bgamers900/questgpt huggingface dataset:
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: Is God dead?
Answer: The technical term for the teaching that "God is dead" is theothanatology, a three-fold compound from the Greek: theos (god) + thanatos (death) + logia (word).German poet and philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche is most famous for making the statement "God is dead" in the Nineteenth Century. Nietzsche, influenced by both Greek philosophy and the theory of evolution, wrote, "God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we, murderers of all murderers, console ourselves? . . . Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we not ourselves become gods simply to be worthy of it?" (Nietzsche, The Gay Science, §125).Nietzsche’s purpose was to abolish "traditional" morality-Christianity, in particular-because, in his mind, it represented an attempt of self-serving religious leaders to control the weak and unthinking masses. Nietzsche believed that the "idea" of God was no longer necessary; in fact, God was irrelevant because man was evolving to a place where he could create a deeper and more satisfying "master morality" of his own.Nietzsche’s “God is dead” philosophy has been used to advance the theories of existentialism, nihilism, and socialism. Radical theologians such as Thomas J. J. Altizer and Paul van Buren advocated the "God is dead" idea in the 1960s and 1970s.The belief that God is dead and religion is irrelevant naturally leads to the following ideas:1) If God is dead, there are no moral absolutes and no universal standard to which all men should conform.2) If God is dead, there is no purpose or rational order in life.3) If God is dead, any design seen in the universe is projected by men who are desperate to find meaning in life.4) If God is dead, man is independent and totally free to create his own values.5) If God is dead, the "real" world (as opposed to a heaven and hell) is man’s only concern.The idea that "God is dead" is primarily a challenge to God’s authority over our lives. The notion that we can safely create our own rules was the lie that the serpent told Eve: "ye shall be as gods" (Genesis 3:5). Peter warns us that "there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction" (2 Peter 2:1).The "God is dead" argument is usually presented as a rational, empowering philosophy for artists and intellectuals. But Scripture calls it foolish. "The fool hath said in his heart, 'There is no God'" (Psalm 14:1). Ironically, those who hold to the “God is dead” philosophy will discover the fatal error in the philosophy when they themselves are dead.
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: What does it mean that God is the God of Jeshurun?
Answer: In Isaiah 44:1–2, God comforts His people with these words:“But now listen, Jacob, my servant,Israel, whom I have chosen.This is what the Lord says—he who made you, who formed you in the womb,and who will help you:Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant,Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.”The name Jeshurun means “upright one” or “blessed one.” In the parallelism of Isaiah’s poetry, Jeshurun is a synonym for Jacob in the previous line. So we see that Jeshurun is a poetic reference to the nation of Israel. It is a term of endearment; the Greek Septuagint translates Jeshurun as “beloved one,” using a form of the word agape. The name Jeshurun is used four times in the books of Deuteronomy and Isaiah. In each case the name occurs in a poetic setting and refers to Israel, God’s beloved people.In Deuteronomy 32, Moses rehearses the history of Israel to that point, including a time when the Israelites were unfaithful to God in the wilderness:“Jeshurun grew fat and kicked;filled with food, they became heavy and sleek.They abandoned the God who made themand rejected the Rock their Savior” (Deuteronomy 32:15).As Moses begins his final blessings on the tribes of Israel, he says,“[The Lord] was king over Jeshurunwhen the leaders of the people assembled,along with the tribes of Israel” (Deuteronomy 33:5).Then, as Moses ends the same series of blessings, he says,“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,who rides across the heavens to help youand on the clouds in his majesty.The eternal God is your refuge,and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:26–27).Israel could be called “Jeshurun” because of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Isaiah starts out his book with a condemnation of Israel’s sin, calling the people a “sinful nation . . . whose guilt is great” and a “brood of evildoers . . . given to corruption” (Isaiah 1:4). Yet God still tenderly calls them “Jeshurun,” the “upright one.” The children of Israel forsook the Lord: “They have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him” (verse 4). Yet God still lovingly calls them “Jeshurun,” the “beloved one.” Jeshurun is God’s grace on display.“He will not always accuse,nor will he harbor his anger forever;he does not treat us as our sins deserveor repay us according to our iniquities.For as high as the heavens are above the earth,so great is his love for those who fear him;as far as the east is from the west,so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:9–12).
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: What does it mean that God is the King of glory?
Answer: The phrase King of glory is found in a series of verses in Psalm 24:“Lift up your heads, you gates;be lifted up, you ancient doors,that the King of glory may come in.Who is this King of glory?The Lord strong and mighty,the Lord mighty in battle.Lift up your heads, you gates;lift them up, you ancient doors,that the King of glory may come in.Who is he, this King of glory?The Lord Almighty—he is the King of glory” (Psalm 24:7–10).The Hebrew word translated “glory” in Psalm 24 is kabod, which means “weight,” but it is used figuratively, as in “his argument carries weight” or “the content of that book is weighty.” Kabad carries a connotation of solemnity and power. Calling God the “King of Glory” means He is the most awesome, most powerful king and should be taken seriously.Using a type of personification known as apostrophe, the psalmist speaks to the “gates” and the “ancient doors,” calling them to attention and commanding them to “be lifted up” or raised to admit the King of glory. However lofty these ancient doors are, they must be loftier still to admit such an august presence as the Lord Himself.There is a connection to be made between the King of glory in Psalm 24 and the Shekinah glory in Exodus 33. When God gave Moses instructions for building the Ark of the Covenant, He said, “I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover [mercy seat]” (Leviticus 16:2). The mercy seat was to be seen as God’s glorious “throne” on earth (see 2 Samuel 6:2; Psalm 80:1; 99:1). And it was from the mercy seat that God spoke to Moses: “There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites” (Exodus 25:22).Psalm 24 pictures the coming of the King of glory in a time of celebration. Given the Hebrew association of the cloud of glory with the Ark of the Covenant, it is quite possible that Psalm 24 was written to commemorate the entrance of the Ark into Jerusalem during David’s time (2 Samuel 6:12–17) or into the temple during Solomon’s time (2 Chronicles 5:7). The King of glory came through the gates of Jerusalem and through the doors of the temple with a great procession as the Ark of the Covenant was brought to its permanent home on Mt. Zion.Jesus is called “the Lord of glory” in 1 Corinthians 2:8. His entrance into Jerusalem amid the shouts of a jubilant crowd (Matthew 21) could be seen as another fulfillment of Psalm 24.  Jesus is the One with “clean hands and a pure heart” who can “ascend the mountain of the Lord” (Psalm 24:3–4). Jesus “will receive blessing from the Lord” (verse 5). Jesus is the “King of glory, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle” (verse 8).
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: What does the Bible mean when it calls God the “LORD of hosts”?
Answer: The name Lord of hosts occurs over 200 times in the Old Testament Scriptures. God is first called the “Lord of hosts” in 1 Samuel 1:3. The word Lord, in all capitals, refers to Yahweh, the self-existent, redemptive God. The word hosts is a translation of the Hebrew word sabaoth, meaning “armies”—a reference to any army, spiritual or earthly. The name Lord of hosts emphasizes God’s sovereign control over every power, dominion, force, and realm.Various translations handle YHWH saboath in various ways. The NIV translates the name as “Lord Almighty.” The NLT has “the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” The NASB has the broader “Lord of armies,” and the NET has the even broader “Lord who rules over all.” The ESV sticks with “the Lord of hosts.”This name for God first appears at the close of the period of the judges. In the same sentence as “Lord of hosts” is a reference to Shiloh, where the ark of the covenant was being kept (1 Samuel 1:3). The ark symbolized Yahweh’s rulership, among other things, for He sits enthroned above the cherubim (1 Samuel 4:4; Psalm 99:1). Some have suggested that Lord of hosts reaffirms that God is the true Leader of Israel’s armies, in spite of the low spiritual condition of the nation of Israel during the time of the judges. In 1 Samuel 17:45, as part of his pre-fight verbal sparring with Goliath, David invokes this name of God. In doing so, David claims that God is the universal Ruler over every force, whether in heaven or on earth. Goliath is no match for the Lord of hosts.Soon after David’s defeat of Goliath, Israel would enter the international scene. It was necessary for the nation to realize that Yahweh was King over all—even over the many other nations. This kingship of the Lord of hosts is vividly expressed in Psalm 24:10: “Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!” (ESV). He is the glorious King of Israel, and Zechariah 14:9 tells us that He will be King of the world, over all the kingdoms of the earth (cf. Isaiah 37:16).Eventually, Yahweh of armies will put down all rebellion (Isaiah 24:21–23) and establish His kingdom from Mt. Zion (Isaiah 31:4–5; 34:12). As the Lord of hosts, God is the all-powerful Ruler over the entire universe. All authority is His, and He is on the march with His armies. He alone intervenes to provide victory for His people. He alone brings world peace. At the same time, He is available to hear the prayers of His people (Psalm 80:19). There is no other God like this.The sovereign Lord of hosts has the grace to always be there for the one who comes to Him through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The King of glory, who commands the armies of heaven and who will eventually defeat every enemy arrayed against Him, is none other than Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Lord of hosts (see Revelation 19:11–20).
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: What does it mean that God is Jehovah-Jireh?
Answer: “Jehovah-Jireh” is one of the many different names of God found in the Old Testament. “Jehovah-Jireh” is the KJV’s translation of YHWH-Yireh and means “The LORD Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14). It is the name memorialized by Abraham when God provided the ram to be sacrificed in place of Isaac.The story begins with a strange command from God to Abraham, instructing him to offer his “son of promise,” Isaac, as a burnt offering. Early the next morning, Abraham packs wood and a knife, and he and Isaac travel to Moriah, the place God had specified. As they near the site, Isaac questions Abraham concerning the intended offering: “Where is the lamb?” With great faith and foresight, Abraham responds, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:1-8). The New Testament tells us that Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:19). Upon reaching the place God had chosen, Abraham demonstrates his faith and obedience by building an altar, binding Isaac, and placing him on the wood. Before Abraham can finish the offering, the Angel of the Lord calls to him from heaven, and Isaac’s life is spared. Then, “Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son” (Genesis 22:13). Abraham names the place “Jehovah-Jireh” because of God’s gracious provision of a substitute for Isaac. Immediately afterwards, God reconfirms His covenant with Abraham (v 17-18). Centuries later, King Solomon would build the temple in the same location (2 Chronicles 3:1).The account of Abraham on Mt. Moriah thus becomes more than a dramatic illustration of faith and obedience. It is a presentation of the Lord’s eternal grace, continual provision, and all-encompassing wisdom. Jehovah-Jireh is not “The LORD Did Provide,” but “The LORD Will Provide.” In other words, the name does not simply memorialize a past event; it anticipates a future action.Likewise, the statement “on the mountain of the LORD it will be provided” (verse 14) refers to more than Mt. Moriah—it also refers to a hill called Calvary, where God “did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all” (Romans 8:32). Abraham’s faith-filled statement that “God himself will provide the lamb” is a companion to John the Baptist’s exclamation, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Jehovah-Jireh provided a sacrifice to save Isaac, and that action was a foreshadowing of the provision of His Son for the salvation of the world.
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: What does it mean that God is Almighty?
Answer: In Hebrew, the title "God Almighty" is written as El Shaddai and probably means “God, the All-powerful One” or “The Mighty One of Jacob” (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 132:2,5), although there is a question among most Bible scholars as to its precise meaning. The title speaks to God’s ultimate power over all. He has all might and power. We are first introduced to this name in Genesis 17:1, when God appeared to Abram and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.” God has many names and attributes. He is the Almighty (Genesis 49:25), the Creator of heaven and earth (Genesis 14:19), Builder of everything (Hebrews 3:4), the King of heaven (Daniel 4:37), God of all mankind (Jeremiah 32:27), and the Eternal King. (Jeremiah 10:10). He is the only God (Jude 1:25), the Eternal God (Genesis 21:33), the Everlasting God (Isaiah 40:28), and Maker of all things (Ecclesiastes 11:5). He is able to do more things than we can ask or even imagine (Ephesians 3:20). He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed and miracles that cannot be counted (Job 9:10). God’s power is unlimited. He can do anything He wants, whenever He wants (Psalm 115:3). He spoke the universe into existence (Genesis 1:3). Furthermore, He answers to no one as to His plans and purposes: “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’" (Daniel 4:35).When we see God as the Almighty, we are struck by His power and by the fact that He is indeed a great, mighty, and awesome God (Deuteronomy 10:17). The identity of God as Almighty serves to establish the sense of awe and wonder we have toward Him and the realization that He is God above all things without limitation. This is important in view of how He is described next in the Bible. In Exodus 6:2-3, God said to Moses, “I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them.” How is this significant? It is significant because God, whom we previously knew only as God Almighty, has now given a new, more personal and intimate name to Moses (and Israel). This desire on God’s part for a more personal relationship with mankind would culminate later when God Almighty sent His only Son to earth--God in flesh--to die on the cross so that a way for forgiveness of our sins could be provided. The fact that God Almighty would humble Himself in this way for us makes His name all the more remarkable.
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: What does it mean that God is the Ancient of Days?
Answer: The title “Ancient of Days” first appears in Daniel 7:9, where Daniel is describing his vision of heaven. There an ancient, or venerable, Person sits on a flaming throne with wheels of fire, His hair and clothing white as snow. The flaming throne is symbolic of judgment, while the white hair and title “Ancient” indicate that God existed before time began. In Isaiah 43:13, we find that God refers to Himself existing from ancient of days (literally, “before days were”). That means God existed before days were even created. We read in Genesis 1 that God created time, days and nights, so God existed from before the beginning of time. God is often represented as ancient, as He that is “from everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:2) and as “the first and the last” in Isaiah 44:6.There can also be no doubt that the reference in Daniel 7 is to God as Judge. A similar description occurs in Revelation 1:14-15, wherein Christ is described as having snow-white hair and blazing eyes. In Revelation, God the Son is depicted with the same power of judgment over His church as the Ancient of Days is described as having in judging Israel. In fact, His sharp gaze judges all seven of the churches in Revelation 1–3 with complete clarity of the reality of all there is to know.The title "Ancient of Days" is found only three times in Scripture, all three in prophetic passages in Daniel 7:9, 13, and 22. Verse 22 refers specifically to Jesus whose judgment will be part of the end-times events. In Daniel 7:13, the term “ancient of days” refers to God the Father, and we see Him on His throne as Jesus, the “Son of Man” approaches the throne on clouds. God is a triune God, meaning three Persons in One, and at different times “Ancient of Days” refers to Jesus Christ and at other times, to God the Father. But in the prophetic sense, it clearly refers to Jesus, the Ancient of Days returning to pronounce judgment on the world (Daniel 7:22).
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: Is it true that every time we breathe we are saying the name Yahweh?
Answer: It has been said that the Jewish sages associated the covenant name of God, Yahweh, with breath. The idea is that the name itself, when pronounced, is the sound of breathing: the two syllables of the name correspond to the intake and outtake of a single breath. In this way, the theory goes, our breaths evoke the name of God. A naturally voiced inhalation sounds like “Yah,” and a voiced exhalation sounds like “Weh.” Thus, with every breath we take, we are speaking God’s name. He breathed into us the breath of life (Genesis 2:7), and we still retain that breath.According to the view that with every breath we say the name of Yahweh, we constantly have God’s name on our lips. Consciously or unconsciously, speaking the name of God is the one thing we do every minute of our lives. “In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:10). “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).When the natural act of breathing is viewed in this light, the name of God is everywhere. Atheists and agnostics acknowledge Him constantly. A baby’s first cry is a calling out to God. The sighs of a sufferer are wordless appeals to the God who hears. And when we cease speaking God’s name, we die.The breath that Yahweh breathed into Adam’s nostrils gave him life and set the course for the whole human race to speak of God when respiring (Genesis 2:7). When Jesus breathed on His disciples, imparting peace, forgiveness, and the Holy Spirit all at once, He was, in effect, speaking God’s name (John 20:21–23). In our quietest moments, in the ease and constancy of breathing, we are reminded of God’s life and presence.While it is an interesting thought, the idea that every breath forms the name Yahweh is not found in the Bible. The theory is the domain of Jewish mysticism. However, it is true that life is a gift from God. Every moment we live should be dedicated to the glory of God, and we should constantly acknowledge our dependence on Him. Yahweh deserves to be praised with our every breath.
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: What is the meaning of Hashem?
Answer: The short answer is that Hashem means “The Name” in Hebrew. When reading the Torah or praying, Jews who come across the name of God (transliterated into English as YHWH) will substitute the word Adonai. In other contexts and in casual conversation, Jews who encounter God’s name will substitute Hashem instead.Exodus 20:7 reads, “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name” (cf. Deuteronomy 5:11). This command in Scripture is the reason that Jews use Hashem in place of YHWH. The word translated “misuse” carries the idea of speaking (or writing) the name of God in an “empty,” “worthless” manner. Observant Jews are concerned about potentially blaspheming God by misusing His name. According to one Jewish tradition, a person who says God’s name while in a state of sinful impurity is in danger of death The rabbi Rashi taught that God allowed His name to be pronounced “only in the place to which the Shechinah comes, and that is in the Temple in Jerusalem. There permission was given to the priests to mention the Explicit Name when they raise their hands to bless the people” (from Mechilta, Sifrei, Num. 6:23, Sotah 38a).Leviticus 22:32 warns that the holy name of God shall not be profaned, and the Talmud equates such blasphemy with paganism. But the Mishnah takes things further by stating, “Whoever profanes the name of Heaven in secret will pay the penalty in public” (Avot 4:4). Some traditional authorities counter that there is no such thing as blaspheming God’s name in secret, because He can see everything. Nothing is “secret” to Him.The question arises, is the use of God’s name Yahweh, or Jehovah, wrong? Is it blasphemy to speak that name, or should we use the epithet Hashem as a substitute? The answer is that there is no biblical reason to use Hashem in the place of God’s name. No passage in Scripture instructs us not to use His name. In fact, if God didn’t want us to use His name, He wouldn’t have given it to us.We are mindful of how frequently the world uses words, including God’s name, that do profane what is holy, and we are saddened. As followers of Christ, we seek to hallow God’s name and never use it in an empty, careless, or unworthy manner.
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: What is the meaning of Adonai?
Answer: Many people who are familiar with the Old Testament names of God might be quick to answer that Adonai is one of the most common names of God in the Old Testament. This is only partially correct.The word Adonai is simply the word for “Lord.” Lord is defined in English as “someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler.” In 1 Samuel 24:8, 26:17, and 29:8, David refers to Saul as “my lord the king,” and he uses the term Adonai. Likewise, Abner refers to David in the same way in 2 Samuel 3:21, and this is found throughout the book of 2 Samuel as a reference to David. The term is used of other kings as well. Some of Elisha’s followers use the term Adonai to refer to Elisha in 2 Kings 2:19. As can be seen by its usage throughout the Old Testament, Adonai is simply a term of respect that is in keeping with the English definition and usage of the word lord.It would be more accurate to say that Adonai is used as a description of God or as a title of respect, rather than a name in the proper sense. David would have had no problem addressing God as “Adonai” and then addressing Saul as “Adonai” as well—no one would have been confused by that, just as no one today thinks that referring to the English poet as “Lord Byron” ascribes deity to him.In the English Old Testament, Adonai is usually translated “Lord”; however, most occurrences of the word Lord in the English Old Testament are not translations of Adonai. God’s special covenant name, Yahweh was so holy that, in later years, many Jews feared even to say it. Even today, when they are reading the Hebrew text (which originally had only consonants) they will pronounce YHWH as “Adonai.” In keeping with this tradition, most English versions translate YHWH as “LORD” (in all caps). In general, if the English word is LORD (all capital letters), then the Hebrew word translated is YHWH; and, if the English is Lord (using lowercase letters), whether referring to God or someone else, it is translating Adonai.Adonai is certainly an apt title for God. While there are other lords who hold sway over limited realms, God is the Lord of all the earth (Joshua 3:11).
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: What do LORD, GOD, Lord, God, etc., stand for in the Bible?
Answer: It can be very confusing to understand how the different titles used for God are used in the Bible. Part of the problem is that different Bible translations use the terms somewhat differently. The primary reason for the use of LORD in place of God’s Hebrew name is to follow the tradition of the Israelites in not pronouncing or spelling out God’s name. So, when God’s Hebrew name "YHWH" is used in the Old Testament, English translations usually use "LORD" in all caps or small caps. Also, since ancient Hebrew did not use vowels in its written form, it is not entirely clear how God’s name should be spelled or pronounced. It could be Yahweh, or Jehovah, or Yehowah, or something else.As stated above, when "LORD" in all caps or small caps occurs in the Old Testament, it is a replacement for an occurrence of God’s Hebrew name "YHWH," also known as the Tetragrammaton. This is fairly consistent throughout all the different English translations of the Bible. When "Lord" occurs in the Old Testament, referring to God, it is usually a rendering of "Adonai," a name/title of God that emphasizes His lordship. LORD/YHWH and Lord/Adonai are by far the two most consistent renderings throughout all the different English Bible translations.In the Old Testament, when "God" is used, it is usually a rendering of the general Hebrew word for God, "Elohim." When "LORD GOD" or "Lord GOD" occurs, it is usually a rendering of a dual name for God "Adonai YHWH." The Hebrew term "YHWH Sabaoth" is usually rendered "Lord of Hosts." The Hebrew term "YHWH Shaddai" is usually rendered "LORD Almighty." The Old Testament uses many different names and titles to refer to God, to emphasize certain aspects of His person and attributes. This can result in confusion in translation, but in the original Hebrew, it was done entirely in an effort to glorify and magnify God’s name.The usage of "Lord" and "God" in the New Testament is much less complicated. Almost universally, "God" is a translation of "theos," the general Greek word for deity. Also almost universally, "Lord" is a translation of "kurios," the general Greek word for a master. The key point in all of this is that whether we use His actual Hebrew name, or refer to Him as God, or Lord, or Lord God, we are to always show reverence to Him and His name.
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: Is Jehovah the true name of God?
Answer: In the Hebrew Scriptures, the name of God is recorded as YHWH. So, where did the name “Jehovah” come from? Ancient Hebrew did not use vowels in its written form. The vowels were pronounced in spoken Hebrew but were not recorded in written Hebrew. The appropriate vowel sounds of words were passed down orally. As a result, when ancient Hebrew is studied, scholars and linguists often do not know with absolute confidence how certain Hebrew words were pronounced.This particularly becomes an issue when studying the Hebrew name of God, written in the Hebrew Scriptures as YHWH, also known as the tetragrammaton. Despite much study and debate, it is still not universally agreed upon how the Hebrew name for God YHWH was pronounced. Some prefer “Yahweh” (YAH-way); others prefer “Yehowah,” “Yahuweh,” or “Yahawah”; still others argue for “Jehovah.”As you can see, virtually everything is up for debate. Should YHWH be pronounced with three syllables or two? Should the vowels be borrowed from Elohim or Adonai? Should the W be pronounced with more of a W sound or more of a V sound? It is not the purpose of this article to settle the debate. Rather, it is the purpose of this article to discuss the use of “Jehovah.”The vast majority of Jewish and Christian biblical scholars and linguists do not believe “Jehovah” to be the proper pronunciation of YHWH. There was no true J sound in ancient Hebrew. Even the Hebrew letter vav, which is transliterated as the W in YHWH is said to have originally had a pronunciation closer to W than the V of Jehovah. Jehovah is essentially a Germanic pronunciation of the Latinized transliteration of the Hebrew YHWH. It is the letters of the tetragrammaton, Latinized into JHVH, with vowels inserted. “Yahweh” or “Yehowah” is far more likely to be the correct pronunciation.The form Jehovah, though, is very commonly used. It is used in the King James Version of the Bible (Genesis 22:14; Exodus 6:3; 17:15; Judges 6:24; Psalm 83:18; Isaiah 12:2; 26:4). It is also used, and strenuously promoted by, the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Jehovah’s Witnesses emphasize the use of Jehovah to the extent that any other name or title for God is viewed as borderline idolatry or outright heresy.With all of that said, it is not crucial to the Christian faith for the proper pronunciation of YHWH to be known. Both the Old and New Testaments, inspired by God, use generic terms for “God” and “Lord,” including El, Elohim, and Adonai (Hebrew); and Theos and Kurios (Greek). If the authors of Scripture, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, were allowed to use these terms, it is not wrong for us to refer to Him as “God” or “Lord,” either.In conclusion, it is highly unlikely that “Jehovah” is the correct pronunciation of YHWH. Further, it is far more important to know God through faith in Jesus Christ, than it is to know the correct pronunciation of His name in Hebrew.
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: What is YHWH?
Answer: The ancient Hebrew language that the Old Testament was written in did not have vowels in its alphabet. In written form, ancient Hebrew was a consonant-only language. In the original Hebrew, God’s name transliterates to YHWH (sometimes written in the older style as YHVH). This is known as the tetragrammaton (meaning “four letters”). Because of the lack of vowels, Bible scholars debate how the tetragrammaton YHWH was pronounced.The tetragrammaton consists of four Hebrew letters: yodh, he, waw, and then he repeated. Some versions of the Bible translate the tetragrammaton as “Yahweh” or “Jehovah”; most translate it as “LORD” (all capital letters).Contrary to what some believe, Jehovah is not the Divine Name revealed to Israel. The name Jehovah is a product of mixing different words and different alphabets of different languages. Due to a fear of accidentally taking God’s name in vain (Leviticus 24:16), the Jews basically quit saying it out loud altogether. Instead, when reading Scripture aloud, the Jews substituted the tetragrammaton YHWH with the word Adonai (“Lord”). Even in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), the translators substituted Kurios (“Lord”) for the Divine Name. Eventually, the vowels from Adonai (“Lord”) or Elohim (“God”) found their way in between the consonants of YHWH, thus forming YaHWeH. But this interpolation of vowels does not mean that was how God’s name was originally pronounced. In fact, we aren’t entirely sure if YHWH should have two syllables or three.Any number of vowel sounds can be inserted within YHWH, and Jewish scholars are as uncertain of the real pronunciation as Christian scholars are. Jehovah is actually a much later (probably 16th-century) variant. The word Jehovah comes from a three-syllable version of YHWH, YeHoWeH. The Y was replaced with a J (although Hebrew does not even have a J sound) and the W with a V, plus the extra vowel in the middle, resulting in JeHoVaH. These vowels are the abbreviated forms of the imperfect tense, the participial form, and the perfect tense of the Hebrew being verb (English is)—thus the meaning of Jehovah could be understood as “He who will be, is, and has been.”So, what is God’s Name, and what does it mean? The most likely choice for how the tetragrammaton was pronounced is “YAH-way,” “YAH-weh,” or something similar. The name Yahweh refers to God’s self-existence. Yahweh is linked to how God described Himself in Exodus 3:14, “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: “I AM has sent me to you.”’” God’s name is a reflection of His being. God is the only self-existent or self-sufficient Being. Only God has life in and of Himself. That is the essential meaning of the tetragrammaton, YHWH.
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: What is the name of God?
Answer: The name of God, as revealed in the Hebrew Scriptures, is YHWH (the closest English equivalents to the Hebrew letters). Ancient Hebrew did not have vowels, so the exact pronunciation of YHWH is uncertain. The majority of Hebrew and Christian scholars believe the name to be Yahweh, pronounced /ˈyä-wā/, with Yehowah, pronounced /yi-ˈhō-və/, being the second most popular possibility.There are movements that strongly emphasize using God’s name in the context of prayer and worship (and, of course, only the name of God that they believe to be correct). However, there is no biblical command that limits our vocabulary to Yahweh when addressing God. Anyone who says that God must be addressed only by the name YHWH is speaking without biblical warrant.Moses himself refers to God as “Elohim” in Exodus 3:15. Later, in Exodus 4:13, Moses addresses God directly as “Adonai.” So, God’s personal name, or His covenant name, is not the only acceptable way to refer to Him or to address Him. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God inspired the human authors of Scripture to refer to Him using generic terms for “God” and “Lord.” Beyond YHWH, God chose to reveal Himself using many other names and titles. Clearly, using God’s personal, covenant name is not required in every context.YHWH is as close to a personal name as God has revealed to us. The Divine Name was revealed to Moses and was unknown before his time: “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord [YHWH] I did not make myself fully known to them” (Exodus 6:3). The name YHWH seems to refer to God’s self-existence, being linked to I AM THAT I AM in Exodus 3:14.God told Moses that “this is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation” (Exodus 3:15; cf. Exodus 15:3). This name would distinguish Israel’s God from all false gods. It is the unique name of Israel’s God throughout Jewish history. Israel was not to be tricked into thinking that God’s name might actually be Molech or Dagon or Baal Peor.All other “names” for God, such as Elohim, Adonai, El-Gibhor, and Our Father, are probably best viewed as titles, rather than personal names, per se. It is quite proper to address God by His titles, as they in no way supplant His personal name, YHWH. References to “the name of our God” (in Psalm 44:20, for example), are oblique references to God’s personal name, YHWH.
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: Who created God?
Answer: A common argument from atheists and skeptics is that if all things need a cause, then God must also need a cause. The conclusion is that if God needed a cause, then God is not God (and if God is not God, then of course there is no God). This is a slightly more sophisticated form of the basic question “Who made God?” Everyone knows that something does not come from nothing. So, if God is a “something,” then He must have a cause, right?The question is tricky because it sneaks in the false assumption that God came from somewhere and then asks where that might be. The answer is that the question does not even make sense. It is like asking, “What does blue smell like?” Blue is not in the category of things that have a smell, so the question itself is flawed. In the same way, God is not in the category of things that are created or caused. God is uncaused and uncreated—He simply exists.How do we know this? We know that from nothing, nothing comes. So, if there were ever a time when there was absolutely nothing in existence, then nothing would have ever come into existence. But things do exist. Therefore, since there could never have been absolutely nothing, something had to have always been in existence. That ever-existing thing is what we call God. God is the uncaused Being that caused everything else to come into existence. God is the uncreated Creator who created the universe and everything in it.
Topic: The Identity of God
Question: Why does God exist? What is the reason for God’s existence?
Answer: Logic, mathematics, and philosophy all make use of axioms. In those contexts, axioms are concepts that must be accepted but cannot be proved or disproved. A simple example is that numbers equal themselves: x = x. Another is the law of non-contradiction, which says that mutually exclusive statements cannot both be true in the same sense at the same time.No system can escape using axioms. Fundamental axioms are uniquely beyond the normal rules of logic. Instead, we define logic in relationship to those ideas and their applications. Even attempting to prove or disprove an axiom requires the use of other axioms. Denying axiomatic principles makes rational thought impossible. They “must” be believed because without them communication breaks down, and nothing can be understood.God’s existence—the “why” of God’s being—is the axiom of our reality. God simply is because, if He were not, there wouldn’t be anything. When we ask, “Why does God exist?” or “What is the reason God exists?” we’re speaking of something that doesn’t apply to Him. Such questions attempt to apply cause-and-effect to a Being who is prior to and the source of all causes and reasons.This means there is no reason for God’s existence. In fact, there can’t be one. Logically, His existence comes before all reasons. Asking “why” something exists implies it could possibly not exist. “Why” implies a cause leading to a result. Without the “why,” that thing would not occur. God, who has always existed and always will (Psalm 90:2), has no “why.” He must exist. When Moses asked the Lord to identify Himself, God simply said, “I AM” (Exodus 3:13–14). Jesus echoed the “I am” concept regarding His own eternal existence (John 8:58). The simplest explanation of God’s nature is that He is the Only Necessary Thing: the ultimate basis of all reality.Critics may claim that saying, “God just exists” is a dodge, not an answer. However, it’s as valid as any other axiom. In the Christian worldview, God created everything other than Himself (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3). When we ask, “Why does 1 = 1?” or “Why can’t there be square circles?” or similar questions about logic and math axioms, we can only give that answer: they just are. Reality—let alone reason—would not exist if those axioms were untrue. We can’t provide an answer for “why” axioms are true. We can only recognize that they are true and that they must be.In the same way, for anything to exist, there must be an always-present, causeless, necessary “something” that is not the result of anything else. There is no “why” for God’s existence; rather, He is the ultimate “why” for every other aspect of reality. God’s existence is properly axiomatic: He simply is because He must be.
Topic: The Character of God
Question: What is the biblical understanding of the wrath of God?
Answer: Wrath is defined as “the emotional response to perceived wrong and injustice,” often translated as “anger,” “indignation,” “vexation,” or “irritation.” Both humans and God express wrath. But there is vast difference between the wrath of God and the wrath of man. God’s wrath is holy and always justified; man’s is never holy and rarely justified.In the Old Testament, the wrath of God is a divine response to human sin and disobedience. Idolatry was most often the occasion for divine wrath. Psalm 78:56-66 describes Israel’s idolatry. The wrath of God is consistently directed towards those who do not follow His will (Deuteronomy 1:26-46; Joshua 7:1; Psalm 2:1-6). The Old Testament prophets often wrote of a day in the future, the "day of wrath" (Zephaniah 1:14-15). God’s wrath against sin and disobedience is perfectly justified because His plan for mankind is holy and perfect, just as God Himself is holy and perfect. God provided a way to gain divine favor—repentance—which turns God’s wrath away from the sinner. To reject that perfect plan is to reject God’s love, mercy, grace and favor and incur His righteous wrath.The New Testament also supports the concept of God as a God of wrath who judges sin. The story of the rich man and Lazarus speaks of the judgment of God and serious consequences for the unrepentant sinner (Luke 16:19–31). John 3:36 says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” The one who believes in the Son will not suffer God’s wrath for his sin, because the Son took God’s wrath upon Himself when He died in our place on the cross (Romans 5:6–11). Those who do not believe in the Son, who do not receive Him as Savior, will be judged on the day of wrath (Romans 2:5–6).Conversely, human wrath is warned against in Romans 12:19, Ephesians 4:26, and Colossians 3:8-10. God alone is able to avenge because His vengeance is perfect and holy, whereas man’s wrath is sinful, opening him up to demonic influence. For the Christian, anger and wrath are inconsistent with our new nature, which is the nature of Christ Himself (2 Corinthians 5:17). To realize freedom from the domination of wrath, the believer needs the Holy Spirit to sanctify and cleanse his heart of feelings of wrath and anger. Romans 8 shows victory over sin in the life of one who is living in the Spirit (Romans 8:5-8). Philippians 4:4-7 tells us that the mind controlled by the Spirit is filled with peace. The wrath of God is a fearsome and terrifying thing. Only those who have been covered by the blood of Christ, shed for us on the cross, can be assured that God’s wrath will never fall on them. “Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!” (Romans 5:9).
Topic: The Character of God
Question: What does it mean that God is a God of justice?
Answer: Justice is a term used for what is right or “as it should be.” Justice is one of God’s attributes and flows out of His holiness. Justice and righteousness are often used synonymously in the Bible. Since righteousness is the quality or character of being right or just, it is another attribute of God and incorporates both His justice and holiness.We cannot begin to understand God’s justice unless we first understand sin. Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4) and iniquity (Daniel 9:4-5; Micah 2:1; James 3:6). It embodies everything contrary to God’s holy nature and is offensive to Him. Thus, sin is a crime against God, and justice demands a penalty of death and separation from Him for it (Romans 1:18-32; 2:5; 3:23). But God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to pay that penalty for us (Romans 5:8-11; 6:23) and made salvation available to all who believe in His name (John 1:12; 3:15-17; 20:31).God’s own righteousness is provided as a gift to sinners who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and is based upon His grace and mercy in response to our faith (Romans 3:23-26; Ephesians 2:3-7). His mercy and grace are not in spite of His justice, but because of it. He loved us so much that, despite the fact that our sin demands our death, He sent His Son to be our substitute upon the cross, thus demonstrating that His justice was not violated, but instead satisfied (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9).Having been made in His image (Genesis 1:26-27), we humans long for moral justice to prevail upon the earth and are outraged when we see injustice happening around us. Why do we seek justice for crimes? It’s in our DNA. King David’s outrage when the poor man’s lamb was taken away by the rich man resonates within us (2 Samuel 12:1-14). That is why Nathan told the story to David in the first place because it revealed David’s own injustice in taking Uriah’s wife from him. David’s immediate repentant prayer was effective because by admitting his sin against God, he acknowledged the righteousness of God. The Lord told David through the prophet Nathan that even though his sin was forgiven, the child resulting from the adulterous affair would die, demonstrating the fact that his sin still had to be judged.As for the future, the book of Revelation reveals the justice of God in all its glory during the end times. When the saints watch the destruction of the earth, their song will be of God’s righteous judgment upon the inhabitants for their ultimate sin of rejecting Him (Revelation 11:16-18; 15:3-4; 16:7; 19:1-4). And as 2 Peter 3:13 says, we are promised that someday, when Christ physically reigns on earth, God’s righteous justice will finally be on full display.
Topic: The Character of God
Question: Does God get angry?
Answer: It would be foolish to ignore the passages in Scripture that talk about God’s anger. Yes, God does get angry; there are many examples in the Bible of this. He “displays his wrath every day” (Psalm 7:11).However, we must not equate God’s anger with our own human experiences of that emotion. We must look again to the Bible. Ephesians 4:26–27 tells us it is possible to experience anger but not sin. As God cannot sin, we know that His anger is righteous, unlike the common experience of anger in ourselves. As James 1:20 says, “Human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”The context of the verses of God getting angry reveals why He gets angry. God gets angry when there is a violation of His character. God is righteous, just, and holy, and none of these attributes can be compromised (Exodus 20:4–6; Isaiah 42:8). God was angry with the nation of Israel and with Israel’s kings every time they turned away from obeying Him (e.g., 1 Kings 11:9–10; 2 Kings 17:18). The wicked practices of the nations in Canaan, such as child sacrifice and sexual perversion, aroused God’s anger to the point He commanded Israel to completely destroy them—every man, woman, child, and animal—to remove wickedness from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–6). Just as a parent becomes angry at anything that would hurt his children, so God’s anger is directed at that which would harm His people and their relationship with Him. “‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Sovereign LORD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live’” (Ezekiel 33:11).In the New Testament, Jesus got angry with the religious teachers and leaders of that day for using religion for their own gain and keeping people in bondage (John 2:13–16; Mark 3:4–5). Romans 1:18 tells us God’s anger, or wrath, comes against “the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” So God gets angry at the wickedness in people, and He opposes that wickedness in an effort to turn them from evil, that they may find true life and freedom in Him. Even in His anger, God’s motivation is love for people; to restore the relationship that sin destroyed.While God must bring justice and retribution for sin, those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior are no longer under God’s wrath for sin. Why? Because Jesus experienced the full measure of the wrath of God on the cross so that we wouldn’t have to. This is what is meant by Jesus’ death being a “propitiation,” or satisfaction. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1–4).