I’m not asking whether John knew the divine name — of course he did. I’m asking whether you accept what John says about the Logos. In John 1:1–3 the Logos already exists “in the beginning,” is “with God,” and “all things were made through him.” Then John 1:14 identifies this Logos as the One who “became flesh.” And in John 17:5 Jesus speaks of the glory He had with the Father “before the world existed.”
Yahweh's Logos is the source of the New Creation in Christ Jesus - John understood both Logos and what Logos became.
So the issue isn’t why John used “Logos.” The issue is: do you agree that John teaches Christ’s preexistence with the Father prior to creation? If yes, then “Jesus did not yet exist” can only mean “the incarnation had not yet occurred,” not that the Son/Word was nonexistent.
No, John, like Paul, understood Christ to be preeminent in all things, not preexistent.
Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
You have a couple of clues there for you to ponder!
When John says “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14), do you believe that Word existed before becoming flesh — yes or no?
Being Yahweh's Spiritual Creation, you would now understand why Colossians & John teach that Christ holds preeminence over all creation, being first in rank and authority in everything.
Now that you understand why John used Logos and not the Lord's name which has a clear distinction wouldn't you say.
The term
“the Word” is often used in Scripture to refer to the preaching of the Word (Acts 6:2, 4, 7; Titus 2:5; Rev 1:9; 6:9; 20:4). In this sense, the man Christ Jesus was the Word of the Gospel made flesh, he embodied in his life the very message he and others proclaimed. This is also why Jesus could be described as
“the Kingdom”; in Luke 17:21, he revealed that the Kingdom was present among them in first-century Israel. The phrase
“the Word of the Kingdom” parallels the concept of
“the Word” (Matt 13:19; cf. Matt 13:20–23). The message of the Kingdom and the life of Jesus are inseparably connected.
Similarly, John calls Jesus
“the eternal life” (1 John 1:2). The life Jesus lived demonstrates the quality of eternal life that believers will share in the Kingdom. His personality and actions were the living embodiment of all he preached, just as our lives are meant to be living testimonies of Christ. To preach Christ is therefore to proclaim
“the things concerning the Kingdom of God”, because the Kingdom ultimately manifests in the person of Jesus (Acts 8:5, 12).
In this sense, Jesus was
“the Word” because he epitomized the Gospel itself. This is why James 1:18 says we are born again by the Word of the Gospel, and 1 Peter 1:23 identifies the Word who brings new birth as the Lord Jesus.
I know these truths are difficult to dismiss, though I expect you may try.
I noticed you gave up rather quickly in trying to force your three angels' theory? Something tells me you won't give up on your false notions on John 1 that easily.
I could spend countless hours showing you how Jesus became the Word made Flesh but I'm guessing you are not interested in the original Gospel.
Leave it with you.