What’s In a Name?

Posted by on October 14, 2007 under Sermons

Have you searched for your name with Google?

Rumplestiltskin – The princess had to guess his name to gain power over him.

Unlike Rumplestiltskin, God can give out his name freely. He has no problem revealing his name as he cannot be controlled.But the people who receive his name must treat the name with respect …

God reveals himself through his name. This is part of the Exodus story

Exodus 3

  • Moses asks: “Who Am I and Who are You?” (3:11-13)
  • “I AM” sent me to you
  • The Name by which I am known (3:15)

Exodus 6:3

  • God appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
  • But he was not known by his name “YHWH”

Exodus 34:6-7
“The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

Seven Divine Names
1. YHWH
2. El (God)
3. Elohim (God)
4. Adonai (The Lord)
5. Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh (I Am Who I Am)
6. Shaddai (Almighty)
7. Tzevaot (Lord of Hosts)

There is an urban legend that circulates about the FCC wanting to remove the name of God from TV in every single way. Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

  • Pious Talk Making Claims in God’s Name
  • Political and Religious Overuse of God’s Name
  • “Oh, my God!”

Respect and Holiness -vs- Throw Away Casuality
We are a throw away culture. Things used to last generations they were passed on. They were made with the greatest of care

Words are just as meaningless in a throw away culture.
The word written and spoken litters our landscape.

Tetragrammaton

Jehovah
“YHWH” → JeHoVaH

The Name

  • YHWH did not withhold his name
  • He cannot be controlled
  • He can reveal his character and nature to the extent that his people can stand it.