Session 2: Week 2

Genesis 2:4-8 God’s Name

⁴ This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven. ⁵ Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground. ⁶ But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground. ⁷ Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living ^[f]being. ⁸ The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. ⁹ Out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

In these verses we get a snapshot, or recounting of God’s creation of the earth and a view into His plan for the earth, and for mankind. We also get an introduction to the Name of the Lord, God, the supreme ruler. Notice that God’s Name is mentioned 5 times! (Remember our study on the number 5 representing ‘grace’ in Session 1)

יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים  The Lord God is the English translation for the Hebrew Yehovah Elohim

יְהוָה (the letters Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay) is God’s holy and personal name; the one He revealed to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3.

¹³ Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?”¹⁴ God said to

Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” ¹⁵ God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.

This name is also called the tetragrammaton because some say it’s made up of 4 letters that are an acronym of the phrase “I am who I am”.

אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה

I will be what I will be

Religiously observant Jews and those who follow conservative Jewish traditions do not pronounce יהוה‎, either aloud or to themselves in silence, nor do they read aloud transliterated forms such as Yahweh or Jehovah; instead the word is substituted with a different term, whether used to address or to refer to the God of Israel. Common substitutions are hakadosh baruch hu (“The Holy One, Blessed Be He”), Adonai (“The Lord”), or HaShem (“The Name”). They consider this Name of God as too holy to be spoken; and also they do not pronounce it for fear of mispronouncing it.

According to actual count, יְהוָה occurs 5,410 times in the Old Testament.

Fun with numbers:  5+4+1+0=10=1

Remember the meaning of the number 1 in Scripture: There can be no doubt as to the significance of the primary number one. In all languages one is the symbol of unity. It denotes unity and primacy. Unity being indivisible, and not made up of other numbers, is therefore independent of all others, and is the source of all others. So with the Deity. The great First Cause is independent of all. All stand in need of Him, and He needs no assistance from any.

There are many differing views regarding the pronunciation of God’s holy name.  There are groups that isolate themselves around this issue declaring all others to be heretical.  For example, there’s a group of believers called the “sacred name group” who believe you can’t call God anything but Yahweh or you’re referring to an idol and foreign god.

Years ago, I was faced with people’s arguments about using God’s sacred Name and in praying about it I sensed the Lord showing me that this name is simply breath and is therefore unpronounceable; signifying the breath of God that He puts in each one of us to create the human soul. (see verse 7)

Warning: The enemy loves to divide the Body of Messiah, because in so doing we’re robbed of our anointing and influence. (see Psalm 133 and Matthew 12:25) This is just one of the issues that people, in their own pride, claim themselves as authorities and thereby bring about division.

What are some other areas that people pridefully elevate their own understanding and bring division in the Body?

In what ways can you guard against division in the Body of Messiah in your own life?

More about God’s Name.

In Exodus 3 when Moses encounters the Angel of the Lord in the burning bush the Lord spoke to Moses. Angel in Hebrew means messenger, so I’m guessing the word is used here to explain that this was a manifestation of the God of the universe to bring a message to Moses.  When Moses asked God to reveal His Name, God said in verse 14:

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה

Elohim said to Moses I shall be as I shall be

 וַיֹּאמֶר, כֹּה תֹאמַר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶהְיֶה, שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם.

And  He said, say to the sons of Israel “I shall be” sent me to you

Elohim/God calling Himself “I shall be” has such deep implications.  It implies that God will exist; He will manifest Himself to us; He will do whatever He wants because He is God; and much more…

What does Him calling Himself “I shall be” mean to you?

In verse 15 God then tells Moses this:

וַיֹּאמֶר עוֹד אֱלֹהִים אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, כֹּה-תֹאמַר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיכֶם אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב, שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם; זֶה-שְּׁמִי לְעֹלָם, וְזֶה זִכְרִי לְדֹר דֹּר

And God also said to Moses: ‘Thus shall you say to the children of Israel: The LORD,  , יְהוָה the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you; this is My name for ever, and this is My memorial to all generations.

So, God tells us here by what Name He wants to be remembered forever.

Since Names reveal character what does this teach you about the eternal character of God?

As we move ahead in the story in the Exodus we get a glimpse into some of The Lord’s characteristics associated with His Name  יְהוָה.

Ex. 6:

I am , יְהוָה and I will deliver you; I will redeem you; I will take you as My people; I will be your God; You will know that I am , יְהוָה your God; I will bring you to the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; I will give it to you as a possession; I am , יְהוָה (vs. 6-8)

God’s revelation of Himself to the people involved restoring them into relationship with Himself and setting them up to rule over the land; the same as His initial act of creation.

What does that teach you about God?

NAMES OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT