Lesson 3

Jehovah

Definition:

The English rendering of the Hebrew tetragram YHWH, one of the names of God. Its original pronunciation is unknown. The sacred name the Jews were afraid to say for fear of taking God's name in vain and thereby breaking the third commandment. The name is derived from the verb "to be" and so implies that God is eternal. The name Jehovah belongs especially to Him when He is dealing with His people.

Meaning:

This name indicates the reverence and awe the Jewish people had for God. They were so respectful that they didn't want to even accidentally take the name of God in vain. What a vast difference in the way we use God's name today. When something goes wrong it is easy to just blurt out some swear word with God's name attached or to just blame God for something He didn't do.

Scripture Support:

Exodus 3:13-16
And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?

Genesis 3:20
And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

Exodus 6:2-8
And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the Lord.

Exodus 6:20
And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.

Conclusion:

God is. He exists in the hearts and minds of His people. His name alone should be set apart and worshipped, not blasphemed.

Application:

When I talk about God I will only do so with the reverence and awe due the name of the One who created all things. I will make no jokes about my God and creator.