The God of the Bible has many titles that are key to understanding who He is. However, no title quite achieves what His name does. Understanding His name might be one of the most important ways to understand who He is. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you will see why.
What are names?
In the Old Testament of the Bible, names were descriptors of a person or thing. Many of the famous characters in the Bible are named in the context of their birth. For example, the first human’s name, Adam, meaning “man” or “mankind,” comes from the noun “adamah”, meaning “soil,” the ground that he was formed from. Jacob, Israel, Ishmael, Samuel, and Moses are good examples of this idea. Each name gives you a clue as to who they are or where they came from.
- Jacob – take by the heel
- Israel – struggles/wrestles with God
- Ishmael – God will hear
- Samuel – God has heard
- Moses – to draw out [of water]
He is “I Am”
So, what is God’s name? Moses asked God this question and He said, “I AM WHO I AM”. His name is I AM. In Hebrew, it’s “יהוה” (spelled YHWH, generally pronounced Yahweh). The definition continues to be debated, but it’s accepted to mean, “to be” (in the sense of existence) and/or “to become” (in the sense of coming to exist). His name describes who He is, what He is, and what He will be. His name implies that He is beyond all attributes that language could give Him. He is the source of being; everything that exists derives its existence from Him.
He can’t be defined
As I researched His name, it became more incomprehensible. I figured that is because God Himself is incomprehensible. God cannot be defined because He is infinite and nothing in creation is an acceptable descriptor of the Creator. There is no sure way how to pronounce יהוה today, but the issue itself lends His name even greater meaning; that He is transcendent of all utterance.
Getting To Know the Old Testament 
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