These four English letters are transliterated from a Hebrew word (Strong’s Hebrew #3068). Sometimes it is transliterated as JHVH or YHVH, but the most common transliteration is YHWH. The Bible translators used the English word “LORD” almost every time YHWH appears. The word ‘lord’ in lowercase is used when references are made to a man, and is usually translated from other Hebrew words. In the Septuagint, the Hebrew letters “YHWH” were translated as the Greek word “Kurios.”
Some “sacred names” groups insist on certain pronunciations and English spellings. Some use Yahweh, while others maintain the correct name is Jehovah. Biblical scholars tell us that since Hebrew writing had no vowels, the correct pronunciation of the name has been lost. Many Jews have such reverence for God’s name they will not even try to pronounce it.
Although impossible to translate accurately into English, YHWH conveys meanings of ‘The Eternal One,’ ‘The One Who Always Exists’ or: ‘The One Who Was, Is and Always Will Be’”. The name YHWH is similar in meaning to “I AM” (Hebrew EHYH or Eheyeh). Both imply eternal, self-inherent existence. No one created God.
When God first spoke to Moses he did not know God’s name or who God really was, and asked, “‘When I come to the children of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they say to me, “What is His name?” what shall I say to them?’ And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”’” Exodus 3:13-14.
The reason the Jews wanted to stone Jesus when He said He was the “I AM” (John 8:58) was because they related it to YHWH, and considered his statement to be blasphemy. The phrase “I AM” was a well-known title of divinity to the Jews, which goes back to Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush.The Jews knew what He was saying that He was the God of Israel (John 8:59).
Jesus Christ clearly said no person had ever seen God the Father and nobody had heard His voice (John 5:37). 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 states that the God who accompanied Israel during the Exodus was the Being who became Jesus Christ: ”Moreover, brothers, I would not that you should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud… and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
The existence of the One whom Christ referred to as ‘the Father’ was not well understood before Christ’s coming. John’s statement in John 1:18 that Jesus Christ “declared” the Father can also be translated as “made him known” (New International Version, English Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version) or “reveal[ed] Him” (Green’s Literal Translation). We also see two explicit statements from Jesus Christ Himself stating the same thing: “And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form” (John 5:37). And in John 6:46 Jesus again emphasizes: “No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.”
The Bible shows Jesus was the One who interacted with the patriarchs, prophets and the people of Israel as the LORD or God on behalf of the Father. He identifies Himself as ‘I AM’ and ‘the LORD God… of Abraham…. of Isaac, and… of Jacob’ (Exodus 3:14-15, John 8:58). Therefore the One the Israelites knew as God, who delivered them from Egypt and accompanied them in the wilderness, was known in the New Testament as Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4).
