And this is his name by which he will be called, "Yahweh our righteousness."
Trinitarian Claim
Trinitarians claim that Jesus is being identified as Yahweh.
The Claim vs. The Facts
The Scriptural facts show us two things: (1) Bearing such a name does not mean you ARE Yahweh, and (2) the Messiah will bear this name because Yahweh God raised him up and was at work in him.
The Problems with the Claim
1. A Fatal Assumption
This passage is obviously referring to the Davidic Messiah:
"Behold, the days are coming," declares Yahweh, "When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch. And he will reign as King and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called, "Yahweh our righteousness."
Trinitarians make a mistaken assumption here. They assume that if the Messiah's name is called "Yahweh our Righteousness" then he IS Yahweh. This the same mistaken assumption they make at Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9:6. However, this is easily proven to be false as the following passage illustrates:
"Behold, days are coming," declares Yahweh, "when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and he shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this is the name by which SHE will be called, "Yahweh our righteousness." Jeremiah 33:14-16.
Should we assume that if Jerusalem's name is called "Yahweh our Righteousness" that the city of Jerusalem IS Yahweh? Of course not. That would be absurd. But that is the basis for the Trinitarian argument at Jeremiah 23:6 (and Isaiah 9:6). Without this premise, their claim falls apart. This fact shows that the Trinitarian argument is based on a demonstrably mistaken premise.
2. Other Examples
Abraham called the name of that place 'Yahweh Provides," as it is said to this day, "In the mount of YAHWEH does provide. (Genesis 22:14).
Moses built an altar and named it 'Yahweh my Banner."(Exodus 17:15).
Bearing the name of God doesn't mean someone or something is God Himself. In Scripture, both people and places have the name of God in their name. It never means they ARE God.
Analysis of the Facts
1. His name shall be called Immanuel
Trinitarians make the same error at Matthew 1:23 and Isaiah 7:14. In Isaiah 7, it is undeniable that we are being told that a child named Immanuel will be born during the reign of King Ahaz as a sign to Ahaz that the two Kings currently attacking him (7:1) will be defeated before this child grows up (7:15-16). Obviously then, this child was not called Immanuel, "God with us," because he was God himself. Like several other prophecies in Scripture, this is a dual prophecy which applied to a child born during the days of Ahaz and Isaiah, and later to Jesus.
We can understand why Jerusalem is called "Yahweh our Righteousness." And we all understand that the reason isn't because the city of Jerusalem is God. For some reason, this simple thought process becomes difficult for Trinitarians at Isaiah 9:6 and Jeremiah 23:6 when the same concept is in view. But it is clear that Jerusalem isn't called this name because Jerusalem is God. The same is true at Jeremiah 23:6.
2. God's Messiah: His Anointed One
God gets things done through His Anointed one, His Messiah. Jesus testified that he came in the name of his Father, not to do his own will but the Father's will. He also testified that his words and works were not his own but that he spoke the Father's words and did the Father's works. In this way, God the Father, God of Israel displayed His righteousness to the world. For that reason, His Anointed one would be called "Yahweh our Righteousness." The Messiah is where and how Yahweh our God got his righteous works accomplished just as Jerusalem is where Yahweh did His righteous work through His Anointed, His Messiah, Jesus.
Conclusion
Jeremiah 33:16 makes it quite clear that the Trinitarian claim is false. We all know why Jerusalem is called Yahweh our Righteousness. The Messiah will be called Yahweh our Righteousness for the same reason. The Messiah, God's Anointed One, is where God's righteous works will occur.
Related Links:
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 9:6
Created: February 24, 2016
Last Revision/Update: February 24, 2016
