An Answer to Objections to use of the Set Apart Name.

Daniel Botkin published a bi-monthly magazine entitled  “Gates of Eden.” He ran an article entitled “Objections to use of the Sacred Name.” A copy of this article was sent to Bill Burton who has responded with a rebuttal concerning Daniel’s article. 

By Bill Burton

Thanks also for Daniel Botkin’s letter[1]. I’d like to respond to his letter, and this is strictly my opinion on it. I do not claim to represent any SN organization or stand they might take on his letter. First of all let me state I take Daniel’s ‘Gates of Eden’ bimonthly newsletter, and have received some of his articles written by him, all of which have been thoroughly researched and well written. I respect his views, and realize that he is far more knowledgeable in the Scriptures than I ever expect to be. He is I believe a good Biblical scholar, which puts him out of my league, for I’m not a scholar, I’m simply a farmer who enjoys studying the Scriptures. As a farmer or rancher, I simply do not have the time necessary to devote to studying the scriptures to become a scholar.

So why should I question any of his views when he is scholar, and I do not measure up to that standard? Good question, and I really don’t know why I am, except I feel it needs to be answered.  Let me first say that there are many Christian theologians, both Catholic and Protestant, who are also true Biblical scholars whose ideas or view points I also question as to being Scriptural correct – again in my opinion. In fact many of these dedicated scholars who have ample time to study the Scriptures come up with view points or dogma that clash with each other, and also with the plain simple meanings of the Scriptures themselves. I truly feel that we are all deceived or blinded to some extent as Rev 12: 9 states and we all see through the glass darkly, and will do so until our Savior comes and we are given the unadulterated truth.

*[2]Daniel states, ‘If I understand it correctly, SN believers reject the words God and Lord because these are generic words that often refer to pagan gods.’ He then goes on and says that the Hebrew equivalents are also generic terms which also refer to pagan gods, but that the Creator refers to Himself as Elohim and Adonai hundreds of times in the Hebrew Scriptures.

 In my opinion right there is where his understanding is off the mark from the studies I’ve read from various SN groups, and from the Scriptures themselves. Most SN assemblies reject the Lord and God not because they are ‘generic words (titles) that often refer to false pagan gods, but because both the words ‘God’ and ‘Lord’ were actually personal names of false pagan deities according to the historical evidence that I have read. Granted they are now used as titles (generic words) which are used for the Almighty, pagan gods and mortal man, except when they are used as a substitute name replacing the Name of the Heavenly Father. At that time when they are used as a substitute name for His True Name, do they not then become a name, a personal name for the Creator, at least in the eyes of the ones using them? Have they not forgotten (or for most never known) the True Hebrew Name of our Heavenly Father and His Son for substitute names that originally were personal names for pagan deities? Isn’t that the same thing that Jeremiah was warning the Israelites about in Jer. 23:25-27?

 According to any good English Dictionary, ‘Lord’ is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘Hlaf-Weard’. Half is the basis for the modern word, loaf, as a loaf of bread. Weard has the meaning of Fate, Fortune, Destiny or Event. So the word, ’Lord’ or it’s Anglo-Saxon root stood for the ‘Queen of Heaven’ {the Goddess Astarte, or Ishtar} whose favors are sought through offerings of bread {Hot Cross Buns see Jer 7:18 NIV footnotes [3]

 So, whether the name Lord came from ‘Hlaford’, which originally came from ‘Hla-Weard’, or from the Pagan Deities ‘Larth, Loride, or Lordo’ or an assimilation of them all, according to the scholars it originated from the names of Pagan Deities. The Lord, like its synonyms in the different languages (Baal, Adonai, Kurios, Herr, Pan, etc., which all came from the names of the Pagan Deity from the country that it was used) eventually became a title for all the Pagan Deities and men. Later, it was used as a title for the Almighty in Christianity, and then as a replacement name or a substitute name for the Name of the Almighty, along with its use as a title for the Almighty and for pagan deities. [4]

 God/Gad/Gawd was the proper Hebrew name of the Assyrian/Syrian/Canaanite/Babylonian God of Fortune/Troop/Good luck associated with Sun Worship. God was carried into the English language as a title for Heathen Deities from the Teutonic people.  But, as stated above it was originally the name of the Assyrian God of Fortune, which was adopted by the Hebrews. [5]

 Furthermore, Isa. 65:11,12 shows how IAUE feels about those that worship the deity of Fortune  (Gad (pronounced Gawd, or God) instead of SEEKING HIM. Verse 12 says that those who set a table for Gad/Gawd/God He (IAUE) will destine for the sword!  [6]

Both Ex 23:13, and Joshua 23:7 tell us, we are not to even mention the names of other deities, or swear by them, or worship (bow down) to them. In Deut 12:3 IAUE told the Israelites that they were to destroy the names of the Gods of the people they were displacing. However in verse 4, He tells them they are not to do the same unto IAUE your Mighty One.  In Isa. 42:8, IAUE states; "I Am IAUE, that is My Name, and My Esteem (Glory) I will not give to another...".  Isa. 48:11 says practically the same; "... for how shall My Name be polluted? I will not give my Esteem to another."  In both these verses, the subject shows that IAUE will not give His esteem to another Name, and definitely not to a name that the Adversary came up with!

Daniel makes a point that SN (Sacred Name) believers substitute a dash for the vowels in the words G-d, L-rd, and J-s-s Chr-st when they refer to the Creator and His Son, because these refer to pagan gods. However, they do not hesitate to print out the full names of Satan, Molech, Ashtoreth, etc. He then asks why if God, and Lord and Jesus are not fully printed because (according to Sners) they refer to pagan gods, why are the other pagan gods honored with the full printing of their names? He then states, ‘Let’s be consistent’.

However, the reason for the dash in the printing of the names of the pagan gods, L-rd, G-d, and, J-s-s Chr -st, is that when they are quoting someone who uses these substitute names for the Creator or His Son, or explaining to someone who doesn’t know anything about the True Name of the Father or His Son and they have to use the common names used in Christianity in order to explain about their True Hebrew Names, they need some way to show that they are not giving honor or esteem to these names. Someone who might be scanning over the material might read where they are using these names and get the idea that since they use them its OK to use them along with the correct Hebrew Names, therefore it really doesn’t make any difference what name they use. Which is exactly the position that many Christian theologians take.

I think it rather ironic that a prominent spokesman for Messianic Judaism makes this point, since there are Messianic Judaic scholars who also put a dash in the words G-d and L-rd. They do so not because these are substitute names that are derived from pagan deities, and therefore should not be given the honor and esteem that the Almighty places on His Great Name, but do so because custom of traditional Judaism which forbids them from speaking or completely writing the proper name of G-d, or L-rd (sometimes translated Jehovah in English) in order to insure that it is not desecrated. We continue this practice in order to not offend our readers.”  [7]

The SN believers are trying to follow the Torah which tells us we are not to even mention the names of other G-ds, we are not to bring the Name of IAUE to naught, nothing, or destruction, or falsify His Great Name. Therefore they add the dash in those names to show that these names are not to be honored or esteemed, especially in place of, or as a substitute to take the place of the Almighty’s Great Name. After all we are also told in 5 different places in the Scriptures not to add or take away from His Word or suffer dire consequences. Surely this must also apply to His Name, the Name above All names, the Name that is written in over 7,000 places in the Tanak.

 The Messianic Judaic believers are also trying to follow the Torah, and to get back to the Biblical-Hebraic Heritage of the faith once delivered to the saints, which, I might add, is also the goal of the ‘SN” believers. However, the ‘MJ’ (Messianic Judaism) believers in putting the dash in place of the vowels in the words, Lord, and God, do so out of deference to the Jewish custom of not speaking or writing the Name of the Almighty, a custom or tradition which has no Scriptural basis. Especially since the words, Lord and God, are neither translations nor transliterations of the Name of the Almighty, and are in reality, originally the names of pagan deities, which have been substituted for His Name. Therefore the Jewish religious leaders, and MJ believers are in effect giving their esteem or honor to these words along with the Name of the Almighty, by saying these generic words (titles), L-rd, and G-d, are too holy to write or pronounce because they are representative of the Almighty’s Name.

 What a paradox!!! In the Scriptures, the Almighty gives us His Name[8] and tells us to call upon, praise and proclaim it to the nations of the world[9] as a memorial for all times.[10] He also in His Scriptures tells us He will not give His esteem, or honor to any other name of any other deity,[11] as all other deities are false mighty ones, or demons,[12] and we are prohibited from even mentioning or pronouncing their names[13]. He tells us He is Jealous for His Name,[14] and that we are not to bring His Name to naught, desolation, ruin, or falsehood.[15] However, the Rabbinic Jewish leaders following a tradition of the nations that they had been held captive in, decided that the Almighty’s Name was ‘too holy’ to pronounce or to use in their worship and praise. Instead of following the directive of the covenant commandments that prohibited even the mention or pronunciation of the names of the pagan mighty ones, they conversely, prohibited the mention or the pronunciation of the Name of IAUE, their true Mighty One.

 Daniel then calls the SN doctrine having to do with the Name of the Almighty, nothing more than linguistic superstition, which brings about strife’s of words, or creating unnecessary divisions between those who accept God, Lord, Jesus, Yeshua etc., and those who do not.

 All I have to say to that is that the Messiah said He came not to bring peace but division.[16] Also that we must worship in truth and spirit.[17] Yahushua also castigated the Scribes and Pharisee’s for making void the Laws of IAUE by their tradition.[18] The reason that people all over the world utilize these ‘generic words’ in place of the Almighty’s Name contrary to Torah commands of course goes back to the tradition started by the Jewish religious leaders. Why was this tradition of substituting another deity's name in place of the Heavenly Father's Name started by the Jewish priests?  While they were in captivity they saw His Separated Name blasphemed every day, (Isa. 52:5; Psms 74:10,18).  When the Jews returned from their Babylonian captivity, there was a strong effort by the priests to remove from common use the Personal Name of the Heavenly Father.  To keep His Name from being profaned or blasphemed by the common uneducated people they legislated against anyone other than a priest pronouncing The Name Of The Heavenly Father; making it a death penalty to do so! 

 In the over 7,000 places where the Separated Name was written in the Scriptures, in order to keep the people from pronouncing The Heavenly Father's Name, the Talmud ordered the people to pronounce Adonai instead.  "This is My Name to be hidden" was their oral command, supposedly given by the Almighty, which became a written law of the Talmud.  Another text of the Mishna reads:  "In the sanctuary the priest were accustomed to pronounce the Name as it is written; in the town, by disguising it."  This shows that they were still pronouncing it, but only in the temple at Jerusalem, and the Name was disguised in other places or in the synagogues

The idea that only the priest could utter The Separated Name of The Heavenly Father and that he was to disguise or hide it from the common people, came from the idea that the Name was ineffable or unutterable.  However this was a pagan doctrine that they adopted from the Egyptians, Babylonians and the Greeks, each which held dominion over them at one time. This caused the Name of IAUE to be replaced in all the countries of the world with titles, which were originally used for a pagan deity of that particular pagan country.  In many cases the name of the local pagan deity was adopted to replace the Name of The Most High.

 Daniel then brings out that the ‘glaring silence on the ‘Name’ issue, also refutes the SN doctrine. He asks, why do the New Testament writers consistently use the generic Greek words Theos, Kurious, and the Greek form Iesous Xistos? They could have used the Hebrew characters (yod, hei, waw, hei ) or the Greek letters iota, alpha, omega, as many pre-Christian manuscripts of the Septuagint did.

 Actually, Daniel partially answers the silence of the ‘New Testament writers’. In the first place the ‘New Testament’ writers were the Apostles, and Shaul, Mark, and Luke, all who were Yahudim, or as called today, Jews, actually Messianic Jews.

 George Lamsa’s Holy Bible, A Translation from the Aramaic of the Peshitta states in his introduction; “The Israelites never wrote their sacred literature in any language but Aramaic and Hebrew. ... The Septuagint was made in the 3rd century, B.C. for the Alexandrine Jews. This version was never official read by the Jews in Palestine who spoke Aramaic and read Hebrew. Instead the Jewish authorities condemned the work and declared a period of mourning because of the defects in the version! Evidently Jesus and His disciples used a text that came from an older Hebrew original. This is apparent because Jesus quotations from the Old Testament agree with the Peshitta Text but do not agree with the Greek Text. .. This is not all, Jesus and His disciples not only could not converse in Greek, but never heard it spoken!”

Dr. Lamsa also brings out that the Gospels were written early, a few years after the resurrection and Matthew wrote some portions while Jesus (Yahushua) was preaching. They were not handed down orally and then written after the Pauline Epistles as some western scholars say; They were written many years before those Epistles. ... The Gospels, as well as the Epistles (Paul’s) were written in Aramaic, the language of the Jewish people both in Palestine and in the Greco-Roman Empire.

The book Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus by David Bivin and Roy Blizzard Jr. states on p 4: “Our reason for writing this book are not only to show that the original biography of Jesus was communicated in the Hebrew language, but to show that the entire New Testament can only be understood from a Hebraic perspective”.  On p 17; “Many scholars in Israel are now convinced that the spoken and written language of the Jews in the Land of Israel at the time of Jesus was indeed Hebrew; and that the Synoptic Gospels were derived from original Hebrew sources”.   

 Dr. Pinchas Lapide, and orthodox Jewish Scholar, one of the four Jewish scholars on the New Testament today, stated on the John Ankerberg Show that the Greek in the New Testament is preposterously bad in the New Testament, and cries out for retranslating into the Hebrew it was originally decades before the Greeks got hold of it!  He asked the question; “Why read Jesus in Greek, if He never preached in Greek, nor probably knew Greek?”  In his book, Israel, Jews, and Jesus on p 1 he states; ”The earliest writings about Jesus was composed in Hebrew, and appeared most probably in Jerusalem. ...It is certain, however, that all four Greek Gospels display distinct traces of an original Hebrew text in their vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and Semantic patterns. Hence we cannot seriously question the existence of a ‘Hebrew Gospel’ – No Fewer than ten fathers of the Church testify to it!”

 Dr. George Howard in his article, ‘The Tetragram and the New Testament’ in the Journal of Biblical Literature 1977, shows that the Heavenly Father’s Name was written in the Pre-Christian Greek Bible (Septuagint) in Aramaic or in Palaeo-Hebrew letters or was transliterated into Greek letters. However, when we come to the Christian Copies of the Septuagint, we are immediately struck by the absence of the Tetragram and its almost universal replacement by Kurios. He then shows that the Tetragram in the Christian Septuagint began to be surrogated (replaced or substituted) by the contracted Kurios or Theos at least by the second century. As long as it was retained in the Greek Old Testament (LXX), the Tetragram was incorporated into the New Testament text when it quoted from the O.T.. However when it was removed from the Greek O.T., it was also removed from the quotations of the O.T. in the N.T.. Thus somewhere around the beginning of the 2nd century the use of surrogates crowded out the Tetragram in both Testaments. Before long the Divine Name was lost to the Gentile Church altogether except where it was occasionally remembered by scholars!

Perhaps the primary cause, which drove the majority of the Christians to search for a new day of weekly worship and a new day for the annual celebration of the Passover, was the feeling of the necessity to dissociate and differentiate themselves from Judaism. The fact that they were persecuted by the Romans as a sect of the Jews because they kept the Sabbath, and persecuted by the Jews because they believed that Yahushua (Jesus) was the promised Messiah, and couldn’t accept Barkokeba as the Messiah, caused great antipathy towards the Jews from the Gentile converts that became the majority of the emerging religion ‘Christianity’.  Thus, this hatred for the Jews or anything Jewish was one of the major reasons they sought a different day to worship on, to separate them from the ‘Jews’ who crucified our Lord’. 

This coupled with the fact that after the year 135 A.D., Gentile bishops replaced Jewish leaders of the emerging Christian Church, indicates that a distinction took place at that time between Gentile-Christians, and Judeo-Christians (Nazarenes), characterized by a new Theological orientation, especially towards the Law and the Sabbath!! The forsaking of the Sabbath and the adoption of Sunday are perhaps the most visible aspect of this break with Judaism. End of quote,

It is more than likely that this hatred for anything Jewish was also the primary cause which drove the Gentile Christians to remove the Tetragram (which they considered to be Jewish) from the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Septuagint).  Especially since this is exactly the same time from when it was removed from the LXX (Septuagint)!!

Now it is true that the Jews themselves had already set a precedent of substituting another name for the Heavenly Father’s Name whenever it was pronounced. However, they never removed it from their Scriptures, including the LXX. It remained up to the Gentile Christians to do this!

From the above facts I believe they answer the assertion that the New Testament writers utilized the Greek pagan titles instead of the Almighty’s True Name and the True Name of His Son and also that the New Testament was originally written in Greek. There is a mounting abundance of evidence that most if not all of the New Testament was originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic, and that the Greek New Testament that we have today is nothing more than a translation of the original Hebrew.

Next, I’d like to take up his assertion that the ‘SNers’ (Sacred Namers) misunderstand the ‘Name’ issue because they do not understand the broader meaning of the Hebrew word shem (name). He brings out that Shem means a lot more than simply the name of person or personage, that it conveys the meaning of the reputation, honor, or character of that person.

He then points out that the Scriptures say many things about the name of Yehowah. “There are verses that speak about misusing, blaspheming, or shaming the name of Yehowah. There are verses that speak of knowing, glorifying, praising, trusting in, and speaking of the name of Yehowah. These verses are not referring to correct pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton; they are speaking about the character and reputation of Yehowah.  Thus trusting in “the name’ of Yehowah means that we trust in His character, ... and His reputation.... A person who trusts only in the correct pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton is reducing the name of Yehowah to nothing more than a magical incantation. Go back and reread the verses that talk about ‘the name of Yehowah,’ and try substituting a broader translation for ‘name’, such as ‘character’ or ‘reputation’. You’ll find it makes a lot more sense!”

Now it is true that the word shem or name especially in the Hebrew sense means much more than simply an identification of a person. However, the first purpose of a name is to identify a specific person or personage. Through the Name of the Almighty we identify Him and at the same time, distinguish and separate Him from all other objects of worship. In other words, a name is an essential means of individualization, personalization. This function of identification is the basic and primary function of a name.

As Pastor John Green further brought out though,[19] “”It should be pointed out that the term, “SHEM” (NAME), in Hebrew, implies much more than merely a representative term of identification, as the word normally does in English. The Hebrew term ‘SHEM’ carries with it the idea of THE ESSENTIAL NATURE, PERSONALITY, and CHARACTER of the person designated. Even the person as a whole - THE WHOLE PERSON - as in the case of IAUE (Yehowah), is implied and expressed!

He then quotes Dr. Koster. “A person’s name reveals his character and OFTEN IT IS THE PERSON WHO IS REVEALED.  It also comprises that person’s STABILITY, HIS FAITHFULNESS, and HIS JUSTICE; and even THE REMEMBRANCE OF THAT PERSON ... in Hebrew ha shem identifies the person and his character; and his personality identifies his name. The person, his authority and his name are ONE, in Hebrew. We should be extremely careful not to detach the Name from His Person. But, let us be assured: and unseen person cannot be identified by our visual perception. An unseen person can only be identified by his name. Likewise, our Heavenly Father MUST ALSO BE IDENTIFIED BY HIS  NAME!

It is true that a person who trusts only in the correct pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton is reducing the Name of IAUE to nothing more than a magical incantation, or an idol. It is also true that the verses that talk about His Name can also, and do refer to His Character, His fidelity, His love etc. What Mr. Botkin doesn’t seem to comprehend is that you can not separate one from another. Both His Word, and His Name reveal His Character, His Nature, His Personality. When we exalt His Name we exalt His Character. If we do not obey His Word, we profane His Character, and His Name. His True Worship is related to His True Name, and His Word, Commandments, Torah. We have to worship Him in Truth and Spirit. If we use a substitute name in place of His True Name you are in effect falsifying it. If you remove an author’s name from the books he wrote and reprint them with another name in them you falsify his works. The author tends to get really mad at this, and probably would bring a lawsuit against the person who did it. This is the same thing when you take His Name from His Word and replace His Name with generic titles.

There is not a doctrine in the entire Scriptures that is more emphasized than the importance of the Name of the Heavenly Father and His Son. His Name is written in over 7,000 times in the Tanak alone. Throughout the Scriptures we are commanded to call upon, praise, and proclaim His Name to the nations. IAUE Named himself and tells us He will not give His esteem to any other name. He tells us He us Jealous for His Name, and we are not to even mention the names of other ‘Gods’ in our worship.

There are many scholars who know and use His Hebrew Name, but also utilize the ‘generic names’ or titles that originally came from pagan deities along with His Name in their worship and praise.  In the footnote if the Ryrie Study Bible under 1 Kings 18:21 is says that, “Israel’s sin was not that of totally rejecting Yehowah (IAUE), but of seeking to combine His worship with Baal worship. A Mixture! In Hosea 2:16,17 IAUE says He is going to take these pagan generic names out of our mouths in His Kingdom.  Shouldn’t we make the effort to try to do it with His Spirit to help us out now? Does it make sense that if these names that the world uses as substitutes for His Name are perfectly acceptable to use, why is He going to take them away from us in His kingdom?

People spend a lot of time inventing spurious arguments to circumvent using the True Name of the Heavenly Father. Many say what difference does it make as He knows who I mean, no matter what I call Him. The difference is simply obedience to His will or disobedience. What you do is up to you. However if you love Him you will call on Him by His True Name. The very Name that the Messiah came to proclaim, the Name that He kept His disciples in, the Name that assures us of salvation, and the Name in which we are sealed! You will also call upon the Son by the Name the Heavenly Father gave to Him which includes the Father’s name in His Name.  [20]

The following is taken from the study “The Key to the Key of Knowledge’.

Many Messianic believers feel they are keeping the whole Torah, but in fact refuse to proclaim or articulate His Name either because they feel that His Name is 'too holy' to pronounce according to the Jewish Tradition, or out of deference to the Jewish people who refuse to pronounce it. Either way they are transgressing IAUE'S Torah and are failing to carry the complete Good News (Gospel) of the Almighty, which has to include proclaiming the Heavenly Father's Name as well as His Son's Name. The Scriptures commands us to use, to call upon and to proclaim to the nations, the Name of the Almighty. Throughout the Scriptures we are told to Proclaim HIS NAME, to Praise HIS NAME, and to esteem and magnify HIS NAME and to remember that HIS NAME IS EXALTED![21]

  The apostle Sha'ul, after stating that 'for everyone who calls on the Name of IAUE shall be saved', goes on and asks the questions: ‘But how can they call on Him if they haven't believed in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they haven't heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him if no one is proclaiming Him’[22]

. How can we call upon His Name, proclaim His Name, or magnify His Name if we do not know His Name or refuse to let others know His Name?

The Messiah said in Yn 4:23 that True Worshippers shall worship in Spirit and in Truth. There is enough evidence to prove that the name that Christianity uses for our Savior is not His True Name, or His 'correct Hebrew' Name, and that the surrogates that are used in place of His 'Correct' Name are linked to names derived from Pagan deities. We are told by His 'Word' in the Old Testament not to even mention the names of pagan 'Gods', and that all the Gods of the nations are idols. 1 Cor 10:14-22 essentially tells that we cannot mix IAUE'S worship with the worship of other Gods (Idolatry). So how can you have a 'personal relationship' if you know that the surrogate name used to replace His Name comes from names that He or His Son tells us we are not even supposed to mention. How can you have a 'personal relationship' or friendship with anyone and call them a derogatory name that was given them by their enemy, especially if they requested you not to do so.

Does this mean that we can not use the commonly used names that are derived from pagan deities when we are trying to explain the reason the Almighty doesn't want us to use them, especially as a substitute for His name?  No, of course not! Mr. Bradshaw brings out[23]  that there are many examples in the Scriptures where Moses and other prophets had to mention Pagan names in order to communicate with the people. So, while we should make every effort to avoid mentioning names linked to idolatry, there will be times when it is necessary to use such names for communication and / or instructive purposes, as long as the idol is not praised in any way to show acceptance or favoritism. We don't have to necessarily be fanatical about trying to avoid certain words in English because they may or nay not link back to paganism of the past, however, we certainly would not want to use such words in our worship of IAUE.

The Jews became known as 'People of the Book', because they at least attempted to keep the Law of IAUE, even if their myriad of added laws made the law a yoke of bondage, making it impossible to keep. We also know that the Pharisees and the Scribes did hold the Almighty in awe (fear) and in their fear (worship, reverence) of the Almighty they both taught and tried to keep the Law. Yet IAUSHUA condemned them for transgressing the Laws of IAUE by their tradition, thereby making the Laws of IAUE to be none effect,[24]and reproached them for preventing others from coming to G-d (IAUE) by keeping their learning secret, and not even using it themselves. [25]

  We know it was the 'oral law, or traditions of the elders' when it conflicted with the written Law of IAUE, that IAUSHUA objected to in Mk 7. It was this 'oral law, or tradition' that stated, "This is My Name, to be hidden" {which was supposedly given by the Almighty, which later became the written command of the Talmud}.[26]

   Can this be the learning of the Scribes and Pharisees that they kept secret from the common people, the 'Key' to Knowledge that IAUSHUA referred to in Luke 11:52? All evidence from the Scriptures and the Talmud point in that direction!!

Can the knowledge of the Almighty's Name be so important, as to be the 'Key' to His Knowledge? We know that it was purposely hidden, kept secret, and disguised in order to keep it from being profaned or defiled or to be used as a magic incantation. We also know the result of this has been that His Name has been almost completely forgotten by His people, and His Name has been substituted, and replaced by names and titles associated with other deities. This breaks the 3rd Commandment, and those Laws relating to adding and taking away from His Word. It also goes further against the will of IAUE, in that His people are supposed to Praise His Name, and Make His Name and His Word Known throughout the world. You cannot make a name known through out the world if you can not even pronounce or spell it.

One of the definitions of the word Key was vital importance. Also the word vital means essential for Life, to give life, or life giving. The Name IAUE is the expanded form of IA, or IAU, and is derived from the Hebrew verb of existence vhv (Hayah – Strongs #1961), which means the Everliving One - He Who always was, Who is now, and Who always will be). For a person to be saved and have eternal life, he has to call upon the only Name that can save someone from eternal death, and that is IAUE! [27]

 In Ex 3: 15 we find the Name HE wants to be remembered by is IAUE (vuvh) and that it means; HE will become, whatever is necessary to become for the needs and salvation of his people: also meaning life, even everlasting life. Knowing His Name and the meaning of His Name that the Name is a direct manifestation of his character inspires the awe, reverence, worship, or fear of IAUE, that is the beginning (the Key) of knowledge, or wisdom!

So the tradition which breaks IAUE'S Laws and has to do with the Key to His Knowledge has to be the tradition started by the Scribes and Priests prohibiting the use of the Almighty's Name; also substituting other names for His, and disguising it, so the common people and other nations would not know His Name. This tradition of substituting another Name in place of the Heavenly Father's Name has resulted in His Name to be forgotten and brought to nothing and the Son's Name not to have His Father's Name in His Name. This not only breaks the Third Commandment, but also the laws prohibiting the pronouncing of Pagan Deities, and the Laws of adding and deleting from His Word.

The Key of IAUISTIC Knowledge is the Name of IAUE - the Key of Salvation {Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21}; the Key to IAUISTIC LIFE!  On their own admission, the scribes removed the Name IAUE 134 times. They were not interested in the proclamation of the Name IAUE, but rather, in general, in removal of the name from public knowledge, and hindered those interested in the kingdom of IAUE, who would have profited by THIS KEY OF KNOWLEDGE."  [28]

The consequence of this tradition that takes away the Key of Knowledge is this. -- Today, 90% of the world have never heard or understood the Name of the Heavenly Father or our Savior. This is a direct result of the tradition of substituting another Deities name or title for the Name of IAUE!

Now there are many spirit filled Christians who are sincere in their worship of the Almighty even though they are using names for Him that originated in pagan religions. Those believers who recognize the importance of using the correct Hebrew names for the Father and the Son need to be tolerant of others who do not recognize the importance the Almighty places on His Name.. And as Daniel Botkin brings out,[29] "If we are going to teach and correct others, we must do it with patience and love. And we need to pray, as King Hezekiah did, ‘May the good Lord (IAUE) pardon every one who seeks Elohim, IAUE Elohim of our fathers’ (2nd Chr 30:18,19).  And the times of this ignorance Elohim winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent (Acts 17:30).”

Now however bad and undesirable a fraudulent name may be, it is the one means of identification of the person under consideration for those who have not learned the legitimate name. To those who do not know the truth, the alias name represents the person. The alias brings to their mind, the character and personality of the person or personage, which is a key point. Thus although someone may know the Almighty only by a fraudulent name, they might have a closer relationship than those who know His True Name.

However does this mean that people should continue to use fraudulent or fictitious names once they come to know the True Names? Absolutely not! We know that IAUE overlooks things in times of ignorance,[30] however we are told to seek His Truth and walk in it. Those that reject His Truth are in danger.  For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.[31] IAUE tells us in Hosea 4:6 that His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, and because they rejected knowledge, He would reject them

One last very important point I would like to bring out is this: Many Spirit filled believers in Messianic Judaism, and Sabbath keeping Christians believe that it is important to keep all the Torah as was given in both the Old and New Covenants (Testament), and of course Judaism also believes in keeping all the Torah as was given in the Tanak. However, even though they feel in their hearts they are following 'all the Commandments' they have ignored probably the most basic, if not the most important of the Commandments (or Torah, Teaching) of the Almighty, namely that of recognizing, using, and proclaiming His Name to the world.

We are commanded to Call upon, Praise, and Proclaim His Name to the world so that the whole world will not only know about Him, but also who He is, therefore His Name. You can NOT Praise, and Proclaim The Name of someone unless you know that Name, and you can not tell His Name to the whole world by keeping it secret from the whole world. The whole purpose of our being is to bring esteem to the Almighty, and you can not do so by hiding or refusing to proclaim His Name as we are commanded to do in His Word.

I really do feel that the Almighty has used the Messianic Judaic movement and the Separated Name movement for His end time purposes. It would be good if they could combine their efforts and help each other. Both have a vital message, and both can learn from each other. Both are striving in their own ways to get back to the faith that was once delivered to the Saints. 

I do want to emphasize that I do not represent any SN group, and they might well disagree with what I have written. I do whole heartily feel that Daniel is an excellent scholar, and I fully respect his views and the views of other Messianic believers. I feel that they are light years ahead of  ‘Christianity’ in their efforts to get back to the original faith that was taught by the Messiah and His disciples.

[2] I put Daniel’s statements in a different font for better understanding.

[3] p 15 A Study of the Separated Name

[4] P16 A Study of the Separated Name

[6] p 13 A Study of the Separated Name

[8] According to Ryrie Study Bible, footnote on Gen 2:4, His Name occurs in the Old Testament 6,823 times, over 7,000 times when you include the 134 times the Massorite scribes admitted to removing it and substituting Adonai (Lord) and where the short form Yah (or Yahu) is used alone and with combinations to form names of the prophets and others in the Scriptures

>[12] Psms 96:5

[13] Joshua 23:7; Ex  23:12

[14] Ezk. 39:25

[15] Not to falsify, profane or bring His Name to naught or nothing !

Ex. 20:7; Deut 5:11;  Lev. 18:21; 19:12;  22:32; Ezk. 36:19-23

[17] John 4:23,24

[18] Matt 15:1-6; Mark 7:5-9

[19] P 15, What Is His Name….A Sequel to the book  WHAT IS HIS NAME?

[20] P 21, The Heavenly Father’s Great Name

[23] Age Ending Letter, ‘Names and Titles of DEITY’ P 28

[24] Matt 15:3-6

[25] Luke 11:52; Matt 23:13

[26] ‘THE TETRAGRAM - AN APPEAL FOR A FINAL RESOLUTION’  by Dr. Chris Koster  p 8

[27] Romans 10:13; Acts 2:21; Joel 2:32; or IAUE-SAVIOR (IAUSHUA) Acts 4:12.

[28] P. 9 What is His Name?

 THE NAME OF THE MOST HIGH!   by John Charles Green   pp. 12,13
"Keys to Understanding"
P.O. Box 11, North Warren, Penn. 16365