Listen "#190 | The Rise and Fall of King Solomon: The Temple and The Name of God"
Episode Synopsis
What does it mean for God’s name to dwell in a temple—when even the highest heavens cannot contain Him? In this episode, we explore part of Solomon’s dedication prayer in 1 Kings 8:26–30, where the phrase “the name ” appears 14 times in the chapter. In the prayer, Solomon acknowledges a paradox: though God is infinite and uncontainable, His name—His revealed presence—chooses to dwell in the temple. This invites us into a deep biblical mystery: the name of the Lord is portrayed by Old Testament authors as both distinct from YHWH and yet also identified with Him. TSpecifivially, the name of the Lord (YHWH) is presented as the visible, embodied form of YHWH in the Old Testament.We also discuss the concept of the Tetragrammaton (YHWH)—not just four letters, but signidicance of these four letters as it relates to the presence of God among His people. Then, we trace this idea forward to the New Testament, where in Philippians 2:5–11, Jesus is said to bear "the name above every name." We explore how the Hebrew name Yeshua (Jesus) is built from an abbreviation of YHWH combined with the Hebrew word for salvation (yasha), meaning "The LORD is salvation."From Solomon’s temple to Jesus’ exaltation, we draw a line between the embodiment of YHWH in human form seen throughout the Old Testament—often presented as the Angel of the Lord—and the incarnation of YHWH in Jesus Christ. We consider whether these manifestations are one and the same, which would effectively point to the pre-incarnate embodiment of YHWH in human form fitting into a human form at the incarnation, much like a hand can be said to fit in a glove. This episode invites you to ponder the mystery of God’s name, God’s presence, and God’s visible form—a mystery that culminates in Jesus, the Word made flesh. Though we acknowledge this is not a doctrine to be grasped with technical precision, it is a divine mystery that reveals the triune nature of God in both Old and New Testaments.Key Passages:1 Kings 8:26-30-53Examples of passages that use "Angel of the Lord (YHWH)" and "The Lord (YHWH)" interchangably, either explicitly or implicity - Exodus 3:1-14; Judges 6:11-24Short video explaining the etymology and pronounciation of YHWH - the tratgrammatron.Explainer Video on how to use www.biblehub.com and www.blueletterbible.orgLeave us a question or comment at our website podcast page.* Intro Music: "Admirable" Carlos Herrera Music