The Name: Unknown Made Known (Acts 17:23-28; Romans 1:21-23)

In the word studies "the Name of God Muted"; "the Name: the Breath you Breathe"; and "the Name: I Am THAT I Am", some of the history and origin of the tetra grammaton (YHWH), is disclosed, as well as the fact, that "the name" (Hashem), speaks not only of the God of creation; the Eternal One, that gives life and breath to all, but it speaks of (YHWH), who is not just the God of Israel, but, He is the God of all.

"God, who made the world and all things in it, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth,...seeing He gives to all life, and breath, and all things; and has made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation, that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He is not far from everyone of us; for in Him we live, and move, and have our being..." (Acts 17:24-28).

He is the God who is the author of life, and the One God, that all nations worshipped before generations of apostasy created a pantheon of "gods" that suited the pleasures of people rather than the purpose of our Father; "because, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things" (Rm.1:21-23).

UNKNOWN GOD

All nations, historically, worshipped one God, as the eternal creator, but time and deception led to a multiplicity of supposed "gods", many claiming to be the creator and Lord of all, whom God reaffirmed to Moses, that He alone was deserving of that title [see the Name: I am THAT "I am"]. Interestingly enough, Acts 17:23 unfolds a similar, "setting the record straight", where Paul, by the Spirit of God, draws on historic record to disclose the one true God, and Lord Jesus Christ. There was an inscription "to the Unknown God" among the myriad of altars at Athens, whom Paul said the people ignorantly worshipped. Paul both drew on quotations of their own poets, to this intellectual crowd he was addressing, and to factual occurrences, to reveal God, in the person of Jesus Christ.

At a time of severe plague in Athens, Epimenides the Cretan, and one of the poets quoted, counselled to release sheep among the altars, and wherever they lay down, there to sacrifice them, to stay the disease that was killing the people. The sheep did not lay down by any of the common altars to the gods, but where they lay, they were sacrificed, and the disease stopped. Epimenides erected an altar to this "Unknown God", who had power over sickness and disease, that halted the plague, and saved his people; and that God, Paul declared unto them, saying, "...as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, 'TO THE UNKNOWN GOD'. Whom, therefore, you ignorantly worship, Him I declare to you" (Acts17:23).

JESUS IS (YHWH) LORD

ISAIAH 40:3 says, "The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of (YHWH), make straight in the desert a highway for our (Elohim)'". Matthew 3:3 quotes this same OT passage, as referring to John the Baptist, preparing the way of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

JOEL 2:32 says, "...whoever shall call on the name of (YHWH) shall be delivered...".

ROMANS 10:12-13 says, "...there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile; for the same Lord over all is rich to all that call on Him. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved". Again, the quotation is a clear reference to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In ISAIAH 6:1-10, Isaiah saw the glory of (YHWH), and yet John 12:37-41 references the passage saying, "These things said Isaiah when he saw His (the Lord Jesus Christ) glory, and spoke of Him"(12:41).

ISAIAH 8:13-14 says, "Sanctify (YHWH) of hosts Himself, and let Him be your fear, and Him your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a trap and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem". Yet Romans 9:33, when quoting this passage, in conjunction with Psalm 118:22, refers to the Lord Jesus Christ:

"Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense; and whosoever believes on Him shall not be ashamed".

1 Peter 2:8 also quotes Isaiah 8:14 as referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. "...a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, to those who stumble at the word, being disobedient; where unto also they were appointed".

ISAIAH 45:20-25 says, "Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you who are escaped of the nations; they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their carved image, and pray to a god that cannot save. Tell, and bring them near; yes; let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, (YHWH)? And there is no (Elohim) else beside me, a just (Elohim) and a Savior; there is none beside me. Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am (Elohim), and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, 'in (YHWH) have I righteousness and strength'; even to Him shall men come, and all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed. In (YHWH) shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory".

This same passage is referenced in Philippians 2:9-11, saying, "...God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father".

To state this portion of scripture another way, "...every knee will bow and every tongue will swear allegiance and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord (YHWH), [the Eternal One; the Creator of the universe; the author of breath and life; and the ruler over all; and beside Him there is no (Elohim). Jesus Christ is Lord (YHWH)".

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours