Significance of God's Personal Name in Scripture
The Significance of God's Personal Name in Scripture
The personal name of God, often represented by the Tetragrammaton (YHWH), holds significant importance in Scripture. In the Hebrew Bible, this name is used to reveal God's character and identity to the Israelites. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, the name "Jehovah" is "the special and significant name by which God revealed himself to the ancient Hebrews" [1]. This name is first introduced in Genesis, where God's identity and relationship with humanity are established.
The use of God's personal name in Scripture is closely tied to the concept of reverence and worship. In the Hebrew tradition, the name was considered so sacred that it was rarely pronounced, and when it was, it was typically by the high priest on the Day of Atonement [1]. The reverence for God's name is also reflected in Psalms, where it is written, "As is your name, God, so is your praise to the ends of the earth" [2]. This highlights the connection between God's name and His character, emphasizing that the way God is known is directly related to how He is revered.
The significance of God's name is not limited to the Old Testament; it is also a theme in the New Testament. In Colossians, believers are encouraged to do everything "in the name of the Lord Jesus," indicating that actions are to be done in harmony with His identity and under His authority [4]. This extension of the concept of "name" to Jesus underscores the continuity between the Testaments regarding the importance of God's identity and character.
In biblical times, a name represented a person's character, reputation, and origin, making the use of God's name in a curse or for trivial purposes a serious offense [6]. The reverence for God's name is a recurring theme across various biblical interpretations, with commentators like John Gill noting that "the name of the Lord is a strong tower" for believers, symbolizing God's attributes and perfections as a source of strength and security [5].
The biblical emphasis on God's name underscores its role in understanding God's nature and relationship with humanity. As Calvin notes in his commentary on Genesis, the names of God in Scripture contain "the germ of very important truths" that reveal aspects of God's character and interaction with humanity [7]. The significance of God's personal name in Scripture thus serves as a foundation for understanding the biblical portrayal of God and humanity's response to Him.
The biblical text itself highlights the enduring nature of God's name, stating, "His name endures forever. His name continues as long as the sun" [3]. This enduring quality of God's name is a testament to the timeless relevance of God's character and identity as revealed through Scripture.
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Jehovah — The special and significant name (not merely an appellative title such as Lord [adonai]) by which God revealed himself to the ancient Hebrews (Ex. 6:2, 3). This name, the Tetragrammaton of the Greeks, was held by the later Jews to be so sacred that it was never pronounced except by the high priest on the great Day of Atonement, when he entered into the most holy place. Whenever this name occurred in the sacred books they pronounced it, as they still do, "Adonai" (i.e., Lord), thus using another word in its stead. The Massorets gave to it the vowel-points ap”
- Psalms “As is your name, God, so is your praise to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of righteousness. -- Psalms 48:10”
- Psalms “His name endures forever. His name continues as long as the sun. Men shall be blessed by him. All nations will call him blessed. -- Psalms 72:17”
- Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 3:17: 3:17 as a representative of the Lord Jesus (literally in the name of the Lord Jesus): In the Bible, a person’s name represents that person. To do something in the name of the Lord Jesus is therefore to act in a way that is in harmony with his identity and under his authority.”
- Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 18:10: The name of the Lord is a strong tower,.... By "the name of the Lord" may be meant, either the attributes and perfections of God, by which he is made known, and which are the strength and security of his people; his goodness, grace, and mercy, are their defence; his favour encompasses them about, as a shield; his justice protects them from all injuries and insults; his truth and faithfulness preserve them; they are kept by his power, as in a garrison; and his unchangeableness is a reason why they are not consumed: or else the Lord himself; his name is put for himse”
- Leviticus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Leviticus 24:11: 24:11 blasphemed . . . with a curse In biblical times, a name was more than a means of identification; it represented a person’s character, reputation, and origin. God is holy, and he was to be regarded as holy in all of Israel’s life (see 10:3). The Israelites had been instructed to treat God’s name with reverence (Exod 20:7). Using his name in a curse reflected a sinful attitude toward God himself (Lev 24:15), and it deserved death (24:13-16). The wording in the Hebrew text is very strong: Two verbs meaning “curse” are used, one that indicated a more formal ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 6.10: be found to Vitringa and others. Against this view, however, Hengstenberg argues with considerable force, in his Dissertation “on the Names of God in the Pentateuch;” and if some of his reasonings in the use of these names seem too refined for the simplicity of the Holy Scriptures, and for the comprehension of those to whom the Scriptures are chiefly addressed, yet we may discover the germ of very important truths, thought they may be, in some degree, hidden beneath a variety of fanciful developments. By a very careful examination”