And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, YHWH, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”—Exodus 33:19, 20)
Moses wanted to know about the God he was serving. He had requested for His presence to go with him as he took God’s message to the people of Israel. God revealed His Name—YHWH—to Moses. He went on to make comments about His ways. These comments elaborate on the meaning and significance of God’s Name and Nature. The root of God’s name—YH— written or pronounced as Yah, Yeho, or Yo is not in doubt. We repeat this anytime we praise Him by saying Hallelujah (pronounced Hallelu-Yah). The qualifier is, therefore, in –WH. This is usually translated as Weh or Wah. This qualifier points to God’s claim: “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” In other words, YAH will be what He chooses to be and will do what He chooses to do. This speaks to the sovereign nature of God. No one can order God regarding what He should do.
Another example of a qualifier on the name of God is in the name of the Messiah, Yah-shua. This translated means Yah saves.
The sovereignty of God is not only about His freedom to do whatever He chooses to do; it is also about His unlimited and unquestionable ability to do what He chooses to do. It regards His unlimited power that God raised this question through Jeremiah:
“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)
Jeremiah, himself provided the answer to God’s question.
“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17)
The Good News is that the sovereign God is love. His plans are always for the good of those who fear Him. (Jeremiah 29:11) Therefore, we are invited to fear the LORD, and we will lack no good thing. (Psalm 34:9)