to God, and an explication thereof subjoined, which argues that it is
peculiar to him. Thus when Moses desired of God, that he would let him
know what _his name_ was for the encouragement of the faith of the
Israelites, to whom he sent him, Exod. iii. 13. _q. d._ he desires to
know what are those divine glories, that would render him the object of
faith and worship; or how he might describe him in such a way to the
children of Israel, whereby they might express that reverence and regard
to him, that was due to the great God, who sent him about so important
an errand. In answer to which God says, ver. 14. _I AM THAT I AM. Thus
shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM_ hath sent me unto you;
which description of him doth not set forth one single perfection, but
all the perfections of the divine nature; as though he should say, I am
a God of infinite perfection; and then he adds, in the following verse,
_Thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, The Lord_, or Jehovah, _the
God of your fathers hath sent me unto you_; where Jehovah signifies the
same with _I AM THAT I AM_. And he adds, _This is my memorial unto all
generations_; therefore this glorious name is certainly peculiar to God.
What has been already observed, under this head, is sufficient to prove
that the name Jehovah is proper to God alone. But we might hereunto add
another argument, of less weight, which, though we do not lay that
stress upon, as though it was sufficient of itself to prove this matter;
yet, being added to what has been already suggested, it may not be
improper to be mentioned, _viz._ that the word Jehovah has no plural
number, as being never designed to signify any more than the one God;
neither has it any emphatical particle affixed to it, as other words in
the Hebrew language have; and particularly several of the other names of
God, which distinguishes him from others; who have those names sometimes
applied to them; and the reason of this is, because the name Jehovah is
never given to any creature.
And to this we might add, that since the Jews best understood their own
language, they may, in some respects, be depended on, as to the sense
they give of the word Jehovah; and it is certain they paid the greatest
regard to this name, even to superstition. Accordingly, they would never
pronounce it; but, instead thereof, use some other expressions, by which
they describe it. Sometimes they call it, _that name_, or _that glorious
name_, or _that name that is not to be expressed_;[107] by which they
mean, as Josephus says,[108] that it was not lawful for them to utter
it, or, indeed, to write it, which, if any one presumed to do, they
reckoned him not only guilty of profaneness, in an uncommon degree, but
even of blasphemy; and therefore it is never found in any writings of
human composure among them. The modern Jews, indeed, are not much to be
regarded, as retaining the same veneration for this name; but Onkelos,
the author of the Chaldee paraphrase on some parts of scripture, who
lived about fifty years after our Saviour’s time, and Jonathan
Ben-Uzziel, who is supposed to have lived as many years before it, never
insert it in their writings; and, doubtless, they were not the first
that entertained these sentiments about it, but had other writings then
extant, which gave occasion thereunto. Some critics conclude, from
Jewish writers, that it was never pronounced, even in the earliest ages
of the church, except by the High Priest; and when he was obliged, by
the divine law, to pronounce it, in the form of benediction, the people
always expressed an uncommon degree of reverence, either by bowing, or
prostration; but this is not supported by sufficient evidence. Others
think it took its rise soon after their return from captivity, which is
more probable; however, the reason they assign for it is, because they
reckoned it God’s incommunicable name.
And here I cannot but observe, that the translators of the Greek version
of the Old Testament, commonly called the LXX. which, if it be not
altogether the same with that mentioned by Aristæus, which was compiled
almost three hundred years before the Christian Æra, is, without doubt,
of considerable antiquity; these never translate the word JEHOVAH, but,
instead thereof, put Κυριος, Lord;[109] and, even when it seems absurd
not to do it, as in Exod. vi. 3. when it is said, by my name, JEHOVAH,
was I not known, they render it, by my name, the LORD, was I not
known.[110]
This we take occasion to observe, not as supposing it is a sufficient
proof of itself, of the argument we are maintaining, but as it
corresponds with the sense of those scriptures before mentioned, by
which it appears that this is the proper, or incommunicable, name of
God.
_Object._ It is objected, by the Anti-Trinitarians, that the name
Jehovah is sometimes given to creatures, and consequently that it is not
God’s proper name; nor does it evince our Saviour’s Deity, when given to
him. To prove that it is sometimes given to creatures, they refer to
several scriptures; as Exod. xvii. 15. where the altar that Moses
erected is called _Jehovah Nissi_, _i. e._ the Lord is my banner; and,
in Judges vi. 22. another altar that Gideon built, is called _Jehovah
Shallom_; and Gen. xxii. 14. it is said, that Abraham called the name of
the place, in which he was ready to offer Isaac, _Jehovah Jireh_; and,
in Ezek. xlviii. 35. it is said, that Jerusalem, from that day, should
be called _Jehovah Shammah_; they add also, that the Ark was called
_Jehovah_, upon the occasion of its being carried up into the city of
David, when it is said, Psal. xlvii. 5. _The Lord_, _i. e._ Jehovah _is
gone up with a shout, even the Lord with the sound of a trumpet_, and
also on other occasions. And the name Jehovah is often, in the Old
Testament, given to angels, and therefore not proper to God alone.
_Answ._ 1. When they pretend that the name Jehovah was given to
inanimate things, and in particular to altars, as in the instance
mentioned in the objection, that one of the altars was indeed called
_Jehovah Nissi_, it is very unreasonable to suppose, that the name and
glory of God was put upon it; had it been a symbol of God’s presence, it
would not have been called by this name, especially in the same sense in
which our Saviour and the Holy Spirit have it applied to them; and
therefore the meaning of this scripture, as I apprehend, is nothing but
this, that there was an inscription written on the altar, containing
these words, _Jehovah Nissi_, the design whereof was to signify, to the
faith of those who came to worship there, that the Lord was their
banner: therefore this name, strictly speaking, was not given to the
altar, but to God; upon which some, not without good reason, render the
word; he built an altar, and called the name of it, the altar of
_Jehovah Nissi_. The same may be said with respect to the altar erected
by Gideon, which was called _Jehovah Shalom_, or the altar of _Jehovah
Shalom_, to the end that all who came to offer sacrifice upon it, might
hereby be put in mind that God was a God of peace, or would give peace
to them.
2. As for the place to which Abraham went to offer Isaac, which is
called Jehovah-Jireh, it was the mount Moriah; and it is certain that
this was not known by, or whenever spoken of, mentioned, as having that
name; neither had Abraham any right to apply to it any branch of the
divine glory, as signified thereby; therefore when it is said, he called
the name of the place Jehovah-Jireh, it is as though he should have
said, let all that travel over this mountain know, that the Lord was
seen, or provided a ram instead of Isaac, who was ready to be offered
up; let this place be remarkable, in future ages, for this amazing
dispensation of providence, and let them glorify God for what was done
here, and let the memory hereof be an encouragement to their faith. Or
else we may farther consider him speaking as a prophet, and so the
meaning is, this place shall be very remarkable in future ages, as it
shall be the mount of vision; here Jehovah will eminently appear in his
temple, which shall be built in this place. Or if you take the words in
another sense, _viz._ _God will provide_, it is as though he should say,
as God has provided a ram to be offered instead of Isaac, so he will
provide the Lamb of God, who is to take away the sin of the world, which
was typified by Isaac’s being offered. So that the place was not really
called Jehovah; but Abraham takes occasion, from what was done here, to
magnify him, who appeared to him, and held his hand, whom alone he calls
Jehovah.
And to this we may add, that when Jerusalem is called _Jehovah Shammah,
the Lord is there_, the meaning hereof is only this, that it shall
eminently be said in succeeding ages of the new Jerusalem, that _the
Lord is there_; the city, which was commonly known by the name
Jerusalem, is not called Jehovah, as though it had any character of
divine glory put upon it; but it implies, that the gospel church, which
is signified thereby, should have the presence of God in an eminent
degree; or, as our Saviour promised to his disciples, Matth. xxviii. 20.
that _he would be with them always, even unto the end of the world_;
and, as the result thereof, that _the gates of hell should not prevail
against it_, Matth. xvi. 18.
3. As for the _ark_; it was not called _Jehovah_, though the Psalmist
takes occasion, from its being carried up into the city of David, with a
joyful solemnity, and an universal shout, with the sound of a trumpet,
to foretel the triumphant and magnificent ascension of our Saviour into
heaven, which was typified hereby; concerning whom he says, _Jehovah_ is
gone up; or, speaking in a prophetic style, the present, or time past,
being put for the time to come, it is as though he should say, the Lord,
when he has completed the work of redemption on earth, will ascend into
heaven, which shall be the foundation of universal joy to the church;
and then he shall, as the Psalmist farther observes, _reign over the
heathen_, and _sit on the throne of his holiness_.
Again, it does not appear that the ark was called _Jehovah_, in Exod.
xvi. 33, 34. because, when Aaron is commanded _to lay the pot full of
manna before the testimony_, that is, _the ark_, this is called, a
laying it before Jehovah: but the reason of the expression is this;
_viz._ God hath ordained that the mercy-seat over the ark should be the
immediate seat of his residence, from whence he would condescend to
converse with men, and accordingly he is said, elsewhere, to _dwell
between the cherubims_; and, upon this account, that which was laid up
before the ark, might be said to be laid up before the Lord.
But since none are so stupid to suppose that inanimate things can have
the divine perfections belonging to them, therefore the principal thing
contended for in this argument, is, that the ark was called Jehovah,
because it was a sign and symbol of the divine presence; and from thence
they conclude, that the name of God may be applied to a person that has
no right to the divine glory, as the sign is called by the name of the
thing signified thereby.
To which it maybe answered, that the ark was not only a sacramental sign
of God’s presence, for that many other things relating to ceremonial
worship were; but it was also the seat thereof: it was therefore the
divine Majesty who was called Jehovah, and not the place of his
residence; and it was he alone to whom the glory was ascribed that is
due to his name.
4. When it is farther objected, that the name Jehovah is often applied
to angels, the answer that may be given to this is; that it is never
ascribed to any but him, who is called, by way of eminence, the angel,
or _Messenger of the covenant_, _viz._ our Saviour, Mal. iii. 1. And
whenever it is given to him, such glorious things are spoken of him, or
such acts of divine worship demanded by and given to him, as argue him
to be a divine Person; as will plainly appear, if we consider what the
angel that appeared, in Exod. iii. says concerning himself, ver. 6. _I
am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob_; and it is said, Moses _hid his face, for he was afraid to
look upon God_; and in verses 7, 8. _The Lord_, or Jehovah, _said, I
have surely seen the affliction of my people that are in Egypt, and I am
come down to deliver them_; and ver. 10. _I will send thee unto
Pharaoh_; and then, in the following verses, he makes mention of his
name, as of the great _Jehovah_, the _I AM_, who sent him. And Jacob
gives divine worship to him, when he says, Gen. xlviii. 16. _The Angel,
that redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads._ I might refer to many
other scriptures, where the Angel of the Lord is said to appear, in
which from the context, it is evident that it was a divine Person, and
not a created angel. The most ancient Jewish writers generally call him
the _Word_[111] of the Lord.
But this will not properly be deemed a sufficient answer to the
objection, inasmuch as it is not denied, that the Person, who so
frequently appeared in the form of an angel, made use of such
expressions, as can be applied to none but God; therefore they say that
he personated God, or spake after the manner of his representative, not
designing that the glory of the divine perfections should be ascribed to
him, but to Jehovah, whom he represented.
To which it may be replied, that the angel appearing to Moses, in the
scripture before mentioned, and to several others, doth not signify
himself to personate God, as doubtless he ought to have done, had he
been only his representative, and not a divine Person; as an embassador,
when he speaks in the name of the king, whom he represents, always uses
such modes of speaking, as that he may be understood to apply what he
says when personating him, not to himself, but to him that sent him; and
it would be reckoned an affront to him, whom he represents, should he
give occasion to any to ascribe the honour that belongs to his master to
himself. Now there is nothing, in those texts, which speak of this
angel’s appearing, that signifies his disclaiming divine honour, as what
did not belong to him, but to God; therefore we must not suppose that he
speaks in such a way as God doth, only as representing him: we read,
indeed, in Rev. xxii. 8, 9. of a created angel appearing to John, who
was supposed by him, at the first, to be the same that appeared to the
church of old, and accordingly John gave him divine honour; but he
refused to receive it, as knowing that this character, of being the
divine representative, would not be a sufficient warrant for him to
assume it to himself; we must therefore from hence conclude, that the
angel that appeared to the church of old, and is called Jehovah, was a
divine Person.
2. Having considered that the name Jehovah is peculiarly applied to God,
we now proceed to prove that it is given to the Son, whereby his Deity
will appear; and the first scripture that we shall refer to is Isa. xl.
3. _The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way
of the Lord_, or Jehovah, _make Straight in the desert a highway for our
God_. Now if we can prove that this is a prophecy of John’s preparing
the way of our Saviour, then it will appear that our Saviour, in this
scripture, is called Jehovah. That it is a prediction of John’s being
Christ’s fore-runner, appointed to prepare the Jews for his reception,
and to give them an intimation, that he, whom they had long looked for,
would suddenly appear, is plain from those scriptures in the New
Testament, which expressly refer to this prediction, and explain it in
this sense: thus Matth. iii. 3. _This is he that was spoken of by the
prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight_; therefore he
whose way John was to prepare, whom the prophet Isaias calls Jehovah, is
our Saviour.
Again, it is said, in Isa. viii. 13. _Sanctify the Lord_, or Jehovah,
_of hosts himself, and let him be your fear and your dread_; where he
speaks of a person, whom he not only calls Jehovah, the Lord of hosts,
which alone would prove him to be a divine Person; but he farther
considers him as the object of divine worship, _Sanctify him, and let
him be your fear and your dread_. Certainly, if we can prove this to be
spoken of Christ, it will be a strong and convincing argument to evince
his proper Deity; now that it is spoken of him, is very evident, if we
compare it with the verse immediately following, _And he shall be for a
sanctuary_, which I would chuse to render, _For he shall be for a
sanctuary_, as the Hebrew particle _Vau_, which we render _And_, is
often rendered elsewhere, and so it is assigned as a reason why we
should sanctify him; and then it follows, though we are obliged so to
do, yet the Jews will not give that glory to him, for he will be _to
them for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence_, as he shall
_be for a sanctuary_ to those that are faithful. That this is spoken of
Christ, not only appears from the subject matter hereof, as it is only
he that properly speaking, is said to be a rock of offence, or in whom
the world was offended, by reason of his appearing in a low condition
therein; but, by comparing it with other scriptures, and particularly
Isa. xxviii. 16. _Behold, I lay in Sion, for a foundation, a stone, a
tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation; he that
believeth shall not make haste_, this will more evidently appear. In the
latter of these scriptures, he is styled, a foundation stone, the rock
on which his church is built; in the former a burthensome stone; and
both these scriptures are referred to, and applied to him, 1 Pet. ii. 6,
8. _Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in
Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious; and a stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offence to them that are disobedient_; where the apostle
proves plainly, that our Saviour is the Person who is spoken of, in both
these texts, by the prophet Isaiah, and consequently that he is Jehovah,
whom we are to sanctify, and to make our fear and our dread.
Again, there is another scripture, which plainly proves this, _viz._
Numb. xxi. 5, 6, 7. _And the people spake against God, and against
Moses; and the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit
the people, and much people of Israel died; therefore the people came to
Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord_,
or Jehovah, _and against thee_. He, who is called God, in ver. 5. whom
they spake against, is called Jehovah in ver. 7. who sent fiery serpents
among them, that destroyed them, for their speaking against him; now
this is expressly applied to our Saviour by the apostle, 1 Cor. x. 9.
_Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were
destroyed of serpents._
Again, the prophet Isaiah, having had a vision of the angels, adoring
and ministering to that glorious Person, who is represented, as sitting
on a throne, in chap. vi. 1, 2. he reflects on what he had seen in ver.
5. and expresses himself in these words, _Mine eyes have seen the King,
the Lord_, or Jehovah, _of hosts_. Now this is expressly applied to our
Saviour, in John xii. 41. _These things said Esaias, when he saw his
glory, and spake of him_; where it is plain that he intends this vision;
as appears from the foregoing verse, which refers to a part thereof, in
which God foretels that he would blind the eyes, and harden the hearts
of the unbelieving Jews; from whence it is evident, that the Person who
appeared to him, sitting on a throne, whom he calls Jehovah, was our
Saviour.
Again, this may farther be argued, from what is said in Isa. xlv. 21. to
the end, _There is no God else besides me, a just God, and a Saviour,
there is none besides me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of
the earth; for I am God, 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 unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely,
shall one say, In the lord have I righteousness and strength; even to
him shall men come, and all that are incensed against him shall be
ashamed. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and
shall glory._ This is a glorious proof of our Saviour’s Deity, not only
from his being called Jehovah, but from several other divine characters
ascribed to him; thus the Person whom the prophet speaks of, styles
himself _Jehovah_, and adds, that there is no God besides me; and he is
represented as swearing by himself, which none ought to do but a divine
Person; and he encourages all the ends of the earth to look to him for
salvation; so that if it can be made appear that this is spoken of our
Saviour, it will be an undeniable proof of his proper Deity, since
nothing more can be said to express the glory of the Father than this.
Now that these words are spoken of our Saviour, must be allowed by every
one, who reads them impartially, for there are several things that agree
with his character as Mediator; as when all the ends of the earth are
invited to look to him for salvation. We have a parallel scripture,
which is plainly applied to him, in Isa. xi. 10. _And in that day there
shall be a root of Jesse_, that is, the Messiah, who should spring from
the root or stock of Jesse; _which shall stand for an ensign to the
people_, to _it_, or to _him_, _shall the Gentiles seek_, which is the
same thing as for the ends of the earth to look to him; and besides, the
word looking to him is a metaphor, taken from a very remarkable type of
this matter, to wit, Israel’s looking to the brazen serpent for healing;
thus he, who is here spoken of, is represented as a Saviour, and as the
object of faith.
Again, he is represented as swearing by himself; and the subject matter
of this oath is, _That unto him every knee should bow, and every tongue
should swear_; this is expressly applied to our Saviour, in the New
Testament, as containing a prophecy of his being the judge of the world,
Rom. xiv. 10, 11, 12. _We shall all stand before the judgment seat of
Christ; for it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall
bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God; so then every one of
us shall give an account of himself to God_. And the same words are
used, with a little variation, in Phil. ii. 10, 11. _That at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess, that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father._
Again, the person, of whom the prophet speaks, is one against whom the
world was incensed, which can be meant of none but Christ, as signifying
the opposition that he should meet with, and the rage and fury that
should be directed against him, when appearing in our nature.
Again, he is said to be one in whom we have _righteousness_, and in whom
the _seed of Israel shall be justified_; which very evidently agrees
with the account we have of him in the New Testament, as a person by
whose righteousness we are justified, or whose righteousness is imputed
to us for that end.
And this leads us to consider another scripture, Jer. xxiii. 6. in which
it is said, _This is his name, whereby he shall be called, The Lord_, or
Jehovah, _our righteousness_. His being called our righteousness, as was
but now observed, implies, that the Messiah, our great Mediator, is the
person spoken of, who is called Jehovah. But this is farther evinced
from the context, inasmuch as it is said, ver. 5. _Behold the days
come_, _viz._ the Gospel day, _that I will raise unto David a righteous
branch, and a king shall reign and prosper; and shall execute judgment
and justice in the earth_; which any one, who judges impartially of the
sense of Scripture, will conclude to be spoken concerning our Saviour’s
erecting the gospel-dispensation, and being the sole lord and governor
of his church. How the exercise of his dominion over it proves his
Deity, will be considered under a following head. All that we need to
observe at present is, that this description is very agreeable to his
character in Scripture, as Mediator; therefore he is called Jehovah in
this verse.
_Object._ 1. It is objected, that the words may be otherwise translated,
_viz._ _This is the name, whereby the Lord our righteousness_, namely,
the Father, _shall call him_.