Tag: names

Journey Update (part 1)

As the blog heading says, this is my journey with Yahoshua and in the description i mention that the writings you will read here are inspired by that journey. So i thought i would share an update on where i am on this journey; What is it that i believe and why i believe. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians he writes, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12 ESV) This passage and this one from Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does YHWH require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your Elohim.” Are my starting points. We are called to be like Him, “Be holy for I am Holy,” and as Paul also writes, “Imitate me as I imitate Messiah.”

Back in 2017 i put down most commentaries when reading and picked up a regular dictionary and a strongs as well as an interlinear concordance. In 2020 i put down nearly the rest of the commentaries i was still using and really began word studies and reading more history. What i began to discover was that i relied on the interpretations and customs of man which is exactly what the Pharisees had done and it was what Yahoshua was calling them out on . . . Not the observance of Torah, but of the traditions of man.

First lets talk about the name Jesus. This one had me spun for some time. Why do we use the name Jesus, when we also translate the name into English with the name Joshua? And why do we use those names at all when we know His Hebrew name is יֵשׁוּעַ which would be transliterated in modern Hebrew to Yeshua? This led me down another path on language. The letter J didn’t come into existence until 1650 and when it did it had a soft Y sound. Therefore the name Jesus as we know it today would have sounded more like its origin Yeshua, Yesus, a deeper study led me to the fact that in the Greek the S on the end (Ιησούς prior to 1650 transliterated Iesus) would have been silent so it would sound like, Yesu, which if we equate it to modern English it would be like calling a person named Joshua, Josh.

Somewhere along the line, much like the game operator, where you start by whispering something in the ear of one person. Who then whispers it into another until it goes around the circle. When it gets back to the beginning its more likely than not something different, even if its close, to the original. We have been playing operator and few seem to care about the original because they have become accustomed to the alternate. Yet we still use the excuse of transliteration, when its the evolution of language. i had to ask myself if i had gone on a long vacation and while i was away the sound of CH in my name went from K to M and the R became silent and suddenly everyone was reading my name off my passport and calling me Mistopher, would i know they were talking to me?

Yes, Yahoshua, this is how scholars render the name for Joshua son of Nun, who we understand to have the same given name as our Savior. This is why i use this spelling. Also, it has a pretty cool story of development which leads me to believe it was no coincidence. (See this Post, ‘Why Yahoshua, and other names and titles’ for a starting point on reasons why i choose Yahoshua), is the Word made flesh, He was in the beginning and He is at the end, the Aleph – Tav or the Alpha – Omega, so i am pretty sure He knows who we are talking about. However, with that i also believe that as we grow in knowledge and understanding we should take into account the commandment; “You shall not take the name of YHWH your Elohim in vain, for YHWH will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)

We have made this to mean simply, by using the name Jesus or saying God in slang or a curse word is taking His name in vain. Although, partially true, it is much deeper than this. It also, includes, attributing sayings to Him, “Thus says the Lord . . .” Etc. that He did not say or believing that His Word is inconsequential as Israel did often, “Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.” (Ezekiel 22:26). They would justify this by saying they haven’t been punished, when it was simply Elohim’s patience, that sought from them a repentant heart. His NAME is Holy! Isaiah (9:6) writes, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty Elohim, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Did you read that, “Mighty Elohim, Everlasting Father,” this is specifically talking about Yahoshua, who most modern Christians call Jesus. Now i came to know Yahoshua through the name Jesus, i appreciate the name Jesus, i believe in the Power of the Name of the Word made flesh, the Lamb of Elohim, Emmanuel which means Elohim (God) with us. However, knowing what i know now makes it difficult for me call the Messiah anything other than His given name, Yahoshua. Even saying, Yesu, seems disrespectful to me. He is Mighty Elohim! The I AM!

i hope this makes sense to you, really i do. In the coming posts i will be discussing my beliefs on the Sabbath, Feast Days, Torah, among other things. Although, you can go into my archives and read about them there here, i will be spelling out the “WHY.” Anyway, i hope this at least gets you to ask the question, “WHY?” Just like when you were a kid and your parent told you to do something and you asked, “Why, why, why?” May you be so curious . . . For it is this curiosity that has made me to fall in love with Yahoshua ha’Mashiah all over again and in a much deeper way than ever before.

You are loved,
cj

You shall have no other gods (part 2)

Understanding the Father is the key to being able to adhere to this commandment. If one doesn’t take the time to understand and know Elohim, (Elohim is Hebrew for God) one will easily be swayed by the wind. Someone right now is saying, “We know God through Jesus.” This is where my fear begins. We can easily see in the Torah and from the Prophets that their is a name for Elohim. Out of reverence for the third commandment they used what is known as the tetragrammaton, YHWH, in Hebrew it is the letters, Yod, Heh, Waw, and Heh. Many will pronounce this Yahweh, YAH being emphasized here. Some pronounce His name Yahovah, and there is some debate, i believe the important part is in the Yah. Think of it this way, Chris is short for Christopher, same name technically, it can be spelled, Kris, Kristopher, Kristofer, Christofer, Cris . . . You get the idea. Anyway, all are the same name and in some instances pronunciation can be slightly different, that’s a little harder to explain in writing without dots and tittles which i am not able to do in this program easily. Probably another reason the scribes were more comfortable writing YHWH.

Moving on, when the angel Gabriel came to Joseph he didn’t say name the boy Jesus, he actually said, name the boy Yahoshua. To really get the significance here we need to go back a bit further. Moses, by Elohim’s instruction, appointed Joshua as his successor. However, Joshua wasn’t always Joshua, his name was Hoshea, which means, salvation. If you didn’t already know, names in the Scriptures are important. They have meaning, and purpose, and help drive the narrative of Elohim’s story. Moses, changes Hoshea to Yahoshua, (Numbers 13:16) or in English, Joshua, which means YAH is SALVATION. Joshua was going to lead Israel into the promise land but it was through YAH (Yahweh). The true meaning of the name Jesus is simply Salvation, like the name Hoshea. Some good pastors and teachers who study have added to the meaning of Jesus, God-Saves or God is Salvation. It’s at least a step in the right direction but why the change? Compromise? We know the real name and its meaning is glorious. Yahoshua, the only begotten Son of Elohim, came to reconcile us to the Father, and through His blood we are brought into the promise land. Yah truly is salvation. “I and My Father are ONE.” John 10:30

Here is why i feel this is more significant now, than it is being considered within the Body of Messiah. John 5:19 “Therefore Yahoshua responded and said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son is able to do naught by Himself, but only that which He sees the Father doing, because whatever He does, the Son also does likewise.’” It goes on and actually the entire fifth chapter shows the relevance of knowing the Father. In fact if we spent a little more time in the Old Testament we would actually come to know Yahoshua even more and certainly appreciate more of the writings of the Gospels as they are full of Prophecies being fulfilled. Outside of this time of year of course when many look at a few Prophecies in Isaiah. John 5:46 “For if you believed Moses, you would have believed Me, since he wrote about Me.” i certainly don’t want to take anything away from the New Testament Scriptures, so don’t hear that in any of this; However, we should understand that what we have today in the New Testament was not widely available until a relatively short time ago.

What did the early church have and look to? What were they encouraged to know and understand, and told to use? Paul wrote to Timothy, “All Scripture is breathed by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for straightening, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of Elohim might be fitted, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) What many fail to understand is that when Paul wrote these words the New Testament wasn’t a thing. In fact at the time of his writing this letter, only roughly 17 of the now 27 books of the New Testament had been penned, and were not widely circulated as many were being written at roughly the same period of time. So for Paul to tell Timothy what he wrote above gives validity to us today to search and know our Father YHWH and His Son Yahoshua, through what we call today, the Old Testament.

Why am i so concerned about this given since roughly 350 AD Iesus later translated Jesus has been used and as many have said to me, “this is how we know Him and He is faithful.” Yes, i would agree. However, as the day approaches of His return i feel pressed to express to this generation, the generation that is talked about being around during a time of great deception. “For false messiahs and false prophets shall arise, and they shall show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones. See I have forewarned you.” (Matthew 24:24-25) There are many other passages that talk about this but this blog is already longer than i like but i will share one other critical passage on this point. “I have come in My Father’s Name and you do not receive Me, if another comes in his own name, him you would receive.” (John 5:43) We should not, no, we cannot separate the two there is POWER IN THE NAME, imagine if we went back as a Body of Messiah to His true name?

In Micah chapter three there are many warnings and if you take the time to read them you will see that not all false teachers and prophets are easily recognized. Listen to this and see if it fits what you see and hear in many churches today. “Its head give judgment for a bribe; its priests (pastors and teachers) teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on YWHW (the Lord) and say, ‘Is not YWHW (the Lord) in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.’ Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.” (Micah 3:11-12, parentheses added by me)

i am going to leave it here for now. There is much more to be said, there is much more i want to say! But for now chew on this, think about it, read through Micah 3. Just start praying about it and try using the name Yahweh when you talk to Elohim the Father and do it in the name of Yahoshua. Search Him out in Scripture, the whole of Scripture. Seek for Him as for hidden treasure. You will not be disappointed.

You are loved,

cj