From: dah@tko.vtt.fi (David Harwood)
Newsgroups: alt.messianic
Subject: re the Name of God (was Re: Lifdot & L'chaper)
Date: 27 Sep 92 19:19:53 GMT
Organization: VTT

In article <9209170732.AA05875@aplpy.jhuapl.edu> levene@aplpy.jhuapl.edu (Robert A. Levene) writes:
[replying to B.C...]
>
>>  ...  There are plenty of Rabbinic quotes
>>     that state that Messiah will have the Divine Nature of HaShem.
>>     Do you know anyone, EVER, besides HaShem who is given the Name
>>     of HaShem? 
>
>*I* have it.  "Refoel" ==> "G-d has healed."
>

\\\\\\\\\\

*No* - you don't have it. Neither do you have a clue about what is
"the Name" by which God identifies Himself. It is not "El;" it is not
"Yah;" it not even "YHWH;" it is not even Hebrew. In fact, it is not
even humanly pronounceable.

The secret of God's "Name" is that it is simply His self-revelation,
the manifest "sign" of His presence - which shows us that the hidden
God exists, knows our hidden thoughts, and is immensely powerful.
Therefore, He is said to pronounce His own "Name" when he manifests
His "glory" (divine light) as a sign, as to Moses. This self-revelation
communicates to us, "I am - He who is (God)." Listen to me. And we are
made to understand that moment, that God is merciful and gracious, who
judges our hidden thoughts, who saves us, who guides us, and illuminates
our hearts.

Only God pronounces His true "Name" by which He is identified. This "Name"
is powerful to transform our lives, and the world. There is nonsensical
ancient Jewish tradition about letters and formulae of God's Name. The
New Testament has nothing to do with this. It does say that Jesus has the
Name of God as his own. That is because the powerful self-revelation of
God became that of Christ. Elsewhere it says that the saints of God have
His Name written on their foreheads; as Jesus said, Blessed are the pure
at heart, for they will see God. Moses is called "friend" of God who saw
Him face to face (or at least his manifest glory); so Jesus calls his own
"friends" in John's gospel.

There is an irony of an ancient Talmudic reference to Jesus, which has
an aspect of truth, however unwitting. It says that Jesus was a magic-
worker, who was able to perform miracles because somehow he got hold of
God's Name. As if some verbal expression would compell miracles, or even
God's help. The irony is that Jesus did, apparently, perform some miracles
by the power of God's divine manifestation. In particular, it seems that
he may have cast out demons (even Satan) from the hearts of men, by
manifesting the power of God to them. Hence even the demons are said to 
recognize that he is Christ. Similarly, Jesus is revealed as Christ to 
some chosen few of his disciples, by a transfiguration of his appearance
in glory by God, who affirms therein, "This is my Son."

It is by the "Name" of God, His powerful self-revelation, that Jesus is
identified as Christ with God.

I want to comment on one thing Bill said. He said that only Jesus was
given the Name of God. Actually, there is another Biblical reference to 
someone who was given the Name of God. This reference was widely discussed in
rabbinical and Jewish kabbalistic literature. In Exodus we read about
a mysterious "angel" who bears God's Name, who is to guide Israel through
the wilderness into the Promised land. (He is called "Metatron" in the
literature.) He is sent by God "to go before" Israel to lead them to the
homeland which God prepared for them. In John's gospel, we read that Jesus
said, I will before you to prepare a place (in God's realm) for you, that
where I am you may be also." Anyway, early Christian commentaries identify
this mysterious angel, who bears God's own Name, who guides Israel with
Christ.

D.H.