I believe his name was actually Yahshua. I have no textual proof, but if you reverse-engineer the name in the Old Covenant scriptures, you begin to see that His name was prophesied scores of times in the Hebrew texts. Where does "Yahshua" show up in the Tenach? There is a word, used 78 times, that is phonetically identical, and since the New Testament was transmitted to us in Greek, not Hebrew, the phonetic sound of a word is all we have to go by. The word is yâshuw`ah. The Hebrew spelling is יְשׁוּעָה . That is the Strong's Lexicon pronunciation; other sources, such as the Dictionary of Biblical languages With Semantic Domains, pronounce it yeshu˓ah. In any case, it is usually translated "salvation" or "deliverance" in our English Bible versions. And this is a perfectly correct rendition. But my contention is that Yahweh was also telling us Who His Messiah would be---by name.
“For Your salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה) I wait, O Yahweh.” (Genesis 49:18) Jacob---Israel---waited for Yahshua: not just salvation, but Yahweh's salvation.
“Yahweh is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה); This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will extol Him.” (Exodus 15:2) Note: Yahweh has become Yahshua!
“But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked—You are grown fat, thick, and sleek—Then he forsook God who made him, and scorned the Rock of his salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה).” (Deuteronomy. 32:15) Here Yahweh has predicted Israel’s scornful mindset.
“Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Yahweh, among the nations, and I will sing praises to Your name. He is a tower of deliverance (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה) to His king, and shows lovingkindness to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.” (II Samuel 22:50-51) Yahweh was Yahshua to King David.
“Sing to Yahweh, all the earth; proclaim the good news of His salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה) from day to day.” (I Chronicles 16:23) Yahshua is Yahweh's "good news."
“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. He also shall be my salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה), for a hypocrite could not come before Him.” (Job 13:15-16) Job has equated Yahweh with the One who "shall be" Yahshua.
“Many are they who say of me, ‘There is no help (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה) for him in God.” (Psalm 3:2) Israel’s denial is once again predicted.
“Have mercy on me, O Yahweh! Consider my trouble from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death, that I may tell of all Your praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in Your salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה).” (Psalm 9:13-14) Here and in the next one, the Psalmist voices the most oft-repeated theme in all of scripture: that Israel will come to recognize that Yahshua is their Messiah. Their national spiritual restoration as predicted in Ezekiel 37:11-14 depends on it.
“But I have trusted in Your mercy. My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה).” (Psalm 13:5) Ditto.
“Oh, that the salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה) of Israel would come out of Zion! When Yahweh brings back the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.” (Psalm 14:7, repeated in Psalm 53:6) As Moses said, the Messiah will arise from Israel.
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה) Me?” (Psalm 22:1) Yahshua quoted this Psalm on the cross, applying it to Himself.
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה) of His countenance.” (Psalm 42:5, repeated in both 42:11 and 43:5) We are to praise God for Yahshua---who is literally the countenance of Yahweh among us.
“Truly my soul silently waits for God. From Him comes my salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה). He only is my rock and my salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה). He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.” (Psalm 62:1-2) Yahshua comes from God. And oh, by the way, "He (God) only is...Yahshua."
“God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה) among all nations.” (Psalm 67:1-2) Yahshua will be known among all nations, and this is equated with "Your (God's) way being known on earth."
“Therefore Yahweh heard this and was furious. So a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel, because they did not believe in God, and did not trust in His salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה).” (Psalm 78:22) Once again, Yahweh has predicted Israel’s rejection and disbelief---and He says He's angry.
“O Yahweh, God of my salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה), I have cried out day and night before You. Let my prayer come before You. Incline Your ear to my cry.” (Psalm 88:1-2) Yahweh is the God of Yahshua. Why would anyone want to be His enemy?
“He [God’s “holy One”] shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה).’” (Psalm 89:26) Here God the Father is once again equated with Yahshua.
“Salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה) is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes.” (Psalm 119:155) Yahshua is far from the wicked. We should therefore want to be close to Him.
“Yahweh, I hope for Your salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה), and I do Your commandments.” (Psalm 119:166) Doing Yahweh's commandments is equated with hoping for Yahshua. The whole Torah points toward this one reality.
“In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: ‘We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה) for walls and bulwarks.’” (Isaiah 26:1) Yahshua is appointed by Yahweh to be Israel's defender. And once again, we are told that Judah will recognize Yahshua as its savior.
“Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה) to the ends of the earth.’” (Isaiah 49:6) Yahshua will be a light to the Gentiles first---Then He will raise up Israel (if they allow themselves to be "preserved"). The same Savior will accomplish both feats: Yahshua.
“Thus says Yahweh: ‘Keep justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation (yâshuw`ah—יְשׁוּעָה) is about to come, and My righteousness to be revealed.’” (Isaiah 56:1) Yes, Yahshua (who is Yahweh's righteousness) is about to come.
kp
