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Sometime before the 10th century, Jewish scholars inserted the vowel signs from the name Adonai between the letters in YHWH—or JHVH, as it was sometimes rendered. Consequently, the name Jehovah came into popular use. It remained in vogue from the 16th century, during the Renaissance period, until about 100 years ago. The name has since fallen out of favor with most scholars, who believe Yahweh is a more accurate transliteration.

Yahweh comes from the Hebrew verb "to be." At its very essence, "to be" is to have life. Some scholars believe this hints at a truth that became clearer later in history: The name Yahweh implies that God is absolutely self-existent. He is the One who in himself possesses life and permanent existence. When God spoke to Moses through the burning bush in Exodus 3, he revealed himself as "Yahweh." Most English translations render it I AM WHO I AM—an attempt to convey the idea that God was, is, and always will be.

Sometimes children surprise their parents with the question, "Who created God?" It's an inquiry that can give pause to even the most erudite mom or dad. Christian parents, however, will usually turn to Genesis 1: "In the beginning was God." Unsatisfied, the children repeat, "But who created God?"

The point of the name Yahweh is this: God is the uncaused cause. He is the first cause and before him there was no other and after him there will be no other. Life is found in him.

Many parents remember the agonizing struggle to choose a name for our firstborn. We considered honoring a relative or friend, we purchased books explaining the meaning of names, and we pondered our hopes and aspirations for our child.

My oldest daughter was born while my wife, Paula, and I were living in Cambridge, England, where I was a graduate student at the university. Ecstatic about the impending arrival of our new baby, we obsessed for months over possible names. We narrowed our list of choices for girls' names to two. But we couldn't make our final decision until we held her in our arms and looked into her face. Somehow we then knew that her name was Kristina. No matter how much we prepared for it, in the end, the process was rather mysterious.

Similarly, a certain degree of mystery will always attend our renderings of God's holy name, as it should. Putting the inexpressible into perfect words is finally impossible. Yet because words have some relation to meaning, God invites us to call upon his name and experience its truthfulness.

In the Old Testament, prophets and patriarchs were often inspired to declare a name of God in response to a theophany, a wondrous experience of the presence of God. They were so overwhelmed by God's visitation that they had to frame it with a title. They couldn't help themselves. It was a spontaneous act of worship.

For example:

• When Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac, God provided a ram for the offering in Isaac's stead, prompting Abraham to declare that he now understood God as Yahweh-Yireh, The Lord Will Provide (Gen. 22:14).

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October 22 2001, Vol. 45, No. 13