Is the Rastafarian / Rasta God Jah the biblical God?

TL;DR:

“Jah” as worshiped in Rastafarianism is not the God of the Bible. While Rastafarians may borrow names and imagery from Scripture, their system elevates a human (Haile Selassie) as divine, misinterprets the Old Testament, and replaces faith in Jesus with cultural rituals. The Bible sets a clear standard: the true God is the God revealed in the Bible, and salvation, eternal life, and spiritual guidance come only through Him in Christ.

what does the bible say?

Rastafarianism elevates Haile Selassie as divine and calls him the second coming of Christ, but this “Jah” is not the God of the Bible. The name Jah comes from the King James Version of Psalm 68:4 which calls God by the name JAH, the shortened version of YHWH, or Yahweh (Jehovah). So Jah is a biblical name for God, but merely using this name doesn't bestow users with a knowledge of, nor a relationship with, Jesus. Rastas do not worship the God of the Bible. Using the name “Jah” does not grant knowledge of or relationship with the true God. God is sovereign, eternal, and unchanging, clearly distinct from human leaders or cultural icons (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-6; Malachi 3:6). Salvation and a true relationship with God come only through faith in Jesus Christ and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. Rastafarian teachings misinterpret Scripture, replace faith in Jesus with allegiance to Selassie, and promote rituals that cannot produce spiritual transformation. True worship requires believing in the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—not human-led movements or cultural reinterpretations. The Bible sets a clear standard: only the God revealed in Scripture offers salvation, eternal life, and genuine spiritual guidance.

from the old testament

The name Jah comes from the King James Version of Psalm 68:4 which calls God by the name JAH, the shortened version of YHWH, or Yahweh (Jehovah). So Jah is a biblical name for God, but merely using this name doesn't bestow users with a knowledge of, nor a relationship with, Jesus. Rastas do not worship the God of the Bible.
The Old Testament emphasizes that God is sovereign, eternal, and unique (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-6), and He reveals Himself as Creator and Redeemer of His people. Any worship of a human or elevation of a person to divine status (like Haile Selassie in Rastafarianism) does not align with God’s revelation in Scripture.
God is personal, cannot die, and does not change His nature to fit human ideas or cultural movements (Malachi 3:6; Psalm 90:2).

from the new testament

The New Testament clarifies that true salvation and relationship with God come only through Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
Believers are called to test all teachings against God’s Word, not follow human authority, cultural symbols, or reinterpretations of Scripture (1 John 4:1; Acts 17:11).
The Holy Spirit produces real spiritual transformation and obedience in believers, which cannot be achieved by allegiance to human leaders, rituals, or cultural practices (Romans 8:9-11; Galatians 5:22-23).

implications for today

The Rastafarian god 'Jah,' is not the same as the biblical God. Developed in the 1930s, Rastafari, or Rasta, combines parts of biblical truth and Jewish religion with the teachings of Marcus Garvey who believed that Haile Selassie I, emperor of Ethiopia from 1930–1975, was the second advent of Christ. The Rasta's Jah is not triune (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), so it is not the same as the one true God of the Bible. Selassie did not fulfill scores of prophecies about Jesus' return and is a false messiah.

Jesus warned, “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24). Leading astray the elect is only “possible” if God’s children are not grounded in God’s Word. Those who are familiar with the truth, will immediately recognize a lie. Those who know Jesus won’t mistake a pretender for the Lord. This reality calls us to study the Bible daily and pray for wisdom (James 1:5).

understand

Rastafarian “Jah” is not the biblical God.
Salvation and transformation come only through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
True worship is of the triune God, not human-led rituals or cultural symbols.

reflect

How confident are you that your worship and faith are centered on the true God revealed in Scripture rather than human leaders or cultural practices?
How might you be tempted to replace faith in Jesus with rituals, symbols, or traditions, and how can you guard against that?
How does understanding the triune nature of God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) deepen your relationship with Him and your trust in His guidance?

engage

How can we discern between teachings that reflect God’s Word and those that elevate humans or cultural symbols as divine?
How might cultural or historical movements misinterpret Scripture, and how should we respond as believers?
How can we encourage one another to focus on faith in Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit rather than external rituals or human-led systems?