God chose to reveal Himself by the name Yahweh, which means “The Self-Existing One” or “The Immortal One.” In the Bible, we see this when He speaks to Moses, saying, “I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but I didn’t make myself known to them by my name Yahweh.” (Exodus 6:3). From that point on, Yahweh became the name by which God was recognized among His people.
You’ll see this name come up all over the Old Testament, but it can be a little confusing for those reading in English. A lot of translators decided to go with “LORD” instead, which can make its meaning less clear. But if you pay attention, you’ll spot that whenever “LORD” is in those small capitals, it’s really referring to Yahweh.
In fact, in the very first commandment that God gave to Israel, He says, “I am Yahweh, your God… You shall have no other gods before me… for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God.” (Exodus 20:2-5). It’s such a strong reminder of how special His role is in our lives!
Moses reminds us, “Hear, O Israel: Yahweh our God, is one Yahweh! You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deut. 6:4,5) And guess what? Jesus pointed to this same scripture as the core of it all. When someone asked him what the greatest commandment was, he quoted this, saying, “You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind; this is the most important commandment.” (Matt. 22:37,38)
Just a quick note: You might see that your translation says “Lord,” but if Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 6:5, where it actually says Yahweh, it makes sense for his quote to use the Divine name, Yahweh, too.
And let’s not overlook this powerful statement: “I am Yahweh; that’s my name, and I won’t share my glory with anyone else.” (Isa. 42:8) It’s important
to consider the context here because this bold declaration reminds us that the name “Yahweh” belongs solely to “the Father of Lights, with whom there is no change.” – James 1:7
Let’s break this down into something a bit more conversational and relatable.
It’s crucial to understand the difference between believing in the Trinity and believing in the unity of God the Father, Yahweh, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The whole Trinity thing suggests that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are basically one person, all equal in glory and power, like it says in various church creeds. But if you look at the Bible, it tells a different story. Sure, it highlights the deep unity between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the big picture of salvation, but it definitely goes against the idea that the Father and Son are the same person or that they have equal majesty and power.
You know, the Bible really makes it clear that the Father has lifted up the Son, giving Him a name that’s above all names—except His own, of course. So, the Son is like the Father’s go-to guy, having “all power in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18) If you look through the scriptures, there’s this steady theme: the Father sent the Son into the world. And the Son, driven by the joy the Father set before Him, went through the cross and all its shame. He’s called the Father’s first and only begotten Son.
So, after finishing the work that the Father gave Him, the Son is going to hand the Kingdom of Earth back to the Father at the end of the Millennial Age. He’s pretty clear about it too—He says He “came forth from the Father” and didn’t come to do His own thing, but rather the Father’s will. The power He had wasn’t something He just conjured up; it came straight from the Father. He even mentions, “The Father is greater than I,” and is known as the Messenger or servant of the Covenant, not the one who made it. (John 16:18; 6:38; 14:28)
The New Testament backs this up, calling Him the Mediator of the New Covenant—the one true link between God and us, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for everyone. All these verses really drive home the difference in person, glory, and power between the heavenly Father and the heavenly Son, while also showing how united they are in their plan, will, and purpose. The Son was picked to carry out Yahweh’s big plan because He put aside His own desires to fully embrace the Father’s spirit and nail His will down in every little detail. (Check out John 6:38-39 for more on this.)
Let’s break this down into something a bit more conversational and relatable:
You know, when we talk about “Father” and “Son,” it’s pretty clear there’s a difference between the two. These terms really make us think about the whole idea of the Trinity being just one person. If you think about it, “Father” suggests someone who gives life, while “Son” is about someone who gets life from someone else. But here’s the thing: the heavenly Father doesn’t get life from anyone—He’s the ultimate source of life. He gives life to our Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, and through Jesus, He brings life to everything else He’s created.
This idea really fits well with what the scripture says at the start of this chapter. The Apostle is pretty clear that the Father and the Son are separate, both in who they are and in their power. He says, “To us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things come… and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things exist” (1 Corinthians 8:6). It’s a strong distinction that really deepens our understanding of their roles.