So here is what has been going through my mind/spirit/soul recently: The word "Lord" seems to have lost a lot of its import. Remember George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord"? Remember he was not singing about Jesus? That could be just one example. Along the same line, my recent visit to India underscored the sense that "lord" could mean a number of things. Even in the Bible, ordinary humans are called lord. Abraham and David were called lord. Even evil enemy kings could be called lord. All we mean by the word "lord" is that the person being addressed or so described is seen as superior to oneself.
Is that all we mean by the "LORD" in the Old Testament?
Certainly the long-orthodox view is that the Person being addressed or described as "LORD" in the OT was/is much more than simply superior to us humans. Granted YHWH is far superior to us. But we believe that superior does not begin to describe YHWH. And if we look at the word "LORD"--even when it is printed in upper case letters--does not describe our God.
And God seems to suggest something along that line when giving the name YHWH. The statement is "I AM that I AM. Tell them I AM sent you." Moses' instructions were not "Tell them the LORD sent you." That could have referred to anyone (well, almost anyone). But to tell the Israelites, "I AM sent me," conveys a very different meaning.
I AM carries a claim on eternality. I AM claims to have started time and everything within time. I AM claims to one day put an end to time and everything within time.
Well, all of that to explain that I have moved to using a different term in my personal Bible study. When I see the OT reference "LORD," I verbalize "The Eternal." Initially, I used the literal, "I AM," but "The Eternal" feels more appropriate for no apparent reason (to me).
Example: The passage I studied in today's study included 2 Kings 18:5, "Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel." Anyone can read that and interpret it how they want (and different groups do just that). But when I read, "Hezekiah trusted in the Eternal [or the Eternal One], the God of Israel," for me at least, that makes the meaning more meaningful! :)
Another plus: Ah but I'll save that for next time. :)
What do you think?
ttfn
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3 comments:
Eddie, and Co...
Hmmmmmmm... Very interesting [use an Artie Johnson accent if you want]...
I think what is valuable out of this exercise is that it has caused you [and me] to stop and think about your "LORD"... Who is He, What is He!!!
There has been a tendency to make God our very best friend... And there is a lot that can be said for that concept [God the LORD, does invite us to enter into an intimate relationship with Him]...
But... He is still LORD... He is still Sovereign... We still must [if I can borrow a phrase from the British Empire] swear fealty [absolute allegiance] to Him!!! [Lanny Wolfe, "If He's not Lord of everything, He's not Lord at all."]
Two weeks ago, I preached from John 1:1-18... That is such a HUGE passage of scripture, I chose just 1 verse, v14, and actually just one phrase of that verse, "We have seen His glory!!!" Anyway, John 1 describes Jesus as the Eternal, Creative, Redemptive Word of God!!! He chose to live among us!!! Wow!!!
Now back to your comments... I think it is good when we do stop to consider who the LORD God is... and who and what He really is in our lives!!! In my own reading this morning [Psalm 111, 112, 113], each time I read the word LORD, I stopped to think about it... Wow, as I'm writing this, I've pulled these Psalms back up. Wow!!!
So... thanks for making my day!!!
Gale :)
So, Does Yahweh mean "I am that I am"? If so, when the ancient Israelites read (or heard) the scriptures read, or even the words of a contemporary prophet or priest, would they have heard the text as: "Hezekiah trusted in I Am, the God of Israel."? Of course, it was more common to have names with literal meanings. I think "the eternal" is a step up from "the LORD," but I am signifies more than timelessness. It also indicates provision, unity, primacy and fulfillment, I think, among other qualities. I don't understand why modern translations don't just write Yahweh. The Jews had gotten to a point where they wouldn't say God's name, but it wasn't always this way.
For some context on the issue of the tetragrammaton, see this Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahweh
My thoughts, similar to yours, are probably best summarized by another article on this subject I read recently. Found here: http://liturgicalnotes.blogspot.com/2008/01/o-lord.html
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