovah, which is the Hebrew Tetragrammaton naturalized into Hebrew/ Latinized language, means "He Causes to Become."
It is a name claiming unique power, action, and ability. Only of God Almighty, the Creator, can it be said that he has the power and ability to carry out anything that he so wills and purposes to be.
In further explaining the meaning of his name to Moses at Exodus 3:14, he described it as "I Shall Prove to Be What I Shall Prove to Be." (It was NOT, as the bulk of Christendom claims, just a statement of self-affirmation, of mere existence, "I Am That I Am." In speaking to Moses here, God was letting him know that he, God, would become whatever it was necessary for him to become to the Israelites in order to deliver them from slavery to the Pharoah.
The translation of "I Am" is purposely used by trinitarians to match up with a simple response Jesus later gave of "I am." Trinitarians then proceed to extort this occurrence, saying that this thus proves that Yahweh/Jehovah is the same being as Jesus. (He isn't. The concept of a trinitarian, triune godhead is anciently and globally pagan. For the convenience of a false "peace" with their neighbors, some "Christians" incorporated this pagan-spiritistic belief into the pure teachings of God Almighty and his Son, Jesus Christ. Sadly, many people today still are worshipping this hybrid, corrupted god instead of worshipping Yahweh/ Jehovah on his own terms, for who he is; and giving the honor to Jesus Christ that they should be, for who he is and what his role is towards mankind. The global result has been spiritual corruption, confusion and tragedy.)
So, rather than consulting yet another person who has choosen - through fear of man or whatever - to hide God's name, talk instead to Jehovah's named people - who champion his name (naturalized in over 200 languages) and his life-saving true teachings on this earth.
"Call out [his] name."
(See Joel 2:32; Romans 10:13)
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