That "yhvh" only, will fit on our "foreheads"? 16. Some say that the "sacred names" have to be "yhvh", because "there isn't room on our foreheads for all those other names." (see Rev. 14:1). (This is a sincere argument not a fabrication.)
If there is room for all His "commandments, the statutes, and the judgments" to be bound upon your hand and "as frontlets between thine eyes.", then there should be room for His names (Deu.6:1-8, 11:1-18). There also seems to be room for the history of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Ex. 13:1-10).17. The "pagan" objection.
Some say that we must use the Hebrew pronunciation of "yhvh" because "all those other names are pagan." Yet "pagan" Roman letters (i.e. "A, B, C....) are used to symbolize these "sacred names".Of the problems involving Apollos (Acts 18:24-26; 1 Cor. 1:12, 3:4-7, 16:13), no one, not even Paul, complained that Apollo was also the name of one of the great Olympian gods. The Greek god, "Appollo" was called "Lord of the Silver Bow", he was the god of music, poetry, dance, science, philosophy, and the intellect. He was worshiped as the Protector of flocks and herds, the Patron of the founding of towns and colonies, the god of healing, the god of prophecy and the god of the light of the sun, and god of the light of knowledge. "The worship of Apollo was one of the most potent forces that brought Greek civilization to full flower." (The New Century Handbook of Greek Mythology and Legend, Edit. by Avery, 1972, p.64).
(Note: The spelling of these names will vary somewhat because of the various efforts by different translators to transliterate them. Transliteration is not an exact science.)The name Apollos comes from the same root as several other words used in the NT.
"625...Apollos, prob. from the same as 624; Apollos, an Israelite."
"624...Apollonia, from the pagan deity Apollon (i.e. the sun: from 622); a place in Macedonia". (Acts 17:1)."...the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon." (Rev. 9:11).
"623...Apollyon, active participle of 622; a destroyer (i.e. Satan)"
"622...apollumi, from 575 and the base of 3639; to destroy fully, lit. or fit.:--destroy, die, lose, mar, perish."Titus (or Tityus), in Greek mythology, was the giant son of Zeus.
Philemon shared his name with the mythical character in the story of "Baucis and Philemon". This was a story of a human couple who befriended a disguised Zeus and Hermes and were rewarded by being made priests and having their home made a golden temple, while the gods killed everyone else with a flood. At the end of their lives, the couple were changed into "two trees".
Dionysus, a convert of Paul (Acts 17:34), was also the name of the Greek god of wine, another son of Zeus. Dionysus is the Greek equivalent of the Roman god Bacchus. He was said to have traveled throughout Greece, Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt introducing his sexual/religious rites attended by satyrs, nymphs and maenads (female followers whom he inspired to carry out his orgiastic rites in ecstatic frenzy).
Barnabas, Paul's fellow Evangelist (Acts 13:2), had the same name as the mythical son of Nebo.
Phoebe (or Phebe) was named by Paul as being a "servant of the church" (prob. a deaconess) in the church at Cenchrea, a harbor town near Corinth (Rom. 16:1-2). In Greek paganism, she was a Titaness, daughter of Uranus and Gaea. Her name was synonymous with the moon, and she had dominion over the moon.
Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, became the High Priest (Ex.6:25, Num. 25:7-13, 31:6, Judg. 20:27-28). Phineus, in Greek mythology, was brother to Cepheus (king of Ethiopia) and, both uncle and suitor to Andromeda. Perseus rescued Andromeda from a sea monster by using the head of Medusa to turn it into stone. Perseus then killed Phineus and married Andromeda.Narcissus, in the church at Rome, is also mentioned by Paul (Rom. 16:11). The Greek character, Narcissus, was a beautiful youth, son of the river god Cephisus. To avenge Narcissus' rejection of the nymph Echo, Aphrodite caused Narcissus to become totally enamored of his own reflection in the waters of a stream. Unable to embrace or kiss the image, he pined away until he was changed into a flower, the narcissus.
Junia is mentioned by Paul as being "of note among the apostles" (Rom. 16:7). Juno is the Roman name of Hera, queen of heaven.
Persis was in the church at Rome (Rom. 16:12). Perseus killed Medusa, after obtaining winged shoes and Pluto's helmet which rendered him invisible. Using Medusa's head he killed a sea monster, and turned Polydectes and his court into stone.
Hermas and Hermes are named among the brethren (Rom. 16:14). Hermes was Greek messenger of the gods, called Mercury by the Romans. He was son of Zeus and Maia. Many of his exploits involve thievery or mischief.
Nereus is called a saint by Paul (Rom. 16:15). Nereus, a sea divinity, son of Oceanus and Gaea, and husband of Doris, by whom he had fifty daughters, called the Nereids. He was gifted with prophecy and lived in the Aegean Sea.
Olympas was among the saints at Rome (Rom. 16:15). Mount Olympus was on the border between Macedonia and Thessaly, and was considered the abode of the gods.
Jason was in the church at Corinth (Rom. 16:21). Jason and the Argonauts is a well-known Greek myth. Jason was brought up by the centaur Chiron and accomplished miraculous and epic feats to recover his father's kingdom.
Gaius was also in the Corinthian church (Rom.16:23). Gaea (or Gaia) is the first being that sprang from Chaos. She is the personification of the Earth. She gave birth to Ouranos (Sky) and with him gave birth to the Titans who preceded the gods. She is identified by the Romans as Terra.At the time these "saints" were alive and active in the church, the Greeks still worshiped their mythical namesakes, many of which are obvious counterfeits of God or Christ. Yet there is no mention by Paul of this being a problem, or of a need to change their names. It appears that this situation was not considered "offensive" to God. Of course, God doesn't believe in false gods because they are not really gods(Isa. 44:9-20). To Him they are a non-reality as a god, merely wood, stones (Deu. 28:36) or false concepts ("vain imaginations", Rom. 1:21-24). Men do sometimes believe in them, which is why God forbids idolatry (Ex. 20:1-6).
(See also No. 28, "Other names profaned", below.)
18. The Baal Connection
Baal, or Baalim, a Phoenician or Canaanite deity, is mentioned approximately 65 times in scripture. The Hebrew word, "Ba'al", (see Strong's 1168, 1167, 1166) has the meaning "master" or "husband". Both master (Mat. 23:8) and husband (Isa. 54:5) are used to refer to Christ. The word "master" is used approximately 72 times in direct address to Christ, in parables about Christ and the Father, and in referring indirectly to Christ. It is the single most used form of address, or "name" used by the disciples in addressing Christ. Christ endorsed his disciples using it to address him (Jn. 13:13-14).
The word "husband" is used to refer to the relationship between Christ and the church (2 Cor. 11:2). The New Jerusalem is described as a "bride adorned for her husband" (Rev. 21:2).
Some insist that any words used in reference to pagan gods, cannot be used to address the Father or the Son. By that argument, we could not refer to Christ as "Master", or refer to Him as the "husband" or "head" of the church. Christ's example and the example of the disciples contradict the "pagan" argument of the "names" doctrine.While there are many objections to accepting the Greek NT, because of the absence of Hebrew names and the presence of "pagan" names, we've seen no discussion of the presence of "Baal" and "Gad" in the OT. If the pro-names arguments are valid for rejecting the Greek NT, then why aren't they valid for rejecting the "Hebrew" OT? After all, King Saul and his son Jonathan both had sons which they named using "Baal" (1 Chrn. 8:33-34). Saul named a son, Eshbaal, meaning "son of Baal". Jonathan named his son, Meribbaal, translated as "quarreller of Baal" and as "rebellion of (against) Baal".
Even other pro-names groups refute this argument. For instance, the following is from a pro-names website:
" The word "baal" simply means "lord." As such, it is not a bad word, and it is proper to use at appropriate times. It is used in the Bible as various parts of speech. The Theological Wordbook to the Old Testament states:
One may own (ba'al) a house (Exodus 22:7), or rule over (ba'al) territory (cf. I Chronicles 4:22). A man may take (laqah) a wife andmarry (ba'al) her (Deuteronomy 24:1). A focus on the verb ba'al from the theological standpoint leads to a consideration of marriage terminology employed by God in defining his relationship to his people.
"For your Maker is your husband (ba'al), the LORD of hosts is his name" (Isaiah 54:5ff.). In Jeremiah the existing marriage relationship becomes a motivation for repentance: "For I am a husband unto you"(Jeremiah 3:14, ASV; RSV renders "I am your master").
In the justly famous new covenant passage the former covenant is described as a broken covenant, a situation which is the more sobering and shocking because "I was a husband (ba'al) to them, says Jehovah" (Jeremiah 31:32, ASV; RSV similar; cf. Malachi 2:11). The future delights which God will have with his redeemed people are stressed in Isaiah where the land is said to be married (ba'al, Niphal), apparently to YHWH. The name of the land, Beulah (passive participle of ba'al), signifies both the intimacy and the joy of YHWH in conjunction with the land (`eres, q.v.;
Isaiah 62:4).The background which such language gives to the NT concept of Messiah as the bridegroom or husband of his people, the church, should be obvious(cf. Ephesians 5:21 ff.). In any case one must not miss the close covenantal tie which this metaphor suggests, not only of love but of loyalty between God and his people. ba'al. Owner, possessor, husband, Baal. Ugaritic also
has the double use of master and the name of a deity.The root in most Semitic languages means either "Yahweh" or, when followed by a genitive, "owner." In addition to ba'al as owner of things, the noun in the plural is used for citizens (ba'alim) of a city (Joshua 24:11). In Judges 9 where the noun occurs sixteen times, ASV consistently translates "men," but RSV in addition to "men" employs "citizen" (Jud. 9:2) and "people" (Jud. 9:46). ba'al can refer to partner or ally (Genesis 14:13). Idiomatically ba'al as master of something characterizes the person (e.g. ba'al of wrath, Proverbs 22:24; of appetite, Proverbs 23:2; of dreams, Genesis 37:19) or identifies occupation (e.g. officer, ba'al of the guard, Jeremiah 37:13). As such it used as when wife speaking of her husband (Genesis 20:3), landowners (Joshua 24:11), "lords of the nations" (Isaiah 16:8), owners of various items (Exodus 21:28,34; 22:8;. . .), creditors (Deuteronomy 15:2), Yahweh (Isaiah 54:5; Hosea 2:16), and to false gods (Judges 2:11,13).
Likewise, its English translation, "Lord," is used in the similar ways. A person can be "Lord of his home," or he can "Lord it over a group." As such we should not be afraid to use this term, for the word itself, if used as above, in no way gives worship to a false God, or idolatry. Indeed, the word can be also be translated "Master," or "Mister." "
(Source: http://www.bible-studies.com/p3384.htm, and http://www.reslight.addr.com/divine.html).
Another "pagan names" argument is that the presence of the names of pagan gods in the NT, "proves" that the NT was not originally written in Greek. The authors of The Scriptures (a "sacred names" Bible) call this fact, "indisputable evidence and our greatest proof" that the NT was not originally in Greek. The simple fact that Baal, a pagan god, is named over 60 times in the Hebrew OT, refutes this argument.
This is not the only problem with this argument as there are other pagan gods mentioned in the the OT:Judges 2:11-13 -Baal and Ashtoroth
Judges 16:23 -Dagon
1 Kings 18:21, "And Elijah ... said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word."
Jeremiah 50:2 -Bel and Merodach
Ezekiel 8:14 -Tammuz
Amos 5:26 -Chiun and MolochElijah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Amos all spoke the names of pagan gods. Obviously the sin is not in the speaking, or these men would have sinned by the inspiration of God. Likewise all those who read from the scriptures in the synagogues, as well as any of us today who read the scriptures which God has preserved for our benefit.
Notice also that Stephen, in his last words before his martyrdom, quoted Amos 5:25-27. "Then God turned, and gave them to worship the host of heaven; as it written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which you made to worship them; and I will carry you away beyond Babylon."(Acts 7:42-43).
From Strong's:
Dagon: 1712. Dagown, daw-gohn'; from 1709; the fish-god; Dagon, a Philistine deity . . .1709.Molech: 4432. Molek, mo'-lek; from 4427; Molek (i.e. king); the chief deity of the Ammonites.
Ashteroth: 6252. Ashtarowth, ash-taw-roth', or Ashtaroth . . . plur. of 6251; Ashtaroth, the name of a Sidonian deity.
Baal: 1168. Ba'al, bah'-al; the same as 1167; Baal, a Phoenician deity . . .1167. ba'al, bah'-al; . . . a master; hence a husband, or owner _Ref. {Gen, 20:3=man's; 37:19=master (of dreams, Joseph); Ex. 21:22=husband; 22:8=master; 22:11=owner; Joel 1:8= husband; etc.}.
Chiun: 3594. Kiyuwn, kee-yoon'; from 3559; prop. a statue, i.e. idol; used . . . for some heathen deity ( . . .Priapus or Baal-peor).
19. Some refer to Isa 42:8 and 48:11 ("my glory") in support of the "names" doctrine.
"I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." (Isa. 42:8).
"For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another." (Isa. 48:11).Taken by themselves, these quotes may look supportive. But when we look at the context, the subject is not about which name we should call the Father.
Ex. 32 is the account of Israel worshipping an idol while Moses was on Mt. Sinai, receiving the Commandments. Starting in verse 7, God expressed his anger, culminating in his proposal to Moses, to destroy all Israel and start over again to build a nation from Moses (verse 10). Moses responds, "Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth: Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people." (Ex. 32:12).
And God refrained from destroying all Israel.
In Num.14, the situation had again become critical. "And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me: and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee (Moses) a greater nation and mightier than they." (Num. 14:11-12).Moses responds with a longer intercessory prayer this time.
13 "And Moses said unto the Lord, Then the Egyptians shall hear it,...
14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land:...
15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak saying,
16 Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness....
19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even unto now.
20 And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. (Num. 14:13-21).
What is God's glory?
"I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory." (Isa. 46:13).
God's glory is not just a name, but the salvation of those who are called by his name, physical and spiritual "Isra-el".
Moses' argument against God's proposed killing of all Israel was that all the nations who were aware of what God was doing with Israel, would have no respect for God, saying in effect, "He couldn't keep his covenant with Israel." He was pointing out that there was no glory in failure and that the "world" would look on it as God's failure, not Israel's.
God refrained from killing all Israel. The spies that brought back an "evil report" which caused all Israel to sin, were killed quickly by plague (Num.14:37). As for the rest of Israel, their punishment for their "ten" transgressions was that all those over age 20 would not see the Promised Land, but would die in the wilderness (Num. 14:34-35). God did allow those under age 20, to later go into the Promised Land (verse 31).
Because he would continue his covenant with the next generation, his glory would eventually "fill" all the earth.With this background, we can now look at Isa. 42 and 48.
Isa. 42:1-4 are a prophecy of Christ as Savior and the Messiah.
Verses 5-6 refers to the "covenant", saying, "I will keep thee and give thee for a covenant of the people".
(The covenant is too large a subject to be addressed here but we shall address it separately.)
Because God is eternal and promises to keep his "covenant" (promise) to Abraham (and to his physical and spiritual descendants), God's glory continues. Now we come to verse 8. God is "eternal" and in verse 8, he says, "I am the Lord (the self-existent or eternal one): that is my name:..."
"...and my glory will I not give to another,...". In other words,"Because I keep my covenant with Israel, I will maintain my glory".
"...neither my praise to graven images." God punished Israel/Judah every time they committed idolatry, so that they could never claim their success was due to their idols.Isa. 48 continues this line of thought. In verses 1-8, God declares that he gave Israel prophecies so that they could not give any credit to their idols. Verse 1 emphasizes names, "Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel (elsewhere "by my name Isra-el"), and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness." In other words, they "take God's name in vain" by calling themselves "Isra-el-ites" while their works are unrighteous, (see also Ex. 20:7).
Verse 9, "For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off."
"For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another." (Verse 11).
The "polluted" in verse 11 refers to the taking of God's name in vain in verse 1. The giving "glory unto another" in verse 11, refers to giving credit to idols in verse 5.The Greek word translated as "glory" (when speaking of God or Christ) is Strong's 1391, doxa, meaning "dignity, glory, honor, praise, and worship." The Hebrew word translated in Isa. 42 and 48 is Strong's' 3519, kabowd or kabod, meaning splendor, glory, honor."
Satan can speak God's name but that doesn't give him glory. God is "given glory" when people "repent". It comes from actions not words.
"And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory." (Rev. 16:9).
God's name is "blasphemed" when men "vilify, speak impiously, defame, rail on, revile, and speak evil of", (see Strong's Greek, 987 blasphemeo).
The glory of God is not in a name but in the success of his plan to bring many into salvation and bringing the whole world out of sin.
"Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name;..."
How?
"...worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." (Psa. 29:1-2)."Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name:..."
How?
"...bring an offering, and come into his courts.
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him all the earth.
Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth..." (Psa. 96:8-10).According to scripture, we give God glory by our actions:
"worship", "bring an offering" (a broken and contrite heart, Psa. 51:16-17),
"come into his courts"(singing, giving thanks, praise, and prayer, Psa. 100:1-4),
"fear before him"(be obedient), and "say among the heathen" (preach the gospel).Names Index / Next
