God has a personal covenant Name in Scripture… the four Hebrew letters often written as YHWH. In English Bibles (including the NKJV) this Name is usually represented by “LORD” in all caps. For clarity in this study, we will refer to the divine Name as Jehovah, the long‑standing English rendering. This study will walk through why God revealed this as His Name, what it means, how Scripture treats its pronunciation and use, and how the New Testament reveals Jesus in relation to that Name, including the mystery of the Name He bears that no one knows (Revelation 19:12).
The Name Revealed: “I AM” and “LORD”
When God sent Moses to deliver Israel, He disclosed His personal Name and connected it with His eternal, self‑existent being.
“And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”’ Moreover God said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: “The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.”’” (Exodus 3:14–15, NKJV)
“I AM WHO I AM” declares God’s self‑existence and faithfulness; He is not derived, developed, or dependent. Immediately the text links “I AM” with “the LORD” (YHWH/ Jehovah), and God Himself says, “This is My name forever.” The Name is not a label we assign to Him; it is the identity He revealed about Himself.
Covenant Nearness and Faithfulness
Later, God emphasizes that Israel would know Him in a deeper, covenantal way by this Name, not because the patriarchs had never heard it, but because they had not yet witnessed the full covenant performance attached to it (deliverance, law, tabernacle, and dwelling presence).
“And God spoke to Moses and said to him: ‘I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name LORD I was not known to them.’” (Exodus 6:2–3)
“Known” here carries the idea of experienced. The Exodus, the giving of the Law, and the tabernacling of God among His people would display what Jehovah means in action: steadfast love, righteousness, and saving power.
God Proclaims His Name
When Moses asked to see God’s glory, God answered by proclaiming His Name… that is, declaring His character.
“Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty…’” (Exodus 34:5–7)
To know God’s Name is to know who He is merciful, just, patient and holy. The Name is His covenant identity, not just an inscription, but the revelation of His person.
Pronunciation and the English Form “Jehovah”
Scripture consistently gives us the four consonants YHWH and treats this as God’s personal covenant Name. In English, the traditional rendering is Jehovah. The NKJV ordinarily prints “LORD” in all caps for YHWH, yet we also see many compound titles are presented in English with the word “Jehovah” in study notes or margins…
For Example:
“Jehovah-Jireh,” Genesis 22:14
“Jehovah-Rapha,” Exodus 15:26
“Jehovah-Nissi,” Exodus 17:15
“Jehovah-Shalom,” Judges 6:24
“Jehovah-Tsidkenu,” Jeremiah 23:6
“Jehovah-Shammah,” Ezekiel 48:35
Also, we see the shorter form “YAH” appears in praise (e.g., Psalm 68:4; “Hallelujah” = “Praise YAH”).
The reason we translate YHWH as “Jehovah”, is because of the Masoretic Hebrew text, the preserved Old Testament received and transmitted with careful markings of vowels… the “jots and tittles”. Even Jesus Himself affirmed these jots and tittles would never pass away (Matthew 5:18). This tradition faithfully preserved not only the consonants, but also the pronunciation passed down among God’s people. From that source comes the established English rendering “Jehovah.”
By contrast, the form “Yahweh” arose much later, being reconstructed by scholars from Greek manuscripts and conjectural linguistics. These sources are less reliable and not rooted in the Hebrew Masoretic tradition, which is the text God preserved for His people. For that reason, we hold to the trustworthy witness of the Masoretic text and the long-received rendering “Jehovah,” rather than adopting speculative reconstructions that came centuries after the apostles.
Our aim is not to chase theories about ancient pronunciation, but to revere the Name as God revealed it, and trusting in His preservation of Scripture. “Jehovah” is the English form that carries this covenant Name into our tongue, honoring the testimony of the inspired Hebrew text and the faith of the generations who have called upon Him by it.
Reverence, Praise, and Guarded Speech
God also commands His people to revere His Name in life and worship.
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain…” (Exodus 20:7)
“I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images.” (Isaiah 42:8)
“From the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles…” (Malachi 1:11)
We bless His Name in thanksgiving (Psalm 103:1), trust His Name in prayer (Proverbs 18:10), and honor His Name by holy living (Leviticus 22:31–32). The biblical burden is not mere articulation, but adoration and obedience.
Taking the LORD’s Name in Vain
The third commandment warns:
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7).
This command is not only about profanity, but about treating God’s covenant Name lightly, carelessly, or falsely. To use His Name in vain means to empty it of its weight by misrepresenting Him, swearing falsely by His Name, attaching His authority to lies, or invoking Him without reverence. It is to wear His Name but live in contradiction to His character.
Because His Name represents His very being and covenant faithfulness, abusing it is an assault on His identity. The prophets rebuked Israel for profaning His Name by their actions:
“When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, and yet they have gone out of His land.’” (Ezekiel 36:20).
The way God’s people live either hallows His Name or profanes it before the watching world.
Jesus teaches us to pray, “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.” (Matthew 6:9). To hallow His Name is to treat it as sacred, holy, and weighty in all our speech, worship, and conduct. The seriousness of the third commandment shows that God will not allow His Name to be emptied of glory. His people must bear it with reverence and truth.
Calling on the Name
The prophets promised that all who call on the Name of the LORD would be saved, and the apostles proclaim that promise fulfilled in Christ.
“And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Joel 2:32)
“And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21)
“For ‘whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’” (Romans 10:13)
In Acts 2 and Romans 10, this saving “Name of the LORD” is proclaimed in relation to Jesus the Messiah. The New Testament does not diminish Jehovah’s Name; it shows that Jesus Himself is the One in whom the Lord’s Name is invoked for salvation.
Jesus and the Divine Name
Jesus openly ties His person and mission to the revelation of the Father’s Name and identity.
“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world.” (John 17:6)
“Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (John 8:58)
In John 8:58, Jesus does not merely claim pre‑existence; He takes the Lord’s name “I AM” (Exodus 3:14) as His own self‑designation, revealing His unity with the Father and His divine identity. Because of this, Scripture declares that the universal confession due to Jehovah is due also to Jesus.
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9–11)
In Isaiah 45, Jehovah says that every knee will bow to Him (Isaiah 45:23). Philippians 2 goes on to applt that devotion to Jesus, showing and acknowledging Jesus as “Lord” is not a downgrade of the divine Name, but revealing its revelation in the Son.
To confess “Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9) is to honor Jehovah in the person of Christ.
Compound Declarations of the Name (Jehovah‑…)
Throughout the Old Testament, God’s Name is paired with descriptors that reveal His ways and Character to His people. These are not separate gods or “many names” to manipulate, but rather, a single‑Name used to declare His covenant and character.
“Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide [Jehovah‑Jireh].” (Genesis 22:14)
“For I am the LORD who heals you [Jehovah‑Rapha].” (Exodus 15:26)
“Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner [Jehovah‑Nissi].” (Exodus 17:15)
“Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it, The-LORD-Is-Peace [Jehovah‑Shalom].” (Judges 6:24)
“Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS [Jehovah‑Tsidkenu].” (Jeremiah 23:6)
“…and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE [Jehovah‑Shammah].” (Ezekiel 48:35)
Each title unfolds a different aspect of “Jehovah”: The God who provides, heals, leads, reconciles, justifies, and abides with His people.
The Short Form “YAH” in Praise
Scripture also uses the shortened form “YAH,” especially in worship.
“Sing to God, sing praises to His name; extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His name YAH, and rejoice before Him.” (Psalm 68:4)
“Hallelujah” literally calls the congregation to “Praise YAH.” Whether the full form “Jehovah” or the short “YAH,” Scripture centers praise on the same covenant Lord.
Why God Said “This Is My Name”
God names Himself to make Himself known. By declaring His Name as Jehovah, He anchors His people’s faith in His identity, not just a human concept of deity.
“This is My name forever” (Exodus 3:15)
This means His people are to remember Him as the unchanging, self‑existent, promise‑keeping Lord.
The Name binds His character to His covenant; it assures us He will be toward us all that He has pledged to be (Exodus 34:5–7). To misuse or forget His Name is to distort His character; to hallow His Name is to honor who He is.
The Name Above Every Name and the Name No One Knows
Revelation presents Jesus at His return with titles we know, and with a Name we do not.
“His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.” (Revelation 19:12)
“He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.” (Revelation 19:13)
“And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16)
Why an unknown Name? Scripture signals that even with all God has revealed in Christ, there remains an infinite depth to His person that surpasses our creaturely comprehension.
He is not reducible to our vocabulary. The hidden Name guards His transcendence; the revealed titles (“The Word of God,” “King of kings and Lord of lords”) secure our worship and obedience.
Revelation also speaks of a “new name” associated with Christ and His people.
“He who overcomes… I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God… And I will write on him My new name.” (Revelation 3:12)
“To him who overcomes… I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” (Revelation 2:17)
God’s people will bear His Name forever (Revelation 22:4). Our salvation culminates not merely in knowing a title, but in belonging to the One whose Name we bear. The mystery of the “new name” assures us that union with Christ will keep our communion/”>communion with God forever fresh, and never exhausted.
Jesus, the LORD, and Saving Confession
The apostles preached that the salvation promised to those who call on Jehovah’s Name is realized by confessing Jesus as Lord and believing God raised Him from the dead.
“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved… For ‘whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’” (Romans 10:9, 13)
This is not a shift from Jehovah to another. It is Jehovah revealed in His Son, the Word made flesh (John 1:14), so that to honor the Son is to honor the Father (John 5:23).
Thus, the church baptizes “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19), one Name and three Persons… the triune LORD.
Living in the Light of His Name
Because Jehovah is who He says He is, we take refuge in His Name, obey in reverence, and speak His Name with love and truth.
We refuse to empty the Name (Exodus 20:7) by careless vows, flippant speech, or hypocritical worship.
We carry His Name into the world by holy living (2 Timothy 2:19),
We gladly suffer reproach for His Name (1 Peter 4:14).
To hallow His Name (Matthew 6:9) is the first petition of prayer and the core ambition of our lives.
My Final Thoughts
God has not left us to guess who He is. He has told us His Name: Jehovah.
The self‑existent, covenant‑keeping LORD. He proclaimed His Name to Moses and then displayed it in deeds of redemption, mercy, and justice. In the fullness of time He manifested that Name in His Son, so that calling on the LORD is calling on Jesus, and confessing Jesus as Lord is honoring Jehovah. Yet even now, our King bears a Name that no one knows, reminding us that eternity will not exhaust His glory.
Therefore, let us love His Name, hallow His Name, trust His Name, and bear His Name with joy until the day His servants “shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads” (Revelation 22:4).
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.” (Matthew 6:9)
