An Impersonal Force?
When it comes to people believing in God, and who he is, you often hear the following. Something like, they believe in something greater, but they are unable to identify who, or what it is that they are referring to. Time and again they say that he, or it, is just an impersonal force that is simply known as 'God', and seems to be unconcerned about mankind in general. That whatever, or whoever 'God' is, will be something that we find out about after we die, and consequently because of that view, many go through their whole lives wondering if God truly exists, and if he does, who is he.
They often look at the world around them and question if God really cares, like the bible suggests that he does. Most people wonder why the world is the way it is, and why there is so much suffering, and they wonder if it will ever get better. They question these things, and who God is, because the churches of the world have failed in representing the one true God who gave us the bible.
Making Gods Real
The Egyptians had over two thousand Gods to which they ascribed their beliefs and worship to. Just to name some of the main deities we have Amun-Ra, which was one of the most powerful, and popular, of the Egyptian gods. He was the god of the sun and air. Neper was the god of grain. Thoth was the moon god. Hapi was the god of the Nile, and Isis the most prominent of the goddesses, was regarded eventually as the supreme deity, "Mother of the Gods", who cared for her fellow deities as she did for human beings. Even the Pharaohs were to be considered a god by the Egyptian people.
Just doing a quick search on the internet you find the Egyptians pretty much had a god or goddess for everything, and each one of them had personalities and attributes that the Egyptians associated to that specific deity. Although there were different gods and goddesses for each and every event, circumstance, or holiday, there was one thing that they all had in common...a name.
Each god had a name, a unique way to be identified that allowed the Egyptians to call on in a time of need, or worship, or to simply give honor and praise. If you wanted a good harvest, perhaps you would call on Neper the god of grain. When it was a sunny day possibly you prayed to Ra the sun god thanking him for his warmth,or if you were grateful about life itself you call on Isis, the Mother Goddess. Being able to call on a specific god by name gave the Egyptians a personal association to that god they could identify with, it made the god real to the people.
When we contrast that with today, and you ask people who the God of the bible is, the answer is quite often "he's God" and that's where it ends. Some might say he is the creator, or he is God the Father, or he is Jesus, or he is the "most high", but essentially just an impersonal force that is responsible for all of creation. Isn't it interesting that the Egyptians called on each of their over two thousand different gods individually, by name, yet most people today are unable to even give the name of the one true God that gives us life?
What about the Greek gods? If somebody were to ask you, who the main Greek god was, you would no doubt reply with Zeus or Apollo. How is it that most people can tell you who the main Greek gods were, yet cannot name the one true God? Again, the reason is because religions today, claiming to be Christian in the world, have failed at teaching mankind the most important name in the bible, and thus the true God has become an impersonal force to the majority of people in the Christian faith, and even more so to the entire world in general.
The only name to be removed from the bible is Gods...
There are hundreds of individuals contained within the bible, and each one has a name we can identify that person with. Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, Matthew, John, Jesus etc, etc, are all known to us because of their name and what they did. We associate the name of that person to the events in the bible that are associated to it.
For example, when you hear of the Red Sea splitting you no doubt think of Moses. When you think of the flood, you obviously associate Noah to the great deluge. Each name carries a story that we associate them with and specific qualities unique to that individual.
Yet...when we think, or talk about creation and all that exists, who do we associate that with?
God?
While that is essentially true, God did make it possible for everything to exist, but which God?
As we have already discussed there are thousands of Gods. When you say 'God' created all that exists, which god do you mean? Zeus, Ra, Isis, Apollo? From this perspective the term 'God' simply doesn't work because 'God' isn't a name, but merely a title that many deities have claim to. In this way you begin to see why it is so important to use Gods own personal name, for how can you truly appreciate the qualities of an individual when you don't first recognize the name on which those qualities stand?
Curiously, most people who claim to worship God don't even use his name. Why is that?
The answer is...Gods name is not there. Most bibles have taken his name out, and replaced it with GOD or LORD. They simply do not have the name of God in them. Every other name in the bible is still there, just not the name of God. Considering that the bible is Gods word to man, isn't it a bit strange to remove the Authors name; the one name that occurs more often than every other name in the bible?
Just to be clear, the original writings used Gods name over 6700 times, more so than any other name. The next closest is Jesus which is used 1281 times in the scriptures.
Let this sink in for a moment:
The only name that has been removed from the bible is Gods.
Every other name in the scriptures has been allowed to remain where the original manuscripts used them, except for Gods. Who would want to do this? Obviously, Satan would hate for you to have a personal relationship with your creator, so what better way to avoid it than for you to not know his name. For how can you truly worship a God that you don't personally know? He becomes an impersonal force instead of an intimate friend.
Have you ever heard the saying "you don't know, what you don't know"? If you are using a bible that has taken the name of God out, well then of course you wouldn't think his name was that important, because your bible doesn't use it. How can you know the value of something if you don't know what it is?
How would you feel if your bible also took out the name of Gods son, Jesus Christ? Do you think Jesus' name is important? Of course you do, but why do you feel that way? Because it is placed in the scriptures just as it was originally meant to be.
How can you trust, or truly have a personal relationship with somebody when you don't even know their name? How do you associate their personality, their attributes and qualities, without a name to place them on? Satan knew exactly what he was doing when he got man to take the name of God out of the scriptures, and it's not the first time Satan has used this strategy against mankind.
This was the same tactic Satan used against the Israelites to get them to worship false gods.
Consequences of forgetting Gods name
Imagine being an Israelite during the time of Moses, in the land of Egypt. Experiencing the ten plagues that brought devastating events upon Egypt and its people, and then to soon after be fleeing Egypt, and its pursuing army, only to find yourself pressed between the Red Sea, and Pharaohs chariots pressing in on you, which meant certain death for the Israelite nation.
Then, to witness the Red Sea miraculously splitting before you with walls of water on both sides, and dry land under your feet to escape. What awe inspiring appreciation you would have for your God who saved you.
All of these things happened because of Gods desire for the Israelites to know him, and his power, more intimately. He tells Moses this very thing:
“. . .But, in fact, for this cause I have kept you[the Israelites] in existence, for the sake of showing you my power and in order to have my name declared in all the earth.” Ex 9:16
However, after generations of using Gods name, the Israelites became careless, and began to go after and worship false pagan Gods. The Canaanite gods Baal and Molech, were prominent gods of the time to the surrounding nations of Israel, and the Israelites began to call on their names. In time, the use of Gods name diminished and the Israelites forgot the true God who saved them out of Egypt, and instead began giving their honor and praise to the false pagan gods of the surrounding nations. This eventually led them to sacrificing their own children to the false gods, even burning them in fire as an offering to the pagan god. Gods own words to Jeremiah says:
“. . .just as their fathers forgot my name by means of Ba′al. . .” Jer 23:27
Israel went from believing and trusting in the one true God who saved them through the Red Sea, to actually sacrificing their own sons and daughters in fire to a foreign pagan god. By forgetting God, and his name, the Israelites were seduced into the foreign nations way of worship, and the pagan gods influence led them to this disastrous consequence.
As a result God allowed the surrounding nations to invade the Israelites, to kill and plunder the once loyal Israelite nation, and to take those that survived as captives. They were severely punished by God because of the disregard they had for his name, and what it stands for. In Gods words to Isaiah he states:
"I am Jehovah, that is my name; and my glory I will not give to another, neither my praise unto carved idols." Isa 42:8
This is just one example of what happened when the nation of Israel forgot Gods name, and forgot who he was. When the Israelites called on the true God, and worshipped him, they had peace and protection from the surrounding nations around them. There was joy and happiness within the Israelite people. However, when they turned away from God, and forgot him, instead giving praise and honor to false gods, then wars, famine, and pestilence came upon them because God refuses to give his glory to any false god and graven image.
This was all a direct result of forgetting his name.
Does your bible have Gods name in it?
When you read your bible, does it contain Gods name, or just his title?
Soon after God saved the nation through the Red Sea, Moses was given the tablets that had written on them the ten commandments inscribed directly by God. Remember, that God saved the Israelites for the purpose of having his name declared in all the earth.(Ex 9:16) With that in mind consider what the third commandment to the Israelites said.
This is how it reads in most bibles.
"Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." (Ex 20:7 KJV)
In essence, God was telling the Israelites to use his name, but use it with respect. The Israelites stopped using Gods name, and we have seen the consequences. In the bible verse you just read, Gods name was removed two times. Of course, how can you use Gods name in vain, if you don't even know what his name is in the first place?
Here is the verse with Gods name where it should have been in the first example.
"Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." (Ex 20:7 ASV)
When Gods name is used where it is supposed to be, it carries more weight does it not? Not only is it more accurate, but it also places Gods name in high esteem by actually using it, and makes it quite clear what name should not be used in vain.
The NIV version of the bible, or New International Version, is regarded as one of the best modern bibles to read because of its easy to follow translation. Using modern English, rather than Old English, the NIV helps people today understand the principles in the bible more clearly. Unfortunately the NIV lacks the most important thing, Gods name.
Notice the following verse from the NIV bible:
"In that day you will say: "Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted." - Isa 12:4 NIV
How are we supposed to proclaim, and exalt Gods name, when the NIV, and most other bible versions don't even tell us what that name is?
To exalt something is to make it highly regarded, to make it stand out from everything else. Removing the name does not raise it up, or exalt it, but rather lowers it below every other name used in the bible that wasn't removed? What an extreme dishonor it is to remove it and replace it with LORD or GOD when the original manuscript used Gods name.
Here is how the scripture in Isaiah should actually read. Consider after reading it if it is exalting Gods name.
"And in that day shall ye say, Give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name, declare his doings among the peoples, make mention that his name is exalted." - Isa 12:4 ASV
It should be getting more clear to YOU just how important it is for us to use Gods name. God wants you to call on him by his name, to make mention of it, and exalt it. By doing so he becomes more real to you, just as the Egyptian Gods were real to to the people who worshipped them, except Jehovah is the one true God who can save you, just as he saved the Israelites who called on him.
He Causes to Become
All names have meanings, and the name Jehovah means "he causes to become" or "he brings into existence all that exists". It is the name above all other names, and when you use it, with respect and honor, it brings you closer to the one and only living God. When you hear the name Jehovah, you are identifying with the one who gave life to all living things, the source of all that exists. As you learn more about Jehovah, the name will become something to lean on in times of need.
“The name of Jehovah is a strong tower. Into it the righteous runs and is given protection.” Pr 18:10 ASV
Jehovah is the eternal God, having no beginning and no end, and does not change. He is perfect in all his ways, and because he never changes we feel confident in putting our faith and trust in him. Unlike pagan gods, who are unable to provide for their worshippers, Jehovah is ready to give freely to those who seek him, and who want to live according to his standards. Because he designed us, he knows what is best for us, and has given us direction from the scriptures that will make our lives better when we put faith in his counsel. He will never steer you in the wrong direction, ever.
Jesus sets the example
Ample evidence has been shown in this article that provides strong, and sound reasoning, as to the importance of knowing, and using Gods name. However, the strongest evidence we have comes from our King and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. The greatest man to ever walk the earth set the standard when it comes to worshipping the heavenly father. The scriptures are full of examples set by Jesus Christ to help us come to a closer relationship with our God and Father.
“. . .For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps,” 1Pe 2:21
One of those examples was instructing his followers how to pray to God. Notice what the first part of the Lords prayer says...
"Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy." Mt 6:9 HCSB
First and foremost in the prayer, Jesus taught us that Gods name is to be honored as holy. Does removing the holy name of God from the bible bring honor to the Father, or does it reduce it? How are we to keep honoring the Fathers name if we don't even know it, or use it? Consider what happened to the Israelite nation when they stopped using Gods name, and the consequences of doing so. No doubt, this is why Jesus makes it the first part of the Lords Prayer, because Gods name is so important.
Jesus often prayed to his father, and during his last days on the earth, Jesus prayed and asked the Father to glorify his name. This was one of the few times that others also heard the actual voice of God. Notice what Jesus says, and also what the Father says to him, and to those around.
"Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”" John 12:28
Imagine hearing the actual voice of God from heaven saying that he would glorify his name. As a Christian do you place the same value on Gods name as Jesus did? Is that not the very meaning of what it is to be a Christian, which is to value the same things that Jesus valued?
Jesus said that the voice from heaven was for our benefit.
"Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine." John 12:30
Obviously, if we intend to benefit from this, then we need to see where the value resides in what is being taught. We need to appreciate the high value of knowing, and using Gods name in our daily lives just as Jesus did. Jesus knew the value of his Fathers name, and he wanted us to know it as well.
Just moments before being taken into custody, consider Jesus' prayer to his Father in the heavens. Jesus' prayer shows us the close relationship he had to his father, and how he wanted us to feel about the importance of Gods name.
Jesus prays saying, ““I have made your name manifest to the men you gave me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have observed your word.” Joh 17:6
“Also, I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world and I am coming to you. Holy Father, watch over them on account of your own name which you have given me, in order that they may be one just as we are. When I was with them I used to watch over them on account of your own name which you have given me; and I have kept them, and not one of them is destroyed except the son of destruction, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled.” Joh 17:11-12
"Righteous Father, the world has, indeed, not come to know you; but I have come to know you, and these have come to know that you sent me forth. And I have made your name known to them and will make it known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in union with them.”” Joh 17:25-26
Why did Jesus make the Fathers name known to his followers?
Because Jehovah our God is the source of love. We must know God to receive that love and to be in union with our King and redeemer, Jesus Christ. He made Gods name known, and will make it known, so that the love the Father had for him, would also be in his followers, and in doing so would be in union with Christ Jesus.
By now YOU should understand how important it is that we use our heavenly fathers name. If Jesus taught that it was important, then as a Christian it is your responsibility to also make it just as important in your lives as Jesus did. It is the only way to worship God with the whole heart, soul, and mind.(Mt 22:37)
During his ministry Jesus spoke of a day when true worshipers would worship the Father with spirit and truth, he says:
“23 Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for, indeed, the Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.” 25 . . .” Joh 4:23-25
Start Today!
Begin today using the Fathers name, Jehovah. When you think about him, when you talk about him, and most certainly when you pray to him through his son Jesus Christ, use his name. Ps 83:18 KJV, ASV
In doing so, you are giving true honor and respect to the one and only true God, the source of all life, and you are worshiping him with spirit and truth. You are making known that his name is being exalted above every other name, as it should be. And by using Gods name you are following in the example that Jesus teaches us from the scriptures. He taught us the importance of using Gods name(John 17:6) because he knew it would unite his followers to him and to God.
There is no other way than what Jesus taught us.
“. . .Jesus said to him: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. .”” Joh 14:6
As a true Christian you made a promise to God when you were baptized, that you would put faith in him through his son, and our King, Jesus Christ, to uphold and stand for truth that we receive from the scriptures. It is our responsibility as Christians to use Gods name in a holy way, to treat it with respect, and to draw close to him in worship. Our Father, Jehovah, is looking for such like ones to worship him(John 4:23-25).
The apostle James says this:
“Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.”—James 4:8.
Can you think of any other way to draw closer to God than to begin by using his personal name? He is our source of life, of love, of happiness, and through his son Jesus, gives us hope of everlasting life in a world free of wickedness and death. Pray to him, and ask him to open your heart and mind to get to know him better, to trust him, and to become more Christ like in your efforts of becoming a stronger Christian soldier. Raise you head up, and call on YOUR God through his son Jesus Christ.
Who is this God?
Jehovah is his name!
“Those knowing your name will trust in you, for you will certainly not leave those looking for you, O Jehovah.”—Psalm 9:10.