What is the name of the Sovereign Father? Jeremiah 23:25-27 states: "I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed!' How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal." What name?Romans 10:13 is Paul quoting from Joel 2:32, [which says:] "[W]hoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." What name is to be called if you do not know the name of the Eternal Infinite One?

God has many names and titles, but the name most often used in the Old Testament is Yahweh (pronounced variously). Precisely how the names and titles of God are pronounced is far less important than the meaning of each name. "Sacred names" advocates who profess to follow the Messiah should pay particular attention to the model prayer He gave to His first disciples (see Matthew 6:913). While the model prayer includes "Hallowed be Your name," no particular name is mentionednot even once! Jesus simply instructs His followers to address God as "Our Father in heaven."

       Jeremiah 23:25-27, like other Scriptures that speak of God's name, is not about a particular sound, but about reputation. The false prophets were claiming that their "prophecies" were from the true God. They were acting "in God's name"; but here, acting in the name of God does not mean pronouncing a certain soundwhether "Yahweh," "El Shaddai," "Elohim," "Eternal," or "God"but claiming God's authority for the act.

       The ancestors of the people had forgotten God's name for Baal. This means that they stopped worshiping the true God and worshiped Baal instead. Again, the sound of a particular name was not the issue.

       Interestingly, those who use Jeremiah 23:25-27 as a proof text for their "sacred names" doctrine point out that the lying prophets had caused the people to forget the Creator's name. Unfortunately, they tend to ignore the fact that the lying prophets were prophesying in His name! If "My name" is a matter of pronouncing a particular sound, how could the false prophets speak in God's name and, at the same time, cause people to forget His name? Obviously, the phrase "My name," which appears three times in this passage, has nothing to do with whether the particular name "Yahweh" is pronounced.

I appreciate your answer to the question on God's name. However, your answer begins with the position that God has many names and titles. I agree that the Sovereign Father has many titles, which is very obvious. But I have a problem with "many names," especially in view of the Tetragrammaton YHWH used over 6000 times in the Old Testament. It seems that the Jews, who used many titlesGod, Lord, Elohim, Adonay, etc., etc.for their God, must have known that their God had a personal name, YHWH, which they held sacred. Could you elaborate on this subject?

It is true that YHWH (pronounced variously: Yahweh, Yahoweh, Jehovah, etc.) is the name most often used of God in the Hebrew Scriptures, and that most other terms used in reference to the Deity are titles describing one or more of His divine attributes. The name YHWH is also descriptive of God's nature, but there is some uncertainty as to what its original meaning conveyed to ancient Israel. Some scholars feel the term simply means "Eternal," or "Ever-living One." Others, however, believe that the term conveys covenantal faithfulnessthat is, the God of Israel is everlastingly faithful to His covenant. Taken either way, the point is that the name YHWH is, in one sense, a title.

       The Hebrew word translated "name" is sem. There appears to be no distinction between name and title in Hebrew. One could rightly say that YHWH is God's name, but one could also rightly say that YHWH is one of the Creator's titles. Many such titles, or names, may be rightly used in reference to the true God. Scripture reveals that "The Lord God of Hosts [Yahweh Elohe-seva Ot] is His name" (Amos 4:13). "Holy" is another name, or title, that belongs to God. Isaiah 57:15 states, "For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy [Qados]."

       We know that the Messiah's name is Jesus (Yeshua, or Yahshua). But we're told in Isaiah 9:6 that "his name is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." The Hebrew word sem (rendered "name") can be used of any term that describes the character, fame, and attributes of the person to whom that particular term pertains.

       Jesus tells His followers how to address the Heavenly Father, and shows that God's name can be hallowed without using a Hebrew term (see Matthew 6:9).