“The Forgotten Name in Your Bible”

Recently, I’ve felt the need to share with you why here at eScential S.O.Y., we use the name YHWH. This is personal to me and comes from a place of love and respect. For a long time, I saw "LORD" or "GOD" in my Bible and accepted it. I didn’t know His name, and that’s okay. He still heard me, still answered me, and His grace was always there.

When I learned that His personal name, YHWH, appears thousands of times in Scripture, and that "Jehovah" is a later Latinized form, it made me pause. His name isn’t just a title; it is who He is. Just like your name identifies you, His name identifies Him. If we naturally correct others when they say our name wrong, shouldn’t we honor the One who gave us life by calling Him by the name He gave us, the name He told us to remember always?

Many Bible prefaces point out that where you see "LORD" in all caps, the Hebrew text says YHWH, and that "Jehovah" is not the original name. Some Bibles mention it, some don’t, but versions like the KJV, NIV, and NASB do.

Scripture shows how important His name is. In Exodus 3:15, YHWH says, "This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation." In Psalm 83:18, it says, "That people may know that you, whose name alone is YHWH, are the Most High over all the earth."

Proverbs 30:4 says, “Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His son’s name, if you know?”

Reading this verse makes me pause and reflect on who YHWH truly is. His name represents His glory, His power, and His presence in the world. Yet so often, His true name has been hidden, replaced, and even removed in many translations. Why?

Some say this was done out of respect, others say it was tradition, but He never commanded these changes. I can’t help but feel it may have been foreseen. That for a time, His name would be forgotten, waiting for a generation like ours to seek it out and bring it back into the light.

You’ll also see me use Elohim, the Hebrew word translated as "God." In Genesis 1:1, it says, "In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth." Saying Elohim reminds me of His power as Creator and Judge.

The Messiah also spoke of His Father’s name. In John 5:43, He said, "I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him." In John 17:26, He prayed, "I have made your name known to them and will continue to make it known." These verses show that honoring and knowing His name matters, and the Messiah Himself declared it. And just as YHWH’s name has been hidden, the Messiah’s true Hebrew name, Yahusha, meaning "YHWH saves", has often been replaced with forms that came much later. His name carries His mission and identity.

Using YHWH and Elohim is about speaking directly to Him, acknowledging the One who made me, listens to me, and cares about every detail of my life. That’s why here at eScential S.O.Y. (Scents of YHWH), every scent holds meaning. Each fragrance helps you connect, reflect, and feel His presence.

This is also why our children’s book, Who Made Me?, and the Little Light Series exist. Now, we can introduce children to the truth at an earlier age, helping them know YHWH by name. Young hearts absorb everything around them. Teaching them who made them plants seeds of purpose, and identity. It gives them a foundation of faith, and confidence that can guide their hearts and choices as they grow. As Psalm 8:2 says, "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise." Even the youngest among us can honor and praise YHWH by name.

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Next time you pick up your Bible, take a moment to read the preface if it has one. Some Bibles explain it, some don’t. Look closely at "LORD" and His name, and see why we choose to call Him YHWH.

"I am YHWH, that is My name; My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved idols." Isaiah 42:8

Dana M.