Dear Andy,
Thank you very much for keeping in touch.
I think this Christmas, we will reflect on the name of Jesus and how it is related to God’s Name Yehovah (YHVH).
Wishing you and your family a Joyous Christmas 2023 and a Healthy Blessed New
Year 2024 !
Best Regards,
Phil
Reply:
Dear Phil,
Thanks so much for the time and trouble you took to post this message for Christmas. This particular one took me a bit to have posted because we are travelling and on the move these few days, in another country.
My two wonderful grand children, J2 and J3 helped by buying me a new mouse from the shop across the road, cleaned up my computer that's been bugged with 12 Trojans. No exaggeration!
Title : A Reflection on the Christmas Baby’s Name, Jesus.
"the virgin's name was Mary … bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus."
Luke 1:26-31
Every year at Christmas, we are reminded of Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a Sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and will call Him Emmanuel (which means God with us)”.
Paul’s physician records the shepherds’ conversation with the angel in Luke 2:10-11.
“But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord”. Christ means The Messiah.
In two previous Christmas posts on this blog, we discussed: Why did the Gospel mention that swaddling baby Jesus and lying in a manger a Sign for the Messiah? and What could The Christmas Star Be? However, in this post, we will discuss the names of the Baby Jesus and the Old Testament’s God (YHVH).
Jesus’ Name is above all other names
Paul states in Philippians 2:9, “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him, The Name that is above every name.” We often call Jesus the Son of God, but how is Jesus’ Name related to the Old Testament God’s Name?
To understand this, one has to look at the Hebrew Names for Jesus and God. In Genesis 4:26 … At that time, men began to call on the name of the LORD. The Lord here in Hebrew is יהוה, (Hebrew reads from right to left, read as yod hey vav hey) is usually transcribed as YHVH or YHWH. This Holy Name has been used more than 6,000 times in the Holy Bible. If one puts in English vowels, modern Christians get YeHoVaH or JeHoVaH or sometimes YaHWeH.
What is the meaning of YHVH ?
YHVH may seem to have no apparent meaning but a clue may come from both Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8 which declare that God is the same yesterday, today, and future. YHVH is always good and loving, always all-powerful and never changing. No matter how this world changes around us, God is consistent. On closer examination, the Hebrew languages inform us that היה(Was), הוה(Is) and יהיה(Will be) are different permutations of YHVH. In short, Hebrews teaches us that יהוה(YHVH) is a superposition of היה + הוה + יהיה. Only The Holy God can exit in the past, present and future at the same Time. This perhaps is how God experience Time, in fact, from the book of Genesis, He exist outside of time because יהוה is the Creator of Time.
Why sometimes Y and J, or V and W ?
The simple reason is that there is no J in Hebrew. English words of Hebrew origin that are spelled with a J are usually spelled with the letter yod (י) in Hebrew, which has an English y-sound. Also, the Hebrew letter ‘W’ sounds like the English letter, ‘V’. It is interesting to know that God did not reveal His Holy Name (i.e. His full name) in the Old Testament until Exodus 6:3 “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God
Almighty, but by my name the LORD (YHVH) I did not make myself known to them.” Holy in Hebrew means “to set apart”.
Burning Bush conversation between God and Moses.
In fact, for some reason God only revealed Holy His name partially in the burning bush episode where He asked Moses to go to the Pharaoh to let the Hebrew people go. Exodus 3:13 Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is His Name?'
Then what shall I tell them? God said to Moses, "I am ,who I am” (אהיה I AM אשׁר THAT אהיה I AM: ) This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you. " Exodus 3:14.
What is Jesus’ Name in Hebrew then ?
The proper Hebrew name for Jesus is Yeshua יֵשׁוּעַ which means salvation. Jesus’ Name is actually a shortened form of the Hebrew name Yehoshua יהושוע which is Joshua in English; this means “The Lord saves, the Lord is salvation or the Lord will save”. So, we now know why Luke in Act 4:12 mentioned that Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
Comparing God’s Name and Jesus’ Name
Consider the common and beautiful word Hallelujah in our usual church worship! It is a transliteration of the Hebrew word: הַלְלוּ יָהּ (hallūyāh), which means "praise ye yah! (from הַלְלוּ, praise ye!" and יָהּ,.) The word hallēl in Hebrew means a joyous praise in song. The second part, Yah (YH), is a shortened form of YHWH or
YHVH(Yahweh or Yehovah (in modern English).
Jesus is the Son of God. Indeed Jesus’ Name bears God’s Name too. This Christmas, we can confidently call upon and pray in Jesus’ Name (YH) which is also calling on God’s Holy Name (YHVH). Due to past Greek Iesous (Ἰησοῦ) and Latin (Iesus) transliterations, we call the Son of God, Jesus hence we could not see the resemblance of the two Holy Names. Interestingly, Jesus is pronounced as 耶稣 (YeHshoo in Mandarin and in Cantonese as Yesoo) and also 耶和華 (YeHeWaH); both pronunciation are close to Hebrew.
A Nugget of Wisdom
Actually, all of us have been calling on God’s Sacred Name. יהוה(YHVH) are Hebrew consonants (from right to left, read as yod hey vav hey) that do not allow one to use our tongue or close our lips. In fact, those are the first words a baby may use when the baby comes out of the mother’s womb. Why ? It is breathing (notice when one say yod, one is inhaling and also for Hey, one is exhaling) for the first time when God (יהוה) gives the new baby breath. In Hebrew thought, יהוה is not pronounceable like breath. Also in ancient Holy Scriptures, no vowels are attached to יהוה. Hence, Hebrews do not pronounce YHVH.
In Conclusion
In this Christmas season, once again we are reminded that Jesus Christ is The Messiah to save and bring peace to all mankind forever. Isaiah 9: 6-7 “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end.” Act 2:21-22: And everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.' … , listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. Thou shalt not take the Name of the LORD thy God in vain. Exodus 20:7.
Note:
Do excuse us if there are typo and other errors on this posting which will be corrected within these few days.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New 2024 to all.
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