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God as I AM WHO I AM (Yahweh) · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome to the deep dive. Good to be here.
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Today we're going to dive into a set of sources all focused on
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one specific name, Yahweh. Right.
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And it's a name that's really at the core of biblical revelation,
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isn't it? Absolutely.
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Our sources, they're pretty detailed.
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We've got notes, excerpts from a study called God is Yahweh.
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And it takes a particular viewpoint grounded in Reformed
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theology, you know, thinking through the lens of the
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Westminster Confession of faith. Exactly.
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So the mission for us today really is to unpack what this
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name signifies. Yeah, how it's revealed, you
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know, throughout the Bible, step by step.
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How it grounds some core Christian beliefs, and
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crucially, why understanding it actually matters for you, for
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your own faith and practice. It's kind of like getting a
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handle, a foundational truth about God, his character, his
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relationship with us. Straight from the materials we
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have here. So OK, let's get started.
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Let's unpack this. Sounds good?
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Well, a source material takes us right back to the Hebrew text.
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To start, the name itself, Yahweh, OK, it comes from those
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four Hebrew consonants. Yad He wah he the.
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Tetragrammaton, they call it. Right just means the four
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letters, and what's really striking is just how often it
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appears. It's a lot, isn't it?
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Over 6800 times just in the Hebrew scriptures.
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That number alone tells you something significant.
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Yeah, it signals this is central and it shows up early.
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Quite early, yeah. Genesis chapter 2 verse 4, right
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after the initial creation account.
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The text mentions Yahweh, God in connection with making humans.
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So right from the start, almost. If those are the consonants,
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what about the meaning? What's the thinking behind the
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name itself? Well, most language experts, the
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sources tell us they agree it's connected to the Hebrew root,
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haya. That's Haya.
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And that means? It means to be or simply to
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exist. To be.
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That feels weighty. How does that connect with God
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talking about himself? This is where it gets really
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interesting. The connection becomes critical
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at that famous scene. Moses at the Bernie Bush, not
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Horeb Exodus chapter 3 right? God identifies himself there in
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verse 14 with that statement. I AM WHOIM.
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Iheya basher iheya exactly. And our sources explain that
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this phrase, it sort of functions as an explanation, A
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commentary almost on the name Yahweh itself.
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So I am WHO I am, explains Yahweh.
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In essence, yes. It really cements this picture
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of God as the One who just is. He exists entirely of himself.
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He's not dependent on anything or anyone else for His.
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Total self-sufficiency. Right.
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And not just that he exists, but that he's also the one who gives
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life, who sustains everything else by his own power, his own
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life. OK, that's a huge concept packed
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into that phrase. How does that idea to be or I am
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fit grammatically with the name Yahweh?
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Grammatically, Yahweh is usually understood as a third person
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singular form derived from that same root, haya.
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So it basically means he is. He is simple enough.
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But the sources suggest there might be a bit more nuanced,
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maybe a more active sense he causes to be.
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He causes to be. That adds a layer, doesn't it?
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It's not just static existence. Exactly.
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It nudges us to see God not just passively existing forever, but
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as the act of power who brings reality into being, who orders
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it, who keeps it going. It points to his ongoing work,
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creation, sustenance, everything.
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That's a dynamic picture. Is there like total agreement
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among scholars on that specific grammatical point he causes?
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Well, the sources do mention there are other scholarly takes.
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Some linguistic analysis suggests it might be what's
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called a causative hip fill form that would strongly support the
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he causes to be idea. Others think it might be a
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shortened version of an older sentence structure, meaning
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something like he brings things to pass or he accomplishes.
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Interesting, but the core idea remains.
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Yes, that's the key. Take away from the sources,
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whichever precise grammatical path you follow, they all seem
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to converge on the same fundamental troops about God,
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which are His absolute independence.
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He needs nothing and His sovereign effectiveness.
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He brings things into existence. He makes things happen according
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to His will. He is the origin and the
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sustainer. That definitely resonates with
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other descriptions of God. It does, like in Revelation
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chapter one verse 8, describing God as the one who is and who
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was and who is to come, eternal, active, sovereign.
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So the name Yahweh itself speaks volumes about his nature.
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How does this personal name Yahweh compare with other ways
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God is referred to in the Bible like Elohim?
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That's a really valuable distinction the sources draw
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out. We often see more general terms
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for God, like Elohim or El Elohim, which can sometimes even
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refer to, you know, spiritual beings or false gods in certain
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contexts. Usually highlights God's
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transcendence, His Majesty, His sheer power, His position over
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all creation. OK so Elohim is about power and
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transcendence. How is Yahweh different?
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Yahweh, in contrast, tends to reveal God's closeness, His
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relational presence, His faithfulness, especially within
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the unfolding story of redemption in history.
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Can you give an example of that contrast in Scripture?
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Sure, think about the 10 commandments again Exodus
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chapter 20 verse 2. God doesn't just say I am the
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power for God. Elohim, who brought you out of
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Egypt. No, he said.
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He says I am Yahweh, your God, who brought you out of the land
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of Egypt. He uses his personal covenant
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name, linking it directly to a specific act of saving his
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people. So it connects his identity to
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his saving action for. The exactly the name functions
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then as both a statement about who God is, his unchanging
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character, and also kind of like a charter for the covenant
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relationship. It's an identity marker for the
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community that belongs to him. It sounds like seeing the name
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Yahweh in the text is often a signal.
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Like pay attention. Something significant about
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God's personal involvement is happening here.
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That's a great way to put it. The sources note that it's
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appearance often marks turning points.
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It frames the giving of the law at Sinai.
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As we said, it's used heavily in prophetic declarations,
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especially when God is contrasting himself with idols.
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When you see Yahweh, it often signals that the focus is
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shifting to God's personal action, His promises, His
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covenant faithfulness, His direct involvement in history.
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OK, so we have a sense of the name's meaning and its early
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significance. But then there's the whole issue
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of how this name was actually handled, pronounced, written
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down over the centuries. It's got its own history right?
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It does, and it's quite a story. It gets into the practicalities
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of those ancient Hebrew texts. Originally written Hebrew didn't
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include vowels, just consonants. So readers had to know the
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vowels. Right, They supplied them based
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on tradition as they read. Much later, after the exile in
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Babylon, Jewish scribes, particularly a group known as
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the Mazarets, developed a system of adding vowel points, little
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dots and dashes to the text. To preserve pronunciation.
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Exactly to make sure the traditional pronunciation wasn't
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lost. But here's the crucial part,
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according to our sources, when they got to the divine name.
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Yahweh. Out of immense reverence, a deep
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desire not to misuse the name or pronounce it wrongly, they made
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a specific choice. They chose not to write the
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actual vowels that belong to Yahweh.
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They deliberately omitted the correct vowels for God's
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personal name. Yes, because it was so holy.
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Instead of putting the vowels for Yahweh with the consonants
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YHWH, they did something else. They took the vowel points from
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a different Hebrew word and superimposed them onto the
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consonants of Yahweh. Which word did they borrow the
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vowels from? From the Hebrew word Adonai
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that's it means Lord ah. OK, so they took the consonants
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YHWH and combined them with the vowels from ADO and AI.
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Essentially, yes. The vowels of AD and I are
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roughly AOA. They put those vowels onto YHWH.
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And that combination led to. That led eventually to the form
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Jehovah. Later on, particularly Christian
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scholars in the medieval period, they encountered these Masoretic
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texts, not always fully understanding this scribal
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practice, this intentional substitution, they.
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Just read what they saw. They read the consonants YHWOH
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with the vowel points borrowed from Adonai AOA and trans
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alliterated it, which came out sounding something like Jehovah.
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So the name's Jehovah, which you still hear sometimes, originated
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from this misunderstanding of a scribal practice meant to show
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reverence. Precisely.
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And the sources confirm Jehovah made its way into important
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early English Bibles like William Tyndale's translation.
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But that's not what scholars think the original pronunciation
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was, no? The modern scholarly consensus
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based on the linguistic evidence we have now strongly favors
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Yahweh as the most likely reconstruction of how the name
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was originally pronounced. What kind of evidence points to
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Yahweh? Well, they look at a few things.
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Early transcriptions of Hebrew names into Greek sometimes wrote
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the divine name in a way that sounds like Ayabe or Yahweh.
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Also, comparing the name structure to similar words and
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other related Semitic languages gives clues and looking at how
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the name appears in shortened forms within Hebrew personal
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names. Like Elijah or Jeremiah that yah
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or Yahoo ending. Exactly.
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Those endings, Yah or Yahoo, seem to preserve part of the
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divine name and point towards an original sound closer to Yahweh.
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So Yahweh is the scholarly reconstruction, while Jehovah
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resulted from that vowel substitution.
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What did Jewish people themselves do when reading the
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scriptures aloud? Did they stop saying the name?
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Yes, the sources indicate that starting probably sometime after
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the 2nd century BC, maybe earlier, it became customary in
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Jewish piety not to pronounce the Tetragrammaton out loud at
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all during public reading or prayer.
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Out of reverence. Out of that same deep reverence.
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So when they came across the four letters in the text, they
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would substitute. They would say Adonai Lord
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instead. Or sometimes they might use the
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Aramaic word Shima, which just means the name.
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Referring to it indirectly. And this practice of
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substituting Lord had a big impact on translations, didn't
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it? It really did.
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When the Hebrew Bible was first translated into Greek, the
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Septuagint often abbreviated LXX.
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Right, the Greek Old Testament. The translators generally
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followed this custom. They typically rendered the
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Hebrew the Greek word curious krios, which also means Lord.
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Ah, so the Greek translation used Lord for Yahweh.
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Yes, and this decision by the Septuagint translators was
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hugely influential because the New Testament writers when they
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quoted Old Testament passages containing Yahweh.
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They were often quoting for the Septuagint.
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Very often, yes. So they inherited this practice.
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They used Curious Lord in their Greek writings when referring to
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passages originally about Yahweh.
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That explains why so many Old Testament quotes in the New
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Testament use Lord where the Hebrew has Yahweh.
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Exactly. And that tradition continues in
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many English Bibles today. You'll often see the word Lord
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printed in small capital letters.
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Like Lord but slightly smaller caps.
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Right, that specific formatting is a signal.
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It tells the reader OK, the original Hebrew word here was
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actually the Tetragrammaton Yahweh.
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That's a helpful convention, but does using Lord even in small
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caps lose anything from the original?
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The sources suggest it might. While it's practical for
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identification using the title Lord, even though it's true
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Yahweh is Lord, might, as one source puts it, obscure the
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personal dimension of the name by collapsing it into a title.
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Lord emphasizes authority maybe more than relationship.
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Perhaps it doesn't quite carry the same weight of self
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existence, relational faithful, that specific covenant identity
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bound up in the name Yahweh itself.
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So it's good for us as readers to remember when we see Lord in
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caps, we're talking about the personal covenant making God,
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whose actual name is Yahweh. This whole history, the meaning,
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the pronunciation, the substitutions, it really
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highlights a deep sense of awe and care surrounding God's name.
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It certainly does, and our sources connect this back to a
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Reformed perspective. They argue that paying close
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attention to the original languages, the specific Hebrew
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words, isn't just for academics. It's more than that.
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It's seen as part of our worship, almost a doxological
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duty, something done for God's glory.
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The care taken throughout history and handling the name
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Yahweh teaches us something about reverence, about treating
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holy things carefully, which aligns with the Reformed stress
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on scriptures authority and precision.
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That makes sense. It leads us nicely into thinking
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about how the understanding of Yahweh develops through the rest
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of the Bible. It's not like the full meaning
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was dumped on Moses all at once. And that was it, right?
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The sources talk about an unfolding revelation.
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Yes, exactly. The source material really
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presents the revelation of who Yahweh is as a progressive
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thing. It unfolds gradually, layer by
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layer, throughout the whole biblical story, guided by God
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himself, leading his people into a richer, deeper understanding.
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So how does that look after Genesis?
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We know the name appears early, but the understanding grows.
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Right. As we said, Genesis 2 verse 4
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has it, but the full explanation of the name wasn't given.
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Then the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, they definitely
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knew and worshipped this God. They interacted with him,
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experienced His power and His promises.
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Like Abram addressing God is Yahweh in Genesis 15.
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Precisely, they knew him relationally.
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They experienced the substance of what the name represents, His
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faithfulness, His power. But Exodus chapter 6, verses 2
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and three makes a distinction. God says He appeared to them as
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El Shaddai, God Almighty. But not by his name, Yahweh.
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He says He did not make himself known to them by his name,
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Yahweh, in the same full explanatory way he was about to
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reveal it to Moses. So those earlier mentions in
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Genesis act like foreshadowing. They set the stage for the
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deeper revelation to come. And that deeper revelation, the
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main event is the burning Bush. That's presented as the pivotal
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moment. Exodus chapter 3.
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Mount Horeb, the Angel of Yahweh appears.
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Moses is told he's on holy ground.
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He hears God's voice directly. And that's where I AM.
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WHO I am comes in. Yes, and God explicitly says
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that name connected to Yahweh is His name forever, His memorial
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name for all generations. This is where the inexhaustible
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depth of the name, as the sources put it, is first really
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unpacked. How does the Exodus story itself
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then build on that revelation at the Bush?
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The whole Exodus narrative becomes a massive demonstration
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of who this Yahweh is. It amplifies the meaning of the
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name through action. The plagues on Egypt aren't just
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random disasters. No, they seem targeted.
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They are. They directly confront and show
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Yahweh's superiority over the specific gods of Egypt,
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demonstrating His unique rule over all creation.
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And the Red Sea crossing. A spectacular display of his
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power to save His chosen people. Then at Mount Sinai, the
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covenant ceremony formally binds Israel to him as his people.
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And again, the name is central. I am Yahweh, your God who
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brought you out. It establishes a pattern,
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doesn't it? God acts, then he speaks to
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explain the action, and then he calls for a response.
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Exactly that pattern. God's redemptive acts
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authenticate His spoken word, His promises, His law, and He
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calls for loyalty, for obedience based on who He has revealed
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Himself to be through both word and deed.
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That becomes a key paradigm throughout the rest of
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Scripture. So the Exodus shows Yahweh's
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character and covenant relationship in action.
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How does this understanding Yahweh continue to develop as
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Israel's story progresses through the conquest the judges?
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It continues to unfold during the conquest of Canaan under
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Joshua. Their military successes are
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explicitly linked to Yahweh fighting for them.
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Joshua reminds them in chapter 23 verse 3.
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Yahweh, your God, is he who has fought for you.
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In the period of the judges, that seems like a darker time.
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It is, and the text frames Israel's repeated failures.
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They're turning to other gods as a direct, personal betrayal of
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Yahweh. The recurring phrase is that
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Israel again did evil in the sight of Yahweh.
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It underscores the personal, covenantal nature of their
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rebellion. What about later with the
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monarchy and the prophets? The prophets are constantly
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holding the kings and the nation accountable to their covenant
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relationship with Yahweh. Kings are evaluated based on
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whether they were faithful to Yahweh.
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Like the Mount Carmel story? Perfect example, First Kings 18
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Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal.
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When Yahweh sends fire, the people fall on their faces and
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cry out. Yahweh he is God, Yahweh He is
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God. It's a moment of national
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recognition of his unique identity.
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And Isaiah's vision. Isaiah chapter 6 The seraphim
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crying Holy, holy, holy is Yahweh of hosts.
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This reveals another dimension, His absolute moral purity, His
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separateness, His awesome majesty.
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The Prophets also speak against idolatry using the name.
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Very strongly Yahweh Himself declares through Isaiah chapter
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42, verse eight, I am Yahweh. That is My name, My glory I give
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to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.
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His name represents his unique, exclusive claim to worship.
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But there's also hope connected to the name, even in judgment.
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Yes, even when prophesying judgment or exile, the prophets
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ground the hope of future restoration in Yahweh's
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character and His commitment to His own name.
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Like in Ezekiel chapter 36 verse 22, God says He will act to
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restore Israel, not primarily for their sake, but for the sake
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of My holy name, which they had profaned among the nations.
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His reputation is at stake. Wow, so even the exile becomes
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part of the story of Yahweh's name.
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It does. The exile was a time of crisis.
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Certainly it highlighted Israel's failure, but it also
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intensified their longing for Yahweh to intervene, to
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vindicate his own name and reputation before the watching
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world. You see this in Daniel's prayer.
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Daniel 9. Yes, verse 19, pleading with God
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to act for your own sake, Oh my God, because your city and your
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people are called by your name. There's this deep sense that
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God's honor is tied to his people and his promises.
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And this continues after the exile.
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Even after the return, prophets like Malachi look forward.
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They anticipate a day when Yahweh's name will be great
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among all nations, not just Israel.
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Malachi, chapter one, verse 11. The Old Testament closes with
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this forward-looking expectation, a future universal
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recognition of Yahweh. That expectation really sets the
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stage perfectly for the New Testament.
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How does the New Testament then present the fulfillment of that
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hope centered on Yahweh? The New Testament writers come
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onto the scene announcing that this long held expectation, this
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hope for the universal acknowledgement of Yahweh's name
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and rule, finds its fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus
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Christ. And they connect Jesus directly
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to Yahweh. Explicitly and implicitly, as we
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mentioned regarding translations, they consistently
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use that Greek word Curious Lord, the Septuagints term for
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Yahweh, and apply it to Jesus. Even though they restrict
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monotheists. Absolutely.
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That's crucial. They weren't introducing a
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second God. They're identifying Jesus as the
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embodiment of Yahweh, the fulfillment of Old Testament
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promises about Yahweh's coming salvation and rule.
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The unfolding story of Yahweh's self revelation reaches its
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climax, its highest point. In Jesus.
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The pattern continues. God acts mightily in Christ.
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He interprets those acts through the apostles, and he calls for
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loyalty to Christ as Lord. This whole idea of progressive
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revelation culminating in Christ seems foundational to how
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Reformed theology puts together its understanding of God.
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It really is Reformed theology, especially as it's articulated
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in confessions like the Westminster Confession of Faith.
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WCF takes this rich biblical understanding of Yahweh and
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weaves it into a systematic view of who God is and how He relates
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to the world. Our sources explicitly connect
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the revelation of Yahweh to key doctrines laid out in the WCF.
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OK, let's look at that. How does WCF Article 2, the one
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entitled Of God and of the Holy Trinity, released specifically
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to the name Yahweh? WCF the second starts by
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describing God as being infinite in being and perfection.
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Our sources trace this core idea directly back to that burning
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Bush moment. I am who I am in Exodus 314.
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The self existence of God. Exactly.
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That's the root of the doctrine of divine acidity.
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God exists purely from himself. He doesn't derive his being from
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anything else. Psalm 90 verse 2.
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From everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
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And this relates to God being unchanging.
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Yes, it also grounds his immutability, the fact that God
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doesn't change in His being, His character, His purposes.
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Malachi 3 verse 6 has Yahweh declaring for I, Yahweh do not
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change these attributes. Self, existence, immutability
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anchored in the name Yahweh are seen as fundamental.
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They secure all His other perfections, His perfect
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knowledge, holiness, justice, goodness, everything flows from
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His unique nature as the great I am.
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So Yahweh's self description is foundational to the Confessions
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description of God's attributes. How does the Trinity fit in here
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in WCF? The Four.
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Well, the confession strongly affirms monotheism.
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There is only one living and true God, but in the very same
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breath it confesses that within this one Godhead there exists 3
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persons of 1 substance, power and eternity, God the Father,
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God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
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One God, three persons. Yes, and the sources point to
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the baptismal formula in Matthew 2819, baptizing them in the name
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singular of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
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That singular name is seen as pointing to the one undivided
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divine essence shared equally by three distinct persons.
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And this understanding is critical for how the New
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Testament speaks about Jesus. Absolutely.
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It allows the New Testament writers to take passages from
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the Old Testament that are clearly speaking about Yahweh
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and apply them directly to Jesus Christ.
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We mentioned Philippians 2 applying Isaiah 45 to Jesus.
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Where every knee will bow. Right.
21:39
That's not seen as creating a second God, but as confessing
21:42
that Jesus, the eternal Son, shares the very being, the very
21:46
essence of Yahweh. This Trinitarian understanding,
21:49
rooted in the one name, is vital.
21:51
That clarifies how the Trinity connects to Yahweh's identity
21:55
within a monotheistic framework. What about WCF, Article 7 of
21:59
God's covenant with man? How does Yahweh feature there?
22:03
WCF the 7th describes how this utterly self-sufficient
22:07
sovereign Lord Yahweh freely chooses to enter into binding
22:11
relationships covenants with human beings.
22:15
The Confession outlines the history of these covenants,
22:18
distinguishing the covenant of works before the Fall from the
22:20
covenant of grace after the Fall.
22:22
And the covenant of grace unfolds through history.
22:25
Yes, it's administered through different historical periods and
22:28
agreements. The covenant with Noah, with
22:29
Abraham, the Mosaic covenant at Sinai, the Davidic covenant, all
22:33
leading up to and finding their fulfillment in the new covenant
22:36
established by Christ. Is Yahweh's name explicitly tied
22:39
to these covenants in the Confessions view?
22:42
Very much so. The sources highlight that
22:44
recurring promise woven through these administrations.
22:47
I will be your God and you shall be my people.
22:50
You find versions of that from Leviticus all the way to
22:52
Revelation that. Phrase links everything
22:54
together. It does.
22:56
It ties the whole sweep of salvation history back to
22:59
Yahweh's faithful character and his unbreakable covenant
23:02
promise. Reformed theology emphasizes
23:05
that God's grace isn't an afterthought.
23:07
It flows from who Yahweh is. He's a God who chooses to rescue
23:10
sinners in a way that perfectly upholds his justice.
23:14
The covenant structure itself demonstrates the unity of
23:16
Scripture because it's the same Yahweh who initiates, reveals,
23:20
and fulfills His plan throughout.
23:22
So the covenants display Yahweh consistent character across
23:25
time. How does WCF Article 8 of Christ
23:29
the Mediator build on this? WCFA presents Jesus Christ as
23:33
the ultimate expression of Yahweh's covenant faithfulness
23:36
and His plan of salvation. He is the mediator appointed by
23:39
God. And his connection to Yahweh is
23:41
highlighted. Yes, his own I am statements in
23:43
John's Gospel, especially that powerful moment at his arrest
23:46
where the soldiers fall back. John 18.
23:49
Right. These are seen as declarations
23:50
that the covenant God of Israel, Yahweh himself, has entered
23:53
human history in a flesh without compromising His divine nature.
23:57
Christ fulfills the offices of prophet, priest, and king.
24:00
And his work accomplishes what only Yahweh could.
24:03
That's the idea. His perfect life and His death
24:06
on the cross satisfy the righteous demands of God's law
24:10
relating back to the covenant of works, which makes the covenant
24:13
of grace effective for believers.
24:15
The cross is where Yahweh's perfect justice against sin and
24:20
His incredible mercy towards sinners meet without
24:22
contradiction. His immutable character remains
24:25
intact even as He provides salvation.
24:28
And you mentioned this connects to cessationism.
24:30
Yes, the sources link it here. The Reformed view that certain
24:33
miraculous sign gifts ceased after the Apostolic era is
24:36
partly based on this. The argument is Christ's work is
24:40
finished. The apostles established the
24:42
Church's foundation and gave us the completed New Testament.
24:45
Therefore, the specific sign gifts that authenticated that
24:48
foundational Apostolic revelation are no longer the
24:51
normative way God works or reveals himself.
24:54
The finished work of Christ and the finality of Scripture are
24:56
sufficient. That's an interesting
24:58
connection. Let's touch on WCF article xe
25:00
Wine of religious worship and the Sabbath day.
25:02
Where does Yahweh fit into the discussion of worship?
25:05
Because Yahweh is intrinsically holy, His name, His being, our
25:10
worship must reflect that holiness.
25:12
It needs to be offered with reverence in spirit and in
25:15
truth. WCFXXY articulates what's known
25:19
as the regulative principle of worship.
25:21
Which means. It means that in our corporate
25:23
worship services we should include only those elements that
25:26
God Himself has authorized in Scripture, such as things like
25:29
the reading and preaching of the Bible, prayer, singing
25:32
especially Psalms and biblically faithful hymns, and
25:35
administering the sacraments, baptism, and the Lord's Supper.
25:39
How does this principle relate back to Yahweh?
25:41
It's understood as safeguarding worship.
25:43
It protects it from becoming centered on human ideas,
25:46
preferences, or entertainment. It ensures that our worship is
25:50
directed by God's revealed will, honoring Him as He desires to be
25:54
honored. It reflects His sovereignty over
25:56
how He is approached. And the Lord's Day observance.
25:59
That's also tied in honoring Sunday.
26:01
The Lord's Day connects back both to Yahweh's rest after
26:05
creation and, even more significantly, to Christ's
26:07
resurrection. It's a weekly reminder of God's
26:10
completed work in creation and redemption, a time for corporate
26:13
fellowship with Him, and a taste of the eternal rest to come.
26:17
Worship centered on God's Word is seen as cultivating humility.
26:20
We come on His terms and fostering assurance because we
26:23
trust that the unchanging Yahweh meets His people through the
26:26
ways He himself has appointed. It really paints a picture of
26:29
how the identity of Yahweh as understood in this tradition
26:33
forms the bedrock for the whole system of doctrine.
26:35
God's being, his covenants, Christ's work, our worship.
26:38
Yes, the source is presented as a cohesive theological
26:41
framework. WCF 2 establishes God's nature
26:44
as Yahweh, WCF Tevin traces His covenant actions through
26:48
history, WCF 8 shows the culmination in Christ, and WCFX
26:53
1 describes our response and worship.
26:55
It's all integrated, flowing from the revelation of His name.
26:58
Let's zoom in again on that combination point.
27:00
Jesus Christ. The sources really stress Him as
27:02
the ultimate revelation of Yahweh.
27:04
They absolutely do. Jesus is presented as the
27:06
crystallological culmination. The whole Old Testament
27:10
narrative, the whole revelation of Yahweh finds its focal point,
27:13
it's clearest expression in him. The name Yahweh isn't just left
27:17
behind in the Old Testament, it echoes through Jesus's entire
27:20
life and ministry. He embodies, He bears, He
27:23
fulfills everything. That name signifies theology,
27:26
covenant, hope. It all comes together in him.
27:28
Even Jesus's own human name points towards this doesn't.
27:31
It it does that message to Joseph in Matthew 121 you shall
27:36
call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
27:40
His name, Yoshua in Hebrew is related to Joshua and
27:43
essentially means Yahweh saves or Yahweh is salvation.
27:46
So his name itself signals his mission.
27:48
Exactly. It prepares the reader right
27:50
away. This child embodies the saving
27:52
action inherent in Yahweh's character and name.
27:55
He is Yahweh acting to save. And John's gospel, as we've
27:59
touched on, seems especially focused on making this Jesus,
28:01
Yahweh connection. John really brings it to the
28:03
forefront. He repeatedly records Jesus
28:06
using that pregnant phrase. Amy, I am.
28:08
The seven I am statements. Yes, those rich metaphorical
28:11
declarations. I am the bread of life, I am the
28:14
light of the world, I am the Good Shepherd, I am the
28:16
resurrection in the life, and so on.
28:19
What's the significance of those specific statements?
28:21
They do two things simultaneously.
28:23
They clearly echo God's self declaration.
28:25
I am from Exodus 3. But they also reveal how Jesus
28:29
fulfills God's saving purposes. He's the ultimate provision,
28:33
Bread, guidance, light shepherd, life itself.
28:38
He's claiming to do the very things the Old Testament
28:40
attributes to Yahweh alone, like shepherding God's flock.
28:44
So he's not just a prophet talking about the Yahweh, he's
28:47
acting as Yahweh in these roles. That's the understanding and the
28:50
most direct claim is probably John 858.
28:53
Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was I am the
28:56
grammar, the context. It's a clear claim to eternal
28:59
pre existence using the divine name pattern.
29:02
And then there's that scene at his arrest.
29:03
John 18 verses 5 and 6 when the arresting party asks for Jesus
29:07
of Nazareth and he replies simply, I am igutimi, what
29:11
happens? They draw back and fall to the
29:12
ground. Right.
29:14
The sources interpret this as a narrative glimpse of the divine
29:17
power inherent in his person, echoing the overwhelming divine
29:21
presence that caused fear and awe at Sinai.
29:24
It's a sign that the majesty of Yahweh is present in this humble
29:27
human form. Do the other gospels, the
29:30
Synoptics, also hint at this identification?
29:32
They do, perhaps more subtly sometimes, but the clues are
29:36
there. Marks account of Jesus calming
29:38
the storm. Walking on water too.
29:40
Yes, these actions resonate with Old Testament descriptions of
29:44
Yahweh's unique power over the chaos of the sea.
29:47
Like in Psalm One O 7 it suggests Jesus wields divine
29:50
authority and Luke when he quotes Isaiah 40 verse 3,
29:54
prepare the way of the Lord. Yahweh explicitly applies it to
29:57
John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus.
29:59
So John prepares the way for Yahweh, and Jesus is the one who
30:03
arrives. That's the implication.
30:04
And Paul, we mentioned him earlier, a staunch monotheist,
30:07
yet he clearly links Jesus with Yahweh.
30:10
How does he navigate that? It's remarkable Paul never
30:13
compromises on the Shema Yahweh. Our God Yahweh is 1 but he
30:17
incorporates Jesus within that monotheistic confession.
30:20
First Corinthians 8 verse 6 is key.
30:22
Yet for us there is one God the Father and 1 Lord Jesus Christ.
30:27
Using God for the Father and Lord for Jesus.
30:30
Yes, but notice the parallel structure.
30:32
He applies the language of unique divine agency through
30:35
whom are all things and through whom we exist to both Father and
30:38
Son within the framework of the One God.
30:41
And that Philippians 2 passage applying Isaiah 45's Every knee
30:44
will bow a declaration by Yahweh about Himself directly to Jesus
30:48
is undeniable. For Paul, Jesus isn't a rival
30:51
deity. He's the eternal Son who shares
30:54
the very divine identity of Yahweh.
30:56
So the whole story arc of Jesus, his life, death, resurrection is
31:00
seen as the ultimate revelation of Yahweh's plan and character.
31:03
Precisely his entire mission is interpreted through this lens.
31:07
He fulfills the role of the Suffering Servant from Isaiah
31:09
53, where Isaiah explicitly says it was the will of Yahweh to
31:12
crush him. So Yahweh is active even in the
31:15
suffering of Christ. Yes, on the cross, Jesus bears
31:19
the covenant curses deserved by sinners, satisfying the justice
31:23
of Yahweh, rooted in the demands of the law.
31:25
And this is where, according to the sources, Yahweh demonstrates
31:29
His justice and mercy perfectly without any conflict within
31:33
Himself. And the resurrection.
31:34
The resurrection is the ultimate vindication.
31:37
Acts chapter 2 verse 32. This Jesus God raised up.
31:40
It proves Jesus is who he claimed to be.
31:43
The I am the Lord of life, whom death cannot hold.
31:46
His ascension and seating at God's right hand, fulfilling
31:49
Psalm 110.1 complete the picture.
31:52
Philippians 2 Again, the name above every name.
31:54
Exactly. The Father bestows upon the
31:56
exalted Jesus the highest honor, signifying that the universal
32:00
worship prophesied for Yahweh in Isaiah 45 finds its fulfillment
32:04
in the homage paid to Jesus. This doesn't dilute Yahweh's
32:07
uniqueness, it reveals the fullness of the triune God.
32:10
Jesus's exaltation magnifies Yahweh by showing the Son shares
32:14
His divine nature and glory. And this ties back again to
32:16
cessationism. Briefly, yes.
32:19
The Reformed cessationist view sees the end of those specific
32:22
Apostolic sign gates as a confirmation that the final
32:26
climactic revelation of Yahweh has been given in Christ and
32:29
recorded in Scripture. The foundation is laid.
32:32
The building continues on that foundation.
32:34
So to sum up this section, Jesus isn't just like Yahweh or sent
32:38
by Yahweh. He is the embodiment, the
32:40
bearer, the Vindicator of the name Yahweh.
32:42
He is the luminous center, as one source puts it.
32:45
Every ray of light revealing who Yahweh is throughout the Old
32:48
Testament converges and shines most brightly in the person and
32:51
work of Jesus Christ. The confession Jesus is Lord is
32:55
in this understanding, equivalent to saying Jesus is
32:58
Yahweh. Now, having established this
33:00
rich, biblically grounded understanding of Yahweh, we know
33:03
that not everyone today shares this view.
33:05
How does this Reform perspective engage with some of the modern
33:08
challenges or alternative ways of thinking about God?
33:10
Right. That detailed picture of Yahweh,
33:13
drawn from Scripture and articulated in the confession
33:16
provides solid basis for responding thoughtfully to
33:19
contemporary ideas that might differ significantly.
33:22
The approach is always to bring it back to what Scripture
33:24
reveals about Yahweh. OK, what's 1 common challenge?
33:27
One area is what's known as open theism, or related ideas and
33:31
process thought. These often suggest that perhaps
33:34
God doesn't know the future exhaustively, or that he limits
33:37
his knowledge, or even that God himself changes or learns based
33:40
on what his creatures. Do a more changeable, less
33:43
certain God. In some ways, yes.
33:45
How does the understanding of Yahweh respond?
33:47
Well, the very concepts of ACD, self existence and immutability
33:51
unchangeableness derived from IMWHOIM stand in direct
33:55
contrast. Because Yahweh is unchanging,
33:57
Scripture insists on it. James chapter one verse 17.
34:01
With God, there's no variation or shifting shadow.
34:05
Psalm one O 2 Contrast the temporary creation with God who
34:08
remains the same, whose years will have no end.
34:11
WCF 2.1 states God is immutable, and WCF 3.1, on God's decree,
34:18
affirms that His eternal plan encompasses everything that
34:20
happens, maintaining His full knowledge and sovereign control
34:23
without negating human responsibility.
34:26
This counters any notion of a God who is reactive or whose
34:28
essential nature changes. What about challenges to the
34:31
Trinity? We touched on this earlier.
34:32
Yes, views like modern Unitarianism which might see
34:34
Jesus Jesus as less than fully divine, or forms of modalism
34:37
which see Father, Son and Spirit as just different masks worn by
34:40
one person. How does a Yahweh focus address
34:43
these? The revelation of Yahweh as
34:45
understood by Reformed theology inherently supports the Trinity.
34:48
The singular name in Matthew 28 embraces 3 distinct persons.
34:53
WCF 2I3 affirms 3 persons, one substance.
34:57
The ability of the New Testament to apply Yahweh texts directly
35:00
to Jesus hinges on Him sharing Yahweh's divine essence.
35:04
To deny the full deity of Christ, as in Unitarianism,
35:07
seems to undermine his ability to mediate between God and man.
35:11
To deny the distinct personhood, as in modalism, potentially
35:14
confuses the relationship between the Father who sends and
35:17
the Son who is sent, or the Son who suffers and the Father who
35:20
accepts the sacrifice. The Trinitarian understanding
35:23
derived from Yahweh's revelation is seen as essential to the
35:26
Gospel itself. OK.
35:27
And the issue of spiritual gifts today.
35:29
Continuationism versus cessationism.
35:31
Right Continuationism holds that the more overtly miraculous or
35:34
sign gifts like speaking in tongues or prophecy are meant to
35:38
be normal for the church throughout all ages.
35:40
Reformed cessationism, drawing on the finality of the
35:43
revelation in Christ who is Yahweh Incarnate and the
35:45
completed Canon of Scripture argues differently.
35:48
It points to texts like Hebrews 2 verses 3 and 4, which seem to
35:53
link signs and wonders specifically to the original
35:55
Apostolic witnesses. Second Corinthians 1212 calls
35:59
miracles the signs of a true apostle.
36:02
Since the foundational Apostolic office is closed, the argument
36:05
goes, the specific gifts that serve to authenticate that
36:08
foundation laying ministry also ceased in their normative
36:11
function once the New Testament was complete.
36:14
It's about safeguarding the sufficiency and finality of
36:16
Christ's work and the written Word as the complete revelation
36:20
of Yahweh for the Church today. What about religious pluralism,
36:23
the idea that all roads lead to God?
36:26
This view directly clashes with the exclusivity inherent in the
36:29
name Yahweh. When God reviews Himself as
36:31
Yahweh, He consistently does so in contrast to all other
36:34
supposed deities. Isaiah 4311.
36:37
Besides me there is no savior. Acts 412 No other name under
36:41
heaven by which we must be saved, except Jesus.
36:45
Yahweh is presented as unique. Absolutely.
36:47
WCFX .4 reflects this biblical exclusivity, stating there's
36:52
generally no salvation apart from Christ and the covenant of
36:54
grace revealed in Scripture. So from this perspective,
36:58
genuine respect for other people doesn't mean affirming all
37:00
beliefs is equally valid paths to God.
37:03
It means clearly proclaiming the one specific Redeemer, Jesus
37:06
Christ, who embodies Yahweh's saving name.
37:09
One more area. What about progressive or
37:12
liberal theological reconstructions?
37:14
How might they contrast? These approaches can sometimes
37:17
involve redefining core concepts like sin or justice based more
37:21
on contemporary social theories or cultural norms, potentially
37:24
shifting authority away from the specific teachings of Scripture.
37:28
The Reformed reply, rooted in Yahweh, emphasizes that true
37:31
ethics and justice flow from God's revealed character and
37:34
commands in His Word, like Micah 6 verse 8.
37:37
Do justice, love, kindness. Walk humbly with your God.
37:40
Societal improvement, from this view, comes fundamentally from
37:42
the gospel changing hearts, the church living out its calling,
37:45
and believers acting justly as defined by God, rather than
37:48
adopting secular ideologies that redefine virtue apart from
37:51
Yahweh, the ultimate law giver. So it seems each of these
37:54
challenges, in its own way, touches on the very nature or
37:57
the necessary implications of who Yahweh has revealed himself
38:00
to be. That's right, and the consistent
38:03
response from the perspective of our sources is a call back to
38:07
Scriptures testimony about the immutable triune covenant
38:11
keeping God revealed supremely in Jesus Christ and
38:14
systematically understood through the lens of confessional
38:17
standards like Westminster. OK, we've covered a lot of
38:21
ground. The meaning of the name, its
38:23
history, how it unfolds in Scripture, how it grounds
38:26
doctrine, its culmination in Christ, and responses to
38:29
challenges. Let's bring it home.
38:30
How does all this understanding of Yahweh actually impact the
38:34
day-to-day life of a Christian? What are the practical lived out
38:37
consequences? That's really where the rubber
38:39
meets the road, isn't it? Understanding who Yahweh is, as
38:42
revealed in Christ isn't just head knowledge.
38:44
It's meant to shave our hearts, our actions, our worship,
38:47
everything. How does it affect something
38:49
like a believer's sense of assurance, their confidence, and
38:52
their salvation? Well, if your salvation depends
38:54
on the promise of Yahweh, the God who says I do not change
38:58
Malachi 3.6, then your assurance rests on incredibly solid
39:03
ground. It's not based on your
39:05
fluctuating feelings or performance, but on His
39:07
unchanging character and His sworn oath.
39:10
Hebrews 6 talks about the certainty of God's promise,
39:13
confirmed by an oath, giving a strong encouragement.
39:16
So pastors can point people to God's reliable nature.
39:18
Exactly. Point anxious hearts to the
39:21
immutable name that guarantees the promises, remembering that
39:24
the Yahweh who acted powerfully in the past, like at the Red
39:27
Sea, is the same God who is dealt decisively with our sin in
39:30
Christ and holds our future in His hands.
39:32
The one who is, was and is to come.
39:35
That brings stability. What about the pursuit of
39:37
holiness? Living a godly life.
39:38
The call to holiness flows directly from Yahweh's own
39:41
character. You shall be holy, for I Yahweh
39:43
your God, am holy. Leviticus 19.2 echoed in first
39:47
Peter 1.16. Seeing the moral beauty and
39:50
perfection of Yahweh, especially as revealed in Jesus, motivates
39:54
us. It's not just about obeying
39:55
rules moralism. It becomes a relational desire
39:58
to become more like the one we love and worship. 2nd
40:01
Corinthians 3.1 E talks about being transformed into His image
40:05
as we behold His glory. And our motivation for sharing
40:08
the faith for evangelism. Knowing Yahweh fuels missions.
40:11
If this is the one true God, the Savior of the world, whose name
40:14
deserves glory among all nations, Psalm 96.23, Malachi
40:18
1.11, then sharing that news isn't just a duty, it's an
40:22
overflow of worship. It's proclaiming the greatness
40:25
of His name. We go with confidence because
40:27
the exalted Christ, Yahweh Incarnate, has all authority.
40:31
Matthew 28.1 E. How does it shape our corporate
40:34
worship gatherings? Because Yahweh's name is holy,
40:37
our worship needs to reflect that reverence.
40:39
The regulative principle we discussed ensures worship is
40:42
ordered according to God's Word, protecting it from becoming man
40:45
centered. Focusing on word, prayer,
40:46
sacrament, singing. Yes, hearing His voice in
40:50
Scripture, responding in prayer through Christ, seeing His
40:53
promises visualized in the sacraments, singing His truths
40:56
back to Him. This kind of worship honors
40:58
Yahweh and builds up His people in the faith, reminding them
41:01
weekly of His unchanging covenant love demonstrated in
41:04
Christ. How does this understanding help
41:07
when people face suffering or hardship?
41:09
It reframes suffering in light of Yahweh's covenant
41:12
faithfulness. Remembering Exodus 3 verse 7, I
41:16
have surely seen the affliction of my people.
41:19
Yahweh is not distant or indifferent.
41:21
The cross itself shows that His covenant love doesn't bypass
41:24
suffering, but goes through it. Trials, then, can be understood
41:27
not as random events, but as part of His purposeful shaping
41:30
of His people for eternal glory, trusting His promise in first
41:33
Peter 5.10 to restore, confirm, strengthen and establish them
41:37
after they have suffered. What about unity within the
41:39
Church? Being united under the one
41:41
baptismal name of the Triune God should foster deep unity.
41:45
But importantly, it's a unity based on shared truth about
41:48
Yahweh. Reveal in Christ.
41:49
The third commandments warning against misusing His name
41:52
implies a responsibility to maintain doctrinal integrity.
41:56
So true unity requires upholding the truth about who Yahweh is,
42:00
which sometimes means addressing false teaching.
42:03
And finally, how does knowing Yahweh shape how Christians
42:06
engage with the world, with society?
42:08
Ethical engagement starts with that call in Micah 6, verse
42:12
eight. Walking humbly with Yahweh,
42:14
seeking justice and loving mercy flows from our relationship with
42:17
Him and our submission to His Word.
42:19
Attempts at social reform, divorce from the fear of Yahweh,
42:22
and the guidance of Scripture risk becoming based on shifting
42:25
human agendas. Public theology, from this
42:27
perspective, arises from submission to the law giver
42:30
expressing His love and standards in the public square.
42:33
And our ultimate hope for the future.
42:34
The ultimate hope is to see Yahweh face to face.
42:38
Revelation 22, verses 3 and 4 describes the redeemed seeing
42:42
His face with His name on their foreheads.
42:45
That future hope purifies our present lives.
42:48
First, John 3.3. We live now, in light of that
42:51
end, marching towards the city where His presence will be fully
42:54
known and enjoyed forever. OK, so wrapping this all up,
42:58
what does it really mean for you, the listener?
43:00
This name, Yahweh, it's clearly not just some ancient artifact.
43:03
It's like a central cord running through everything, connecting
43:07
God's very nature, his story with humanity, his saving work
43:10
in Jesus, and how we actually live and worship.
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Yeah, it anchors who God is. He exists in himself.
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He's unchanging. He is 1 God in three persons.
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That's fundamental. And it shows his consistent
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character, his faithfulness as he binds himself to his people
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through the covenants across all of history.
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And it all comes to a head finds its absolute clearest expression
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in Jesus Christ. He is Yahweh in the flesh,
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embodying the Name, fulfilling all the promises tied to it.
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And knowing that God, Yahweh, revealed in Jesus shapes
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everything for a believer. Our confidence, how we strive
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for holiness. Our desire to share Him, our
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reverence and worship. Our solid hope for what's
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coming. Absolutely.
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In a world with so many confusing ideas about God, this
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deep dive into Yahweh offers, we hope, a clear, coherent picture
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straight from Scripture, viewed through that Reformed
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theological lens. So here's a final thought for
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you to consider. Something to Mull over if the
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name Yahweh. Really means God is the one who
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causes all things to be the ultimate source and sustainer of
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reality. How does that specific truth
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shape your perspective on the world you live in right now and
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your own significance within the reality he upholds?
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Thanks for joining us for this deep dive into the name Yahweh
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Reformed Thinking.