Understanding the Names of God: Yahweh Makkeh
Yahweh Makkeh is a holy Father who loves us too much to let us continue down paths that will harm us, hinder our growth, or damage our relationship with Him.
NOTE: My third book in the Names of God devotional study series (Names of God: Growing Strong) will release on July 7 and is available for pre-order now. Understanding the seven names of God featured in this book has helped me better understand His desire and ability to strengthen me amid difficulties, and I want to pass the encouragement along. Here’s the sixth in a series about the names of God in this book.
In case you missed the first five, here are the links:
Yahweh Tsuri:
Adonai:
Ruach Elohim:
El Emunah:
Yahweh Ropheka
Now let’s learn about Yahweh Makkeh.
Most of us welcome the names of God that make us feel safe and comforted. We love knowing Him as our Shepherd, our Provider, our Peace, and our Rock. But one name reveals a side of His character that can feel uncomfortable at first: Yahweh Makkeh.
What does Yahweh Makkeh mean?
Yahweh Makkeh means “the LORD who strikes” or “the LORD who smites.” The name first appears in Ezekiel 7:9 (NLT) where God spoke the following words:
“I will turn my eyes away and show no pity. I will repay you for all your detestable sins. Then you will know that it is I, the LORD, who is striking the blow.”
The Hebrew word makkeh can mean “a blow, wound, stroke, defeat, or plague.” These words sound harsh, especially when we think of God as loving and compassionate. But Yahweh Makkeh is not a bully looking for opportunities to punish His children. Rather, He is a holy Father who loves us too much to let us continue down paths that will harm us, hinder our growth, or damage our relationship with Him.
Yahweh Makkeh smites us because he cares about us
When God disciplines us, our human bent leans toward believing that He is against us or angry with us. Nothing is further from the truth.
Evangelist David Wilkerson wrote, “Jehovah [Yahweh] Makkeh says to us, ‘I’ve got to discipline you in order to correct your ways. Otherwise, you are headed for tragedy. If you hold on to your bitterness, your life will start to unravel. Everything will go wrong. You will descend into utter confusion. Your home life will become chaotic. All your relationships will begin to sour and you will think everyone is against you. You will end up losing everything.’”
The name Yahweh Makkeh reveals God’s deep desire for us not to lose everything but instead, to gain abundant life (John 10:10). He never uses the rod of discipline to abuse or destroy us. Rather, Yahweh Makkeh strikes to bring us to our senses. He wounds to bring healing. He smites to restore spiritual health and to strengthen our relationship with Him. His intent toward us is always for good. Let’s remember this when the discipline process hurts.
Yahweh Makkeh strikes to bring us to our senses. He wounds to bring healing. He smites to restore spiritual health and to strengthen our relationship with Him.
Grace Fox
Making the truth about Yahweh Makkeh practical
Imagine walking down the street without knowing that toilet paper is trailing from your shoe. Humiliating, right? You would probably appreciate someone pulling you aside and telling you what’s what. Their words might embarrass you momentarily, but they would save you from further embarrassment.
Spiritually speaking, God sees attitudes, habits, wounds, fears, bitterness, pride, and unhealthy patterns to which we are blind. Because He loves us, He brings them to our attention so we can deal with them appropriately. The process might hurt, but it’s always for our benefit.
I experienced Yahweh Makkeh’s involvement in my life within the context of my relationship with my mother. For years and for various reasons, I harbored impatience, resentment, and lack of compassion toward her.
One day, the Holy Spirit convicted me of my attitude. He said, “You do not genuinely care for your mom. You put up with her, but that’s not love.”
Ouch.
God did not reveal my wrong attitudes to shame me. He revealed them so He could heal and transform me. Accepting His discipline changed my attitude toward my mother, and it healed our relationship, for which I am grateful.
Thankfully, God cares enough about us to refuse to let us remain stuck in wrong or immature beliefs and behaviors. Let’s not run from Him or refuse to work with Him when He allows pain. Let’s recognize that He’s up to something beneficial and bend the knee in surrender.
Not all pain is about discipline
Sometimes God uses hardship as discipline for sin, but sometimes He uses it to prune us. It’s important for us to know the difference.
In John 15, Jesus referred to the Father as a gardener who prunes fruitful branches to bear even more fruit. Pruning can feel like loss, disappointment, delay, or closed doors. It can leave us wondering what we did wrong.
Pruning hurts but it isn’t proof that God is displeased with us. It may be evidence that He is preparing us for greater fruitfulness.
Ask yourself these questions when God allows pain
When God allows pain, let’s ask Him a couple of questions: “What do You want me to learn?” and “What character do You want to develop in me through this?”
Perhaps Yahweh Makkeh wants to expose bitterness so He can replace it with forgiveness. Maybe He wants to reveal our need for control so He can teach us trust. Perhaps He wants to loosen our grip on perfectionism, people-pleasing, fear, or self-reliance so we can depend more fully on Him.
Yahweh Makkeh’s process often hurts but His purpose is always restoration. He wounds to heal. He corrects to protect. He prunes to produce fruit. And through every hard season, He invites us to draw closer to Him.
If you are walking through a difficult circumstance today, ask God to show you what He wants to learn. Trust that He is not wasting your pain. He is using it to shape you into the person He created you to be. Ultimately, He wants to use it to strengthen your relationship with Him because He loves you and has your best interest in mind.
May I pray for you?
“Yahweh Makkeh, thank You for loving us enough to seek our best even though the process often hurts. Grant us teachable hearts to embrace Your purposes so we can become the people You created us to be. Grow our faith strong as we surrender to Your ways. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Know you are loved,
Grace
My new book, Names of God – Growing Strong, explores seven Hebrew names of God that will encourage you and fortify your faith. Perfect for individual or small group study, Growing Strong will help empower you to “do all things” through Christ as you grow in his strength (Philippians 4:13 KJV).
My new book, Names of God – Growing Strong, explores seven Hebrew names of God that will encourage you and fortify your faith. Perfect for individual or small group study, Growing Strong will help empower you to “do all things” through Christ as you grow in his strength (Philippians 4:13 KJV).
I really appreciate that you said that pain could be for discipline OR for pruning. Either way, I really like this statement :”And through every hard season, He invites us to draw closer to Him.” That is the bottom line, to draw me closer to Him.