"Because he has set his love on Me, I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known my name." Psalms 91:14
You know, the name of the Lord isn't really Jesus. It never was. Through a few thousand years of languages, I'm afraid the true name of the Lord has become a little twisted.
When the angel of the Lord declared unto Joseph: "You shall call his name 'Jesus', for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21), the angel didn't really say "Jesus." The angel said a name that meant God is your salvation; that is why the angel explained the name by saying, "for he shall save his people form their sins." That name was similar to Y'hoshua, or, "Joshua" in the Old Testament. Later in Hebrew history, that name was shortened to Yahshua. Y'hoshua and Yahshua were interchangeable, with Yahusha being the more "modern" version between the two.
I realize that people don't have to know Hebrew and Greek to be saved of God. But, the Bereans, who were commended for searching the scriptures, are a guide. Searching the scriptures to the Greek and Hebrew is commendable. Because the Word of God has gone through so many language changes throughout the years, whenever something is questionable, or a person seeks more understanding, I think it's a worthy cause to seek the original languages, to the best of his/her knowledge. Now, that's searching the scriptures. Daniel the prophet searched the scriptures. It is written of Daniel, "In the first year of his reign, I Daniel, understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem" (Daniel 9:2). Daniel studied the book of Jeremiah the prophet until he understood that revelation.
I recommend using the Septuagint, the concordance to the Septuagint, and the Interlinear Bible (Hebrew, Greek, English) for searching the scriptures to their original languages and first translations of the New Testament into Greek. Abinddong's Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible is also a very helpful tool.
I'm pretty sure that the name of the Lord in the Hebrew language was the same name as Joshua's (Yahshua). I think it was a common name, because often in scriptures, when someone was discussing "Jesus," they would say things like "Jesus of Nazareth," and "Jesus, the carpenter's son" (just two examples). They were sure to emphasize which "Jesus" they were talking about.
But, another big link to me is in the Bible books of Hebrews and Acts. The King James version of the Bible was written by many translators. These translators didn't always translate the same words the same way. This is very evident in Hebrews and Acts. The person who translated Hebrews 4:8, translated the name as "Jesus." However, the scripture refers to Joshua (most scholars agree on this). The Interlinear Bible recognizes that the name should be Joshua (or Yahshua). The exact same mistake was made in Acts 7:45 in the King James version of the Bible. The translators used the name "Jesus" where the writer was referring to Joshua (Yahshua).
The reason that the interpreters made the mistake is because the Greek translation of Jesus and Joshua are exactly the same. The same translation is used in the Septuagint (for the name of Joshua) as in the Greek scriptures of the New Testament. I'm just guessing that somewhere along the line, someone thought that the Lord's name should be distinguishable from the other "Joshuas" in the Bible (because there are others). I'm just guessing on that one. I also guess that Anglo Saxons, fresh from defeat at the Crusades, were willing to give the Lord a more Englishly pleasing name than, Yeshua (I'm using the more modern name and the one recognized worldwide as our Lord's true name in Hebrew), which had (and has) a Middle Eastern sound to it.
Studying the true name of the Lord is a very interesting study. Other people in the Old Testament had the same name used as Yahshua (according to the Greek Septuagint). In English, sometimes the spelling is a little different. Also, in Hebrew, there are small spelling differences. If you do have the concordance to the Septuagint, you can research all the times that the Greek spelling of Yahshua, Joshua, yahshua and Yahushua are used throughout the Bible. You can find those spellings in the Abingdon's Strong's Exhaustive Concordance in the New Testament section. Simply look up the name of "Jesus" in the Abingdon's Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and find the original Greek name usage. Look up the name of "Joshua" and "Jeshua" and do the same. Then, look in the Concordance to the Septuagint, and find all the places in the Old Testament where the same name is used. Finally, you can go back to Abingdon's Strong's Concordance and see the original Hebrew name that was used. You will see some minor spelling changes. It's probably similar to how people spell some modern names differently. For example, Jody or Jodi. Also, John or Jon.
Another interesting note is that Moses renamed Joshua. Joshua's original name was Hoshee (similar to Hosea). But, Moses renamed him Yahushua (to the the best of are English spelling). It has a meaning of "Ya is salvation." An orthodox Hebrew could probably better expound on my translation.
So, when the angel of the Lord, declared the Lord's name to Joseph, he said, "You shall call his name Yahshua, for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). His real name has had a significant meaning from the beginning. The name "Jesus" (how we say it today) has not the significant meaning that the angel explained. "Jesus" really is a manufactured name that has become a tradition of men.
How did the name get to become "Jesus" from Yahusha (pronounced like Yah-shu' agh, probably using more guttural "h" sounds). "J" is a fairly new letter in the English language. It used to have the sound of "Y," like in "you." The German language still has a "y" sound for "j," like Johann Sebastian Bach. Johann is pronounced like Yo-hahn.
Personally, in prayer, I call the Lord by what I know to be His real name. I do that out of reverence and respect. It's a holy name, "Hallowed by thy name" is the first request that we say in the Lord's prayer. How do you think we should handle the holiest name we have? I truly can't go back to less knowledge than what I have concerning His name, not any more than I could sit in a church that has less truth than what I know.
When I think of how the Lord's name has changed over the years, it reminds me of the ark of the covenant. In the Old Testament, there were these men who were bringing the ark of God back to Jerusalem. They were bringing it back on a cart. Well, they hit a bump in the road and one of them reached forth his hand to steady the ark. The guy who touched the ark was struck down dead for touching the holiest relic that the Jews had at the time. He failed to hallow the holy ark. Well, I now feel the same way about the Lord's name. His name should be what the angel decreed it should be. Don't change His name. Don't touch it. Don't anglicize it. It has a significant meaning. It's holy. It never needed to be adjusted (as the ark) to suit our tongues.
Do you know where the ark of the covenant is today? Do you know in what holy temple it's kept? Or, what museum? Nobody knows where it is. After years of letting it slip away, it finally slipped away forever from the Hebrews. The holiest relic of God that they possessed, they let slip away. Is that what we've done to His name? Have we let His true name slip away?
Not only did the ark of the covenant slip away, but the name of God (as known to the Jews before Yahshua came) also slipped away. Nobody really knows what the name was that was used by the Jews in the Old Testament. The Jews made the name so "holy" that no one could say it. But that was directly the opposite of what God told them to do.
"And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth." Exodus 9:16
"I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee." Psalms 22.22
"To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem." Psalms 102:21
God wanted His name declared throughout the earth. But, the Israelites made it so that no one could actually say the real name. And now, nobody knows for sure what the name of God was in the Old Testament.
I don't write this to shame the Jews. We, as Christians, make the same mistakes. The lessons in the Old Testament were written to instruct us and guide us so we don't make the same mistakes.
"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." 1 Corinthians 10:11
I'm not telling people this to hurt them or to chastise them. I called him "Jesus" for years because I had no idea that wasn't really His name. But, it's a fact -- that is not His holy name. I'm only hoping to open your lives to more blessings. Once I knew his real name, there was no going back for me. I use his name as "Jesus" in English-speaking circles (so people know who I'm talking about), but I wonder if I'm being a coward for not standing up and declaring His real name -- Yahusha.
I don't know about you, but I don't want a watered-down version of His name.
It's a fact: His name was not Jesus.
It's very important to know his name and believe in it.
I must also mention that "Yahshua" is only an English spelling of a Hebrew transliteration. It's not a translation. A translation is when the meaning of words is directly translated. If we were to translate the Lord's name, we would be calling Him something like "God is our salvation." A transliteration is when we try to recreate the same pronunciation of the original language. That's why I say "Yahshua." Some people say "Yeshua." Some say "Yahoshua." I am not 100% sure of how His name was pronounced by the angel. I pray to know His name exactly. But, I am 100% sure that his name was not "Jesus." That's just a fact -- no "J" sound in the Hebrew alphabet. It's too bad that the church let his real name slip away for so many years, just as the Jewish nation let slip away the ark and God's name in the Old Testament.
Don't let pride get in the way of learning something new in God. His vastness is not measurable by mankind. We can all learn lots (and lots and lots) more about God. We've got to open our hearts, and put down our pride. We must become like children: eager and willing to learn more. If you're not having visions like Ezekiel, Daniel, and John -- you can learn more about God. If you're not seeing miracles like Abraham, Moses, and Peter -- you can learn more about God. If you're not prophesying like Joseph, Isaiah, and Jeremiah -- you can learn more about God. Don't act like you know it all in God and can't learn more, because you don't and you can. We all can
Open our hearts and minds to You, Elohim. We pray for more more understanding and wisdom of Your infinite truth for the whole body of Messiah. Amen.
You know, the name of the Lord isn't really Jesus. It never was. Through a few thousand years of languages, I'm afraid the true name of the Lord has become a little twisted.
When the angel of the Lord declared unto Joseph: "You shall call his name 'Jesus', for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21), the angel didn't really say "Jesus." The angel said a name that meant God is your salvation; that is why the angel explained the name by saying, "for he shall save his people form their sins." That name was similar to Y'hoshua, or, "Joshua" in the Old Testament. Later in Hebrew history, that name was shortened to Yahshua. Y'hoshua and Yahshua were interchangeable, with Yahusha being the more "modern" version between the two.
I realize that people don't have to know Hebrew and Greek to be saved of God. But, the Bereans, who were commended for searching the scriptures, are a guide. Searching the scriptures to the Greek and Hebrew is commendable. Because the Word of God has gone through so many language changes throughout the years, whenever something is questionable, or a person seeks more understanding, I think it's a worthy cause to seek the original languages, to the best of his/her knowledge. Now, that's searching the scriptures. Daniel the prophet searched the scriptures. It is written of Daniel, "In the first year of his reign, I Daniel, understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem" (Daniel 9:2). Daniel studied the book of Jeremiah the prophet until he understood that revelation.
I recommend using the Septuagint, the concordance to the Septuagint, and the Interlinear Bible (Hebrew, Greek, English) for searching the scriptures to their original languages and first translations of the New Testament into Greek. Abinddong's Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible is also a very helpful tool.
I'm pretty sure that the name of the Lord in the Hebrew language was the same name as Joshua's (Yahshua). I think it was a common name, because often in scriptures, when someone was discussing "Jesus," they would say things like "Jesus of Nazareth," and "Jesus, the carpenter's son" (just two examples). They were sure to emphasize which "Jesus" they were talking about.
But, another big link to me is in the Bible books of Hebrews and Acts. The King James version of the Bible was written by many translators. These translators didn't always translate the same words the same way. This is very evident in Hebrews and Acts. The person who translated Hebrews 4:8, translated the name as "Jesus." However, the scripture refers to Joshua (most scholars agree on this). The Interlinear Bible recognizes that the name should be Joshua (or Yahshua). The exact same mistake was made in Acts 7:45 in the King James version of the Bible. The translators used the name "Jesus" where the writer was referring to Joshua (Yahshua).
The reason that the interpreters made the mistake is because the Greek translation of Jesus and Joshua are exactly the same. The same translation is used in the Septuagint (for the name of Joshua) as in the Greek scriptures of the New Testament. I'm just guessing that somewhere along the line, someone thought that the Lord's name should be distinguishable from the other "Joshuas" in the Bible (because there are others). I'm just guessing on that one. I also guess that Anglo Saxons, fresh from defeat at the Crusades, were willing to give the Lord a more Englishly pleasing name than, Yeshua (I'm using the more modern name and the one recognized worldwide as our Lord's true name in Hebrew), which had (and has) a Middle Eastern sound to it.
Studying the true name of the Lord is a very interesting study. Other people in the Old Testament had the same name used as Yahshua (according to the Greek Septuagint). In English, sometimes the spelling is a little different. Also, in Hebrew, there are small spelling differences. If you do have the concordance to the Septuagint, you can research all the times that the Greek spelling of Yahshua, Joshua, yahshua and Yahushua are used throughout the Bible. You can find those spellings in the Abingdon's Strong's Exhaustive Concordance in the New Testament section. Simply look up the name of "Jesus" in the Abingdon's Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and find the original Greek name usage. Look up the name of "Joshua" and "Jeshua" and do the same. Then, look in the Concordance to the Septuagint, and find all the places in the Old Testament where the same name is used. Finally, you can go back to Abingdon's Strong's Concordance and see the original Hebrew name that was used. You will see some minor spelling changes. It's probably similar to how people spell some modern names differently. For example, Jody or Jodi. Also, John or Jon.
Another interesting note is that Moses renamed Joshua. Joshua's original name was Hoshee (similar to Hosea). But, Moses renamed him Yahushua (to the the best of are English spelling). It has a meaning of "Ya is salvation." An orthodox Hebrew could probably better expound on my translation.
So, when the angel of the Lord, declared the Lord's name to Joseph, he said, "You shall call his name Yahshua, for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). His real name has had a significant meaning from the beginning. The name "Jesus" (how we say it today) has not the significant meaning that the angel explained. "Jesus" really is a manufactured name that has become a tradition of men.
How did the name get to become "Jesus" from Yahusha (pronounced like Yah-shu' agh, probably using more guttural "h" sounds). "J" is a fairly new letter in the English language. It used to have the sound of "Y," like in "you." The German language still has a "y" sound for "j," like Johann Sebastian Bach. Johann is pronounced like Yo-hahn.
Personally, in prayer, I call the Lord by what I know to be His real name. I do that out of reverence and respect. It's a holy name, "Hallowed by thy name" is the first request that we say in the Lord's prayer. How do you think we should handle the holiest name we have? I truly can't go back to less knowledge than what I have concerning His name, not any more than I could sit in a church that has less truth than what I know.
When I think of how the Lord's name has changed over the years, it reminds me of the ark of the covenant. In the Old Testament, there were these men who were bringing the ark of God back to Jerusalem. They were bringing it back on a cart. Well, they hit a bump in the road and one of them reached forth his hand to steady the ark. The guy who touched the ark was struck down dead for touching the holiest relic that the Jews had at the time. He failed to hallow the holy ark. Well, I now feel the same way about the Lord's name. His name should be what the angel decreed it should be. Don't change His name. Don't touch it. Don't anglicize it. It has a significant meaning. It's holy. It never needed to be adjusted (as the ark) to suit our tongues.
Do you know where the ark of the covenant is today? Do you know in what holy temple it's kept? Or, what museum? Nobody knows where it is. After years of letting it slip away, it finally slipped away forever from the Hebrews. The holiest relic of God that they possessed, they let slip away. Is that what we've done to His name? Have we let His true name slip away?
Not only did the ark of the covenant slip away, but the name of God (as known to the Jews before Yahshua came) also slipped away. Nobody really knows what the name was that was used by the Jews in the Old Testament. The Jews made the name so "holy" that no one could say it. But that was directly the opposite of what God told them to do.
"And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth." Exodus 9:16
"I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee." Psalms 22.22
"To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem." Psalms 102:21
God wanted His name declared throughout the earth. But, the Israelites made it so that no one could actually say the real name. And now, nobody knows for sure what the name of God was in the Old Testament.
I don't write this to shame the Jews. We, as Christians, make the same mistakes. The lessons in the Old Testament were written to instruct us and guide us so we don't make the same mistakes.
"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." 1 Corinthians 10:11
I'm not telling people this to hurt them or to chastise them. I called him "Jesus" for years because I had no idea that wasn't really His name. But, it's a fact -- that is not His holy name. I'm only hoping to open your lives to more blessings. Once I knew his real name, there was no going back for me. I use his name as "Jesus" in English-speaking circles (so people know who I'm talking about), but I wonder if I'm being a coward for not standing up and declaring His real name -- Yahusha.
I don't know about you, but I don't want a watered-down version of His name.
It's a fact: His name was not Jesus.
It's very important to know his name and believe in it.
I must also mention that "Yahshua" is only an English spelling of a Hebrew transliteration. It's not a translation. A translation is when the meaning of words is directly translated. If we were to translate the Lord's name, we would be calling Him something like "God is our salvation." A transliteration is when we try to recreate the same pronunciation of the original language. That's why I say "Yahshua." Some people say "Yeshua." Some say "Yahoshua." I am not 100% sure of how His name was pronounced by the angel. I pray to know His name exactly. But, I am 100% sure that his name was not "Jesus." That's just a fact -- no "J" sound in the Hebrew alphabet. It's too bad that the church let his real name slip away for so many years, just as the Jewish nation let slip away the ark and God's name in the Old Testament.
Don't let pride get in the way of learning something new in God. His vastness is not measurable by mankind. We can all learn lots (and lots and lots) more about God. We've got to open our hearts, and put down our pride. We must become like children: eager and willing to learn more. If you're not having visions like Ezekiel, Daniel, and John -- you can learn more about God. If you're not seeing miracles like Abraham, Moses, and Peter -- you can learn more about God. If you're not prophesying like Joseph, Isaiah, and Jeremiah -- you can learn more about God. Don't act like you know it all in God and can't learn more, because you don't and you can. We all can
Open our hearts and minds to You, Elohim. We pray for more more understanding and wisdom of Your infinite truth for the whole body of Messiah. Amen.