by Jeffro 48 Replies latest jw experiences
The expression "Jehovah God" has always seemed strange to me. Even when I was a JW, I found the term awkward, and never used it myself. Both words are nouns intended to be synonyms of each other, unless the name "Jehovah" is being used as an adjective, which is also weird. If it were written as "Jehovah, God", I might understand it, but in its usual form, it just doeesn't seem valid.
Is there any valid reason for why this odd term is used?
It's just more cultspeak that means something in the group and creates a line of delination between believers and the outside.
It's just more cultspeak that means something in the group and creates a line of delination between believers and the outside.
Possibly, but I thought it was strange even when I was a member.
I have never thought of it but are right. We would say Queen Elizabeth, or John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia. Therefore it would be more natural to say
God Jehovah or
Jehovah, the Almighty God (of the Watchtower Society).
Silly people, God is Jehovah's last name.
As a non jw, I always find it strange. Almost as if they need to distinguish between Tom god, Dick god, and Harry god. Besides I don't call my dad by his name either, in my neck of the woods it would be considered disrespectful.
p.s. - I forgot to say even if 'jehovah' was His real name.
Just say "I believe in 'Jesus God'"
I remember reading somewhere in one of the watchtowers that nobody knows the original name of satan the devil. Because of his faithfulness, they said, his name has been kept hidden. So, I wonder if jehovah is satan's original name....
You'll probably need Narkissos to tell you the technical details, but my very remote knowledge of Heb leads me to conclude that this expression may indeed have biblical sanction, since it occurs in the early chapters of Genesis.
Gen 2:4,5,7,8,15, 16, 18,21,22,; 3:8,8,9,13,14,21,22,23, use the expression YHWH ELOHIM which NWT has as "Jehovah God" and which the JB renders as "Yahweh God"
To the best of my knowledge this expression does not occur outside Gen chaps 2, and 3, but then I do not have a Heb language concordance.
I am not sure of the significance of this expression, but the OT Bible Knowledge Commentary says on pg 30: "The repeated emphasis on [Yahweh] God is significant. The sovereign creator of Chap 1 is also the covenant-making Yahweh of Israel.Thus Israel would know that her Yahweh had created everything and that it was He who had formed mankind by special design"
The Inter-Varsity Press Bible Commentary has a fuller note: "The combination of the generic "Elohim" and the proper name Yahweh, is found repeatedly in Gen 2 and 3. "Elohim" is used in Gen 1 for God as creator, and it denotes God as He is known through His revelation in creation, and general providence,including man's inward and intuitive knowledge of God. "Yahweh" is used alone beginning with Gen 4. It is God's personal name describing Him as revealed through His historical-covenental revelation as the Lord of eschatalogical purpose and soverign fulfillment.This transitional combination, "Yahweh God" in Gen 2 and 3 serves to identify Yahweh, the covenant Lord, as God the creator.Such multiple designations of Deity were common in the biblical world" [pg 83]
Cheers
