Some say that it is unacceptable to address Yahweh by a title originating in paganism. For example, it is said that it is unacceptable to use a term such as "God", for it is thought to be derived from the pagan deity "Godan", also known as "Wodan" or "Woden" or "Wotan" or "Odin". Or, to give another example, it is said to be unacceptable to use a term such as "Lord", which is the translation for "Baal". For such terms are the names or titles of pagan deities, and have come into the English language by way of those who worshiped these deities. Is this really the case? Does Yahweh REJECT worship directed at him which addresses him by these titles derived from paganism?

YAHWEH'S COMMENTS IN HOSEA 2

Hosea 2:16-17 reads,

2:16 It will be in that day,” says Yahweh,

“that you will call me ‘my husband [Hebrew: Ishi],’

and no longer call me ‘my master [Hebrew: Ba’ali].’

2:17 For I will take away the names of the Baals out of her mouth,

and they will no longer be mentioned by name.

Yahweh Acknowledged that He was Addressed by the Title of a Pagan Deity

It is clear from this scripture that Yahweh acknowledged that the Israelites were indeed addressing him. They were NOT addressing another deity. It therefore appears inappropriate for one to suggest that anytime a person uses such pagan-derived titles to address Yahweh that the person is addressing the pagan deities originally so named.

For Yahweh himself did not so say of the Israelites who addressed him by a title originally derived from paganism. For if Yahweh considered the Israelites' use of the phrase "Baali" when addressing him to have been an address to the pagan deity Baal he would not have said that the Israelites will “no longer call me ‘my master [Hebrew: Ba’ali]”. That Yahweh acknowledged that the Israelites were indeed calling him "Baali" makes clear that Yahweh understood that it was he Yahweh that they were calling by a pagan derived title, and that they were not calling the pagan deity Baal.

Therefore, when one uses a pagan derived title to address Yahweh someone else should not automatically censure the one for addressing a pagan deity known by that pagan derived title. For the one is NOT addressing the pagan deity, but is indeed addressing Yahweh, though by a pagan derived title.

Should One Use Pagan Derived Titles to Address Yahweh?

Even though it is clear that one is not addressing a pagan deity when one uses a pagan derived title to address Yahweh, should one still use such pagan derived titles to address Yahweh? In other words, is addressing Yahweh by a title derived from paganism acceptable to him?

It appears from the above-quoted scripture that Yahweh prefers that WE SHOULD NOT call him by pagan derived titles. For not only will he make the Israelites call him "Ishi", meaning my husband, he will also ensure that they do not call him "Baali", meaning my lord. And to ensure that they will not address him using pagan derived titles he will remove from their mouths or tongues the names of these pagan deities, and will ensure that these names will be remembered no more.

In other words, Yahweh will give the Israelites a pure language devoid of linguistic corruption, such as has arisen by the names of pagan deities forming an intrinsic part of virtually all languages currently in use by people all the world over. Such that in these languages the titles used to refer to Yahweh are derived from the names of pagan deities formerly, and even currently, worshiped by these peoples.

YAHWEH'S JUDGEMENT ON THE PEOPLES

The book of Zephaniah prophesies Yahweh's judgement on the earth's inhabitants at a time shortly to come - the day of Yahweh. Zephaniah 1: 4-6 reads,

1:4 I will stretch out my hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place: the name of the idolatrous and pagan priests, 1:5 those who worship the army of the sky on the housetops, those who worship and swear by Yahweh and also swear by Malcam, 1:6 those who have turned back from following Yahweh, and those who haven’t sought Yahweh nor inquired after him.

Yahweh Does Not Accept Idolatry

It should be clear from this scripture that Yahweh DOES NOT ACCEPT idolatry and those who engage in idolatry, including the worship of pagan deities such as Baal and Malcam. For he will remove all traces of Baal from Jerusalem, his holy city. In other words, idolatry has profaned his holy city. Therefore, to restore the sanctity of Jerusalem all profane things, including all traces of idolatry and all idolaters, must be removed from it.

Yahweh Does Not Accept Syncretism

It should also be clear that Yahweh DOES NOT ACCEPT syncretism - that is the mixing of worship to him with worship to pagan deities. For among those whom he will eliminate from Jerusalem are those who both call upon his name Yahweh and also call upon the names of pagan deities. In other words, Yahweh desires pure worship. He abhors worship that is contaminated or profaned with idolatry. And therefore, if worship to him is not pure, he abhors it, and it is not acceptable to him.

Yahweh Will Destroy Those Who Do Not Worship Him

It should also be clear that among those to be destroyed are those who have rebelled against Yahweh, having formerly followed after Yahweh, and those who have not even bothered to seek after Yahweh or to inquire after him. In other words, if one is not faithfully following Yahweh in a pure and holy manner one will be destroyed from Jerusalem. Therefore, the only people who may survive the destruction of Jerusalem are those who are faithfully following Yahweh in purity, those who do not mix the worship of him with the worship of pagan deities, those who do not call upon him and also call upon pagan deities.

Yahweh Will Punish the Violent and Deceitful

Zephaniah 1: 9 reads,

1:9 In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit.

Therefore the violent and deceitful people will be destroyed from Jerusalem. To survive that day - the day of Yahweh, one must ensure that violence and deceit do not make up one's ways.

Yahweh Will Cut Off Those Who Trust in Wealth

Zephaniah 1: 11b-13 reads,

All those who were loaded with silver are cut off. 1:12 It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in their heart, “Yahweh will not do good, neither will he do evil.” 1:13 Their wealth will become a spoil, and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won’t inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won’t drink their wine.

Those who trust in the comfort of their wealth, whether money or other property, will be destroyed from Jerusalem. Those who think that Yahweh is indifferent to the ways of people on earth, taking no action in earthly affairs, will be destroyed from Jerusalem.

Therefore, to survive destruction in the day of Yahweh, one must not put one's trust in wealth, which is a form of idolatry. Rather one should be devoid of all forms of idolatry and wholly trust Yahweh by faithfully and fully following after him. And one should also believe Yahweh when he says that he involves himself in earthly affairs, for he is about to act in his soon-coming day.

Yahweh Will Bring Distress on Sinners

Zephaniah 1: 17-18 reads

1:17 I will bring distress on men, that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Yahweh, and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Yahweh’s wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.

Yahweh makes clear to us that the REASON why he will bring distress on men and make a terrible end of them is SIN - their sin. Because men have sinned against Yahweh he will bring distress on them and make a terrible end of them. Therefore, to avoid distress and destruction being brought upon one at Yahweh's hand one must avoid sinning against Yahweh. One must live one's life in the manner Yahweh commands.

Yahweh also makes clear that, in his day, wealth will not succeed in delivering one out of it. Therefore those who are idolaters, in that they have placed their trust and confidence in wealth, will be destroyed. One therefore ought to avoid being an idolater, including placing one's trust in wealth. One ought to fully trust in Yahweh, worshipping him in a pure manner devoid of syncretism, doing everything that he commands one to do. By so fully trusting in Yahweh, and being obedient to him, will one avoid distress and destruction at Yahweh's hand in the day of Yahweh.

Seek Yahweh

Zephaniah 2: 3 reads,

2:3 Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of Yahweh’s anger.

Yahweh here gives a remedy for those who seek to escape the distress and destruction that will be visited upon men in his day of wrath. He counsels us to seek him. He counsels us to be humble. He counsels us to keep his ordinances. He counsels us to seek righteousness. For Yahweh extends a possibility of being spared of the effects of his anger if we heed his counsel by seeking his attributes and forsaking those of idolatrous, violent and deceitful men.

Yahweh Will Gather the Nations

Zephaniah 3: 8-13 reads,

3:8 “Therefore wait for me,” says Yahweh, “until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. 3:9 For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on the name of Yahweh, to serve him shoulder to shoulder. 3:10 From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering. 3:11 In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings, in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out of the midst of you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be haughty in my holy mountain. 3:12 But I will leave in the midst of you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in the name of Yahweh. 3:13 The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”

Yahweh Will Purify the Lips of the Peoples

Yahweh says that after he has gathered the nations and poured on them his indignation, even all his fierce anger, he will PURIFY THE LIPS of the peoples. That he will purify the lips of the peoples suggests that what comes out of the lips of the people, the words the people utter, are not pure, but contain profanities. For if they did not contain profanities the peoples' words would be pure. But that they are not pure clearly implies that their words contain profanities.

Yahweh gives a reason why he will remove profanities from the words of the peoples. It is so that the peoples may all CALL ON THE NAME OF YAHWEH, serving him shoulder to shoulder, that is, with one accord. In other words, because the words of the peoples contain profanities, they are not properly calling on the name of Yahweh. For the profanities in their words render their calling on the name of Yahweh inadequate for the purposes of properly worshipping Yahweh.

Therefore, to properly worship Yahweh, to properly call on the name of Yahweh, profanities must be removed from the words we use to call upon Yahweh. Therefore those of us who desire and strive to properly worship Yahweh and to properly call on the name of Yahweh must remove profanities from our words.

Geographical Location of Some of the Remnant of Israel

Yahweh also makes clear that from beyond the rivers of Cush (Ethiopia) his worshipers, even the daughter of his dispersed people, will bring his offering. In other words, Yahweh clearly identifies a general geographical location wherein is located a number of the descendants of his dispersed people - Israel! That is, some descendants of the dispersed Israelites, who are also his worshipers, will be dwelling beyond the rivers of Cush (Ethiopia) at the time of the day of Yahweh.

That Yahweh calls these descendants of Israel his worshipers suggests that their worship of Yahweh will be one devoid of profanities. Nevertheless, their worship will still not be perfect before Yahweh. For not all of them will be worshipping Yahweh in the manner Yahweh has commanded.

For Yahweh also mentions that they will also have transgressed against him. For some amongst them will have been proud and haughty, and will have exulted in their pride and haughtiness. These proud ones Yahweh will remove from the midst of the remnant of his dispersed people, the descendants of Israel from beyond the rivers of Cush (Ethiopia). After their removal those who remain will be an afflicted and poor people, who TAKE REFUGE IN THE NAME OF YAHWEH. This preserved remnant will not do iniquity, nor speak lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth.

Traits That Will Facilitate Preservation

Therefore, to have traits that Yahweh desires in us, such as those of those who will be preserved by him in his day of wrath, we must avoid pride, iniquity and deceit. We must instead be humble, righteous and pure. Our speech, including our hearts, must be pure, devoid of lies and other profanities. And we must take refuge in the name of Yahweh, for it is in the name of Yahweh that one finds protection and courage.

Yahweh's Appointed Feasts Will Be Observed

Zephaniah 3: 14-20 reads,

3:14 Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem. 3:15 Yahweh has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, Yahweh, is in the midst of you. You will not be afraid of evil any more. 3:16 In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.” 3:17 Yahweh, your God, is in the midst of you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing. 3:18 I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from you. They are a burden and a reproach to you. 3:19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you, and I will save those who are lame, and gather those who were driven away. I will give them praise and honor, whose shame has been in all the earth. 3:20 At that time will I bring you in, and at that time will I gather you; for I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says Yahweh.

That Yahweh says, talking to the restored remnant of Israel, that he will remove from among them those who are grieve about the appointed feasts, clearly shows that Yahweh's appointed feasts will be observed after the restoration of the remnant of Israel. It also shows that those who properly worship Yahweh exult or take joy in these appointed feasts of Yahweh. We should therefore exult in Yahweh's appointed feasts, and avoid being burdens and reproaches to those who faithfully worship Yahweh, as we would be if we grieve about Yahweh's appointed feasts.

YAHWEH BLAMED FOR THE EXISTENCE OF IMPURE LANGUAGES

Now some might think to blame Yahweh for the situation that exists, whereby he is not worshiped in pure speech. For these argue that the reason why impure languages exist is found in Yahweh himself, for it is Yahweh who brought about the proliferation of numerous languages all the world over. For it is Yahweh himself who brought about the proliferation of all the languages in the world as shown in Genesis 11: 1-9.

Genesis 11: 1-9 reads,

11:1 The whole earth was of one language and of one speech. 11:2 It happened, as they traveled east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived there. 11:3 They said one to another, “Come, let’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. 11:4 They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.”

11:5 Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built. 11:6 Yahweh said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do. 11:7 Come, let’s go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 11:8 So Yahweh scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city. 11:9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of all the earth. From there, Yahweh scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth.

Why Men Undertook to Build a City and a Tower

Genesis 11: 4 provides the reason why men undertook to build a city and a tower, whose top reached to the sky. They undertook this massive project in an effort to avoid being scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth. In other words, the men then existing had come to understand that they were about to be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth. They opposed this impending scattering that was about to take place. They therefore sought to thwart the impending scattering by undertaking a massive construction project.

Men Fail to Thwart Yahweh's Will

Nevertheless, their plan did not succeed in its intended effect, that of thwarting their impending scattering abroad on the surface of all the earth. For Yahweh allowed them to build their tower and also their city. And then Yahweh confused their language, such that they did not understand one another's speech! It is this confusion of their language by Yahweh that precipitated their scattering abroad on the surface of all the earth.

It therefore appears that it was Yahweh's will at this time to scatter men abroad on the surface of all the earth. Men opposed Yahweh's will and sought to thwart it by making an effort to remain together. To show men the futility of their actions against Yahweh he allowed them to undertake the project that they thought would enable them to thwart Yahweh's will for them. He then produced something new that men had not anticipated. This new thing, the confusion of men's language such that they did not understand one another, is what brought about their scattering abroad on the surface of all the earth. Man should therefore learn that it is futile to oppose Yahweh's will.

Proliferation Of Languages Had Nothing To Do With Their Impurity

It should also be clear from Genesis 11: 1-9 that the confusion of man's language, leading to the proliferation of numerous languages, had nothing to do with men worshipping Yahweh with impure speech. For impure speech is made up of phrases connected with sin or impurity or profanity. These include deceitful speech and speech connected with idolatry, such as the names of false deities.

Concerning Hebrew, a language of Scripture, it is evident Yahweh's name was known to those who spoke this language. For Yahweh clearly revealed his name to those whom he communicated and dealt with. And the nation of Israel clearly knew Yahweh's name, and used it without corruption for a considerable period of time.

How Languages Became Impure

Nevertheless, we find from the scriptural record that Israelites eventually came to call on Yahweh using the names of false deities, such as is seen in Hosea 2: 16-17. This they did when they strayed away from Yahweh into idolatry, worshipping the false deities of the peoples who neighboured their land. In other words, it was Israel's sin, in departing from faithfully following after Yahweh, that brought about impurity or profanity in their Hebrew language.

So it is with other languages of other peoples. For when Yahweh confused the language of man as recorded in Genesis 11: 1-9, there is no record that he gave them impure languages, no matter how proliferated the languages were. That these languages are now impure suggests that it is man's experience in sin that has brought the impurity in man's languages. In other words, with respect to Yahweh's name, when man faithlessly strayed away from Yahweh in rebellion against him, and commenced to worship false deities, he brought impurities into his various languages. It is man's idolatry, coupled with his other sins, that has made his languages impure.

It should therefore be clear that Yahweh's confusing of man's language, by proliferating man's languages, did not make man's languages impure. Man's languages became impure by man straying away from Yahweh in rebellion against him. Man's languages became impure by man's sinful ways.

VITAL IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING YAHWEH'S NAME

It should also be noted that it is vitally important that those who desire to be approved by Yahweh come to both know his name and also properly address him using his name in worship. For this is what Yah'shuah the Messiah taught.

Yah'shuah Revealed Yahweh's Name to His Disciples

In John 17: 6-8 Yah'shuah said, in his prayer to Yahweh the Father,

17:6 I revealed your name to the people whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, and you have given them to me. They have kept your word. 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you, 17:8 for the words which you have given me I have given to them, and they received them, and knew for sure that I came forth from you, and they have believed that you sent me.

Yah'shuah made clear that he revealed to the disciples Yahweh gave to him the name of the Father. That he revealed the Father's name to his disciples suggests that knowledge of the Father's name had become lost on the disciples, and also generally to the Jews of Yah'shuah's time. Knowledge of Yahweh's name became lost to the Jews generally because they had appropriated pagan titles for the name of Yahweh. Therefore, rather than use Yahweh's name when either speaking of Yahweh or addressing Yahweh, they used pagan titles such as "Baal" or others derived from paganism.

That Yah'shuah said that his disciples kept Yahweh's word, including the revelation to them of his name, clearly shows that they used Yahweh's name and avoided the use of titles derived from paganism when addressing Yahweh.

Yah'shuah Kept His Disciples in Yahweh's Name

In John 17: 11-12 Yah'shuah said,

17:11 I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are. 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. Those whom you have given me I have kept. None of them is lost, except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

Great Power in Yahweh's Name

That Yah'shuah prayed to the Holy Father that he keeps Yah'shuah's disciples in Yahweh's name, that the disciples may be one, even as Yahweh and Yah'shuah the Messiah are one, clearly shows that Yahweh's name has GREAT POWER! For it has power to enable Yah'shuah's disciples to be one or at unity with the same oneness or unity that Yahweh has with Yah'shuah! And the oneness or unity the Father and the Son have is PERFECT ONENESS OR UNITY! Therefore, for the disciples to share in Yahweh and Yah'shuah's perfect oneness or unity, for the disciples to both become and be kept in perfect oneness or unity, they must be kept or preserved in Yahweh's name. The vital importance of Yahweh's name to Yah'shuah's disciples should therefore not be lost on these disciples!

Why Yah'shuah So Prayed to Yahweh the Father

Yah'shuah continued in John 17: 13,

17:13 But now I come to you, and I say these things in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.

In other words, the things that Yah'shuah the Messiah said when he was praying to Yahweh the Father were so said for the PURPOSE of Yah'shuah's joy being made full in Yah'shuah's disciples. And these things Yah'shuah said included their being kept or preserved in the Father's name. Therefore, to have Yah'shuah's joy being made full in them, Yah'shuah's disciples must ensure that they are kept or preserved in Yahweh's name. For if they are not so kept or preserved in Yahweh's name Yah'shuah's joy in themselves will not be made full!

Why Yah'shuah Made Known Yahweh the Father's Name

In John 17: 25-26 Yah'shuah concluded his prayer to the Father by stating,

17:25 Righteous Father, the world hasn’t known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me. 17:26 I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Yah'shuah made clear the REASON why he made known to his disciples the Father's name, that the love with which Yahweh the Father loved Yah'shuah may be in Yah'shuah's disciples, and that Yah'shuah may be in his disciples! In other words, without knowledge of Yahweh the Father's name there is no guarantee that the love with which Yahweh the Father loved and loves Yah'shuah will be or reside in Yah'shuah's disciples! Without knowledge of Yahweh the Father's name there is no guarantee that Yah'shuah will reside in his disciples! It is therefore IMPERATIVE that Yah'shuah's disciples come to know the Father's name, that they may both have Father Yahweh's love residing in them and also have Yah'shuah residing in them.

How Yah'shuah's Disciples Become Perfectly One

For Yah'shuah stated in John 17: 22-23,

17:22 The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; 17:23 I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me.

In other words, the manner in which Yah'shuah's disciples become perfectly one, even as Yahweh and Yah'shuah are perfectly one, is by Yah'shuah dwelling in his disciples. And he dwells in his disciples when they have knowledge of the Father's name. For as the Father, Yahweh, dwells in Yah'shuah, and Yah'shuah dwells in those disciples of his who have knowledge of Yahweh's name, Father Yahweh effectively dwells in Yah'shuah's disciples in whom Yah'shuah dwells! And by so dwelling in these disciples they do indeed have the love with which Father Yahweh loved and loves Yah'shuah the Messiah!

It should therefore be clear that to have Father Yahweh's love, and also to have the perfect unity or oneness Father Yahweh has with Son Yah'shuah the Messiah, Yah'shuah's disciples MUST both come to know Yahweh's name and also receive and accept Yahweh's name. If they do not have knowledge of Yahweh's name, nor receive Yahweh's name, which is part of Yah'shuah's words to them, there is no guarantee that Yah'shuah's disciples will have both Yahweh's love and Yahweh and Yah'shuah's perfect unity or oneness!

SHOULD ONE CONTINUE USING PAGAN NAMES AND TITLES AFTER COMING TO KNOW YAHWEH'S NAME?

Now, despite all that has already been said above, some will still argue that as Yahweh knows that it is he that one is addressing when one uses titles derived from paganism, such as "God" and "Lord", one can continue using such titles, even after one has come to a knowledge of Yahweh's name.

Yahweh Dislikes Being Referred to Using Pagan Names or Titles

To answer this argument one should remember Yahweh's comments on Hosea 2: 16-17. Not only will the Israelites cease to address Yahweh by titles derived from paganism, Yahweh will ensure that pagan deities will no longer be referred to by the names and titles they have historically and in the present been referred. In other words, it is Yahweh's preference that we SHOULD NOT refer to him with titles derived from paganism, even though he knows that it is he that we are referring to, and not the pagan deities bearing those names or titles.

For if he did not mind our referring to him with titles derived from paganism he would not have bothered to inform us, as he did in Hosea 2: 16-17, that he will remove even the memory of these names from the Israelites after their restoration in future. In other words, if referring to him with pagan derived titles was not an issue to him he will not take the drastic step of removing even the memory of these names from the Israelites. Such that a situation will not arise again whereby they will be tempted to use those names and titles again. But that he has informed us that he will take such a drastic action clearly shows that referring to him with pagan derived titles is an important issue to him, and that we SHOULD NOT be so doing!

WHAT IS THE STANDING OF THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW YAHWEH'S NAME?

What about the situation of one who has not come to the knowledge of Yahweh's name? Can Yahweh TOLERATE such a one referring to him with pagan derived titles, even though it is not his preference that he be so referred to?

Knowledge Provision Followed by Choice

Going by Yahweh's comments in Hosea 2: 16-17 it appears to me that Yahweh clearly acknowledges that such ones are referring to him and are not referring to pagan deities. Yahweh also sees and knows their hearts.

It therefore appears to me that he will tolerate such references to him from such while they are in the process of growing in the knowledge of his ways. He will also lead them to such a point that they may know the vital importance of having knowledge of his name and his preferred use of his name rather than of titles derived from paganism.

Once such have arrived at such a point they must CHOOSE! They must choose whether to continue to refer to Yahweh with titles derived from paganism or to refer to him with his own name, Yahweh, and with titles he approves of, such as those contained in the Scriptures.

Be Perfect, as Your Heavenly Father is Perfect

In Matthew 5: 48, as part of Yah'shuah the Messiah's teaching that we should do not just the letter of the law, but also the spirit of the law, he stated,

5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

In other words, it is a REQUIREMENT on us to pursue perfection, even as our heavenly Father is perfect!

In the matter of using Yahweh's name and titles he approves of to refer to him, rather than using titles and names derived from paganism to refer to him, it is perfection to use Yahweh's name and the titles he approves of, rather than titles and names derived from paganism. For it is clear that even though our Father acknowledges that he is aware that it is he that one is referring to when using titles and names derived from paganism, when indeed such a one is referring to him, he nevertheless makes clear his DISPLEASURE in such usage.

Do as Yah'shuah Did and Commanded

If we are truly to be proper disciples of Yah'shuah then we must do as he did. We must ensure that our conduct pleases Yahweh the Father, just as his conduct pleased and pleases Yahweh the Father. We must also heed Yah'shuah words which he spoke to his disciples before he ascended into heaven, recorded in Matthew 28: 18-20:

“All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 28:19 Go,^* and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 28:20 teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

His clear command to his disciples included teaching the disciples they would make of all nations to OBSERVE ALL THINGS HE COMMANDED THEM!

One of the things he revealed to them, as shown in John 17: 5-8, was Yahweh the Father's name. They were likewise to reveal this name to the disciples they would make of all nations, and these new disciples were to accept and receive Yahweh's name.

Yah'shuah also expounded various scriptures to his disciples. Therefore, in the context of Yahweh's name, it appears very plausible that Yah'shuah informed his disciples of Yahweh's displeasure when he is referred to by titles and names derived from paganism, rather than by his own name and by titles he approves of. Yah'shuah the Messiah's true disciples, in submission and obedience to him in humility, should likewise avoid referring to Yahweh the Father by titles and names derived from paganism, and should refer to Yahweh the Father by his name and by titles he approves of.

Your comments on this article

Go to Home Page

© 1998, Isaac Aluochier, All rights reserved. Published by Servants of Yahweh, P O Box 44848, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya. E-mail: servantsofyahweh@serveyahweh.org. Permission is hereby GRANTED to reproduce this and other publications in the Servants of Yahweh web site, http://www.serveyahweh.org, unless otherwise stated.