The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible

by Michael S. Heiser

In this regard it is worth noting that, just as “the Name” was another expression for Yahweh, so “the Name” was used to refer to Jesus.7 For example, in Romans 10 we read: 9 If you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who is rich to all who call upon him. 13 For “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom 10:9–13). The important thing to note here is that the quotation of verse 13 comes from Joel 2:32. In that Old Testament text we read: “everyone who calls on the name of the Yahweh shall be saved.” The apostle Paul deftly links “confessing Jesus is Lord” in verse 9 with the statement of the Old Testament prophet. This happens many times, especially in Paul’s writings.8 The Name and Yahweh were interchanged in Israelite theology, so that trusting in “the Name of Yahweh” meant trusting in Yahweh. Likewise, trusting in the name of the Lord, who is Yahweh in the Old Testament quotation, is the same as confessing Jesus as Lord.