RUSSELL SANDERS
2-4-2022
THE LIFE OF MOSES – LESSON 5
YHWH – GOD’S NAME REVEALED – PART 1
Yesterday we spoke of Moses' encounter with God and the burning bush at Mount Horeb, later called Mount Sinai, the mountain (portal) of God. Today I want to describe the conversation and result of that encounter. First, we should study how God identified Himself to Moses, and how today we may understand that identification. We will trace His name and self-identification throughout chapter three of Exodus (KJV).
The name “God” appears in verse one, and it is the Hebrew word “Elohiym” (commonly written as Elohim). It is the name of the full Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is the same as Genesis 1:1 where it says, “In the beginning God (Elohiym) created the heaven and the earth.” The Hebrew “El” is singular and denotes the Father alone. It is also used generically to indicate lordship.
Elohiym is used for God in relation to mankind or the world in general, not as a personal name for His own people.
The name “LORD” (all capitals) appears in Exodus 3:2 as God speaks personally to Moses. This is from the Hebrew “YHWH” which we write in English as Yahweh, or Jehovah. The “Y” is the same as our “J” and the “W” is the same as our “V,” so whether YHWH (Yahweh) or JHVH (Jehovah), the name is the same.
Yahweh (Jehovah) is also the fullness of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The difference is in the usage. Whereas “Elohiym” is used generically for all mankind, the name YHWH is used uniquely for “His” people. It indicates a personal relation for either an individual, like Moses, or a people group, like Israel. You and I, therefore, serve “Yahweh.” That specifically includes Jesus who is identified In Hebrew as “Yeshua” included with “Yahweh.”
Just as “El” indicates the Father in “Elohiym,” so also “Yah” indicates the Father in “Yahweh.” We see this in several places in the Hebrew text. A classic example is in Psalm 150 verse 1 which says “Praise ye the LORD, Praise God in His sanctuary.”
The “LORD” in verse 1 is not Yahweh, despite the KJV capitals. It is the Hebrew “Yahh.” It is the singular form for the Father alone. Then as it says, “Praise God,” the Hebrew here for God is “El” which is again the singular form of the plural “Elohiym,” and it indicates the Father alone just as in “Yahh.”
This brings us to our worship word “hallelujah,” which means “praise God.” Verse 6 ends with “Praise ye the LORD” which literally means, “Praise you Father.” Hallelu-jah, praise (to the name of) Jahh or Yahh. Hallelu-jah” then is giving praise to our personal Father God. Tomorrow we will pursue God’s name further as “I AM,” from verse 14.
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