Shayla: When LORD is used is it most often referring to Jesus?

 I know that the Hebrew word Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible “LORD”, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form "Jehovah" is retained only in Exodus 6:3; Psalm. 83:18; Isaiah 12:2; 26:4, both in the Authorized and the Revised Version. However, as I read I seem to see that it often indicates Jesus. i.e. Genesis 2:7; 3:8-9; Psalm 23:1; 89:8. These are only a few of the 5860 instances of “LORD” I’ve found.

Meforshim:

There is unfortunately significant variation in the way the names of God are generally rendered in English. For example, considering the passages you mentioned we find.

· Genesis 2:7-9 HCSB Then the LORD God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being. (8) The LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there He placed the man He had formed. (9) The LORD God caused to grow out of the ground every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the midst of the garden, as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

· Genesis 3:8-9 HCSB Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid themselves from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (9) So the LORD God called out to the man and said to him, "Where are you?"

In each of these cases the Hebrew is Yahweh Elohim.

· Psalms 23:1 HCSB A Davidic psalm. The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.

In this case the name is “Yahweh Ra’ah”. We read it in English as a phrase “The Lord is my shepherd” and imply “therefore I will not want.” However, the Hebrew is actually a proper name. The habit of rendering Yahweh as a title rather than a personal name is a way of showing reverence for Him. This is an ancient tradition that predates Christianity. It can be seen in:

· Acts 2:21 HCSB then whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Jewish readers, out of a superstitious fear of desecrating the name and violating the Law, developed a habit of substituting the name “Adonai” every time they came across the name Yahweh. The Masoretic scribes inserted the vowels for “Adonai” into the word “YHWH” as a reminder to the reader. That is why many of the older translations render the name “Jehovah” – they combined the vowels of Adonai and the consonants of Yahweh.

· Psalms 89:8 HCSB LORD God of Hosts, who is strong like You, LORD? Your faithfulness surrounds You.

Here the Psalmist addresses Hashem as “Yahweh Elohim Tsaba” (Lord God of Hosts).

Yahweh is the incommunicable name of the God of Israel. It could be understood as meaning “the Existing One” or “He Who Is” or “He Who Causes to Be”. This would add credence to your idea that it specifically implies the Lord Jesus due to:

· Exodus 3:13-15 HCSB Then Moses asked God, "If 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?' what should I tell them?" (14) God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you." (15) God also said to Moses, "Say this to the Israelites: Yahweh, the 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; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.

The Hebrew words translated “I AM” and “the Lord” are two forms derived from the same Hebrew verb. “I AM” was never used again in the Old Covenant, allowing that particular form to be associated very specifically with the deliverance of our people from Egypt. Thus, when Jesus claimed that title, He was claiming to be the ancient Deliverer come once again with the Trinity’s message “Let my people go.”

· John 8:56-59 HCSB Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day; he saw it and rejoiced." (57) The Jews replied, "You aren't 50 years old yet, and You've seen Abraham?" (58) Jesus said to them, "I assure you: Before Abraham was, I am." (59) At that, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple complex.

In my mind it carries the same type of ethos as another name we Adonaic Christians typically use: “Hashem” which simply means “the Name”.

· Acts 5:40-41 HCSB After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. (41) Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be dishonored on behalf of the name.

· 3 John 1:5-7 HCSB Dear friend, you are showing your faith by whatever you do for the brothers, and this you are doing for strangers; (6) they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God, (7) since they set out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from pagans.

If one were to emphasize the meaning “He Who Causes to Be” then we would have once again a reason for associating the name with the immanent aspect of God for:

· John 1:1-3 HCSB In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was with God in the beginning. (3) All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created.

Due to these and other theological issues (the necessity of the immanent aspect of God to interact with humans) I would generally agree that most of these instances would refer to pre-incarnate Christ. However, I think that it is important that we take each instance on its own, determining which other names are connected to it (e.g. Tsaba, Yireh, Nissi, Shalom etc) and determine which aspect of God we are dealing with.

In the end, we have to keep in mind that all three aspects of the Trinity operate simultaneously, all the time. One does not move, speak or act, without the others (see Trinity in the Quick Reference).