JWs aren't the only religion that use the name "Jehovah"?

Question

I've asked this question randomly of Christians before. A reasonable percentage of them are familiar with the divine name and do use it to one extent or another in their worship. Some will make an issue about form, i.e., "Yahweh," etc., instead of "Jehovah," but it's not the exclusive domain of the JWs. Many of them think they are the only ones who use it and think that justifies their belief system. So the question here, for the sake of showing them "the truth," is: does your religion ever use the name "Jehovah?"

Answer 1

Dear Suzanne,

I belong to a non-denominational church.

When the pastor is discussing biblical material from Hebrew scripture he will use the name Jehovah but not when he is preaching from the Christian scripture.

I have relatives who are Watchtower Witnesses and for years they have become downright livid with me when I refer to God. They say that I MUST use the name Jehovah because you show respect by using a person's name or something to that effect.

I don't necessarily object to using Jehovah even though it is a made up name but I never ever called my dad or my mom by their given names. I called them Mom and Dad to show respect. I show respect for my heavenly Father by calling Him Father and sometimes I use Abba Father.

My basis for calling God Father is Jeremiah 3:19. When I first read that it just melted my heart. The awesome uncreated Creator of the universe wants to be called Father and I want to please Him to the very best of my ability.

Edit:
I forgot to add Judges 13:17,18 where Manoah (Samson's father) asks the angel of the LORD his name. I have asked jws how it could be that an angel of the LORD could have a more wonderful name than the LORD does. They do rattle off a memorized explanation which is not biblical.

Edit for TeeM: Since you emailed me the same thing that you posted here I will answer here.

The angel of the LORD kept his name secret from Manoah saying it was "too wonderful" or as Judges 13:18 in the NIV says "... 'Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding."

What is this verse here for? I am trying to make the point that it is very strange that the Most High Being would not have a name equally "beyond understanding" since an angel does. All of the jws that I know insist that I MUST call the uncreated Creator only by the name Jehovah. The verses I've mentioned make it clear to me that such insistence is merely from men and not a command from God.

Edit 2 for TeeM: Why didn't you include the question Moses asked in verse 13?

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name? Then what shall I tell them?" (v.13, NIV).

I just found an excellent website dealing with this subject:
http://jwfacts.com/index_files/Jehovah.htm


For His glory,
JOYfilled

Answer 2

The name "Jehovah" comes into any church's reading or discussion of at least Exodus, Psalms, and Isaiah, King James Version. Since that is the most widely used version, the answer is yes, it is used in all Christian denominations.

Exodus 6:2-4 - KJV
Psalm 83:18 - KJV
Isaiah 12:2 - KJV
Isaiah 26:4 - KJV

Answer 3

Maybe. Maybe not. But if you heard someone use the name in conversation, who would you associate that person with?

Many people insist that Yaweh is the correct form for God's name. The truth is that no one knows the true pronunciation. In English, "Jehovah" is very widely used. In other languages, it might be slightly different.

And to those who say God's name is Yaweh more than likely will still say "God" or "Lord" most of the time.

Answer 4

Yes.
I'm Mormon and we believe that Jesus Christ is the Jehovah of the Old Testement. You (the reader) may not believe this, but we do. And the name Jehovah is used in church as it relates to this belief. When speaking of Christ in any other term, it is usually not used. When speaking of the God of the Old Testement, which Jehovah is, however, we usually just say God. So for us, at least, the name Jehovah is usually only used when, for some reason the speaker wants to reiterate that it is Jesus Christ (before He had a physical body) who is speaking in the verses the speaker is quoting or otherwise using.

I didn't realize this was an issue with JW's.

UPDATE: As evidenced by my three thumbs down I take it that they are not because you (those who thumbs downed me) don't believe that we use the name Jehovah in the LDS church, but that you don't agree with the example I gave of WHEN we use it.
In my opinion it just proves that you don't read the question. An appropriate use of the thumbs down for this question would be if we (LDS) didn't use the name Jehovah in our worship. However, we do use it, so your thumbs down are given to the example, not the question. Next time try using it appropriately, as the way you are using it now just shows your inability to disagree doctrinally, yet accept the fact that we might have something in common.

Answer 5

It denotes Jesus Christ at the head of my church... I think that the tags shouldn't cause discontent, that the people should take responsibility for their choices. I can't speak for the rest, but I know that Christians and Muslims are both commanded to love their fellow man, and I know there are a ton of us, so if we just started practicing our religions...

Answer 6

Sure. While I think "Jehovah" is a great name for God, this name was created sometime between the 6th and 10th centuries. "Jehovah" is not a real Hebrew word. The Masoretes replaced the vowels of the name YHWH with the vowel signs of the Hebrew word Adonai or Elohim. Thus the artificial name Jehovah (YeHoWaH) came into being.

I'm not sure why JWs are obsessed with this name. I do know that they use the KJV (or at least in the past) and their very own edited Bible, the NWT. The KJV and NWT use the name "Jehovah" in place of "Lord" (Hebrew: Elohim). The KJV uses the word "Jehovah" a total of seven times. However, the NWT uses it exlusively in place of "Lord".

Answer 7

To Joyfilled:

Please explain why you think the angel's name is 'more wonderful' than Jehovah's name?

I can't find that in the verses you referenced.

(Judges 13:15-18) 15 Ma·no′ah now said to Jehovah’s angel: “Let us, please, detain you and fix up a kid of the goats before you.” 16 But Jehovah’s angel said to Ma·no′ah: “If you detain me, I shall not feed myself on your bread; but if you will render up a burnt offering to Jehovah, you may offer it up.” For Ma·no′ah did not know that he was Jehovah’s angel. 17 Then Ma·no′ah said to Jehovah’s angel: “What is your name, that when your word comes true we shall certainly do you honor?” 18 However, Jehovah’s angel said to him: “Just why should you ask about my name, when it is a wonderful one?”

NASB: 18But the angel of the LORD said to him, "Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?"

Please don't go beyond what is written. The angel only said his name was wonderful.

If a person walked up to you and started talking about Jehovah,

If a person knocked on your door and said Jehovah,

If you picked up a magazine / book and it contained Jehovah's name through out,

Which religion would you assume them to be?

Edit:

Please understand it is not Jehovah's Witnesses that say Jehovah or if you want Yahweh is the NAME of God.

It is Jehovah himself that says this:

Ex 3:15 Then God said once more to Moses:

“This is what you are to say to the sons of Israel, ‘Jehovah the God of YOUR forefathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, has sent me to YOU.’ This is my name to time indefinite, and this is the memorial of me to generation after generation.

It is Jehovah that has chosen the Name he wants to be called.

Ps 83:18 That people may know that you, whose name is Jehovah, You alone are the Most High over all the earth.

Isa 42:8 “I am Jehovah. That is my name; and to no one else shall I give my own glory, neither my praise to graven images.

This name that you insist is unknowable is use 7000 times in the bible, more times that the words 'Lord' and 'God' combined.

Answer 8

Our pastor uses the word Jehovah frequently when reading from the Bible. I've known a few JW's and some can be rather rigid vis a vis their religion, but most of them were just hard working people who happened to believe a bit different from me.

Answer 9

There are people from other denominations who recognize that Jehovah is God's name, but the only ones who use it are the Jehovah's Witnesses (even their name suggests that). The Bible says that using God's name is very important. It also shows a close relationship with our Creator.

"And it must occur that everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will get away safe; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will prove to be the escaped ones, just as Jehovah has said, and in among the survivors, whom Jehovah is calling." -- Joel 2:32

"And everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved." -- Acts 2:21

"For “everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.” However, how will they call on him in whom they have not put faith? How, in turn, will they put faith in him of whom they have not heard? How, in turn, will they hear without someone to preach? How, in turn, will they preach unless they have been sent forth? Just as it is written: “How comely are the feet of those who declare good news of good things!" -- Romans 10:13-15


For more information go to:
http://www.watchtower.org/library/na/article_04.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/library/na/article_05.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/library/na/article_06.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/library/na/article_07.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/1999/2/8/article_03.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2004/1/22/article_01.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/library/jt/article_01.htm

Answer 10

Yes , The Name Jehovah (JHVH) we put the vowels in ,Stands for God when there is a contract that he has made ,for Example Jehovah Jireh means the God who will provide ,Jehovah Rapha means the God who will Heal , Jesus said if you ask of me that is contained in my name that is what I will do . So a Christian can call upon Jehovah Jireh in the name of Jesus so that the need will be meet , And if we trust in his word that Jehovah stands for contract we have nothing to lose