The Very Special Name of Yahuah

(Luke 11:1-4) And it came to pass that as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord ("Adonai"), teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples." And He said to them, "When you pray, say, 'Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread and forgive us our sins. For, we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil.'"

The above model of prayer from Yahushuah, our Redeemer and King, is well known at Bet Yeshurun Assembly (BYA), however, did you ever reflect upon the phrase "hallowed be your name" of that prayer? The word "hallowed" in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is translated from "hagiazo" (G37). According to Strong's Concordance that Greek word means "consecrated, sacred, sanctified, holy, venerated." A primitive (ancient) Hebrew verb, "qadash" (H6942) has the same sense and appears 172 times in scripture. Consider this example: (Leviticus 22:32) "Neither shall you profane my holy name. But I will be hallowed (qadash) among the children of Israel."

That scripture not only affirms that BYA shall hallow our Heavenly Father's holy name, we also aren't to "profane" it, in other words, "despoil, commit sacrilege, befoul, scorn, mock, blaspheme, swear, curse, cuss" (Roget's Thesaurus). Since we clearly are to respect His name, it behooves us to know that name. Today, only a select few know it, even though the men of ancient days not only knew it, they spoke it: (Genesis 4:26) To Seth, to him also there was born a son and he called his name Enos. Then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

Did you see our Heavenly Father's "hallowed" name in that verse? Indeed, it is there. The KJV translates the Hebrew name, "YAHUAH" (H3068), over 7,800 times in nearly 7,000 verses as "the LORD". Thus, many today don't know YAHUAH's sacred name because it's hidden from view under the words, "the LORD."

Some Bibles show His name as Yahweh, Jehovah, or with four Hebrew letters YHWH. Read from right-to-left, in the Hebrew alphabet these are "Yod-Hay-Vav-Hay". BYA transliterates this into English as "Ya-Ah-Oo-Ah" ... "YAHUAH."

The word "lord" is "a title used to address a judge, bishop, or noble man" and designates "a person having great power and authority; ruler; master." (Webster's Dictionary) Back in time, people said, "my Lord" or "Sir" as a sign of respect. While we use titles like "Mister" (Mr.") for those we don't know well, this is the day that YAHUAH desires His Name be known: (Isaiah 52:5-6) "Now therefore, what have I here," says YAHUAH, "that my people is taken away for nought? They who rule over them make them to howl," says YAHUAH. And my name continually every day [is] blasphemed. Therefore my people shall know My Name. Therefore [they shall know] in that day that I [am] he who does speak. Behold, [it is] I!"

Rather than call our Heavenly Father by an impersonal title like Lord, or refer to Him as some do by saying "ha'Shem" ("the Name" in Hebrew), at BYA, we respectfully hallow His name as "YAHUAH," or intimately call upon Him as "YAH," or speak of Him as "Father" ("Abba" in Hebrew). Likewise, BYA speaks the name of Yahushuah, which transliterates the Hebrew name of our Messiah, rather than say the English name of "Jesus" that Bibles commonly employ.

Truly, YAHUAH is a "special" name. In other words, our Heavenly Father's name is "a kind different from others, distinctive, extraordinary, exceptional, unique, peculiar, highly regarded, valued." (Webster's Dictionary) BYA highly reveres and respects the name YAHUAH. So much so that our prayer services often declare "Holy is your name, YAHUAH!"

The word "holy" is related to "hallowed." In Hebrew, "qadash" is a verb and "qodesh" (H6944) is an adjective that means "something sacred, devoted, set-apart." Consider how the name YAHUAH is to be different and set-apart from others: (Leviticus 22:1-2) YAHUAH spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things (qodesh) of the children of Israel and that they profane not my qodesh name [in those things] which they hallow (qadash) unto me: I [am] YAHUAH."

It's important to learn about YAHUAH. In fact, Yahushuah's earthly mission included revealing His Heavenly Father's name: (John 17:1-6) "Father, the hour is come. Glorify your Son that your Son also may glorify you. As you have given Him power over all flesh that He should give eternal life to as many as you have given Him. This is life eternal that they might know you the only true Elohim and Yahushuah ha'Maschiach, whom you sent. I glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work which you gave me to do. Now, O Father, you glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was. I have manifested (made visible) your name to the men you gave me out of the world." (John 17:26) "I have declared to them your name, and will declare [it]: that the love wherewith you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."

Is it surprising that Yahushuah needed to reveal the name YAHUAH? Keep in mind when He walked on earth that the vast majority didn't know YAHUAH because His Name was hidden from them as exemplified within this type of blessing from their leaders: "The LORD bless thee and keep thee." Even today YAHUAH's Name isn't spoken in this Hebrew Blessing, "Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu" ("Blesed are You, LORD , our God"). "YAHUAH" is "LORD!"

Now, read what YAH's priests were instructed to say: (Numbers 6:22-27) YAHUAH spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, 'On this wise you shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them: YAHUAH bless you and keep you. YAHUAH make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. YAHUAH lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.' And they shall put My Name on the children of Israel and I will bless them."

There's another time in history when YAH's priests didn't say YAHUAH, nor inscribe His Name with oil on the people's forehead to bless them. That era when people lost sight of His Name came after the Israelites spent 430 years in Egypt. Subjected to a pagan-culture filled with numerous names of false-gods, even the highly educated Moses didn't know the name of "the Mighty One" ("Elohim") speaking to him from a fiery bush: (Exodus 3:13) Moses said to Elohim, "Behold, [when] I come to the children of Israel and shall say to them, 'The Elohim of your fathers has sent me to you' and they shall say to me, 'What [is] His name?' "What shall I say to them?"

The enslaved Israelites in Egypt learned the Name YAHUAH from Moses (Exodus 3:14-15) Elohim said to Moses, "I AM THAT I AM!" And He said, "Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you.'" And Elohim said moreover to Moses, "Thus shalt you say to the children of Israel, 'YAHUAH Elohim of your fathers, the El of Abraham, the El of Isaac and the El of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This [is] my name for ever and this [is] my memorial unto all generations."Leviticus 11:45) "For I [am] YAHUAH who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your Elohim. You shall therefore be holy, for I [am] holy."

The Name YAHUAH was, and is, and will be forever remembered. In ancient times, Patriarch Abram also called on the Name of YAHUAH: (Genesis 12:7-8) YAHUAH appeared to Abram and said, "Unto your seed will I give this land." There he built an altar unto YAHUAH, who appeared to him. He moved from there to a mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, [having] Bethel on the west and Hai on the east. There he built an altar unto YAHUAH and called upon the name of YAHUAH. (Genesis 13:4) Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first, there Abram called on the name of YAHUAH. (Genesis 21:33) And [Abraham] planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of YAHUAH, the everlasting Elohim.

Matriarch Sarai, Abram's wife, also knew and spoke His name: (Genesis 16:5) And Sarai said to Abram, "My wrong [be] upon you. I have given my maid into your bosom and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. YAHUAH judge between me and you."

Indeed scripture records numerous examples of people calling YAH's Name:
(1.) Abraham - YAHUAH Yireh = YAH will see or provide: (Genesis 22:14) Abraham called the name of that place YAHUAH jireh as it is said [to] this day, In the mount of YAHUAH it shall be seen.
(2) Moses - YAHUAH Nissi = YAHUAH Banner: (Exodus 17:15-16) Moses built an altar and called the name of it YAHUAH nissi. For, he said, "Because YAHUAH has sworn [that] YAHUAH [will have] war with Amalek from generation to generation."
(3) Gideon - YAHUAH Shalom = YAHUAH Peace: (Judges 6:24) Then Gideon built an altar there unto YAHUAH and called it YAHUAH shalom. Unto this day it [is] yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
(4) Elkanah - YAHUAH Tzavuot = YAH of Hosts, which appears 28 times in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) to describe YAHUAH as supreme over all heavenly and earthly mighty powers: (1 Samuel 1:3) And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto YAHUAH of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of YAHUAH, [were] there.
(5) David - YAHUAH Rapheka = YAH Healer (Psalm 103:1-5) "Bless YAHUAH, O my soul and all that is within me, [bless] His holy name. Bless YAHUAH, O my soul and forget not all His benefits. Who forgives all your iniquities? Who heals all your diseases? Who redeems your life from destruction? Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies? Who satisfies your mouth with good [things; so that] your youth is renewed like the eagle's?"
(6) Jeremiah - YAHUAH Tzidkenu = YAHUAH our Righteousness: (Jeremiah 23:6) "In his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely. And this [is] His name whereby He shall be called, YAHUAH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
(7) Ezekiel - YAHUAH Shammah = YAH is there: (Ezekiel 48:35) "[It was] round about eighteen thousand [measures]: and the name of the city from [that] day [shall be], YAHUAH [is] there."
(8) David - YAHUAH Raah = YAH is my sheppard: (Psalm 23:1) "YAHUAH [is] my shepherd. I shall not want."
(9) Zechariah - YAHUAH Elohim = YAH my Mighty One, in regards to the coming day of Yahushuah's reign on earth when all will acknowledge the Name of YAHUAH: (Zechariah 14:5) "You shall flee [to] the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal. Yea, you shall flee, like as you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. And YAH my Mighty One shall come, [and] all the saints with you."

In Hebrew, a "name" ("shem; H8034) is a mark or memorial of individuality that often conveys certain meanings and messages. Names can describe the character, authority, honor, position, personality, physical attributes, traits and nature of an individual. YAH's name is a sign of identification and salvation for His people. Seek to be among the privileged ones, future saints, who'll have an intimate, by-name relationship with YAHUAH: (Revelation 14:1) "I looked and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Zion and with Him a hundred forty [and] four thousand, having His Father's name written in their foreheads."

Today, BYA knows the Name YAHUAH, but do you hesitate to speak this sacred Name because you're unsure of how to pronounce it? Communicating in America is a challenge. For example, we in the mid-west state of Michigan call automobiles "cars." In Boston, you hear them called "cahs." And, when visiting the deep south, e.g. New Orleans ("Narlans"), you may wonder if English is spoken at all. Nonetheless, to give you more confidence in speaking aloud the Name YAHUAH, let's go into scripture for the pronounciation of His Name.

Consider the name of Jacob's son, "Judah," which means "praised of YAH" in Hebrew. In scripture, it's spelled with five Hebrew letters ????? . Read from right-to-left, in the Hebrew alphabet these are "Yod-Hay-Vav-Dalet-Hay." Biblical scholars nearly universally agree this name is pronounced "Ya-ah-oo-da-ah." BYA transliterates this into English as "Yahudah". Removing the "dalet" and sound ("da") leaves our Heavenly Father's name, which we pronounce at BYA as "Ya-Ah-Oo-Ah" ... YAHUAH!

Nonetheless, don't get hung up on spellings or pronounciations. The more important matter, is to speak YAH's name, to call upon YAHUAH in prayer, to praise and worship with songs, like David, of a special name, YAHUAH: (Psalm 7:17) "I will praise YAHUAH according to his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of YAHUAH most high ('Elyon')." (Psalm 8:9) "O' YAHUAH, our Adonai, how excellent [is] your Name in all the earth!"

Were you ever in a shopping mall and heard a child call out, 'Dad!" Did you then notice how many different men turned to see if it was their child? Or, If someone calls you by name, don't you usually turn to look at them? That kind of reaction is a good reason to call out YAH's name. Seek to turn His face toward us, to look kindly upon us, to show us His mercy and grace. Imagine HIm smiling that we know His name and and that we know what His name means: (Psalm 105:1-4) "O' give thanks to YAHUAH. Call upon His name. Make known His deeds among the people. Sing to Him. Sing psalms to Him. Talk of all His wondrous works. Glory in His holy name. Let the heart of them rejoice who seek YAHUAH. Seek YAHUAH and His strength. Seek His face evermore."

YAHUAH desires that we have an intimate, close relationship with Him. Spiritually speaking, His name, YAHUAH, should remain upon our doorposts ("lips") and come forth through our door ("mouth"). (Acts 4:12) "Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Romans 10:13-15) "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord (Adonai) shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? How shall they hear without a preacher? How shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of them who preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things!'"

BYA is encouraged to have a personal close relationship with YAH that enables us to call upon Hime by name. BYA is encouraged to replace the title "the LORD" while reading scripture with the name "YAHUAH". Get comfortable speaking His Name. Soon you'll hear of YAHUAH while singing "Hallelu-Yah!" ("Praise ye Yah!" in Hebrew) You'll also spot YAH's name in His prophets, apostles and disciples. Consider just a few, who came in His name: Isaiah ("Yishi-YAHU"), Jeremiah ("Yerme-YAHU"), Matthew ("Mattith-YAHU"), James ("YAH'aqov"), and our Messiah and Redeemer YAHU-shuah: (John 5:43) "I am come in my Father's name and you receive me not."

Moses taught that YAH's Name is a sign of blessings, provided Elohim's instructions on life (Torah) are obeyed: (Deuteronomy 28:9-10) "YAHUAH shall establish you a holy people unto Himself, as He has sworn to you, if you shall keep the commandments of YAHUAH your God and walk in His ways. And all people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of YAHUAH and they shall be afraid of you." (Deuteronomy 28:58-59) If you will not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book ('Torah'), that you may fear this glorious and fearful name, YAHUAH ELOHIM; then YAHUAH will make your plagues wonderful, and the plagues of your seed, [even] great plagues and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses and of long continuance. Moreover He will bring on you all the diseases of Egypt, which you were afraid of and they shall cleave unto you."

May BYA diligently seek our Elohim, and may we come to understand the power and authority in the name of YAHUAH: (John 17:11-25) Now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world and I come to you. Holy Father, keep through your own name those whom you have given me, that they may be one, as we [are]. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name.

May YAHUAH shine His face upon BYA and grant His peace, mercy and grace upon us all. (Psalm 33:18-22) "Behold, the eye of YAHUAH [is] upon them who fear Him, upon them who hope in His mercy to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for YAHUAH. He [is] our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him because we trusted in His Holy Name. Let your mercy, O YAHUAH, be upon us, according as we hope in you." Shalom, Elder Curt

PS - Interested in learning more about YAHUAH's special Name? Then visit the BYA website at www.messianics.us and read the teaching articles, "YAHUAH, The Sacred Name of Israel's Elohim;" "What is His Name and What is His Son's Name;" "Divine Name According to Modern Scholarship;" "Why Yahushua?"

Thoughts for Meditation

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." Albert Einstein
"When others asked the truth of me, I was convinced it was not the truth they wanted, but an illusion they could bear to live with." Anais Nin
"If I could have convinced more slaves that they were slaves, I could have saved thousands more." Harriet Tubman