Praying the Priestly PrayerSample
His Name Is
My name will be great among the nations. —MALACHI 1:11
In our English Bibles, the word used for the name of G-D is LORD. It appears three times in the prayer of blessing. To more fully comprehend the power of the blessing and receive the full impartation of the divine prayer, we must first understand the very name being placed on us through its proclamation.
G-D’s real name as He identified Himself to Moses can be found in the Old Testament more than sixty-five hundred times. More than a label or identifier, it reveals something about His very nature and character. Therefore, we need to understand the meaning behind His name.
Understanding the meaning of God’s name begins with an understanding of the tetragrammaton, the four Hebrew letters Yod, Hey, Vov, Hey, transliterated as YHWH. Around the third century BC, Jewish rabbis began the tradition of not pronouncing G-D’s sacred and holy name out of reverence for His holiness, which led to the tetragrammaton replacing the sacred name. By using only consonants and not revealing the vowels, its pronunciation has remained a mystery for many generations.
Since the tetragrammaton contains the consonants only of the sacred name (YHWH), to be able to pronounce the name of our heavenly Father, we need to know the vowels. Theologians have agreed upon two possible conclusions arrived at by investigating several manuscript documents.
1. YeHoVaH (translated as Jehovah in some portions of the King James Version of the Bible)
2. YaHWeH
Many of us have read in the scriptures or shouted out in praise Hallelujah! This Hebrew word is made up of two parts. Hallelu means praise. The second portion is actually an abbreviation of the sacred name of the heavenly Father. So when we say, “HalleluYAH,” we are actually praising the sacred name of the one true G-D of Israel.
Because of Yeshua’s sacrifice, we can come boldly before the throne of grace without fear of the name. In light of what Yeshua (Jesus) did for us, we don’t have to be afraid to call on His name and pronounce the sacred name.
Let us then come with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. —HEBREWS 4:16
Proclamation Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come before You in the name of Yeshua (Jesus). I thank You for revealing to me Your sacred name, YeHoVaH or YaHWeH. I praise You for sending Your only begotten Son, Yeshua, who made the way possible for me to become Your spiritual son or daughter. Heavenly Father, I confess my love for You. Teach me how I can more fully love You in a more excellent way. Enable me through Your Holy Spirit to be able to love You with all my mind, my heart, my soul, my spirit, and my strength (substance). I pray that You remind me that You are present with me every moment of the day.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
—ISAIAH 9:6
Scripture
About this Plan
Have you ever considered what the biblical name of God means and how it could impact your life? In this 5-day devotional by Warren Marcus, you will discover the biblical root of God’s name, and how understanding His holiness can place you into a deeper relationship with Him. You will uncover peace, blessing, and friendship with God in new and exciting ways.
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