by Walter Giddings
June 25, 2023
Sermon Scripture: Psalm 106: 4-8
(The 23rd Psalm, verse 3). Whose name? What is in a name? In the Hebrew of The Bible we are told that this is “A Psalm of David”:
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth
me in the paths of righteousness for
his name’s sake.
The Twenty-Third Psalm.
(Verse 1). It is “The LORD”. “He” it is who restores our souls; “He” it is who leads us in the paths of righteousness “for his name’s sake”. In this instance “The LORD” translates the Hebrew tetragrammaton H3064, Yod, he, vav, he, a repeated form of the Hebrew verb “to be,” the I Am that I Am, or the Great I Am, for short. (Exodus 3:13-15). All Israel did not know “his name” until Moses asked God this question at the Burning Bush:
c 13 And Moses said unto God, Be-
hold, when I am come unto the child-
ren of Israel, and shall say unto them,
The God of your fathers hath sent me
unto you, and they shall say unto me,
What is his name? what shall I say
unto them?
p 14 And God said unto Moses, I Am
that I Am: and he said, Thus shalt
thou say unto the children of Israel,
I Am hath sent me unto you.
c 15 And God said moreover unto
Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the
children of Israel, The LORD God
of your fathers, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jac-
ob hath sent me unto you: this is my
name forever, and this is my memor-
ial unto all generations.
Exodus chapter three.
“This is my name forever.” [please be seated] (Exodus 6:2-3). Is the “memorial unto all generations” intended to keep God’s People in remembrance?
p 2 And God spake unto Moses, and
said unto him, I am the LORD:
c 3 And I appeared unto Abraham,
unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the
name of God Almighty, but by my
name Jehovah was I not known to
them.
Exodus chapter six.
“By my name Jehovah was I not known to them.” Why did God Almighty keep His Name Jehovah secret from Abraham, and from Isaac, and from Jacob?
Is Moses a Prophet? Did “the LORD God” reveal his secret unto Moses? Can it be The Bible is a military manual, written in code? Israel is God’s Army. The underlined words “LORD” and “Jehovah” are from the same Hebrew word. (Amos 3:7). As Captain of His Host, does Jesus reveal his Secret to his servants the Prophets?
7 Surely the LORD God will do no-
thing, but he revealeth his secret un-
to his servants the prophets.
Amos chapter three.
There is an alternate, or modern translation for Verse 7. “Unless” is substituted for “but”. “Surely the LORD God will do nothing, unless he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Does this mean Revelation comes first to “the prophets”?
Why did I say Jesus? (John 8:28). Why did I say Jesus reveals his Secrets to his servants the Prophets?
28 Then said Jesus unto them, When
ye have lifted up the Son of man,
then shall ye know that I am he, and
that I do nothing of myself, but as my
father hath taught me, I speak these
things.
“Then shall ye know that I am he.” In what font is the pronoun “he”? What does that mean? Does that mean there is no direct counterpart in The Koine Greek for “he”? If we read that part of Verse 28 without the pronoun “he” supplied, how then would that phrase read? “Then shall ye know that I Am.”
Men are often accused of making a mountain out of a mole hill! (Scroll down to Verse 58.) Not this time!
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily,
verily I say unto you, Before Abra-
ham was, I am.
John chapter eight.
“Before Abraham was, I am.” Is there any pronoun “he” supplied this time? Does this make sense in English, or is this an unusual expression in our native language?
Does this make sense in Hebrew? Is Jesus, who said, “I and my Father are one.”, the Great I Am?! (John 13:13). Can we get a 2nd Witness?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and
ye say well; for so I am.
Why did Jesus identify himself with The Hebrew Tetragrammaton, Yod, He, Vav, He, Jehovah, the Name he did not use with our Fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,revealing it “in due time” to Moses? (Verses 14-15). Did Jesus establish His Authority? In order to do what here? Did Jesus institute a new Ritual, and command they do as he had done unto them?
p 14 If I then your Lord and Master,
have washed your feet, ye also ought
to wash one another’s feet.
c 15 For I have given you an example,
that ye should do as I have done to
you.
“Ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.” Did Jesus use All Authority as The Great I Am, and as our “Lord and Master”, to say, “Ye should do as I have done to you.”? (Verse 16). Just so we get the Point, shall we read in unison Verse 16?
16 Verily, verily I say unto you, The
servant is not greater than his lord: neither he
that is sent greater than he that sent him.
Do We wish to serve Jesus? Are We Jesus’ Servants? Are we happiest serving The True Master? (Verse 17). Is He the Truest and Best Master we could ever serve?
17 If ye know these things, happy
are ye if ye do them.
What is this occasion? When did these events take place? Is this Passover/ Communion, the Foot Washing, and the Master Prophet’s Prophecy of The Traitor?
18 I speak not of you all: I know
whom I have chosen: but that the
Scripture may be fulfilled, He that
eateth bread with me hath lifted up
his heel against me.
[The underlined portion of this verse is a quote from Psalm 41:9, “a Psalm of David”.] Next verse, verse 19: we are still in John 13.
19 Now I tell you before it come,
that, when it is come to pass, ye may
believe that I am he.
John chapter thirteen.
Is the last word in verse 19 the pronoun “he”? Is the pronoun “he” supplied to have this expression in The Koine Greek make sense in English? Is the expression “I Am” peculiar to the Hebrew language, the language of The Hebrews? Are both Abraham and Joseph referred to in The Scriptures as Hebrews? Is The General Epistle to the Hebrews within The Scriptures from Matthew unto Revelation, commonly called The New Testament Scriptures? Could we be Hebrews? Ye are awfully quiet! Do I have to go Pentecostal on you?! Did Abraham have many sons? Are we, you and I, one of them? Father Abraham had many sons, and many sons had Father Abraham, and I am one of them and so are you, so let’s just praise “The LORD”! “The LORD” is very often the Translation for The Hebrew Tetragrammaton, Yod He Vav He, the I Am that I Am (!), the Everliving, the Everbeing, the Self Existent One, The God Who can meet us at our every Need!
Does The Word of God require me to preach “The Whole Counsel of God” as best I understand it? Tell you what let’s do: I will quote you a permission and give you a promise. You always have, in good conscience, permission to answer no to any of the questions. And I promise you where we disagree, I will find that interesting. I believe Pastor Everett’s declaration that since we agree on the fundamentals in so many areas, should we find where we disagree interesting?
I am of the firm conviction Pastor Everett was prompted of The Holy Ghost to ask us that question. Should we find where we disagree interesting? Here are the Questions again:
Is the last word in John 13:19 “he”?
Is the last word the pronoun “he” supplied to make sense in English?
Is the expression “I Am”, peculiar to The Hebrew Language, the language of The Hebrews?
Are both Abraham and Joseph referred to in The Scriptures as Hebrews?
Is The General Epistle to the Hebrews within The Scriptures from Matthew unto Revelation, commonly called The New Testament Scriptures?
Could we be Hebrews?
Does this mean The Name I Am is idiomatic to The Hebrew Language? Do you find it interesting that Soule’s Dictionary of English Synonyms equates idiom with “1. Language peculiar to people, district, community;” and “2. Genius (of a language), characteristic quality.”?
(John 8:28). Did Jesus mention I Am again?
28 Then said Jesus unto them, When
ye have lifted up the Son of man,
then shall ye know that I am he, and
that I do nothing of myself, but as my
Father hath taught me, I speak these
things.
(John 8:57-58). Does Jesus say, “I Am” without the translators’ addition of the pronoun “he”, in italics?
p 57 Then said the Jews unto him,
Thou art not yet fifty years old,
and hast thou seen Abraham?
c 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily,
verily I say unto you, Before Abra-
ham was, I am.
John chapter eight.
“Before Abraham was, I am.” Did Jesus slip this Proof of His Divinity past Satan and all his unholy horde, the wicked angels? (1 Corinthians 2:7-8). Did Satan and his angels fervently believe Jesus was only a man? Did they understand his dual nature? Or was that a secret or mystery hidden from them?
p 7 But we speak the wisdom of God
in a mystery, even the hidden wis-
dom, which God ordained before the
world unto our glory:
c 8 Which none of the princes of this
world knew: for had they known it,
they would not have crucified the Lord
of glory.
First Corinthians chapter two.
“Which none of the princes of this world knew”! If “the Lord of glory” had not been crucified, would we be reconciled to God? If “the Lord of glory” had not been resurrected, would we be saved by His Life? Was the Devil used as the instrument of his own Doom?! (Colossians 2:15). Is it here in Colossians chapter two that, through the crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, we see Him triumph gloriously?
c 15 And having spoiled principalities
and powers, he made a shew of them
openly, triumphing over them in it.
Colossians chapter two.
“Triumphing over them.” Englishmen of 1611-1670 born into The King James English naturally understood their native tongue. The thought occurs to me that changing that text to make it more easily understood in our day in American English is unnecessary. Why? It is because we already have the tools at hand to understand it. The 1828 Webster’s First American Dictionary in reproduction teaches us how to read the more ancient form of our mother tongue. May I give you an example of how that works? Shall we substitute Webster’s synonyms for “spoiled” and “shew”?
p 15 And having [disarmed] principal-
ities and powers he made a [spectacle]
of them openly, triumphing over them
in it.
Colossians chapter two.
(Back to the 23rd Psalm). Look once more at Verse 3:
3 He restoreth my soul. He leadeth
me in the paths of righteousness for
his name’s sake.
The Twenty-Third Psalm.
What is the phrase, “for his name’s sake” intended to communicate? What does it mean to the sentence “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness”? What does “for his name’s sake” explain?
We have studied one of The Names of God and one of The Names of Jesus: “I Am”! Are we now better prepared to probe the meaning of the phrase “for his name’s sake” and what it is intended to communicate? We are classmates in God’s classroom. What thoughts occur to you?
Does this phrase, “for his name’s sake”, occur several times in The Scriptures? (Psalms the 106th). [stand]. This will be a Responsive Reading: Verses 4-8;
c 4 Remember me, O LORD with the
favour that thou bearest unto thy
people: O visit me with thy salvation;
p 5 That I may see the good of thy cho-
sen, that I may rejoice in the gladness
of thy nation, that I may glory with
thine inheritance.
c 6 We have sinned with our fathers, we
have committed iniquity, we have done
wickedly.
p 7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders
in Egypt; they remembered not the
multitude of thy mercies; but provoked
him at the sea, even at the Red sea.
c 8 Nevertheless he saved them for his
name’s sake, that he might make his
mighty power known.
The One Hundred Sixth Psalm.
“He saved them for his name’s sake.” [Please be seated] What a bunch of stinking, disgusting, wretched, miserable, unloveable sheep!!! These words, “He saved them for his name’s sake”, harbor a terrible, awful, awesome Secret! It is a terrible, awful, awesome Secret that our flesh can not acknowledge because of the curse of our carnal nature. The very motions of Sin in our flesh obscure this Secret from us. Our Bankruptcy is our helplessness to pay our own Sin Debt. Our utter helplessness is on naked display before Satan and all his unholy horde! (Revelation 12:10). Does The Devil accuse us before our God?
10 And I heard a loud voice saying
in heaven, Now is come salvation,
and strength, and the kingdom of
our God, and the power of his Christ:
for the accuser of our brethren is cast
down, which accused them before our
God day and night.
Revelation chapter twelve.
“The accuser of our brethren … accused them before our God day and night.” Does God use Satan as Chief Prosecutor in His Controversy with us in the Courts of Haven? (1 Peter 4:18). Is everything stacked against us?
18 And if the righteous scarcely be
saved, where shall the ungodly and
the sinner appear?
First Peter chapter four.
What is this terrible Secret that all that is stacked against us obscures? (Mark Isaiah 48:8-11).
8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou
knewest not; yea, from that time
that thine ear was not opened: for I
knew that thou wouldest deal very
treacherously, and wast called a
transgressor from the womb.
Imagine if your dad caught you transgressing for the umpteenth time and he says these things to you! And you have brought shame to the family name! And your father and mother are honked off at you for destroying your family’s reputation in the neighborhood. How would we feel knowing our transgressions had unforeseen catastrophic results for everyone else around us? Or worse, how did we feel? Now imagine our Heavenly Father saying this to us! And what other choice words did he have for us:
9 For my name’s sake will I defer
mine anger, and for my praise will
I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not
off.
Whoah! Dad’s sure hot over this, isn’t he?
10 Behold I have refined thee, but
not with silver, I have chosen thee
in the furnace of affliction.
Were we in trouble from the beginning?! (Genesis 3:8-9). Was it when we covered our sin to hide it? Was it when we hid from God?
c 8 And they heard the voice of the
LORD God walking in the garden
in the cool of the day: and Adam
and his wife hid themselves from
the presence of the LORD God
amongst the trees of the garden.
p 9 And the LORD God called unto
Adam, and said unto him, Where
art thou?
Genesis chapter three.
Here we are, just like Adam, hiding our Sin, hiding from God, and Blame Shifting! “Where art thou?” Good Question! Where is Adam now?! All Creation is now suffering! Adam abdicated the Throne of Dominion, leaving it to the small G god of this world, “the dragon, that old Serpent, which is the Devil and Satan”, [2 Corinthians 4:3-4 & Revelation 20:2]. Heaven and earth are now separated. Adam is mortal. There is a whole dimension now invisible to him. He has translated from the ability to subdue the earth to being the weakest of all creatures in creation. His Choice brought The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil into this world with Power! Like The Tree of Life it is also a Family tree. Adam has translated from an exalted Nature into a depraved Nature. Are the words “Where art thou?” an invitation to Adam and all Adamkind to consider our changed Estate, our fallen Status, our corrupted state of being? Did the Angels leave their first Estate? [Jude :6]. Do the Wicked Angels have forgiveness? Did Adam leave his first Estate? Can Adam be forgiven? That is a Bible Study for another time. (Back to Isaiah 48:11). Has all Adamkind damaged our Heavenly Father’s Character and Reputation with all Creation?
11 For mine own sake, even for mine
own sake, will I do it: for how
should my name be polluted? and I
will not give my glory unto another.
Isaiah chapter forty-eight.
“For mine own sake, even for mine own sake” is an interesting Hebraism, or Hebrew idiom. It is an outright repetition. When God repeats something he says, should we take very good care to take special notice?
What does God mean by the words, “I will not give my glory unto another.”? (Isaiah 43:5-7). Verse 1, Isaiah chapter forty-three reads, “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.”
c 5 Fear not: for I am with thee : I
will bring thy seed from the east, and
gather thee from the west;
p 6 I will say to the north, Give them
up; and to the south, Keep them not
back: bring my sons from far, and my
daughters from the ends of the earth;
c 7 Even every one that is called by my
name: for I have created him for my
glory. I have formed him; yea, I have
made him.
Isaiah chapter forty-three.
“I have created him for my glory.” (Isaiah 42:8).
8 I am the LORD: that is my name:
and my glory will I not give to ano-
ther, neither my praise to graven images.
Isaiah chapter forty-two.
“My glory will I not give to another.” (Isaiah 41:8).
8 But thou, Israel, art my servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of
Abraham my friend.
Isaiah chapter forty-one.
(Isaiah 45:25). The People of God: what is their destiny?
25 In the LORD shall all the seed of
Israel be justified, and shall glory.
Isaiah chapter forty-five.
(Isaiah 46:13). Does Churchianity preach that God gives his glory to another?
13 I bring near my righteousness; it
shall not be far off, and my salvation
shall not tarry: and I will place salva-
tion in Zion for Israel my glory.
Isaiah chapter forty-six.
What is Israel’s History? What do the People of God do to The LORD’s
name, The LORD’s character, The LORD’s reputation before all His Creation? Did
God tell Israel through the Prophet Jeremiah, “But ye turned and polluted my name,”,
because Israel took God’s Law on slavery and perverted it from an engine of justice into an engine of injustice? [Jeremiah 34:16].
(Ezekiel 20:9). God asked The Hebrews in Egypt, the children of Israel, not to defile themselves with the idols of Egypt. What did Israel in Egypt do? Rather than pour out his fury upon the disobedient, God did this:
9 But I wrought for my name’s sake
that it should not be polluted before
the heathen, among whom they were,
in whose sight I made myself known
unto them, in bringing them forth out
of the land of Egypt.
Ezekiel chapter twenty.
Do we recall that The Great I Am God of The Bible was able to deliver His Family on earth out of Egypt with his strong arm? But was The LORD unable to deliver Egypt out of them? Were only Caleb and Joshua of that generation fit to go into The Promised Land? Did nearly a whole generation of God’s Family fail to enter in? If we were our ancestors, instead of their descendants, would we be fit to enter into the Land of Milk and Honey? Is most of the History of God’s Family on earth a history of depravity?
Are we the direct lineal descendants of our first earthly father who sinned, and abdicated the Throne of Dominion to a merciless rebel Archangel who so viciously hates God’s Seed that men of conscience cannot comprehend it? Does “the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” [Romans 8:22], because of our 1st earthly Father’s Choice? How on God’s Green Earth could we ever get that Dominion back? And do we top that all off by profaning and polluting His Holy Name, character, and reputation before all Fallen Creation? (Proverbs 17:21 & 25). Do we have any idea how God feels about that?!!
21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it
to his sorrow: and the father of a
fool hath no joy.
What is the meaning of “foolish son” in The Bible?
25 A foolish son is a grief to his fa-
ther, and bitterness to her that bare
him.
Proverbs chapter seventeen.
“A grief to his father.” “The father of a fool hath no joy.” What do fools do? How dangerous are they? (Proverbs 15:5). Will we be much more on point to consult The Book of Proverbs again?
5 A fool despiseth his father’s in-
struction : but he that regardeth re-
proof is prudent.
Proverbs chapter fifteen.
(Proverbs 14:9). “Fools” translates H191 ‘eviyl, ev-eel’; from an unused root (meaning to be perverse).
9 Fools make a mock at sin: but
among the righteous there is favor.
Proverbs chapter fourteen.
(Jeremiah 4:22). Is our Heavenly Father a righteous Father desperately chastising his wayward children, that we might return again unto Him?
22 For my people is foolish, they
have not known me; they are sot-
tish children, and they have none
understanding: they are wise to
do evil, but to do good they have
no knowledge.
Jeremiah chapter four.
“They are wise to do evil.” “Foolish” translates H191 ‘eviyl, denoting perversity! What English word does the Hebrew word for perversity, ‘eviyl, resemble?
Is “The LORD” our Heavenly Father? Is our Mother “Jerusalem which is above”? Are many of us Parents? Do many of us have children that have profaned our Family Name in our Neighborhoods, or even in our Communities?
Have even many of us before our Baptism brought Shame to Him whose Name is Wonderful? Were we “wise to do evil”? Can I bring Glory to His Name?
(1 John 2:12). What does “The LORD our God” propose to do with us?
12 I write unto you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven you
for his name’s sake.
First John chapter two.
(The 100th Psalm). Can He do that? Can God forgive us? Did He forgive David? Is that because “He is God”! (Verse 3). I once brought Shame to His Holy Name!
3 Know ye that the LORD he is God:
it is he that hath made us, and not we
ourselves; we are his people and the
sheep of his pasture.
The One Hundredth Psalm.
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.”!!
Bibliography
Psalms the 23rd :3. “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness.”
Exodus 3:13-15. “This is my name forever.”
Exodus 6:2-3. “By my name Jehovah was I not known to them.”
Amos 3:7. “He revealeth his secret.”
John 8:28. “Then shall ye know that I am.”
John 8:58. “Before Abraham was, I am.
John 13:13. “For so I am.”
John 13:14-15. “Ye should do as I have done unto you.”
John 13:16. “The servant is not greater than his lord.”
John 13:17. Happy are ye if ye do them.”
John 13:18. “I know whom I have chosen.”
John 13:19. “I tell you before it come.”
John 8:28. Then shall ye know that I Am.”
John 8:57-58. “I Am”.
1 Corinthians 2:7-8. “None of the princes of this world knew.”
Colossians 2:15. “Triumphing over them.”
Colossians 2:15. 1828 Webster rephrase.
Psalms the 23rd :3. What does “for his name’s sake” mean?
Psalms the 106th :4-8. “He saved them for his name’s sake.”
Revelation 12:10. “The accuser of our brethren.”
1 Peter 4:18. “if the righteous scarcely be saved.”
Isaiah 48:8-10. “A transgressor from the womb.”
Genesis 3:8-9. “Where art thou?”
Isaiah 48:11. “How should my name be polluted?”
Isaiah 43:5-7. “I have created him for my glory.”
Isaiah 42:8. “My glory will I not give to another.”
Isaiah 41:8. “The seed of Abraham my friend.”
Isaiah 45:25. “All the seed of Israel … shall glory.”
Isaiah 46:13. “Israel my glory.”
[Jeremiah 34:16]. “Ye polluted my name.”
Ezekiel 20:9. “Polluted before the heathen.”
Proverbs 17:21 & 25. “The father of a fool hath no joy.”
Proverbs 14:9. “Fools make a mock at sin.”
Jeremiah 4:22. “They are wise to do evil.”
1 John 2:12. “Your sins are forgiven you.”
The One Hundredth Psalm :3. “The LORD he is God.”