BLESSED be the Shem of Yahweh FOREVER – 14

Subject: Levites Bless Yahweh's Glorious Name FOREVER

Stand up and bless Yahweh your God forever and ever. "Blessed be thy glorious Name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." Nehemiah 9:5


Nehemiah was a great servant of God who feared God's Name (Neh 1:11). After 70 years of Babylonian captivity, Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and remained there for 12 years to help build up God's people.

Nehemiah 9 is probably one of the longest recorded prayer in the Bible. Here, the Levites led the Israelites in prayer. Right at the beginning of their prayers, they blessed the glorious Name of Yahweh. When the Levites gathered the people to prayer, the first thing they said to the people was: "Stand up and praise YAHWEH God, FOREVER and EVER." 

This event tells us something very SIGNIFICANT: Even after 70 years in Babylonian captivity, the Name of God, Yahweh was never forgotten. Please take note that the Levites led the congregation to praise YAHWEH and bless the glorious Name of God. They knew God as YAHWEH and called on YAHWEH. 

Secondly, the Levites also instilled on the hearts of the Israelites that God's Name, Yahweh, must be praised and blessed FOREVER and EVER. They remembered the teaching of Moses back in Exodus where God says: "This Is My Name FOREVER." So now, after 70 long years away from Jerusalem, the new generation of Levites reminded the people again that Yahweh's Name be blessed FOREVER and EVER. The Israelites needed to teach their children to bless and praise Yahweh God from generation to generation.


Isn't this interesting? In the past, we were given the impression that the Israelites did not use God's Name, Yahweh anymore after the exile. This is simply not true. Actually in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, the Levites continued to teach God's people to call on Yahweh Name as this is God's Name FOREVER and EVER.

Topic #2 **One Name but many Titles** - 7 Days

Here is a summary of the 7 subheadings:

 Topic #2   **One Name but many Titles**  - 7 Days Devotion

Click onto the following links for your devotions:

Slide 1    Isaiah  42:8           I am יהוה this is my name.

Slide 2     Jeremiah 16:21    And they shall know that My name is יהוה 

Slide 3   Zechariah 14:9      One יהוה  and His Name one

Slide 4   Jeremiah 10:10:    But יהוה is the true God, He is the living God 

Slide 5  Psalm83:18            That men may know that thou, whose name alone is יהוה 

Slide 6  Isaiah 43:15           I am יהוה, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King 

Slide 7  God's Name is above all His Titles

:)

Slide 7 **One Name but many Titles**

**One Name but many Titles** - Slide 7

God's Name is above all His Titles


STUDY THE CHART:

1. God's Name Yahweh occurs 6828X.

2. So far we have only studied a small part of God's Titles. The Titles are listed for you to see how frequent they occur in the Bible. The statistics vary depending on which English versions you use. Here, I am using KJV.

3. The statistics are not absolute but they give you an idea of where the emphasis is. Obviously the emphasis is on God's Name Yahweh rather than on His Titles.

4. The titles don't always refer specifically to God.

5. Even if you add up all the appearances of the titles, the frequency of occurrences do not compare to God's Name Yahweh.



A name clearly identifies the person and makes it possible for us to establish a personal relationship with that person. A name is not a label, a concept or an idea.

It's all about making contact. Through names, we BOND together!

We are exhorted to call on God's Name and not His Titles. God also likes to call us by our names too.

This journey with God is so exciting!!

Slide 6 **One Name but many Titles**

**One Name but many Titles** - Slide 6

Isaiah 43:15 "I am יהוה, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King." (KJV)


Name: יהוה

1. Look how God introduces Himself: He introduces Himself with this phrase "I am יהוה."

2. How wonderful and PERSONAL our God is. He tells you DIRECTLY His Name: "I am Yahweh."

3. Can you guess how many times God says this phrase in the Bible?

4. "I am Yahweh" occurs in the Bible 207X. This is how important this phrase is. Look up the concordance and study this phrase and you will find an abundant spiritual treasure .



Titles: Holy One, Creator and King 

These titles all describe who Yahweh is.

1. These titles: Holy One, Creator and King do not specifically refer to Yahweh God.

2. Holy One occurs 57X in OT; 54X refers to Yahweh God.

3. Creator occurs 22X in OT; 18X refers to Yahweh God.

4. King occurs 2170X in OT; Only 19X refers to Yahweh God. Other times, king refers to human beings.


The Name Yahweh יהוה is above all Titles.

Let us learn to embrace the Name of God יהוה

Slide 5 ** One Name but many Titles **

** One Name but many Titles ** - Slide 5

Psalm 83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is יהוה , art the Most High over all the earth.

• Name - יהוה

• Title - Most High

1. יהוה is the name by which God desires to make known to men.

    How much do you and I really know or care for God's Name?


2 The Title, "Most High" occurs 51X in the Bible. 46X in the OT. 

    Whenever this title is used, it refers specifically to Yahweh God only.


3. Only Yahweh God bears this title "Most High" or "Most High God". 

    In Hebrew, it is "El Elyon".


4.  Psalms has the most occurrence of this title. 

• You often hear the Psalmists praising the Name of יהוה Most High.

• Psalm 7:17 I will praise יהוה according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of יהוה Most High. (KJV)

• Psalm 9:2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou Most High. (KJV)

5. This title "Most High" is particularly important in the Book of Daniel. 

• It appears 12X and tells us that Yahweh God is the absolute Highest and above all. 

• The Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth.

• Dan 7:27, "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." (KJV)

6. God's Name יהוה alone represents His supreme authority, ruling over all the earth. 

    The authority is in God's Name יהוה .


The Name Yahweh is above a Title. We will find out more why this is so important in the next slide. Stay tune!

Slide 4 ** One Name but many Titles **

** One Name but many Titles ** - Slide 4

What is the difference between "Name" & "Titles"?

• A name is your identity, whereas a 'title' tells people what you do.

• For eg. My name is Rosa. Sometimes people call me "Teacher". Teacher is not my name but a title. I teach them English so I have this title: "English teacher". I also teach piano, so other students call me by this title: "Piano Teacher". 

• I am also a Pastor in the church. "Pastor" is not my name. Pastor is a title, a function in the church. If there are two "Pastors" in the church, we need to use "names" to distinguish them or else both "Pastors" will answer us when we call "Pastor".

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God has ONE Name but many 'Titles':

In the past, we never paid much attention to distinguish God's Name and Titles, therefore we thought God's Titles are also God's Name. 


Let's take a look at Jeremiah 10:10:

But יהוה is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting King.


Please note the following 3 points from this verse:

a. יהוה - Yahweh is God's personal Name.

b. Titles: "God" & "King"

• "God" is a generic title in the Bible. Most of the time, "God" is referred to Yahweh God. But sometimes "god" is referred to false gods. 

• Paul says in 1 Cor 8:5, "For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords".

• So the title "God" can refer to the true God or a false god.

• The title "King" in the Bible can refer to Yahweh God or to human kings, like King Saul, King David, King Nebuchadnezzar, etc. 

Using generic titles "God" or "King" do not point specifically to Yahweh.


c. In Jeremiah 10:10 - there are 3 Descriptive Titles.

• "True God", "Living God", "Everlasting King" are Descriptive Titles referring specifically to God. They are not God's Name. They describe who Yahweh is and His functions.

• – Yahweh is the "True God". 

• – Yahweh is also the "Living God". 

• – Yahweh is the "Everlasting King". Yahweh is the King who rules now and eternally.

The Name Yahweh is above all Titles. We will find out more in the next slide.

Slide 3 ** One Name but many Titles **

** One Name but many Titles ** - Slide 3

Zechariah 14:9

And יהוה shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one יהוה , and His name one.


1. Throughout the Old Testament, God is called by this Name, יהוה – Yahweh.

2. Yahweh's Name is Unique.

3. One Yahweh.

4. One Name.

5. Our God is not a "nameless" God.

6. God has a real name: יהוה

• A name makes things personal. 
• It gives an identity. 
• It tells us the person is "real." 
• Just like at birth, you have a name on your birth certificate. 
• When you die, your name is written on the grave stone. 
• During your life time, people know you by your name.

7. God's Name יהוה is very special to me.

• Certain names are special to us. Emotions and sentiments are attached to them.

• For example, a lot of people have the name "Cathy". To me "Cathy" is special because she was my best friend whom I grew up with in school. She is not like any other 'Cathy'. She is 'Cathy', my best buddy in school. That name identifies and distinguishes her from everybody else.

8. Get to know Yahweh through His Unique Name so that He becomes someone 'special' to you. Start to build a friendship with Him.

Slide 2 ** One Name but many Titles **

** One Name but many Titles ** - Slide 2

1. God's Name is יהוה

2. We did not give this name to God.

3. God reveals His Name to us personally.

4. God wants people to know that His Name is יהוה

    Jer 16:21b "And they shall know that My name is יהוה ."

    God Himself says this: " My name is יהוה ."

5. "My Name is יהוה " – Singular.



When I preached on this topic 4 months ago, a sister was so excited and remarked: "God really told us His Name. Now, I understand why we need to call on God's Name "Yahweh" in prayer."

Do give me a feedback and share with me your thoughts so that we can share more deeply together.

Slide 1 ** One Name but many Titles **

** One Name but many Titles ** - Slide 1

1. God has only ONE Name.

2. God Himself says: "I am יהוה this is my name." Isaiah 42:8

3. יהוה – This is God's Name written in 4 Hebrew letters. 

• Often, it is transliterated as YHWH or YHVH. 
• There is a long history regarding the pronunciation of YHWH. I will explain this at a later time. 
• For now, whenever we see יהוה we will pronounce it as "Yahweh".

4. God did not say this is one of my names.

5. "This is my Name" – Singular!

• I used to think that God has many names. I thought He was also called the "Eternal King", "the Lord", "the Holy One", "God," "El Shaddai", etc.

• Eternal King, the Lord, the Holy One, God, El Shaddai are not "Names".

• They are "Descriptive Titles". They describe God's character and what He does.

God plainly tells us His Name:

Isa 42:8a "I am יהוה this is my name."