Joined: 6/28/2007(UTC) Posts: 1,030 Location: Palmyra, VA
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After years of mulling it over, Yada came to the conclusion that the "nomina sacra" were used primarily to point the reader back to Old Covenant concepts. Most of them were names or titles for God, but the tipoff is stauros (the upright pole of crucifixion) which forces us to look at the concept of God standing for us, enabling us to stand before Him---this too was communicated with a nominum sacrum. So, was the Messiah's name really "never named in the Old Covenant?" Perhaps this quote from the final chapter of TOM II will clarifiy the issue: Quote:The New Testament, having been penned in Koine Greek and transmitted to us through Latin, doesn’t help us much. We read that Mary was told, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.” (Luke 1:31) But actually, it wasn’t “Jesus” at all. It was the rather common Hebrew name Yâhowshuwa`, which we usually transliterate “Joshua,” but which (since the “J” sound didn’t exist in the Hebrew alphabet) I have been consistently transliterating “Yahshua.” This name in turn has two component sources, yâshuw`ah (meaning salvation) and Yah. “Joshua” thus means “Yahweh is salvation.” This, being Jesus’ real name, has Yahweh’s name within it—just as indicated in the Torah. But a name (shem in Hebrew, onoma in Greek) is more than what you call someone; it is also (as far as Biblical names are concerned) meant to convey one’s character, reputation, title or unique personal identity. So the name Jesus or Joshua (Yâhowshuwa`, i.e., Yahshua) indicates not only the fact that Yahweh is salvation, but that the person who bears this name is intended or destined to characterize this concept as a living reality.
It behooves us, then, to track down the “salvation” component of the Messiah’s name, since Yahweh is said to be this thing. The word yâshuw`ah (pronounced, not coincidentally, the same as “Yahshua”) is used 78 times in the Tanach. It is the passive participle of the Hebrew verb yasha: “to save, deliver, rescue, or liberate.” It is usually translated “salvation” or “deliverance” in our English Bible versions. And although this is a perfectly correct rendition, my contention is that Yahweh was also telling us Who His Messiah would be—by name: Yahshua. Here are a few of the more blatant examples from the Torah: “For Your salvation [yâshuw`ah] I wait, O Yahweh.” (Genesis 49:18) Jacob was waiting not just for salvation, but Yahweh’s salvation: Yahshua. “Yahweh is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation [yâshuw`ah]; 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! And He (the personified Salvation—Yahshua) is identified as “my God.” “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].” (Deuteronomy 32:15) Here Yahweh has prophesied Israel’s scornful future mindset against His Messiah. The historical and wisdom books refer to Yahshua as well: “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] to His king, and shows lovingkindness to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.” (II Samuel 22:50-51) Note that Yahweh was “Yahshua” in the eyes of King David. “Sing to Yahweh, all the earth; proclaim the good news of His salvation [yâshuw`ah] from day to day.” (I Chronicles 16:23) Yahshua is Yahweh’s “good news.” We didn’t really have to wait until we got into the “Gospels” to learn that, did we? “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], for a hypocrite could not come before Him.” (Job 13:15-16) Here Yahweh is equated with the One who “shall be” Yahshua. Job has also identified Yahshua as the One who enables us to stand before Yahweh as if we were blameless and holy—for that is what his salvation does for us. References to God’s salvation, personified in the Messiah, are ubiquitous in the Psalms. “Many are they who say of me, ‘There is no help [yâshuw`ah] for him in God.’” (Psalm 3:2) Israel’s denial of their Messiah 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].” (Psalm 9:13-14) “But I have trusted in Your mercy. My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation [yâshuw`ah].” (Psalm 13:5) In these two passages, the Psalmist David voices a significant component of the most oft-repeated prophetic 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. “Oh, that the salvation [yâshuw`ah] 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, when the Messiah comes, He will arise from Israel. Yahshua quoted this Psalm on the cross, applying it to Himself: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping [yâshuw`ah] Me?” (Psalm 22:1) The pain of the cross was more than merely physical. As Yahshua “became sin” for us, Yahweh had no choice but to distance Himself from His only begotten Son. “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] of His countenance.” (Psalm 42:5, repeated in both 42:11 and 43:5) We are to praise God for Yahshua because He is literally the countenance, the face, the presence of Yahweh among us. “Truly my soul silently waits for God. From Him comes my salvation [yâshuw`ah]. He only is my rock and my salvation [yâshuw`ah]. He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.” (Psalm 62:1-2) Yahshua comes from God. And oh, by the way, “He alone (i.e., God) 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] 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.” This is a prayer for Yahweh’s mercy and justice to be shown during His Millennial reign, just as Yahshua instructed us to pray: “Your kingdom come; Your will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) Yahweh’s kingdom, and His will, are actually Yahshua’s kingdom and will. “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].” (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], 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].’” (Psalm 89:26) Here God the Father is once again equated with Yahshua. “Salvation [yâshuw`ah] 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], and I do Your commandments.” (Psalm 119:166) Doing Yahweh’s commandments is equated here with hoping for Yahshua. The whole Torah points toward this one reality.
Of all the prophets, Isaiah saw most clearly the connection between Yahweh and His salvation, personified in Yahshua the Messiah. “In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: ‘We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation [yâshuw`ah] for walls and bulwarks.’” (Isaiah 26:1) Yahshua, he says, is appointed by Yahweh to be Israel’s defender. And once again, we are told that Judah will in the end 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] to the ends of the earth.’” (Isaiah 49:6) Yahshua will be a light to the Gentiles first—Then He will raise up Israel (those who allow themselves to be “preserved”). The same Savior will accomplish both feats: Yahshua. And finally, “Thus says Yahweh: ‘Keep justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation [yâshuw`ah] is about to come, and My righteousness to be revealed.’” (Isaiah 56:1) Yes, Yahshua (who is the embodiment of Yahweh’s righteousness) is about to come. The evidence is overwhelming: Yahweh told us time and again who His anointed one would be—by name: Yahshua. And His name reveals His character, His function, and His role: He would be Yahweh in the flesh, our deliverer and our salvation from the curse of sin. kp
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