Sacred Name Movement

This is one of the religious movements that claim to observe the true percepts and creeds of the first century Yahosheanism. Many faithful seek for Yahoshea Meshiayach and his fellowship through this movement.

As a group that claim to Hebrew root, it observes traditions, belief and worship that focus on sacred name proclamation, Sabbath rest on the Seventh-day, keeping of many old covenant laws and ceremonies, reading of Torah and keeping of its prescribed festivals with inclusion of the Kosher food laws.

The movement equally is one of the Adventist groups that relate more on biblical prophecies and prescription as they relate to human society.

History Of The Movement

The group is a growth or development from the Church of God (Seventh-Day) as it relates to its doctrine of “Zionism” or “Hebrew root” that incorporated the preaching ideology of Joseph Franklin Rutherford in relationship to the advocacy of the use of the “sacred names”.

Joseph Franklin Rutherford was an official figure of the Jehovah's witnesses in 1931. His religious motives was based on the realization and usage of the sacred name that he transcribed as “Jehovah”.

The ideal of usage of the sacred name was copied by Clarence Orvil Dodd from 1930s who favoured the use of the true sacred name “Yahweh” for the Creator and “Yahshua” for the saviour of mankind.

Clarence Orvil Dodd who was a member of the Church of God (Seventh Day) began to keep the Hebrew festivals that include the Passover in 1928 and adopted the sacred names doctrine in the late 1930s. This brought about his separation from the Church of God (Seventh-Day).

In 1937, Dodd began to publish his religious ideology in a journal called “The Faith” that is presently distributed by the Assembly of Yahweh which is the oldest of all the existing sacred name assemblies.  The Faith magazine is the most notable publication that spread the ideas and activities of the Sacred Name Movement.

Spread And Separations

The first of the assemblies that profess of sacred name was the Assembly of Yahweh that was found in Holt Michigan U.S.A in the 1930s. The next group was the Assemblies of Yahweh in Bethel, Pennsylvania that was found by Jacob O. Meyer who was ordained in the Assembly of Yahweh.

Another group separated from the Assembly of Yahweh and found the Bethel Organization while Donald Mansager and some elders left the Assemblies of Yahweh and established the Yahweh's Assembly in Messiah in 1980s.

Mansager left the group and found the Yahweh's New Covenant Assembly in 1985. This group was renamed to the Yahweh's Assembly in Yahshua in 2006. In 1998, Alan Mansager (Donald Mansager's son) separated from his father’s ministry and formed the Yahweh's Restoration Ministry.

Robert Wirl separated from the Assemblies of Yahweh, Bethel and established the Yahweh's Philadelphia Truth Congregation in 2002 which he later joined with the Yahweh's Restoration Ministry.

Authority And Practices

Many of the assemblies that profess to the Sacred Name Movement are linked and resembles in doctrinal practices. All of them addresses the creator in his personal name Yahweh and saviour in their reconstructed name – Yahshua.

They keep Sabbath day rest on the Seventh-Day (Saturday) and keep to Hebrew festivals as the Ribbinical Judaists. As Zionists or Hebrew root movements, they look towards the land of Yudea for their religious guide and as pilgrimage centre.

Majority of the groups rely on the sacred name edition of the Bible that was revised by Angelo Traina (a disciple of Dodd). The scriptures are called the Holy Name New Testament in 1950 and the Holy Name Bible in 1962. Both translations were based on the King James Version but with changes of the names of Lord, God, Jehovah in other translations that were changed to Yahweh and Jesus Christ changed to Yahshua the Messiah.

There are other sacred name bibles that have been produced after the Traina's  translation.

There are other sacred name movements that differ with the mainstream movement. Such groups include the House of Yahweh that has developed some distinct doctrines that are not considered as orthodox by some of the groups. Another distinct group is the Assembly of Yahweh 7th Day in Cisco Taxas that has formulate distinct doctrines such as using of the vernal equinox to calculate their calendar and rejection of the heavenly origin of Yahoshea.

Some of the Bible translations by the movement are – The Word of Yahweh, The Scriptures, Restoration of the original sacred Name Bible, Angelo Traina's Holy Name Bible – Sacred Name King James Bible, Sacred Scriptures, Bethel Edition, Sacred Scriptures – Family of Yah Edition Restoration Study Bible (RSB), Halleluyah scriptures (HS) Hebrew Roots Version. A literal Translation, World English Bible Names of God, Bible by Ann Spangler etc.

The Sacred Name Movement has influenced some Pentecostal Churches especially those that fall within the stock of the Oneness Pentecostal background. There are sacred name independent Pentecostal Churches and bodies.

Observation And Summary

The sacred Name Movement is one of the channel where upon many seekers have searched for Yahoshea Meshiaych and has ministry. The group incorporated the use of the sacred name Yahweh in their religious syllabus.  They equally observe Sabbath rest on the Seventh-Day of the week as ordained by Yahweh.  These are wise religious efforts that are commendable in all ways.

Some of the area that the movement erred include the use of the name “Yahshua” to represent the saviour. Truly the name of the Hebrew messiah is Yahoshea Meshiyach but not Yahshua Messiah as adopted by majority of the Sacred Name Movements.

The name “Yahshua” means “Yahweh's depression” in Hebrew language and can mean “Yahweh's wealth” in Canaanite language. The explanation holds that the name “Yah” is the shortened form of the name “Yahweh” while “Shua” in Hebrew language means “Depression”.

In Canaan language, “Shuah” means “Wealth” and is remarkable as the name of the Canaanite wife of Yahuda.  Therefore, combination of “Yah” and “Shuah” in Canaan tongue means “Yahweh's wealth”. These expression totally differ in pronounciation and meaning of the Hebrew messiah whose name is appropriately pronounced as “Yahoshea” that means “Salvation of Yahweh” or Yahweh's salvation”.

The term “Messiah” used by the sacred Name movement to represent “Christ” of Christian theology is equally wrong expression. The Aramaic term for the “Annointed-One” is the “Meshiyach” or Meshiack” but not “Messiah” which was an English reconstructed form of the term.

Therefore, the sacred Name Movement failed to present the accurate name and title of the Hebrew Messiah which is properly identified as “Yahoshea Meshiyach”

Another area of delusion of the sacred Name Movement is about its hold to Lunar (Moon) calendar as against the true and original Hebrew calendar of “Sunset to sunset” which can be explained as solar calendar.

Again, as the movement is not led by a prophet of Yahweh, they mis-construct all approved dates of the festivals and equally observe some of the festivals that were planted into Hebrew worship by the blind spiritual leaders as the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes and High Priests.

These stock of religious workers were confirmed opposition to Yahoshea Meshiyach that the sacred Name Movement claim to represent.

Another delusion of the sacred Name Movement is its hold to the reconstructed Bible translations that firmly uphold the biblical accounts with changes of the sacred names. Since the Bible (King James Version or others) were subjects to pollutions and corruptions through ages of its passage to the modern time, it remains inappropriate as a guide for the assembly that must represent Yahoshea.

For example, the account of the satan's existence and all associate stories are of monumental abuses on the personality of Yahweh and his son Yahoshea.

Therefore, as the sacred Name Movement is not led by the approved comforter of mankind, their works remains works of earthly men and unapproved by the spiritual white assembly that is been led by Yahoshea Mehsiyach and his saints.

May Yahweh help all sacred name broadcasters to understand this point and seek for Prophet Yahmarabhi who is the truly appointed comforter for proper guidance.