The Meaning Of God's Name

Jehovah chose his own name, one rich in meaning. "Jehovah literally means "He Causes To Become." True, he brought all things into existence. That in itself is an awe-inspiring thought. But is that the point of God's name? Moses evidently wanted to learn more. You see, the divine name was not new. People had been using it for centuries. Really, in asking God's name, Moses was asking about the person represented by the name. In effect, he was saying: 'What can I tell your people Israel about you that will build their faith in you, that will convince them that you really will deliver them?'

In response Jehovah explained the meaning of his name. He said to Moses: "I shall prove to be what I shall prove to be." (Exodus 3:14) Many Bible translations here read: "I am that I am." But the careful rendering in the New World Translation shows that God was not merely affirming his own existence. Rather, he was teaching Moses -and by extension of all of us-what the name implies. Jehovah would "prove to be," or cause himself to become, whatever was needed in order to fulfill his promises. J.B.Rotherham's translation pointedly renders this verse: "I Will Become Whatsoever I Please." One authority on Biblical Hebrew explains the phrase this way: "Whatsoever the situation or need . . . , God will 'become' the solution to that need.

What did that mean to the Israelites? No matter what obstacle loomed before them, no matter how difficult the predicament in which they might find themselves, Jehovah would become whatever was needed in order to deliver them form slavery and bring them into the Promised Land. Surely that name inspired confidence in God. it can do the same for us today. (Psalm 9:10) why?

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Draw Close To Jehovah