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Our YHWH collection is without a doubt one of our most popular and simultaneously the one I am most asked, “what does it mean?”
Often, we hear it said, “Yahweh” or we see it spelled that way but it’s a Hebrew word that is actually just four letters, the Hebrew consonants, that make up this name. So, it’s correct spelling is YHWH.
YHWH is the is considered the most sacred name of God. It emphasizes His eternal and unchanging nature. This name was revealed to Moses in Exodus 3.
12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. “And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
In Exodus 3 Moses is living in Midian, tending to the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He sees a bush that is on fire but is not consumed by flames. God calls to Moses from the bush, instructing him to remove his sandals because he is standing on holy ground.
God introduces himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He reveals his awareness of the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt and his plan to deliver them from oppression.
God commissions Moses to go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses expresses doubt about his ability to fulfill this mission, but God reassure him, promising to be with him.
When Moses asks what name he should use to describe God to the Israelites, God responds with, “I am who I am“ which means Yahweh. This name emphasizes his external and self-existent nature. This emphasizes His sovereignty above all things.
When we say the name Yahweh, it sounds like the wind blowing or a breath. The Hebrew word for spirit also means wind or breath.
In the Bible, breath and wind are powerful symbols often associated with the Holy Spirit and God’s life-giving presence.
In Genesis 2:7, God breathes life into Adam making him a living being. This act signifies that life comes from God.
An Ezekiel 37:9-10, a cemetery of dry bones come to life when God command commands breath to enter them. This symbolizes renewal and resurrection.
In Acts 2:2, the Holy Spirit descends upon the apostles as a mighty rushing wind during Pentecost, symbolizing the spirit’s power and presence.
Jesus speaks of the spirit as wind in John 3:8, highlighting its unseen, yet powerful influence. This connection teaches us of God’s omnipresence and His gentle, yet powerful, influence in our lives. Just as the wind moves unseen but felt, so is God’s presence with us.
These symbols remind us of God’s intimate involvement in creation and His ongoing work in our lives through the Holy Spirit. Just as breath and wind are essential and life-sustaining, so is God’s presence with us.
YHWH, thank you for giving us so much of yourself, for allowing us to even call you Yahweh, the most sacred name when we can’t even imagine how truly holy you are. Amen.
If you like to wear your faith check out the links below for a YHWH t-shirt, hoodie or car decal.
-Amy Adams of Kingdom Threads by Amy
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