What is the correct name for God? Is there a special sacred name God wants us to use?

The Old Testament (written mostly in the Hebrew language) and New Testament (written mostly in Greek) use many names for God in several languages. Is the disputed pronunciation of one of these names vitally important, or is it the meaning of the names that is more important?

The BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. uses a variety of names for God that reveal much about our Creator. Some people erroneously assume that His name is "Jehovah" based on the rendering of one of His names found in Exodus 6:3And 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.
See All... in old English translations like the King James Version. "Jehovah" is, according to Webster's Dictionary, "an erroneous rendering of the ineffable [inexpressible] name JHVH [also transliterated into English as YHVH, YHWH, Yahweh, etc.] in the Hebrew scriptures."

Nelson's Illustrated BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. Dictionary adds: "The divine name Yahweh is usually translated Lord in English versions of the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ., because it became a practice in late Old TestamentThose books that make up the Hebrew Bible generally accepted by Christians, Jews and to some extent Muslims. It contains a threefold division: the Law (the five books of Moses), the Prophets and the Writings. Judaism not to pronounce the sacred name YHWH, but to say instead 'my Lord' (Adonai)—a practice still used today in the synagogue. When the vowels of Adonai were attached to the consonants YHWH in the medieval period, the word Jehovah resulted. Today, many Christians use the word Yahweh, the more original pronunciation, not hesitating to name the divine name since Jesus taught believers to speak in a familiar way to God" (1986, "God, names of," emphasis added).

The same article lists several names for God used in the Old TestamentThose books that make up the Hebrew Bible generally accepted by Christians, Jews and to some extent Muslims. It contains a threefold division: the Law (the five books of Moses), the Prophets and the Writings. that are based on YHWH:

"[Yahweh]-jireh—This name is translated as 'The-Lord-Will-Provide,' commemorating the provision of the ram in place of Isaac for Abraham's sacrifice (Gen 22:14And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
See All...).

"[Yahweh]-nissi—This name means 'The-Lord-Is-My-Banner,' in honor of God's defeat of the Amalekites (Ex. 17:15).

"[Yahweh]-shalom—This phrase means 'The-Lord-Is-Peace,' the name Gideon gave the altar which he built in Ophrah (Judg. 6:24).

"[Yahweh]-shammah—This phrase expresses the truth that 'The-Lord-Is-There,' referring to the city which the prophet Ezekiel saw in his vision (Ezek 48:35It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.
See All...).

"[Yahweh]-tsebaoth—This name, translated 'The-Lord-of-hosts,' was used in the days of DavidKing of Israel, killed the giant Goliath with a sling and stones, a man after God's own heart, only turned from God in the matter of Uriah the Hittite (1 Kings 15:5), had an affair with Bathsheba, Messiah would come from line of David, main author of Psalms and highly musical. and the prophets, witnessing to God the Savior who is surrounded by His hosts of heavenly power (1 Sam 1:3And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
See All...).

"[Yahweh] Elohe Israel—This name means 'Lord-God-of-Israel,' and it appears in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the Psalms. Other names similar to this are Netsah Israel, 'The Strength of Israel' (1 Sam 15:29And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
See All...); and Abir Yisrael 'The Mighty One of Israel' (Is. 1:24)."

YHWH is but one of many names used for God in the Old TestamentThose books that make up the Hebrew Bible generally accepted by Christians, Jews and to some extent Muslims. It contains a threefold division: the Law (the five books of Moses), the Prophets and the Writings.. Its exact meaning, like its exact pronunciation, has been lost. It appears to be derived from the Hebrew root word meaning "to be." Perhaps the most understandable way to convey its meaning in English is "the Eternal." Genesis 21:33And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
See All... equates YHWH with "the Everlasting God."

Many other names that reflect God's character or attributes are found in the ScripturesThe divinely inspired writings of both the Old and New Testaments. The term Scripture is used in the New Testament to refer to both the Hebrew Bible (Luke 24:44-45) and the new apostolic writings accepted as inspired (2 Peter 3:16; 1 Timothy 5:18)., showing that they are all appropriate. Some names are God's titles of position and authority. He is called the Ancient of Days, Most High, Creator, Father, Lord, King, Redeemer and Savior, among many other names.

Another important name is "Elohim," which is typically used to convey "the sense of the one supreme being who is the only true God" (Nelson's Illustrated BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. Dictionary, 1986, "God, names of"). It is commonly written in many translations simply as "God."

What name should we use? The direction we should take is not as difficult as it might seem, for Christ set the example for us. He used the name for God commonly understood by His audience. Jesus' example should put the question to rest. God inspired all of the writers of the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. to do the same as Jesus did, using the words for God that their readers would understand. (The original text of the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. contains not only Hebrew and Greek, but also Aramaic and Chaldean.)

The United Church of God follows that example in our publications and our church services, using the commonly understood name for God, as well as names that refer to His character and attributes.

As we explain in our booklet The Ten Commandments, "God wants us to recognize and acknowledge Him for what He is. Therefore, it is the meaning, not the sound or spelling, of His names that is of greater importance as the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. is translated from one language to another."