"DON'T TELL ME HIS NAME IS NOT IMPORTANT: Mal 2:2 'If ye will NOT HEAR, and if ye will not lay it TO HEART, to GIVE GLORY UNTO MY NAME, saith YAHUWAH of hosts; I will even send a CURSE upon you, and will CURSE your blessings: yea, I HAVE CURSED THEM ALREADY, BECAUSE YOU DO NOT LAY IT TO HEART.'"

Harold Kupp:

Cheri, the word "name" can refer to something other than the personal name of Yah.

In the verse you quoted it is not likely that the priests or people were mispronouncing the name of Yah or calling Him something other than YHWH.

So - what... does "give glory to my NAME mean?

Name can also refer to reputation or authority.

shêm
BDB Definition:

1a) name
1b) reputation, fame, glory

Strongs Hebrew dictionary: Shem

an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character: -

We cannot be good teachers and ignore the range of meaning of a word. We must decide if the verse refers to the personal name of Yah or his reputation and authority.

For example, in the first chapter of Malachi the writer explained exactly what it meant to despise the "name" of Yah...

Mal 1:6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name.

**And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?**

Mal 1:7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.
Mal 1:8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

As you can see the context shows that it was not talking about the personal name being dishonored - rather it was Yah's reputation and glory that was being despised by their actions.

One could quote Malachi and say that the personal name of Yah must not be despised because Yah said:

" where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name."

But we know that they did not despise His personal name by not saying it correctly - they despised his charater and glory by their evil actions.

Look at how the word "NAME" is used in this verse from Malachi...

Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

"...fear my NAME..."

Certainly we would not say that one should fear using the the personal name of YAHUWAH?

Again in this verse it would not make any sense if Yah wanted us to be afraid of His personal name...

Mal 2:5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

However it makes perfect sense if Yah wants us to be afraid before His authority.

Cheri, It is true that *Jesus* was not the personal name of the Messiah - but it is not true that every time we see the word name it refers to the personal name of the Father or the Son.

We must not let our passion for truth get in the way of good Biblical teaching.

Each time we see the word "name" used in Scripture in reference to the Messiah or the Father we must decide if it refers to the personal name or to His Authority and/or Character.

For example Romans 10:13 is often interpreted to mean if we call upon the personal name of Yahushua (Jesus) we will be saved.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the NAME of the Lord shall be saved.

However if we stop and think it is obvious that the word "name" could not possibly refer to the personal name of the Messiah. Rather it refers to the *authority* of the Messiah. That is, if we call upon the authority (name) of Yahushua we will be saved (rescued)

If the word "NAME" in the verse:

"...whosoever shall call upon the NAME..."

refers specifically to the personal name of Yahushua then all who have called upon "Jesus" to deliver them are not saved and neither can be saved.

On the contrary - all who call upon the authority (name) of the Messiah shall be rescued from the power of sin and the kingdom of Satan.

The same holds true for the verse which say that the Messiah came in the NAME of the Father. The Messiah came in the authority of the Father.

In English, we use the word "name " in exactly the same sense when we say - "The ambassador came in the name of the King."

It does not mean that the Ambassador came with the same name as the King - or that part of the Ambassador's name was part of the King's name.

If the Scriptures had said that the Messiah came "with" the name of the King - or he had the name of the Father it might mean that the Messiah had part of the name of the Father.

No, our Messiah came "IN" the name of the Father - He represented the power and authority of the Father who sent Him.

HK

"A mind is like a parachute - they both must be open to work.