What Happened to the Name Jehovah?

“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold guiltless anyone who takes his name in vain” (Exod. 20:7 NET).

The Word “LORD” in the scripture above is a translation of the Hebrew word for God’s Name, “Jehovah,” or “Yahweh,” or even “Yehovah.” Scholars and Hebrew rabbis are not 100% sure what the exact rendering of this name should be. What happened? Why this confusion?

This is a great example of the dangers of a religious spirit. God gave the commandment above to the Jews that “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.” The Israelites took this commandment and made another commandment out of it, somewhat out of “reverence for God.” They interpreted this commandment as meaning they should not even call the name of God; that is, verbally mention Jehovah. This might seem wonderful because it appears to show much reverence for God, but it was a terrible error, a dangerous trap of the religious spirit. God’s command was clear; nothing needed to be added or removed from it. You will be surprised that the same Israelites had more respect for their own commandments, created out of God’s commandments, than God’s direct commandments. Jesus called it their “traditions” (Matt. 15:6). If we are not careful, we will create a religion out of God’s commandments, which I typically call “Christian religion,” for ourselves. Watch out for manmade commandments and doctrines in Christianity!

MEDITATE

What is the meaning of taking God’s name in vain? See a few examples in Lev. 19:12, 24:11.

APPLY THE WORD

Your best protection against Christian religion is to know the truth. Learn to study the Word of God yourself and take it as it is without the coloring of different denominations and ministries. Until you are established in the truth, you will remain a victim of human additions to God’s Word (Eph. 4:14).

PRAY

Ask the Lord to help you escape the commandments of men that may appear as commandments of God.

Recommended Read: Grow in the knowledge of God

Must Read!: What is a Daily Devotional?

Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you. (Leviticus 20:7–8, KJV)

As the Great I AM that I AM, God revealed Himself as the Lord who sanctifies His people in the Old Covenant—Jehovah Mekaddishkem. But this was only a shadow of something greater that was coming in the New Testament.

Jehovah Mekaddishkem is the English transliteration of the Hebrew words for “I am the Lord which sanctify you” ( “mekaddish” = sanctify, “kem” = you). Divine names and titles in the Old Testament often reveal an aspect of God in relation to His people.

There are three keywords that underlie the meaning of sanctification: “wash,” “consecrate,” and “separate.” Sanctification essentially means to make something holy. Sinlessness is a core aspect of holiness, but there is more to holiness than sinlessness. It is the very nature of God. However, when used in reference to us humans, it means to be cleaned from sin, set apart for God, and consecrated to Him.

In the passage above, God tells the people first to sanctify themselves and then reveals He is the One who sanctifies them. Thus, He gives us the two sides of sanctification—the God side and the human side. There’s something God does and something His people do for their sanctification.

This truth was only a shadow in the Old Testament. It is in Christ that we see God fully revealed as Jehovah Mekaddishkem to His people through the sanctifying work on the cross. In speaking to the Corinthians, Paul revealed,

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11, KJV)

This is Jehovah Mekaddishkem fulfilled in Christ: We were washed and sanctified. Note that these are in past tense, describing something God has already done. The day you received Christ, you received the bath of your life, a heavenly bath by the Spirit of God that removed every stain of sin through the precious blood of Christ. And as you continue to live on earth, the Spirit continues to sanctify you daily.

Following the sanctifying work He has already done in us, He commands us,

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” (1 Thessalonians 4:3, KJV)

Now that you are clean, washed, and sanctified, He tells us to put that sanctification to work outwardly. Paul explicit states it is what God wants—His will. He gives us a very specific example of sanctification here: abstain from sexual immorality. Few things defile us, like sexual impurity. But sanctification certainly includes more than abstaining from fornication or adultery. As above, it includes living a consecrated and separated life to God daily in the way we talk, act, think, feel, and handle our bodies.

He is Jehovah Mekaddishkem, the God who has Sanctified you in Christ and continues to sanctify you every day.

Meditate

Is our sanctification completed, ongoing, or both?

Apply the Word

This is the crucial part of this devotional. Until you receive the truth that God has already sanctified you by His Spirit, you will not be empowered to be sanctified practically. Put God’s sanctification power to work in your life daily by faith in the finished work of Christ.

Pray

Ask the Lord to help you in your daily walk of sanctification.

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