Give Him the Name YAHshua
“The angel Gabriel told Joseph, “she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name YahSHUA, for it is He who will save His people from their sins”
“Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel [meaning ‘God with us’]” (Isa 7:14). — “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us …” (Jn 1:14). The angel Gabriel appeared to the prophesied Jewish virgin, Miryam (Mary), He proclaimed to her that she would bear the One who would tabernacle (dwell) among men. “You shall name Him YAHshua. He will be great, and will be called the Son Of The Most High; and the Lord [Adonai] YAHveh will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His Kingdom will have no end.” (Lk 1:31-33) YAHveh, the Holy One of Israel, became flesh and blood and dwelt on earth to bring salvation to Israel and all Gentiles later to be joined with her. (Eph 2:15) The root in the word in Hebrew for salvation is SHUA. That is why the angel told Joseph, “she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name YahSHUA [YAHveh is salvation], for it is He who will save His people from their sins” (Mt 1:21).
The psalmist, in announcing Israel’s redemption, exclaimed: “O Israel, hope in YAHveh; … with Him is abundant redemption. And He [through YAHshua] will redeem Israel from all his iniquities” (Ps 130:7-8). In the prophetic foreknowledge of the coming Hebrew Messiah, Isaiah proclaimed: “Then you [Israel] will say on that day, … ‘Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For YAH, YAHveh is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation’” (Isa 12:1-2). HalleluYAH, YAHveh came to earth as YAHshua, the Messiah! In that day you will say, “Give thanks to YAHveh, call on His name. … Make them remember that His name is exalted.” (Isa 12:4)
The true and holy name of the Hebrew Messiah was incorrectly rendered by early Gentile writers in Greek as Iesous (´Ιησους). This erroneous substitute does translate into English as Jesus. This was not a translation nor a transliteration but a man made inaccurate rendering. Many Gentile scholars say that it means “The Lord is salvation”; the Greek words for “savior” and “salvation” are soter and soteria. These words cannot be found rooted in the name Jesus (Iesous). An accurate Greek translation would be YAHveh soter. This man-made replacement has nothing to do with His true name, YAHshua, which glorifies the fact that YAHveh, the Holy One of Israel came to earth to save His people and faith filled Gentiles from their sins. Thus, it is clear that the name Jesus is not an accurate translation for the “name above all names.” It was a Satan inspired man-made device to take the place of His divinely ordained original name, which glorifies the memorial name of our Father who said His name was to be remembered from generation to generation. As it is written, “Wherever I cause My name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you.” (Ex 20:24)
The pure word Messiah (Hebrew, Mashiach) is correctly translated “the Anointed One.” YAHshua HaMashiach, never heard Himself called “Jesus” or “the Christ.” He was the “anointed of YAHveh” and bore His Father’s name in order to bring YAHveh the praise, honor, and glory. The title “Christ” is a Greek replacement that has grievously minimized the use of the pure word Messiah - the Anointed One.
YAHveh says, “Come let us reason together,” (Isa 1:18) the name above all names is the name that came from above by the Father of the Messiah of Israel. The horrific and murderous background from the history of Antiochus IV Epiphanes 175-164 BC, a Greek-Syrian leader, makes it easier to understand why the Jews would never have received a Greek name for their long awaited Jewish Messiah. This historical fact about the desecration of the temple in Jerusalem and the martyrdom of untold numbers of YAHveh’s faithful Jewish people, will help clarify the fact that a Greek name for the Savior is man-made and not God given.
The Invasion and Desecration of God’s Holy Temple
It is the continual anti-Jewish anti-Semitic quest of Satan to overthrow the worship of the One True God, by honoring pagan gods that were worshipped by the Gentile nations, having various names but all demonically rooted in the Enemy who YAHshua specifically called, “the ruler of this world” (Jn 12:31). In 168 B.C.E. a highly influential envoy of Satan appeared on the scene of history, the contemptible Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a Greek-Syrian leader who was a dramatic preview and foreshadowing of the forthcoming prophesied anti-messiah (antichrist) spirit at the end of the age, which we are progressing towards. Following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Alexander the Great, Antiochus IV Epiphanes continued with the conquest of the known world. His all consuming aggressive strategy was for the unification of the world through Greek religion, Greek philosophy, Greek culture, and Greek language., which was called Hellenism. This was a “progressive”, globalization strategy for a new world order, under the control of one ruling supreme political leader, and a one world religion. This Hellenistic global agenda was aimed at the obliteration of the knowledge of the One True Living God, and His holy Name and Word. Antiochus demanded that all the Jewish people would no longer love, worship, and obey the holy commandments that would be replaced with Grecianized Hellenistic gods and religious doctrines.
“Yahveh God Almighty put His name in the temple in Jerusalem to be worshipped by the Jews who would be a witness to the rest of the Gentile pagan world that “…I, only I, am Yahveh, And there is no savior besides Me.”
It is important to realize that YAHveh put His name specifically as the Creator of Heaven and Earth and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, formally and forever in His temple in Jerusalem, the place where His throne would be. As it is written, “I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there forever, and I have chosen David [Son of David-YAHshua] to rule My people Israel [including Gentiles who had faith to love and obey the God of Israel].” (1 Ki 8:29,9:3, 2Ki 21:7, 2Ch 6:6, Ezr 6:12) YAHveh God Almighty put His name in the temple in Jerusalem to be worshipped by the Jews who would be a witness to the rest of the Gentile pagan world that “…I, only I, am YAHveh, And there is no savior besides Me.” (Isa 43:10-11)
“The popular pagan celebration known as “the birthday of the unconquered sun” (also called “Winter Solstice”) was celebrated annually on December 25, for the worship of the great “invincible sun god”—“Zeus Soter” or “Zeus the savior”. ”
Antiochus IV Epiphanes, empowered by Satan, invaded YAHveh Almighty’s holy temple, on Mount Zion (Jerusalem). In demonic zeal, he erected in the Most Holy Place, an idol of Zeus, worshipped by the world conquering Greek empire, as the “supreme sovereign of the universe”. [see footnote 1] The idol of Zeus was fashioned with the very face of Antiochus, who considered himself to be the visible manifestation of the exalted deity of the pagan world. On the holy altar of YAHveh Almighty’s temple, Antiochus, with defiant pride and rebellion, offered the biblically forbidden swine to the Greek god Zeus. He purposely committed this “abomination of desolation” (Da 9:27) in the holy temple on Kislev/December 25, 168 B.C.. Zeus was viewed as the “incarnation of the sun” and his mother, the goddess Rhea, was called the “Queen of Heaven” (Jer 7:18). Together they formed the Greek version of the mother/child pagan worship, which originated in Babylon. The popular pagan celebration known as “the birthday of the unconquered sun” (also called “Winter Solstice”) was celebrated annually on December 25, for the worship of the great “invincible sun god”—“Zeus Soter” or “Zeus the savior”. “Zeus the father of gods and men, also known as Jupiter, “the light bringer,” by the Romans, was viewed as a supreme deity, the beginning and end of all things.” [see footnote 2]
Antiochus IV Epiphanes, whose name means “God made manifest,” attempted to manifest and exalt the Greek god Zeus to replace and obliterate the knowledge, supremacy, and worship of the Holy One of Israel. He murderously demanded that everyone be united in one religion (Satan’s plan for a one world religion), worshipping the supreme deity of the pagans, Zeus Soter (the Savior). This is one of the many names Satan is worshipped by, in place of the name above all names by which “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that YAHshua is YAHveh.” (1 Co 12:3, Ph 2:12) [see footnote 3] Antiochus sprinkled the blood of the swine in the Holy of Holies and poured its abhorrent broth over the sacred scrolls [the word of God] and proceeded to cut and burn them.
“In his prideful rebellion, Antiochus was essentially proclaiming to the Most High God , “My name (through the Greek god Zeus), my rulership, my laws, my will, my pagan days in place of Your name, rulership, laws, will, and holy days, which I am “throwing to the ground” under my all powerful feet”
Satan, through Antiochus, was flexing his defiant muscles once again against his arch enemy the God and Creator of heaven and earth who had cast him and the other rebellious angels (demonic host), out of heaven (Rev 12:7-10). He lost the war in heaven but was proclaiming a victory on earth, basically saying through Antiochus, “I’ve won dominion over the earth, Your temple, Your throne, and I will have the worship of all people, including Your chosen people the Jews.” In his prideful rebellion, Antiochus was essentially proclaiming to the Most High God , “My name (through the Greek god Zeus), my rulership, my laws, my will, my pagan days in place of Your name, rulership, laws, will, and holy days, which I am “throwing to the ground” under my all powerful feet” (see Isa 14:13, Da 7:25, 8:12). The nation of Israel was shocked, traumatized, and left appallingly desolate!
“Satan, who is also called the god of this world” (Jn 12:31), through the religion and god of Hellenism, waged war against the God of Israel and His Jewish people (2 Cor 4:4). All Jewish people throughout the land were required to worship Zeus [in essence Satan]. There could be no middle ground. Antiochus issued explicit orders against all and everything that pertained to the worship of the Holy One, His written Word, including strict edicts against honoring the Sabbath day and the biblically ordained holy days (see Dan 7:25). Anyone found clinging, in loving allegiance to the Most High God of Israel, His holy memorial name and biblical truth, jeopardized their lives and the lives of their entire family. The Jews suffered an agonizing and appalling assault through Satan’s strategy of Hellenization.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes’ ravaging of the Hebrew temple was a blatant attempt to “paganize” the world and obliterate the holy Hebrew root. The anti-Semitic atrocities aimed at replacing YAHveh, the God of the Jews, with Zeus, the God of the Greeks, are a core issue in the battle between Satan and the Almighty. This is the preview of the spirit of anti messiah (antichrist) that we are witnessing and are warned of as the coming “beast” system in the book of Daniel and Revelation. (Da 11:37, Rev 13:1-8) We are watching this anti messiah (antichrist) spirit and his global strategy manifesting and quickly advancing, showing us how little time is left on this earth as we know it.
I Have Come in My Father’s Name
- John 5:43 -
It may be shocking, but with the backdrop of all that had happened to the Jews from the Greeks, if the Jewish virgin Miryam (Mary) had heard the angel Gabriel give a Greek name to the forthcoming infant Savior, she would have thought she had heard from a demonic spirit “masquerading as an angel of light” (2 Co 11:14). The divinely chosen virgin would never have embraced, accepted, or proclaimed a Greek name regarding the prophesied heaven sent child, the Messiah of Israel. When the “name above all names” was first proclaimed as YAHshua and later given that name at His circumcision, it is obvious on all accounts that a Greek name would never have been permitted. Jews were vitally concerned with pedigrees. According to Jewish biblical tradition, the name of the offspring was always given with the name of the father. During His ministry YAHshua proclaimed, “I have come in My Father’s name”. (Jn 5:43)
In biblical times it was incumbent upon the Jews to give their children Hebrew names, oftentimes incorporating a reference to the God of Israel. The Jews in Messiah’s day were stunned by the atrocities of their recent past. “… It was obvious that to a loyal Jew, anything Greek was eo ipso, anti-Jewish. Hellenization stood for apostasy.” (see footnote 4) It is recorded in the sacred writings of the Jews (Talmud), “Cursed be a man who rears pigs and cursed be a man who teaches his son Greek wisdom.” (see footnote 5)
To further emphasize the Jewish mind-set toward the Greeks, we note the account in Acts 21. Paul entered the temple with four Jewish men whom the Jews thought to be Gentiles: “The Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the multitude and laid hands on him, crying out, ‘Men of Israel, come to our aid! This is the man Paul (Saul) who …has brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” (Ac 21:28)
Greek men, Greek idols, and Greek names were an offense and strictly forbidden in the homes of the Jews and the temple of the God of the Jews. Archaeological findings verify the fact that no Greeks were allowed in the temple courts upon penalty of death. (See footnote 6)
To repeat it was completely unacceptable and highly avoided for a Jew to name their offspring, a name with Gentile pagan roots. With this in mind, YAHveh Almighty appeals to our common sense and spiritual wisdom. Through the writer of proverbs the Holy Spirit asks us, “What is His name, and the name of His Son? Tell me if you know!” (Pr 30:4).
Footnotes:
1 Nelson Beecher Keys, Story of the Bible World (Pleasantville, NY: The Reader’s Digest Association, 1962), p 109.
2 Webster’s New Riverside University Dictionary, 2d ed., s.v. “Zeus.”
3 Footnote The NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids: The Zondervan Corporation, 1985), p. 1750. Footnote for 1Co 12:3: “...Jesus is Lord...The Greek word for ‘Lord’ here is used in the Greek translation of the OT (the Septuagint) to translate the Hebrew name Yahweh (‘the Lord’).” Footnote Php 2:11 “Jesus Christ is Lord. He is God (Yahweh of the OT). Obviously this cannot mean personal Lord and Master of one’s life, since those ‘under the earth’ (v. 10) could not acknowledge this.” Ryrie Study Bible (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995), p. 1890.
4 C. G. Montefiore and H. Loewe, A Rabbinic Anthology (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1960), p. 145.
5 Rabbi B. D. Klien, trans., Rabbi Dr. I. Epstein, ed., The Babylonian Talmud (New York: M.P. Press, 1983), Sotah p. 49b
6 Footnote Ac 21:28: “brought Greeks into the Temple area. Explicitly forbidden according to inscribed stone markers [still in existence]. .… But there is no evidence that Paul had brought anyone other than Jews into the area” (emphasis added). The NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids: The Zondervan Corporation, 1985). Author’s note: It should be noted that indeed Paul never transgressed the righteousness of YAHveh’s decrees by bringing a Greek name for the Hebrew Messiah into the temple of the Holy One of Israel.
