Expert: Ernie Laurence, Jr. - 4/25/2010

Question
QUESTION: Dear Ernie,

I was discussing with my friend about GOD the creator of the universe. I was trying to explain that such a wonderful universe and everything in it needs a creator and it cannot appear all of a sudden.

He understood what I was trying to say but he asked me if everything needs a creator then who created GOD. Please tell me what should be my answer with supporting verses.

Regards,
Praywin

ANSWER: Hey Praywin,

This is a frequent question asked by those concerned with Origin models (models that discuss where we came from originally).  The answer is that no one created God.  He is eternal.  His very name (Jehovah or YHWH) means "eternally self existent one".  We know it better as "I AM THAT I AM". (Ex. 3:14)  God is the First Cause, the Uncaused Cause.

The difficulty with understanding this comes with the finite human mind attempting to grasp the nature of eternity.  Eternal things are not subject to time, they are superior to it.  God exists eternally, which means past, present, and future are observable all at once.  The concept of "before God" is non-sensical.

Jesus claimed Deityship by saying "before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58).  He was claiming to be Jehovah God.

There is also the argument from the omni- properties of God.  Omniscient means God knows everything that can be known.  Omnipotent means God can do anything that is subject to being done.  Omnipresent means that God is everywhere AND everywhen.  Each is a function of the other.

I hope that this answer is sufficient.  If you want to go in depth with this, I recommend www.apologeticspress.org.  They have a lot of good stuff on questions like this.

I'm always happy to further clarify and expand if you need me to. :)

In Truth and Love,

Ernie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Ernie,

Thanks a lot that was helping me a lot.

But I have one more thing to ask. That is where does the word YHWH or Jehovah found in the bible. From where does that word originated.

Praywin

Answer
Glad I could help.

The term YHWH is the Hebrew word that in the KJV is rendered LORD (All Caps) and is usually translated as Jehovah in other English texts.  Some people translate YHWH as Yahweh inserting vowels without doing to much actual translation.

So the answer is, it is found all over the Old Testament especially wherever you see LORD capitalized in the KJV.

Exodus 6:3; Psalm 83:18; Isa. 12:2; and Isa 26:4 all translate the term YHWH from the Hebrew as Jehovah with reference to God in the KJV.

Ernie