THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE NAME OF THE CHRISTIAN GOD

     The name of the Christian god is essential to Christian theology for several reasons. It effectively distinguishes the god of the Hebrews and Christians from the other gods in the near eastern world,  facilitating intimacy between the Creator and his creatures. Ultimately,  the Lord's  name points to the holy mystery of his Divine nature and salvific plan for His creation. 

     In Exodus 3, after the prophet Moses is called by the Lord to bring deliverance to the Hebrew people, Moses understandably desires to know the name of the deity who has commissioned him. Moses, who is familiar with the Egyptian pantheon of gods, wants to distinguish Yahweh, the god of his fathers from the other perceived gods in Egyptian culture. Naturally, he asks Yahweh for his name. Yahweh's response reveals important elements of his character and nature:

                     But Moses said to God, "If I come to the Israelites and say to them,

                    'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me,

                     'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses,

                     "I am who I am." He said further, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 

                      'I am has sent me to you.'" Exodus 3:13-14, NSRV)

In verse 13, the first Hebrew name used for God is "'ehyeh 'asher 'ehyeh", meaning God provides. A shortened form of the name in hebrew "'ehyeh" follows second. The third I Am in verse 14 means "Lord." In Hebrew the name has four letters, "yhwh" (perhaps pronounced Yahweh), and is thus known as the Tetragrammaton. This revelation of the name of the Lord is significant for a variety of reasons. The first statement "I am who I am" reveals key elements of the nature and character of the Lord. The Lord describes himself as a benevolent being for he is a god that provides for his own. This characteristic of the Lord reveals his loving predisposition towards his creatures. The Lord is keenly aware of the plight of the Hebrew people who have been enslaved by the Egyptians for over 500 years. Yahweh's very name speaks to their plight and provides hope that the god of their ancestors will provide for their needs. The Lord's name is perfectly suited to resound in the hearts and ears of the oppressed Hebrews in need of a savior. God's benevolence will prove to be a key factor in Moses introducing the Hebrew people to the God of their ancestors.

     The Torah and wisdom books clearly distinguish the Hebrew god from the other perceived gods in the near eastern world. This is beautifully illustrated in Psalm 95 where the writer asserts:

                   O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock

                   of our salvation! ² Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us

                   make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God,

                   and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth;

                    the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it...

                    (Psalm 95:1-5, NSRV)

In this celebratory song of worship the writer identifies the Hebrew god as the Lord and great king above all gods. Yahweh's great power and authority over other perceived gods and the created order is clear. The Lord reigns over all creatures.

      Distinguishing the Lord from other gods in near eastern cultures was critical to Hebrew spirituality. The Hebrews were surrounded by nations that worshipped pagan gods. Chief among these were the Canaanite fertility gods Baal and Asherah, Baal worship often involved illicit sexual acts of worshipers with the priests of Baal to incur the favor of the deities. These ritual practices were abhorrent by the standards of Mosaic law. The use of the name of the Lord in Hebrew spirituality reminded the Hebrews of the true and One god they served. It also psychologically reinforced their sense of cultural and religious identity.

     The critical importance of the calling God by his name is also illustrated in the Hebrew Shema, found the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy:

                Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord

                your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

                Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. (Deuteronomy 6:4-6, NSRV)

This passage is illuminating on many levels. First, Moses identifies the Lord (Hebrew Yahweh) as the God of Israel. Israel has no other God but the Lord who is distinguished by his wonderful name. Secondly, the Hebrews are commanded to love the Lord with their whole beings and strength. This commandment establishes important expectations of the Lord for his people. The Hebrews are to be a unique, particular people who follow the Creator of all things in the cosmos.

     Addressing the Lord God by his name also helps reaffirm the believer's understanding of his/her place in the created order. This is beautifully illustrated in Psalm 8 where the Psalmist begins with acknowledging God's lordship:

                    O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

                    You have set your glory above the heavens. (Psalm 8:1, NSRV)

In calling God by his name, King David, the Psalmist acknowledges the Lord's sovereignty over all the earth. He uses descriptive language of royalty to describe the Lord and acknowledges the glory (hebrew=kabode) of the Lord. As the psalm develops, the palmist considers the created order and acknowledge his place in it:

                    When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

                    the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human

                    beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? ⁵

                    Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them

                     with glory and honor. (Psalm 8:3-5, NSRV)

As the Psalmist considers the wonders of the cosmological order, he recognizes that man is made just a little lower that God (hebrew=me-elohim). As creatures, we are subject to The Lord's authority in the cosmos.

     Knowing and using the name of the Lord does not require the erasure or other perceived gods in the world. This is evidenced in Psalm 95 when the Psalmist declares that Yahweh is the great king of all the gods. Whether physical idols or figurative idols, Christians should not be reluctant to acknowledge the perfusion of many gods in the modern world. The figurative gods of money, materialism, sex and celebrity should be identified for what they are. For in acknowledging them, we can measure them against the Lord's revealed truth. Psalm 95 reminds us that the Lord God is king over all of our misguided passions and false idols.

      Use of the name of the Lord to distinguish Yahweh from the other gods is further illustrated in the prophetic oracles of the prophet Amos. The prophet reminds wayward Judah of the great God with whom they share a sacred covenant. The Lord of Host is his name:

                The one who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into

                 the morning, and darkens the day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea,

                 and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the Lord is his name, who makes

                  destruction flash out against the strong, so that destruction comes upon the fortress.

                  (Amos 5:8, NRSV)

According to Amos, the Lord reigns over the created order, turning night into day and bringing rain to the earth. Ostensibly, Judah needs to be reminded of the deity who is responsible for these wonders. The Lord is His name. However, the prophet also reminds Judah of Yahweh's power and wrath to punish the strong who do not walk in His ways.

     Knowing and using the name of the Lord also focuses the creatures attention on the One, true God of creation. In today's market place of competing religions and multiple gods, the servants of the Lord are able to focus on the God of the one true religion, characterized by the Lord's ineffable grace. The Christian need not confuse the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with Mohamed, Buddha or the many other gods in the spiritual marketplace. Using the name of the lord helps us focus on the Lord's economy and engagement with the sons of Adam.

     The use of God's name, the Lord, also facilitates spiritual intimacy with the divine. In human relationships it difficult if not impossible to get to know a person without knowing and using their name. The use of a person's name helps establish mutual respect and potential intimacy between the parties. Likewise, the Christian's use of God's name creates potentiality for deeper intimacy with the divine. This is beautifully illustrated in the Song of Songs, where the Bride (the Church) allegorically describes her love for her Bridegroom (the Lord):

                           Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is

                           better than wine, your anointing oils are fragrant, your name is

                          perfume poured out; therefore the maidens love you. Draw me after you,

                          let us make haste. The king has brought me into his chambers.

                           (Song of Solomon 1:3-4, NRSV)

The Bride in expressing her love for her bridegroom, affirms the beauty and importance of his name. Her lover's name alone is a pleasant fragrance that brings her joy. Interestingly, the use of perfumes were common in Hebrew culture to include their use as offerings on the golden alter in the temple. As we the church worship the Lord in spirit and truth, we delight in calling our Lord by his name. Using the Lord's name in prayer and worship facilitates deeper intimacy with our divine Bridegroom.

     The Torah also emphasizes the importance of respecting the name of the Lord God and regarding it as holy. This is why the Decalogue asserts:

                          You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God,

                         for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:7 NRSV)

As God's name is holy, the Hebrews are not allowed to misuse His name, perhaps in reference to false oaths. Also, Exodus 20:23 uses the Lord's name as a type of divine metaphor for his presence:

                       You need make for me only an altar of earth and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings

                       and your offerings of well-being, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where

                      I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. (Exodus 20:23, NRSV)

Here, the Lord associates divine blessings to geographic locations where the remembrance of His name abides. Such an association has major theological implications. Do these blessings apply to all people? To what extent is divine agency responsible for the remembrance of the Lord's name in the world?

     Most importantly, the name of God, the great "I Am" points to the holy mystery of triune Godhead, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Ever since the Council of Nicea, the Church has embraced the doctrine of the Trinity, acknowledging that the God of Creation is is comprised of three distinct persons, who move in perfect harmony with one another (perichoresis).  Indeed Jesus claimed to be one with the Father (John 8:48) and promised that the Father would send the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, to equip the church with power from on high.   The ultimate expression of the Triune God is in the incarnation, where Jesus defeated the curse of eternal death. 

     The name of the Christian god is essential to Christian theology for several reasons. The Lord's name effectively distinguishes Yahweh, the god of Abraham, Jacob and Moses, from the other gods in the near eastern world. It helps create intimacy between the Creator and his creatures, by personalizing the relationship. Ultimately, the Lord's name points to the holy mystery of his Divine nature and salvific plan for His creation.