Richard Hammond, Esq.
While in deep thought (prayer) the other day, I came across a mental dilemma. I tried to envision who and what I was addressing. I ran into a mind block. First of all, I know that there can be no mental image representing the Supremacy. Because to conjure in my head some physical vision of the Most High would mean I would have to limit Its Excellency to what my feeble mind could conceive. If It were a physical being, that would mean It would be limited by the laws of physics. It would have to have a sex, a gender, because all other living thing possess such. It would have physical limitations. That is to say, It could be affected by the laws of physics such as gravity and heat and cold and friction, by time and by pain and death—that It could be created and destroyed. In other words, It would be limited and therefore could not be Supreme, because supremacy can have no limitations.
In the human culture within which I exist, there are a number of images that my human brothers choose to pay homage to. They range from animals to human-beast combinations to images of contrived human beings made to look like the people currently in power. If I were to follow the mold of my fellows, I would have to choose which one to whom I would devote myself. I found this notion to be most distressing because if I was seeking the Supremacy, It could have no counterpart and no equal! There could be none like It.
How to resolve this issue? I could come up with but one solution: Since I am limited by what I know (and mostly by what I do not know) and that which I am trying to conceive is the Unqualifiable Intelligence of Existence, I have decided I shall view the Author of All, in my mind’s eye, as the vastness of everything seen and unseen—known and unknown. At this time, I am satisfied with my solution, though it cannot be the final word. After all, what I do not know could start a whole new universe. And to think that therefore, that since this Entity has chosen a name to represent Itself—I must respect It.
Law III: You do not take the name of (יהוה) Yahweh, your mighty one, to naught. For (יהוה) Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who puts his name to nothing.
This law has probably been the source of many a dispute as to Who is deserving of our spiritual affection. What is in a name? Far too many times has it been said, “It doesn’t matter what name you call Him. He knows what His name is.” The argument might be a semi-valid claim if it were not for the fact that there is a Divine prohibition against such a doing. Names are very important. If we recall our fourth or fifth grade English instructions, we will remember that a noun is a person, place, or thing. A proper noun is the name of a person, place, or thing. It is always to be capitalized, and defied translation no matter which country on this planet you visited (See Genesis 2:16). And out of the ground (יהוה) Yahvah formed every beast of the field, and every bird of the heavens, and brought them unto the man to see what he would call them: and whatsoever the man called every living creature, that was its name. Further, David the musician and king wrote of his Master (Psalms 68.4).
Sing unto the Mighty One sing praises to His Name. Extol Him that rides upon the heavens by His Name Yahweh, and rejoice before Him halleluiah! This Third Law is also a prohibition against perjury and profane swearing. It forbids man to dishonor the Mighty One by invoking His name to attest to that which is untrue, frivolous, or insincere. Perjury is an unpardonable offense, which if not repressed by severest penalties, would destroy human society. The Creator is holy. His name is holy. Therefore His name must not be used to testify to anything that is vain or empty. Further, It is not to be used in general, casual conversation. But most importantly, the sacred name is to never be substituted for or by another. Since he that does so violates the sanctity of the Most High and surely has performed an act most disrespectful.
Over the many years since the mass publication of the Bible by way of the Guttenberg press, there has been subtle controversy over the name of the Creator. Most agree it is Yah. A source of contention is whether it is Jahweh, Yahweh or Yahvah. A brief review of history should settle the controversy. First, we know that the word ‘lord’ in upper or lower case form is the title for a man. It only became used to refer to the Most High with the emergence of the European as the dominating global power.
The name ‘J’e’sus’ most will agree is of Roman advent, the fusion of the Roman and Greek deities’ names respectively. As for God, scholars of a higher order acknowledge that it either comes from the Assyrian deity Gawd or taken from the shortened name of one of the fallen so-called angels, Gad from Gadreel.
With the dismissal of these pagan names, let’s now go to the original subject. Before there were mass produced writings, literature was transmitted by hand written instruments. When the German, Johannes Guttenberg, invented the movable type, mass produced written communications became possible. The Bible was first translated then into German for mass production, and from German to English and other tongues. However, one must take into account the German language.
In German, the letter J’ is pronounced as the English letter ‘Y.’ The German ‘W’ is pronounced as the English letter ‘V.’ Therefore, Jahweh would be pronounced as Yahvah or Yahveh. Enough said.
