Prov.22:1 says, "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches . . ." and Ec.7:1 says, "A good name is better than precious ointment; . . ." These verses use the word "name" as a synonym for "reputation." Most of us are familiar with Billy Graham the famous evangelist. He has a very good name or reputation among the people of this world. What will happen if the history books are rewritten and his name, "Billy Graham," was deleted and "the evangelist" was put in its place? Eventually his good name would be forgotten. The world would no longer know an individual who was identified as "Billy Graham." Instead, they would remember a generic title that could be applied to any of thousands of evangelists. Such a change would be a tragic injustice to such a man.
Such is the tragic injustice that has befallen our Creator's Name. Is.63:16 reads, "Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Yahweh, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting." Yahweh has eternally existed. During that time He has borne the Name "Yahweh." There was never a time when He did not exist as "Yahweh." He later revealed His Name to Adam, Eve, and all the great patriarchs. He revealed His desire concerning His Name in Ex.9:16; "And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth." Yahweh wanted the entire world, not just His people Israel, to know His Name and to declare it. It was to spread from mouth to mouth just as we spread the good news of salvation today.
But what happened? Over the course of time the greatest history book in the world was rewritten, Yahweh's Name was removed, and generic titles (kurios, the LORD, GOD) were substituted in its place. As a result, the world no longer declares His Name mouth to mouth. They no longer identify the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Mighty One of the Exodus, etc., by His eternal Name "Yahweh." Instead, they profess to honor and remember Him by titles that can be applied to many (1 Cor.8:5). They have forgotten His Name (Ps.44:20,21).
Yahweh is now working in the hearts of men and women worldwide as He Himself restores His Name to their lips. We read in Jer.16:21; "Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is Yahweh." It is Yahweh Himself that is causing people in these latter days to know that His Name is "Yahweh." Again, we read in Ezek.39:7, "So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am Yahweh, the Holy One in Israel." We see by this verse that "the heathen shall know" that He is Yahweh. How will they know unless someone declares it to them? Yahweh Himself will declare it (or make it known) through His people that walk in His name (Mi.4:5). One of the ways to pollute Yahweh's Name is by substituting false names and titles in its place. That causes His Name to become just the opposite of "holy" (something set apart). The Name becomes meaningless and worthless.
This substitution of error for truth is a transgression of Yahweh's explicit command not to add to or delete from His Word. Deut.4:2 and Prov.30:5,6 read, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of Yahweh your Elohim which I command you" and "Every word of Elohim is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." To remove the Tetragrammaton YHWH from the text is to delete from His Word. To substitute "LORD," "GOD," "Kurios," "Adonai," etc. in its place is to add to His Word. It is sin. Believers are to sin not. We are to worship in truth, not error.
The deletion of Yahweh's Name has led to confusion concerning certain Scriptures. For example, the KJV of Ps.110:1 reads, "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." The first "LORD" is the Tetragrammaton YHWH, the Heavenly Father's Name. The second "Lord" is the Hebrew "adoni" and is a reference to Messiah. If one does not understand that "LORD" in all capitals is a substitution for the Name, it becomes difficult to discern the difference in identities spoken of here. Acts 2:21 says, "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Since the title "Lord" is applied to Yahweh and His Son Yeshua, a superficial reading of this verse can lead one to believe Yeshua is the subject. This, however, is a quote from Joel 2:32 in which "Yahweh" is used in the Hebrew text instead of "Lord" and is a reference to Yeshua's Father. Had the translators followed the Old Testament practice of using all capitals (LORD) it would be a little easier to know who the subject is, but they chose not to apply the same misguided reverence of the Name in the New Testament.
When the Almighty sent Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt He said, " Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, Yahweh, Eloah of your fathers, the Eloah of Abraham, the Eloah of Isaac, and the Eloah of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations" (Ex.3:15). "Yahweh" is the Name Israel was to know and remember their Mighty One by. Since there was no other being, man or deity, bearing that Name in this universe, it would be very valuable and concise in identifying who they worshiped. Does "the LORD" identify Yahweh? "Baal" means "lord" in Hebrew. If I say, "I worship the Lord," who do I mean, Yeshua, Baal, Yahweh, Lord Krishna? But if I say, "I worship Yahweh," there is no question who I worship. This memorial Name will last forever (Ps.135:13) regardless of the many attempts by man and Satan to hide it or destroy it. Those that do remember His Name will have their own names entered into a special "book of remembrance" (Mal.3:16).
Yahweh's Name is so important that it is used as a seal to protect the servants of Yahweh. In Rev.7:3 we see the 144,000 receiving a mark in their foreheads. Rev.14:1 reveals that mark to be the Heavenly Father's Name written in their foreheads. I believe this is symbolic of knowing and calling upon through daily use the Name "Yahweh." Without that seal the 144,000 would receive the trumpet judgments just as the wicked will (Rev.9:4). Those that overcome will also have the Father's Name written upon their foreheads (Rev.3:12; 22:4).
Yahweh's Name appears over 6,800 times in the Old Testament Hebrew. I believe it was inspired to be written for two reasons; 1) To identify the Creator and Elohim of Israel, 2) So readers of Scripture would vocalize the Name. With the deletion of the Name neither of these reasons can be realized. The appearance of the Tetragrammaton within the Hebrew text then becomes needless. Man has exalted his will over the Almighty's, his traditions over the commands of Yahweh, and substituted words of his own choosing (words, incidentally, that neither translate nor transliterate the Tetragrammaton).
Ps.68:4 is one of the 613 positive commandments found in Scripture. It reads, "Sing unto Elohim, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name YAH, and rejoice before him." Not only are we to extol Him by His Name, we are to exalt, praise, love, hallow, sanctify, declare, magnify, know, and walk in, the Name of Yahweh (Is.12:4; Ps.113:1; Is.56:6; Mt.6:9; Is.29:23; Jn.17:26; 2 Sam.7:26; Jer.16:21; Mal.4:5).
Finally, please consider the issue of imparting the blessing upon people. In Num.6:22-27 we read, "And Yahweh spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, In this way you shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, Yahweh bless thee, and keep thee: Yahweh make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: Yahweh lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel ; and I will bless them." Not only does this command from the Almighty teach us how to impart the blessing on others, it identifies who it is we are requesting the blessing from. But more importantly, verse 27 teaches us that Yahweh's Name must be "put..upon" the recipient. This is accomplished by the laying on of hands and vocalizing or invoking the Sacred Name "Yahweh." When that procedure is followed in obedience to Yahweh's directions, He will act favorably upon our request and will indeed bless the recipient.
The Sacred Name doctrine is one of the most important teachings found in Scripture. To treat Yahweh's Holy Name lightly is a grave mistake. To reject its use in favor of false titles and false names is to belittle its importance and consider it a vain thing (nothingness, emptiness, worthless).
If you are calling your Heavenly Father by generic, man-made titles, I admonish you to prayerfully and carefully consider what you have just read. The Sacred Name can easily be restored to your lips if you will allow the Holy Spirit to lead you into this great truth.