Names

By Venessa Holtzhausen

Gen 10:1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

We are going to look at names. Genesis 10 is full of names. The lineage of Christ comes from Shem. Why Shem? Shem is also a Hebrew word meaning ‘name’. What is the thought behind ‘name’ in the Bible. Name in Hebrew like Shem means reputation, authority, fame.

Matt 1:21 You are to name him Yeshua…because he will save his people from their sins.’

Though the Hebrew spelling Yeshua is generally used in translations of the New Testament into Hebrew and used by Hebrew-speaking Christians in Israel. The name Yeshua is also used in Israeli Hebrew historical texts to refer to other people called Joshua recorded in Greek texts, such as Jesus ben Ananias and Jesus ben Sira. The name Yeshua means ‘The LORD’s Salvation’ or ‘Cry out to the LORD for help.’ You are to name Him Yeshua, why? The Bible tells us why, because He will save his people from their sins.

This verse is an example of a Semitism, or allusion to either the Hebrew or Aramaic, revealing the Jewishness of the text. The Hebrew word for ‘he will save’ is yoshia, which has the same Hebrew root ע יש as the name Yeshua ישוע. The Messiah’s name is explained on the basis of what he will do. His mission, his reputation, his fame. That is why the angel was so specific about His name and He could not called any other name. Because His mission was in His Name. Etymologically the name Yeshua is a contraction of the Hebrew name Y’hoshua (Joshua), meaning ‘Adonai (YHWH) saves.’

Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

This is very remarkable, since two words are used here, which we find in Genesis 1, Word and Light. We find word in the first sentence of Genesis 1 and the first thing that came forth was ‘light’ which was something of God Himself, His ‘shechina’. (Shekinah)

Let’s look at Genesis 1, first sentence. Literally translated it is ‘in the beginning created God, the heavens and the earth. The ‘et’ is not translated.

However, when you take the את in Ancient Hebrew it is an ox head which means ‘strong leader’ and cross which means sign. The aleph and tav are also the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Literally ’in the beginning God created, the Aleph and Tav (Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End) the heavens and the earth. Thus we can see that ’Word’, was present in the first sentence of Genesis/Bereshit 1. Christ calls Himself in Revelation 1 the ’Beginning and End’, First and Last.

Also when we look at the ancient Hebrew for ’et’ we can translate it as: The Strong Leader on the Cross is the Sign.

In Genesis He is the Word and in Matthew He is Yeshua and in Revelation He is again ’The Word’. It is because through the spoken Word, all things came into existence and in the Gospels He came as Yeshua, the One Who Saves, but in Revelation it will be the Word who will judge.

Now that we know what ‘name’ means, when we pray in the Name of Jesus Christ, you are literally call His authority, fame and character into that situation. There is no other Name than the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Amen!