Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Garth's Hotmail" <garthgrenache AT hotmail.com>]

Rochelle,

You have said, "The god of Israel does not have a name."

The God of Israel has said, "ani YHWH hu' shemi",  "I am YHWH -that is my 
name".

It seems He deprives you of your argument.


You have said that 'monotheism' means 'God doesn't need a name'.  I see 
errors in your logic.

Firstly, need doesn't always determine reality.  As YHWH has a name, He has a 
name whether He needs it or not.

Secondly, 'monotheism' doesn't remove the need for God to have a name.  The 
one true God, YHWH, is not the 'one God' of all who worship 'one God'.  Nor 
do they necessarily discern the words of YHWH God of Israel.  Nor are all the 
things they say about their 'one God' true of Israel's one YHWH.  I can ask a 
person, "Do you believe in God?" and they can say, "yes" and go on to 
describe a completely different person to YHWH.  But if I ask, "Do you 
believe in YHWH?" they either know what YHWH says about Himself, or they 
would need to hear from the mouth of His prophets, who speak in the name of 
YHWH.


In this poly-monotheistic world where everyone has their own self-defined 
'God', the name of YHWH is not only just as real and relevant, but is an 
opportunity for man to have his mouth shut and listen to what YHWH says about 
Himself.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Love from Garth Grenache,
Moderator of YHWHgroup
http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/YHWHgroup/
A discussion of the pronunciation of the name YHWH.

Come join the discussion!