HalleluYah!

The word halleluyah is the most ancient of all words of praise. It is used both on earth and in heaven to worship the Almighty (Rev. 19:1-6). The origin, meaning and significance of this word is greatly misunderstood. It is a pure Hebrew word and yet is found in almost every language. The first part of the word ‘hallelu’ means ‘praise’ and the last part is ‘Yah’, a poetic, shortened form of YHWH (Yahwah), the one being praised. YHWH (pronounced Yahwah) is the peronal name of the Creator. It is found in the Bible in its original language over 6,800 times. We find the name in Hebrew scriptures, Bible concordances, encyclopedias, dictionaries and in many current writings of history and archeology. The shortened form, Yah, is even found in the names of many men of the Bible, such as Elijah (Eliyah) which means ‘my mighty one is Yahwah’. Some others are Jeremiah (Yeremyah), ‘may Yahwah lift up’; Obediah (Obadyah), ‘servant of Yahwah’; Isaiah (Yesha’yah), ‘Yahwah saves’; Zechariah (Zekaryah) ‘Yahwah has remembered’ and Joshua (Yahoshua), ‘Yahwah is salvation’.

NOTE: THE HEBREW ALPHABET HAS NO LETTER THAT IS EQUIVALENT TO OUR LETTER ‘J’. THE NAMES ABOVE HAVE BEEN CORRECTED WITH A ‘Y’ (WHERE NECESSARY) AND ARE SHOWN IN PARENTHESIS.

YHWH is known by modern readers in the form of ‘Jehovah’. But as the Encyclopedia Britannica explains, along with the Holman Bible Dictionary and all others, Jehovah is the erroneous form of the divine name YHWH, pronounced Yahwah. Let’s look at how this distortion came about.

Originally the name YHWH was known and used in the whole earth when men were of one speech and one language (Gen. 11:1). The Hebrew language had no vowels, only consonants were used, thus readers pronounced the vowels as they read (this is true even today in Hebrew newspapers). In the middle ages, Jewish scholars developed a system of symbols placed under and beside the consonants to indicate the vowels. Reverence for the divine name, YHWH, led to the practice of avoiding its use, so as not to ‘take the name in vain’ (Ex. 20:7). The name YHWH was scribed with the vowel marks from Adonia (LORD) as a device to remind them to say ‘Adonia’ and not ‘YHWH’ in their reading of the scriptures. This fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 48:19; HIS NAME SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CUT OFF NOR DESTROYED FROM BEFORE ME, and in Jeremiah 11:19; .. THAT HIS NAME MAY BE NO MORE REMEMBERED.

The Hebrew language is read from right to left, instead of our left to right. Here is what YHWH’s name looks like in Hebrew:

HWHY

In later years when scholars sought to translate the scriptures into other languages, they mixed the vowel sounds from ‘Adonia’ with the consonants of YHWH and came up with the hybrid name Jehovah; PETRUS GALATINUS; POPE LEO X, 1518 AD.

Since most of our language stems from older cultures, it is no wonder we have changed so many of our sounds over the past years. To give some examples, the Balkan Yugoslavia was once written Jugoslavia, but was always pronounced as it is today, having a ‘Y’ sound. Maps at the turn of the century often identified the USSR as Sowjet Russia. The ‘w’ had the Germanic ‘v’ sound and the ‘j’ had the ‘y’ sound. The word major is pronounced as ‘mayor’ in both Latin and German. June and July are also pronounced ‘Yune’ and ‘Yuly’. Knowing the ‘y’ and ‘j’ shared the same sounds as did the ‘w’ and ‘v’, explains how YHWH was wrongly changed to:

J e H o V a H

Y - H - W - H

Now, some may ask what the importance of all this is? (It seems strange that anyone would question the importance of their Creator’s name). The Word says “..hallowed be Thy name,” Matthew 5:9. It does not leave us in doubt as to whether or not the name of YHWH is important for us to know, speak and praise! When the true name is put back in the places where the translators have substituted to word ‘LORD’, the reading of the scriptures no longer contradict each other. The Bible makes it clear that we should remember the name of the Almighty and USE IT!

Micah 6:9 tells us, “YHWH’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name.” (We must all see the revelation of His name). “So will I make my Holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my Holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am YHWH, the Holy One in Israel,” Ezekiel 39:7. Exodus 20:7 states, “Thou shalt not take the name of YHWH thy God in vain.” To say it is unimportant or to not bare the NAME and then claim to be one of His children is certainly taking the name of YHWH in vain. Malachi 3:16 says, “Then they that feared YHWH spake often one to another: and YHWH hearkened, and heard it, and a book of rememberence was written before Him for them that feared YHWH and that thought upon his name.” The Word even goes as far as to say, “And YHWH shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be one YHWH and His name one,” Zechariah 14:9. Joel 2:32 is clear: “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of YHWH shall be delivered.” (SAVED).

IN MOST ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS, YHWH IS RECOGNIZABLE WHERE THE WORDS ‘LORD’ OR ‘GOD’ APPEAR IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. JUST BUY A HEBREW-ENGLISH TANAKH (Old Testament) AND CHECK FOR YOURSELF.

The one verse in the King James translation which does bring this name over into the English in the form ‘Jah’ (pronounced Yah), is by itself enough for the obedient person to see his responsibility to use his name. The Scripture in reference is Psalm 68:4, which in the KJ version reads, “Sing unto God, sing praises to his name; extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah (Yah), and rejoice before him.” It is very clear that the name of YHWH is meant to be known and used by his people.

There is also, and most importantly, a direct connection between the name of the Almighty and the name of His Son, our Savior. The prophet Isaiah made witness in Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” As we all know, these are descriptive words for the Messiah, not names. You don’t praise the name ‘Wonderful’, that is silly, you praise Him by His name! We know by this scripture and many others that the Father and the Son are ONE God. Isaiah 7:14 says, “and shall call his name Immanuel,” being interpreted in Matthew 1:22-23 ‘God with us’. (In the Dead Sea Scrolls this verse, interestingly enough, is rendered ‘and they will call His name Immanu El’). Not that they would name him this name but that they would call YHWH (His name), God with us. We know that His name is not Immanuel. ‘El’ is the Hebrew word for ‘God’ and ‘Immanu’ means ‘with us’. All these words cannot be God’s names, as we learned earlier, God has one name: YHWH. The prophesy in Isaiah was not just a sign that God would be with us, but that YHWH would become flesh, incarnate and with us in person! Our Creator did come in the flesh, if you’re not convinced, read 1 Timothy 3:16. Jeremiah 23:5-6 tells about the righteous Branch being called, “..YHWH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS,”. In the English translations, LORD appears where YHWH originally did, so your NIV or KJV will read incorrectly. It is undisputed: the name God called Himself was YHWH. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO PROVE THIS, IT IS ALREADY FACT..!

The Savior himself said, “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not, if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive,” John 5:43. Phillipians 2:9 says, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.” How many scriptures would you like to see that refer to YHWH as having the holiest name, to be revered and walked in forever and ever? The multitude of verses and chapters are not hard to find concerning this subject.

Many Bible scholars, knowing the history, culture and development of languages agree that our Savior was not known by the name ‘Jesus’. Isaiah 43:10-11 tells us plainly, “..before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am YHWH; and beside me there is no Saviour.” The Messiah was a Hebrew, but the name ‘Jesus’ is in fact, derived from the Greek name ‘Iesous’ which is found in some Greek translations and copies which are remaining today of the original New Testament. The 1611 Edition spells it ‘Iesus’, without the ‘o’ and even the Latin speaking pronounce it Hay Zues. (We did not have an actual letter ‘J’ in our alphabet until around the 16th century). According to the famous Liddel and Scott Greek Lexicon, ‘Iesous’ is the Ionic masculine form of the name ‘Iaso’: the Greek goddess of healing. This goddess would be the female counterpart of the Greek god ‘Zeus’, which means ‘lord of heaven’. The Greek pagans knew only their gods when they were introduced to this new God, the supreme God, YHWH. This is why the people of Lystra called Barnabas by the name Jupiter (the Roman equivelant of the Greek god Zeus) and tried to sacrafice to him.

Some people use the name Yashua (Joshua) as the Messiah’s name. Originally, Yahshua was called Oshea (Numbers 13:16), but Moses added the divine name to it and called him Yahoshua, meaning YHWH ‘delivered’ or ‘is salvation’. Later the ‘o’ sound dropped away and the name was pronounced Yeshua. The KJ translation in Hebrews 4:8 and Acts 7:45 uses the name ‘Jesus’ when speaking of Joshua. Though Joshua’s name means ‘YHWH is salvation’, it does not mean that he is the Savior. Our Savior’s name is YHWH. Even the Jews accused Him of “..making Himself equal with God”, John 5:18 “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God”, Phillippians 2:6.

Keeping in mind that the word LORD is in substitute for the true name YHWH, lets look at Jeremiah 23:26-27. “How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies..which think to cause my people to forget my name;..as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.” Baal, the deity name of pagan Babylon, came into the Hebrew from the Babylonian language and means Lord (remember the meaning of Zeus?) Hosea 2:16-17 tells us we will no more call Him Baal, but Ishi (husband) and He will take away the names of Baalim out of our mouths and we will be betrothed to Him in covenant forever. Then we are His true bride!

YHWH said He would have a people called by His name, having the Father’s name in their forehead. Who’s name is in your forehead? ..Some have accepted the person of the Savior without knowing His true name; YHWH is the Father of grace and mercy, therefore He looks on the intention of the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). His past mercy in no way justifies continuing in ignorance, though. To use the words in Acts 17:30, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.” “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin,” James 4:17.

You can be an heir of eternal life. John 3:36 says, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” This eternal life has been made possible by the shedding of His blood as an atonement for our sins, but you must personally accept Him as the sacrafice for your sins and as the King of your life. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” John 1:12. According to Romans 10:13-14, Acts 2:21, Acts 22:16 and Joel 2:32, “Whosoever shall call on the name of YHWH shall be delivered.” (SAVED). Take the names of Baalim out of your mouths and “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of YHWH Messiah for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit," (which is the indwelling prescence and power in your life and body). "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as YHWH our God shall call.” Acts 2:38-39. “..CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YE WILL SERVE..BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE YHWH.” Joshua 24:15. 1 John 2:22 says, “Who is a liar but he that denieth that YHWH is the Messiah? He is antimessiah, that denieth the Father and the Son.”

Some references not mentioned include the Vatican Manuscript, the 1611 Edition KJV, The Interlinear NIV Hebrew-English Old Testament by John R. Kohlenberger III, many library references and most importantly the Holy Spirit which brings us into all truths!