Like Sands Through an Hourglass….YHWH

 

Nehemiah 9:17

Genesis 17:7

Genesis 1:1

Genesis 49:24

Genesis 15:2

Deuteronomy 6:4

Daniel 9:14

Hebrews 6:13-18

  YHWH is the covenant name of God.   A covenant is a sacred partnership that binds the resources of the parties to accomplish a common goal.  The covenant language is one of promise--I am, I will, I do.  

Because there are no vowels in Hebrew, YHWH has traditionally been written as Yahweh or Jehovah, although it was once considered too sacred to be written or even said.  God is  known as El--powerful, mighty. (Nehemiah 9:17)  He is called Elohim--Creator, Mighty, and Strong. (Genesis 17:7)  El Shaddai--God Almighty. (Genesis 49:24)  Adonai--Lord. (Genesis 15:2)  But when you see LORD--all caps--that is Yahweh.  His personal name as revealed in Deuteronomy 6:4 and Daniel 9:14.  Yahweh becomes the base name for--

 

Yahweh-Jireh "The LORD will provide";

 Yahweh-Rapha "The LORD who heals";

 Yahweh-Nissi "The LORD our banner";

 Yahweh-M'kaddesh "The LORD who makes holy"; 

Yahweh-Shalom "The LORD our peace";

Yahweh-Elohim "The LORD God";

Yahweh-Tsidkenu "The LORD our righteousness";

Yahweh-Rohi "The LORD our Shepherd";

Yahweh-Shammah "The LORD is there";

Yahweh-Sabaoth "The LORD of hosts". 

God's Name--Yahweh--is what holds up every promise He ever made.  He swears by His own Name  because there is nothing higher to swear by.  If we don't recognize Him as the trustworthy framework behind every promise made and kept in scripture,  it will be too easy to focus on the shifting sands of God's covenant partners we will study in the next few weeks.  We will see God saying "I will, I do, I AM" over and over to people who over and over say "I will not, I do not, I am not."  God is faithful, loyal, stubborn, unwavering, even when His people are not.  

  We write His name in gold on the beams of our hourglass because He is above the value of any other--Powerful, Mighty, Creator, Provider, Healer, Banner, Sanctifier, Righteous, Shepherd, Warrior, Peace. He is THERE.  

*although this idea is not in the Bible, it is still a beautiful truth of how intricately God has created us to speak His Name.  

Yahweh--The air we breathe