Conclusions: 1. English definitions show that, in English, the words, name, title, surname and appellation are interchangeable.
2. Hebrew definitions show that different words were used in scripture to translate "name, title and surname". The English words, "appellation" and "appellative" are not used in translating any scripture. The Hebrew words for "title" and "surname" are used interchangeably with each other, but they are not used interchangeably with the Hebrew word for name, "shem".
3. In scripture, the Hebrew "shem" is used for all the words used to address the Father and the Son. While some are used more often than others, there is no statement of preference by God, and no condemnation for using any of his "shem" to address him.
4. A vocalization of a word is not the same as the thing or person being described.
"name, n. the mere word by which anything is called, as distinguished from reality."
"reality, n. the state or fact of being real, having actual existence."
A vocalization is not a god, but can become a false god, an idol. Pagans idolized "words" and "names" of gods.
5. The blessings, including salvation, and the cursings which are associated by pro-names individuals with the use or non-use respectively, of "Hebrew names" are real and are based upon scriptures. However, attributing them directly to the vocalizing of certain words is to attribute God's character, reputation, authority, office, power and eternal existence to a "non-reality", to words, in lieu of attributing them to the Being, Himself. This is equivalent to the Jews' in Jerusalem, worshiping the Temple building, and ignoring the One whose Spirit was to dwell therein.
Many who use the Hebrew names are offended at the accusation of "idolatry" or even the suggestion that they might be "idolizing" the names of God. In reviewing the emphasis that most names groups put on this one doctrine, to the diminishing of other doctrines, sometimes to the point of ignoring the gospel message, it is not surprising that this is how many people view the names groups. If there is an overreaction to the names doctrines, there seems to be an equal or even greater lack of self-awareness of public image on the part of the pro-names groups.
The following is an example from a pro-names website. It is not necessarily typical of pro-names individuals, but from our research, illustrates the narrow focus of most pro-names literature, and some pro-names outreach efforts, which can give the impression of religious fanaticism toward the names.
1) Calling upon the name.
Sit down and say out loud or to yourself "Yod-He-Vav-He" 100 times in the morning and 100 times at night. Every month, add 100 times. This is not meaningless repetition - it is the most meaningful. And you are not doing it to be heard. You are doing it so that you can hear. As you call upon the name of YHWH, think about its significance to you. Over the course of a few months you will find the heavens opening and that the name YHWH is indeed full of all power and revelation.
2) Within yourself.
As you call upon the name, picture each part of your body glowing as you say each letter. Yod"-see your head glowing. "He"-see your arms glowing. And so on. This will help you to recognize the name within yourself.
3) Within others. The walking YHWH's.
Go to a shopping mall or other crowded place. As each person walks by, see them as YHWH
walking. This will help you to recognize the name in all people around you.
4) In the Bible.
Find a Bible. Or, better yet, get a computer program with the Bible in it. Replace every occurrence of "Lord" with "I am". You will be amazed at the results."We can understand the sincere attempt to become more God-centered and to increase one's awareness of God's reflection in the Creation. We understand the desire to develop a closer relationship with God. We also recognize that using a word as a 'mantra' in an effort to bring one to a higher level of consciousness, or to bring one into the presence of the "gods", is a practice of paganism.
For nearly every aspect of truth in the world, there is a counterfeit by Satan. The counterfeits are all accepted by someone, somewhere, sometime. Only with the help of God, can we recognize the difference. We are not to idolize anything. Neither are we to ignore the "name(s)" of our God. In the ever-present confusion surrounding "Christianity", God promised that we would be guided into "all truth", not by research, not by scholars, not by men pretending to be scholars, nor by sincere but incompetent writers and speakers, and certainly not by those who seek only to prove themselves right, even at the expense of the truth. He promised, through Christ, that we would be guided "into all truth" by the Holy Spirit. That means the Holy Spirit "in us", not the Holy Spirit "in someone else", otherwise the command to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" is meaningless and was said "in vain" (Phil. 2:12).6. The significance of God's names is that, through them, He reveals himself to us. Through all of his names, we can come to "know" him, to know who he is, what he has done, what he is doing and what he will do in the future. A "personal" name, one without meaning, would be purposeless, vain, and God does nothing in vain. Christ "revealed" the Father to us as our "Father", not only in form of address but in explaining the relationship desired by God. The "spirit" and the "truth" of the relationship He desires is as our "Father" with us as His "children". Strangers use titles and names. As "sons", we call out "Father" according to our older Brother's example. There is no record of Christ ever calling out "yhwh". At his death, he called out "my God".
If the word "Father" means nothing more to us than a "title" or a job description, then we have a dangerous lack of understanding.7. "Hebrew names" groups are usually consistent in making "the names" the most prominent doctrine of their belief system. This is reflected in the name of their organization, the theme of most of their literature, the most frequent topic of their sermons, and the topic of most of their conversation, especially with those outside of their group. This makes it appear that "names" is the foundation of their belief system rather than Christ or Messiah. Some do call it their "primary doctrine". This is what distinguishes those in the "names movement" from those who merely recognize and use the Hebrew names for the Father and the Son.
How does God compare his name with all the other " words" he gave us, i.e. his instructions, his commandments, all his communications with man?
"I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word (565) above all thy name." (Psa. 138:1-2).
David, a man after God's own heart, was inspired by God, to write that God's "word", his "commandment, speech, word", the things he "said" are " above" his own "name". (Strong's 565, imrah, im-raw', fem. of 561 and meaning the same, [561 emer, something said] commandment, speech, word.".If speaking the name in Hebrew were a matter of salvation, then why aren't there whole books in the Bible devoted to this matter, or at the least, whole chapters? The subject of leprosy was explained by God to Moses using three consecutive chapters with a total of 149 verses (Lev. 13-15). This dealt with a physical disease, not sin. As this list of pro-names arguments shows, there are no books or chapters presented as proof that the names is a matter of salvation. In fact, all the scattered scriptures used in these arguments total less than the 149 verses used to explain how to deal with leprosy.
8. An analogy:
A tree's shadow is not the tree itself. It represents the tree. It is unique to one particular tree. It is as accurate as a silhouette can be, but it is still not the tree. The shadow never fully represents the tree, since a shadow is two dimensional while the tree has three dimensions. The tree exists in the total absence of the shadow.
The tree has a root system and a history. It produces seeds and offspring. It reproduces itself. It produces fruit, lumber, paper, beauty as landscaping, and music with the wind in its leaves. As firewood it produces warmth, or heat for cooking. As lumber it provides fine wood for furniture. It provides shade, erosion control, shelter for animals, and food for other life forms. In death, it provides compost for other plants and food for other life forms. When it loses it's life, other creatures and life forms have life because of it. The shadow produces nothing of itself. It is a shade, but it does not produce itself. It is produced by the tree, in the presence of light.
God's names on our lips are like the tree's shadow. The names represent God. We use them to uniquely and exclusively refer to God. The meaning of God's names give us some understanding of God. God exists apart from His names. God existed before there were men to pronounce his names. The names do not fully describe God, as our understanding of God is still incomplete. Names are physical sounds or written symbols. Each name gives only one aspect or "dimension" of God.
A shadow has two dimensions, a tree has three. God exists in the fourth dimension, time, or eternity. He exists in the spirit world. He is self-existent. He is not dependent upon anything else for his existence.
God is not dependent upon his name, for any of his attributes, character, power, office, identity, eternity or authority. His names merely reveal these things to us about him.Another analogy:
There is an Indian tale about several blind men and their first encounter with an elephant. The first man touches the elephant's trunk and says, "An elephant is like a snake." The second touches the elephant's leg and argues, "No. An elephant is like a tree." The third touches the elephant's side and argues, "No, an elephant is like a wall." The fourth touches the elephants tale and argues, "No, an elephant is like a rope."
The blind men all possessed valid information based on personal experience which they expressed to the best of their abilities, yet they were all wrong in their individual understanding. Had they been open to sharing and attempting to harmonize their various understanding, in lieu of arguing and defending their individual opinions, they would have come to a more perfect understanding of an elephant.9. God transcends languages. He "mixed" the languages at Babel. He gave, through his Spirit, the gift of speaking in 15 different languages on the Day of Pentecost. (Acts 2). He sent his Son, and by him, his disciples into "all the world", with it's many languages, not to preach a gospel of "words" or "names" but a gospel of salvation through Christ's life, death and resurrection. God preserved his "words" in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Today, his words are being "preached in all the world for a witness". They are "preached" or published in 1,700 human languages. This is one of the signs, by which we were told, by Christ, to recognize that we are living in the "end times" (Mat. 24:3, 14).
10. There is no command or even suggestion in scripture that it is a sin or even undesirable to translate or transliterate any word or name into any language. God created a variety of languages at Babel, and gave the gift of tongues at Pentecost. A sweeping generalization about translation and transliteration has no basis in scripture or in history. The Book of Daniel is partially written in Aramaic, with the Aramaic elahh used for God instead of the Hebrew elohyim. The Massoretes could have changed it to yhwh or elohyim, but they did not.
Hadassah was renamed Esther, a derivative of Ishtar, and her name is preserved in scripture. Her uncle is called Mordecai, a derivative of Marduk. Daniel is given the name Belteshazzar.There is no scripture that says "my name is ONLY ........". There is no scripture that says we are "required" to call God "ONLY .......". Scriptural examples from Genesis to Revelation contradict this idea.
11. Scripture shows an overlap between name and title or description, even as the exclusive use of the Hebrew "shem" implies. It is exclusively used in referring to all the names (shem) of God.
God changed Abram's name to Abraham, meaning "a father of many nations" (Gen. 17:5). God changed Jacob's name to Israel "for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men and hast prevailed." (Gen. 32:28). We are to also receive "new" names, which by the examples above, will perfectly fit us (Isa. 62:2, Rev. 2:17, Rev. 3:12).12. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob didn't know the name, "yhwh" (Ex. 6:3).
13. Scripture, God's example, the example of the Patriarchs and the Prophets all show that words other than "yhwh" are acceptable as "names".
14. The examples of Christ, the NT authors and the disciples show that words other than "Yeshua" are acceptable as "names".
15. All of the names of the Father and the Son are descriptive and have meaning, including "yhwh" and "Yeshua".
16. Abraham's native language was not Hebrew. Abraham could not have used a " Hebrew" name for God.
17. The NT Jews, including Christ and the disciples spoke Aramaic as their "common" language. Few Jews actually knew Biblical Hebrew, according to Josephus.
18. The NT has been preserved in Greek, not Hebrew. If this is not by Divine intervention, then God has failed to preserve his word for our use. The "fruit" (good works) in the lives of many people is evidence that the Greek NT has been preserved by God for our benefit.
19. The Greek version of the OT, the Septuagint, was used by all or nearly all of the NT authors in writing the NT books. This shows the widespread use of the Greek language, even among the scattered tribes of Israel and the scattered Jews. This also shows that translation is not a sin.
20. Christ spoke Aramaic and probably Greek and Latin. He read from the scriptures in the synagogue showing that he also could read and speak Hebrew. Since the NT writers used the Greek Septuagint version of the OT in writing the NT books, Christ may have read from it in some of the synagogues, especially those outside of Jerusalem.
21. Languages change, including Hebrew. "Classical/Biblical" Hebrew is different from Medieval Hebrew and Modern Hebrew. Even the alphabet changed. Spelling, pronunciation and transliteration varies among the various Jewish groups in the world today.
22. The Sabbaths are a sign between God and his people forever (Ex. 31:13). Another sign identifying us as Christ's is that we have love for one another (Jn. 13:35). Speaking Hebrew is not a sign of God's people.
23. The Gospel from the Father through the Son is not a message about a "Hebrew name".
24. Eliminating all "profaned" words from our conversation would severely hinder or prevent effective communication in any language including Hebrew.
25. Paul talked about the different world languages and said that the important thing is edification (I Cor. 14:10-12). If we are to share spiritual truths, it must be done so that there is understanding and not the confusion of unfamiliar words.
"Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." (1 Cor. 14:19).
Paul successfully communicated to the Greeks about "the Unknown theos", the unknown god, listed on a Greek monument (Acts 17:22-23). The purpose of language is communication. Anything that hinders that is a stumblingblock.
"If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself." (1 Tim. 6:3-5).
Please note, that these are not our words, but Paul's. They would seem to apply to pro-names groups to the extent to which such groups separate themselves from others solely because of the non-use of Hebrew names.26. If we have received spiritual understanding, answered prayers, healings, divine interventions, protection, blessings, miracles, and established an intimate relationship with God, without using the Hebrew names, and thousands have, then where is the benefit in speaking Hebrew? Neither do we see any wrong in using the Hebrew names, as long as they are not made a stumblingblock for others, nor an idol for ourselves. Using the Hebrew names can demonstrate a sincere approach or it can be a self-destructive fetish.
"Of these things put them in rememberance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers." (2 Tim. 2:14).27. The names arguments require us to accept that God was unable or unwilling to preserve his name in scripture.
As one pro-names author put it, "...the real issue of all this research is just what is inspired and what is not?"
Accepting the arguments that the Hebrew names are obligatory and a matter of salvation, would force us to question whether there any scripture which can be trusted. Some have already rejected the entire New Testament and Jesus Christ for this reason. Some of the "names" arguments also bring the Old Testament's accuracy into question.
On the subject of accuracy and reliability, Christ said, "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, on jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Mat. 5:18).
In that context, he made the following prophecy, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Mat. 5:20). This is something to keep in mind if one chooses to adopt the culture of the Hebrews or the religion of Judaism (aspects of which were condemned by Christ/Messiah).28. There is a difference between "man-made understanding" and the "understanding" which comes to us from the Father through the Holy Spirit. Discernment of that difference is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. (See Jn. 14:16-17, 16:7-15).
29. The word "el", which God uses to refer to Himself, originated from the Canaanite language, not from Hebrew. Hebrew is a Canaanitish language as both archaeology and history show.
"The original generic term was 'ilum, which, dropping the mimmation and the nominative case ending u, became el in Hebrew. The word is derived from the root 'wl, "to be strong, powerful," meaning "the strong one". In Canaanite paganism as reflected in the Phoenician historian Philo of Byblos, AD 100, and particularly in the epic religious literature unearthed at Ras Shamra, ancient Ugarit in N Syria, 1929-37, El was the head of the Canaanite pantheon. According to Philo, El had three wives, who were also his sisters. This fluidity of relationship is in accordance with the general irrationality and moral grossness of Canaanite cults. According to Philo, El was a bloody tyrant who dethroned his own father, Uranus, murdered his favorite son, and decapitated his daughter. The Ugaritic poems present him also as a lustful, morbid character. Despite these crimes, El was considered the exalted "father of years" (abu shanima), the "father of Man" (abu adami), and "father bull," that is, the progenitor of the gods. Like Homer's Zeus, El was the father of men and gods. The utter moral abandon of El, as well as that of his son, Baal, and his three sister-wives, who were patronesses of sex and war, point to the degrading effects of Canaanite religion and offer adequate moral explanation for the inflexibly stern attitude of the OT toward the religion of the Canaanites and to the Canaanites themselves. The Ras Shamra literature speaks of Canaan as the "land of El," where this deity was absolute in authority over lessor gods."
(Source: Unger's Bible Dictionary.)Yet "el" is preserved in scripture, along with "elohyim" and "ehoahh" in reference to God. It is used in reference to false "gods" in the following scriptures: elah, Dan. 3:28; elowahh, eloahh, Dan 11:37; el, Dan. 11:36; elohyim, Dan. 1:2.
As a Canaanite language, Hebrew could not have been the original language of Eden or of Noah.30. Nearly all of the names groups refer to "yhvh" (or one of the variations thereof) as the "personal" name of God. This is a basic reason, they say, that we should use it. Yet in most, if not all the names literature, we see it also called the "name of Christ", the "family" name, and the "new name" we will receive in the future. It can't be both ways.
31. Many pro-names groups seem to indicate that Hebrew is a "sacred language". This is reflected in the term, "sacred name". The word "sacred" is not found in scripture. The English definition of the word includes, "reverently dedicated to some person or object". Yet God says Israel is "called" by his name. We are to be a "holy people". That still does not make us "entitled to veneration", another part of the definition of "sacred". "Veneration" comes from "Venus", love, allied to Sanskrit van, to worship, which is how many understand the term. The God who commands us to worship only him and who forbids idolatry, commanded that we worship him, not his name. If we claim that his name does not represent his character, authority and attributes, that it is "just a personal name", a label, without meaning, and that we are to consider it "sacred", then how are we different from the pagans who idolized the names of their gods?
32. God gave Israel the principle that, in matters of life and death, the testimony of two or three witnesses were required (Deu. 17:6-7, 19:15). The preservation of the Bible, mostly in the two original languages of Hebrew and Greek, but also portions in Aramaic, has helped confirm that we have for the most part, an accurately preserved Bible. On a verse by verse, or word by word level, it helps us understand where "tweaking" (human editing) has occurred.
33. Some significant scriptures concerning "words":
"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." (1 Cor.1:17).
"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God".
(1 Cor. 2:4-5, see also verses 6-16).
"So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken: for ye shall speak into the air." (1 Cor. 14:9)."Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." (Eph. 5:6).
"And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words." (Col. 2:4).
"For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness: God is witness:" (1 Ths. 2:5).
"If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness:
He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings.
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth... from such withdraw thyself." (1 Tim. 6:3-5)."Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers." (2 Tim. 2:14).
"But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:" (Jude 17).
"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." (Deu. 4:2).
This forbids making up scripture or deleting scripture, but beyond that, we should not attempt to make a word to be of more significance or less significance than stated. When the pro-names groups emphasize two words as names, they diminish the significance of all the other names and titles of God and Christ. By doing so, they become false witnesses of God, because all of his names reveal aspects of himself to us.
[Two ministers of the "names movement" have published a thorough and well-written paper acknowledging that to refuse to use the "titles" of "Lord" and "God" is to "deny" the authority and office of the Messiah and of the Father.
(See Appendix 7).]A Shared Purpose In studying this subject, we did not set out to either prove or disprove one thing or another, but to arrive at the truth of the matter. Often in life, we believe we have arrived at some particular truth, only to discover later, by additional information, or by a better understanding, that we were previously wrong but now, we believe we do have the truth. Paul's admonition was not to those who thought they might not properly understand truth, but to those who were convinced that they did understand it.
"Wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12).We are to seek diligently and earnestly after knowledge and understanding and wisdom (Pro. 1-4). This search requires us to consider words and arguments of logic. But truth isn't promised through the power of human reasoning alone. We need a guide. And Christ promised us one.
"And I (Christ) will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that it may abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth:. . ." (Jn. 14:16-17, in part)."Nevertheless I tell you the truth;. . .
". . . when it; the Spirit of truth is come, it will guide you into all truth; . ."
(Jn.16:7-13, in part).Names Index / Next
