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| An Introduction to God - Shem – His Name (2) |
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Second, you may recall in our earlier discussion that I mentioned that there was one possible exception to the timeless nature of Hebrew tenses, that being the imperfect waw consecutive, which according to scholars: “commonly conveys past tense / time.” But that isn’t always the case, nor necessarily so. The preterite form is often used as it is here in this prophetic passage to affirm the absolute certainty of an important, albeit future event. In such a case, the waw consecutive is called “the prophetic tense,” because the fulfillment is so certain God speaks of it as if it has already occurred. But that is only partially accurate.
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From God’s perspective, and He is the one speaking to us throughout this passage, the future has already taken place. He has not only witnessed it—He has participated in it. So rather than predictions, Yah’s prophetic pronouncements are future history. In them we find a perfect Historian recording the events He has witnessed, and then reporting what He has experienced in our future to us in our past so that when all of His prophetic declarations come true exactly as He has promised us they would, we might grow to trust Him. And that is what this passage is all about, as it promises the future arrival of the Word of God while describing His nature and our reaction to Him.
So that you know, God’s ability to see all time at any time is illuminated by the nature of light. On a photon of light time simply exists—thereby unifying the past, present, and future. And that is why Yah often equates His nature to light. Therefore, when we come to understand the unique qualities of light, especially as it relates to time, our appreciation of Yah and His testimony is substantially enhanced.
But there is more. Here, specific to the qal stem and imperfect waw consecutive as they are deployed in the first person singular with “salah – I have sent, I am sending, I will send,” rendered in the passage as “I chose to reach out and actually send,” realize that in Hebrew, the wa is typically a conjunction. As such, wa is used to create connections between various thoughts or actions and their consequences, as it is here. And in fact, in this passage the imperfect waw consecutive construction of salah is actually introduced and preceded by wa in order to make this entire passage an “if – then” statement, as in “if you acknowledge My prophetic pronouncements then you should consider this prophetic declaration.”
Further, the imperfect conjugation, rather than speaking of a completed action, as would be required for past tense, actually conveys the idea of an action’s unfolding and ongoing nature and consequence. As such, the imperfect is the wrong form of Hebrew to use to convey a completed action which has transpired in the past.
Lastly, the consecutive form associated here with “salah – to send,” conveys volition which is a heartfelt preference or a conscious decision made under the auspices of freewill. So in the first person singular in the consecutive form, salah reads: “I have chosen to send.”
Therefore, by examining the component parts of this Hebrew tense, we find nothing in the imperfect waw consecutive which suggests that it actually serves to convey an action which has already occurred—at least from our perspective.
Also relevant, are the tenses Yah selected to deploy with the alliteration of “nashah – I will forget about you,” “nasha’ – will give you no credit whatsoever,” and “natash – I will completely reject and forsake you.” Only in Hebrew could God use the qal perfect consecutive to tell us that while He will genuinely forget about His people, this state of affairs will not endure forever. Only in Hebrew could God deploy the infinitive absolute as a verbal noun to affirm that He, Himself, is the ransom. And only in Hebrew could the qal perfect consecutive be used to tell us that God’s rejection of His people and His disassociation from them and Yaruwshalaim, while total and complete relative to this audience, will not endure forever. He will reconcile with them upon His return to Jerusalem.
This realization relative to the unique qualities of Hebrew tenses is one of many reasons why amplification and commentary are essential contributors to understanding. What they say to us is that we need to study Yah’s Word as a scientist would, observing how all of the elements work together to create the actual result, and not just read it like an English major. Understanding is in the details, in the jots and tittles.
By using the unique and timeless power of Hebrew grammar, Yahowah was unequivocal. If a person disassociates Yahowsha’ from Yahowah’s prophetic pronouncements, from His Word, from the Torah, Prophets and Psalms, God will reject that individual. There will be no partial credit for sincerity, good behavior, the depth of one’s faith, or the content of a person’s heart. And as such, this prophetic declaration regarding God’s Witness serves as an all encompassing and irrefutable condemnation of all of mankind’s religious schemes.
Those who pontificate and promote the words of man over the Word of God, will find: “And (wa) I will bestow (natan) upon you (‘al) an everlasting (‘owlam – an eternal and enduring) reproach (herpah – shame, disgrace, contempt, and dishonor) and also (wa) an everlasting (‘owlam – an eternal and enduring) humiliation which comes from a diminished and lowly status (kalimuwth – discredited and ignominious, so as to be viewed as insignificant and unworthy) which (‘asher) shall not be overlooked or forgotten (lo’ sakah – will not be ignored).’” (Yirmayahuw / Yah Lifts Up / Jeremiah 23:40)
While God has no memory of those who do not remember His Word, nor any association of any kind with them, He will not overlook what they have done in the name of religion to separate His people from Him. For those who promote their own testimony as if it were authorized and inspired by God, there will be an eternal consequence. Religious clerics will find their souls diminished to a very low status, humiliated and imprisoned forever for their crimes.
The ploy Paul used to establish the religion of Christianity was to disassociate the Ma’aseyah Yahowsha’ from the Torah, and thus from the Word of God, from the Covenant, and from Yahowah’s seven-step plan of salvation which begins with Passover, Unleavened Bread, and FirstFruits. As a result, Paul, and all who promote the false apostle’s faith, will endure the consequence delineated in this closing statement. Don’t allow yourself to be victimized by them, as have several billion souls.
Similarly, one hundred years thereafter, another rabbi, this one named Akiba, disassociated God’s people from His Torah by insisting that salvation was afforded only to those who accepted his religious substitution: the Talmud which is comprised entirely of rabbinical arguments and apologetics. And so it would be that in the seventh century Muhammad, having bought Talmud stories from rabbis in Yathrib, twisted them to his liking to create his Qur’an—his recital—one which turned out to be so diametrically opposed to the Torah, it became its antithesis. And yet, several billion people have chosen to believe his testimony instead of Yahowah’s.
Considering the popularity of man’s words, as they are pontificated in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, as opposed to Yahowah’s Word, as His is conveyed in the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms, there are few more compelling or confirming prophetic declarations than those found in this chapter of Yirmayahuw.
We have just read one of the most sweeping indictments of religion ever written, delineating its means and consequence. And it was written by God, the one so many have erroneously come to associate with religion. But in these words we find God damning religion. That is indeed sobering.
Speaking of sobering, while I have no idea what the following rendering of the 38th and 39th verses mean, I still thought sharing this with you would be beneficial. The statement we found to be so meaningful, became so convoluted in the King James Version it lost all meaning. “But since ye say, The burden of the LORD; therefore thus saith the LORD; Because ye say this word, The burden of the LORD, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the LORD; Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence.”
While no better, by reading the Roman Catholic Vulgate, we discover that the KJV is little more than a revision of it: “But if you shall say: The burden of the Lord: therefore thus saith the Lord: Because you have said this word: The burden of the Lord: and I have sent to you, saying: Say not, The burden of the Lord: Therefore behold I will take you away carrying you, and will forsake you, and the city which I gave to you, and to your fathers, out of my presence. And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame which shall never be forgotten.” It’s little wonder Christians protest that they can’t even understand the “Old Testament” of their bibles.
Before we move on, I’d like to share two additional thoughts. From my perspective, the three most important considerations to achieving an accurate and reliable translation are: context, context, and context. From the beginning, this has been a prophetic discussion—one focused upon the arrivals of the Ma’aseyah Yahowsha’, upon the consequence of substituting His name for “ha ba’al – the Lord,” one focused on the consequence of religious corruption, and upon man’s failure to properly respond to God’s Witness—His Torah, Prophets, and Psalms. The moment any portion of this chapter is removed from this context, the resulting translations and conclusions become inaccurate and arbitrary, and much of this discussion’s meaning is squandered.
The second thought I’d like to leave you with is that the words Yahowah has revealed, to the degree that they have been accurately retained by scribes, to the degree that our lexicons of ancient Hebrew are reasonably precise, and to the degree that I have properly used the full array of scholastic resources at my disposal to render them correctly and completely, can be trusted and relied upon. My commentary, however, which is often substantial, is not completely trustworthy or reliable. I have made mistakes which I have had to correct, which means I’m fallible.
This known, in my defense, my comments are based in their entirety upon what God is saying to me through His testimony. I enjoy the conversation we have so much, I find that I’m unable to restrain myself from sharing it with you. So while all of it is inspired by His Word, and much of it may be inspired by the Spirit, the insights I’m sharing with you are not the inspired Word of God, but instead thoughts the Word of God has inspired. They are not Scripture. I am not speaking for God, but instead sharing what Yah has revealed to me through His Word.
Therefore, if based upon your own careful observation of Yahowah’s Testimony, you come to a different conclusion from time to time, wonderful. Rather than argue with you, I applaud you. Yah’s Word is comprised of much more than I’m capable of comprehending, and I’m certain that there are messages which I’m missing.
All of which leads me to say: observe the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms and you will become enlightened beyond your wildest imagination. It is the most rewarding endeavor a person can undertake.
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Now that God has affirmed that He does not like being referred to as “the Lord,” and now that English bible translations have shown that they cannot be trusted, let’s consider God’s actual name, and whether we can and should pronounce it. The most telling passage in this regard is found in the book Yahowah entitled Shemowth – Names (which is certainly appropriate). You may know it as “Exodus.”
“And (wa) Moseh (Moseh – the one who draws us away from human oppression and divine judgment) said (‘amar) to God (‘el), the Almighty (ha ‘elohym – the Mighty One), ‘Now look, if (hineh – behold, look here, and note if) I (‘anky) go (bow’ – arrive and come) to (‘el) the Children (beny – sons) of Yisra’el (Yisra’el – a compound of ‘ysh – individuals, who sarah – strive and contend with, engage and persist with, are set free and are empowered by ‘el – God), and I say (wa ‘amar) to them (la), “The God (‘elohym – the Almighty) of your fathers (‘ab) has sent me out (salah – has extended Himself to dispatch me) to you (‘el), and they ask (wa ‘amar – question) me (la), ‘What is (mah) His personal and proper name (shem),’ what (mah) shall I say (‘amar) to them (‘el)?”’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 3:13)
While God would give Moseh a direct answer, He didn’t do so directly. And that is because there is a bigger difference between Amen Ra, Amun, Aten, Horis, Seb, Isis, Osiris, Sobek, and other ba’alym, and Yahowah, than just a name. Yahowah is real. He actually exists.
So by revealing the basis of His name, Yahowah answered the most important question we can ask: yes, there really is a God. “And (wa) God (‘elohym) said (‘amar – answered and declared) to (‘el) Moseh (Moseh), ‘’Ehayah (אֶ הְ יֶ ה) ‘asher (אֲ שֶׁ ר) ‘ehayah.’ (אֶ הְ יֶ ה) – ‘I Am Who I Am.’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 3:14)
In His response, God conveyed: “I Exist.” He said: “I was, I am, and I always will be.” He replied: “I am God.” “I am responsible for your very existence.” “I am the source of your continued existence.” “I am exactly who I say I am (and not what men say of me).”
‘Ehayah is hayah prefixed in the first person singular, meaning: “I exist, I am, I was, and I will be.” It was written in the qal relational stem, affirming the reliability and genuineness of this pronouncement. Further, hayah was conjugated in the imperfect, telling us that God’s “hayah – existence” will produce ongoing results which have unfolding consequences throughout the whole fabric of time. Collectively then, ‘ehayah says: “I actually exist, and my very existence will produce unfolding results and ongoing consequences throughout the whole of time.”
‘Asher is a relative particle which denotes a “relationship, an association, or linkage,” and, as such, it is often translated “with, who, which, what, where, or when.” So in this context, ‘asher tells us that God is seeking a relationship with us, and that how we respond to His proposed association will influence our very existence.
Therefore, by using these words, Yahowah told us: 1) He actually exists, 2) that our continued existence is predicated upon Him, 3) that relationships are of vital interest to Him, and 4) He told us how to pronounce His name (Yahowah from hayah).
“And (wa) He said (‘amar), ‘So this is what (koh) you should actually say (‘amar – answer (scribed in the qal relational stem, affirming the reliability of this advice, and in the imperfect conjugation, telling us that this pronouncement would have ongoing consequences which would unfold throughout time)) to (la) the Children (ben) of Yisra’el (yisra’el – those who strive and contend with, engage, persist, and endure with, are set free and are empowered by God), “I Am (‘ehayah – first person singular of the verb hayah, meaning I exist; written in the qal stem, imperfect conjugation, affirming the reliability and ongoing consequences of His existence on our existence), He has sent me (salah – He has reached out and extended Himself to actually dispatch me (in the qal perfect, telling us that this act of God is indivisible, whole and complete, and valid throughout all time, and as a result, should not be compartmentalized into separate chronologies)) to you (‘el).”’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 3:14)
There may be no more profound a statement, no more important a mission, no higher authority. The source of our existence, the one and only God who actually exists, was going to go from Arabia to the Nile Delta with an eighty-year-old shepherd to rescue His wayward and oppressed children from Egypt—the most oppressive religious, political, and military power man had yet conceived. And the result of this mission would produce ongoing consequences which would profoundly influence mankind’s relationship with God for all time.
Those who promote the myth that God’s name isn’t known, that it isn’t important, and that it cannot and should not be pronounced, stop reading at this point. But God was not finished speaking. Moreover, Shemowth / Names 3:13 and 3:14 are Yahowah’s marvelous way of telling us exactly how to spell and speak His name—even understand His name. This was not a random diatribe. ‘Ehayah ‘asher ‘ehayah reveals the basis of Yahowah’s name, the meaning of Yahowah’s name, even the proper pronunciation of Yahowah’s name. He has already left us without excuse. And yet, He was not done talking.
“And (wa) God (‘elohym – Almighty), moreover (‘owd – besides this and in addition), said (‘amar – declared) to (‘el) Moseh (Moseh – from mashah, the one who would draw us away from human oppression and divine judgment), ‘This is what (koh) you should say (‘amar – promise and declare (also scribed in the qal imperfect)) to (‘el) the Children of Yisra’el (beny yisra’el – the children and sons who strive, contend, and struggle with, those who engage, persist, and endure with, those who persevere with, and who are set free and empowered by God), “Yahowah ( - hwhy- יהוה – Yahowah), God (‘elohym) of your fathers (‘ab), God (‘elohym) of Abraham (‘Abraham – Loving, Enriching, and Merciful Father), God (‘elohym) of Yitzchaq (Yitzchaq – Laughter), and God (‘elohym) of Ya’aqob (Ya’aqob – One who Supplants and Digs in His Heels), He sent me (salah – He has reached out and extended Himself to actually dispatch me (in the qal perfect, revealing that this act of God is indivisible, whole and complete, and valid throughout all time)) to you (‘el).”
This is (zeh) My name (shem – My personal and proper designation (scribed in the singular construct form, making Yahowah inseparable from His one and only shem – name)) forever (la ‘olam – for all time and into eternity). And (wa) this is (zeh) My way of being known and remembered (zeker – My status and renown, My way of being mentioned and recalled, My commemoration and memorial, My inheritance right, symbol, sign, and signature) for (la) all dwelling places, homes, times, and generations (dowr dowr).’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 3:15)
Yes, indeed, God has a name, one name by which He wishes to be remembered. It is Yahowah.
Since this is among the most important pronouncements ever made, let’s contemplate Yahowah’s declaration once again, this time uncluttered by my explanations.
“And (wa) Moseh (Moseh) said (‘amar) to God (‘el), the Almighty (ha ‘elohym), ‘Now look, if (hineh) I (‘anky) go (bow’) to (‘el) the Children (beny) of Yisra’el (Yisra’el), and I say (wa ‘amar) to them (la), “The God (‘elohym) of your fathers (‘ab) has sent me out (salah) to you (‘el), and they ask (wa ‘amar) me (la), ‘What is (mah) His personal and proper name (shem),’ what (mah) shall I say (‘amar) to them (‘el)?”’
And (wa) God (‘elohym) said (‘amar) to (‘el) Moseh (Moseh), ‘I Am (‘ehayah) Who (‘asher) I Am (‘ehayah).’
And (wa) He said (‘amar), ‘So this is what (koh) you should actually say (‘amar) to (la) the Children (ben) of Yisra’el – those who seek to strive and contend with, engage, persist, and endure with, to be set free and empowered by God, “I Am (‘ehayah), He has sent me (salah) to you (‘el).”’
And (wa) God (‘elohym), moreover (‘owd), said (‘amar) to (‘el) Moseh (Moseh), ‘This is what (koh) you should say (‘amar) to (‘el) the Children of Yisra’el (beny yisra’el), “Yahowah ( – Yahowah), God (‘elohym) of your fathers (‘ab), God (‘elohym) of Abraham (‘Abraham), God (‘elohym) of Yitzchaq (Yitzchaq), and God (‘elohym) of Ya’aqob (Ya’aqob), He sent me (salah) to you (‘el).”
This is (zeh) My name (shem) forever (la ‘olam). And (wa) this is (zeh) My way of being known and remembered (zeker) for (la) all time, dwelling places, homes, and generations (dowr dowr).’” (Shemowth 3:15)
So, pray tell, how does anyone justify calling God “Lord” when God said as clearly as words allow: “My name is Yahowah. That is the way I want to be recalled, the way I want to be known, and the way I want to be remembered. Yahowah is My signature. Tell those who want to live with Me, those who want to be saved by Me, that Yahowah has sent you.”
The God who rescues His children from human oppression has a personal and proper name—Yahowah. Know it, say it, remember it.
Now that we have allowed God to resolve the myth that He has many names, some of which are too sacred to be spoken, what about the myth that no one knows how to pronounce the “Tetragrammaton,” or the “four consonants” which comprise His signature.
To begin, Yahowah’s name is comprised of vowels, not consonants. Flavius Josephus, the most famous of all Jewish historians, wrote in the first-century CE, in his The War of the Jews, Book 5.5.7: “…the set apart name, it consists of four vowels.” Weingreen, a noted scholar in Hebrew grammar, subsequently stated in 1959 for Oxford University Press: “Long before the introduction of vowels signs, it was felt that the main vowel sounds should be indicated in writing, and so the three letters, Wah (ו), Hey (ה), and Yowd (י) were used to represent long vowels.”
In actuality, the easiest way to dispense with the “consonant” myth with regard to the Ancient, Paleo, and Babylonian Hebrew scripts found in Scripture is to examine the many thousands of words which contain the letters Wah (ו), Hey (ה), and Yowd (י), and consider how they are pronounced. Almost invariably, the Waw, or Wah ( - w - ו), conveys the vowel sounds “o,” “oo,” or “u.” In this regard, it is similar to the vowel form of the English W, which is pronounced “double u.” The Hey ( - h - ה) is pronounced “ah” and, to a significantly lesser degree, “eh.” The Yowd ( - y - י) communicates an “i” sound, and is otherwise similar to the vocalization of the vowel form of the English Y.
In reality, these three vowels, in conjunction with the Hebrew Aleph ( - a - א) and Ayin ( - [ - ע), made it possible to pronounce every Hebrew word several millennia before the Sheva System was developed, or vowel points were introduced, by the Masoretes.
With this in mind, let’s consider the three vowels which comprise Yahowah’s name. Perhaps the most familiar Hebrew word known to us today beginning with the letter Yowd (י) is “yada’ (יָדַע),” meaning “to know.” You often hear it repeated: “yada, yada, yada.” Indirectly, we know the Yowd sound from Israel, which is a transliteration of Yisra’el. It is also the source of the vowel I/i in: Isaiah (Yasha’yah), Messiah (Ma’aseyah), Zechariah (Zakaryahuw), Hezekiah (Chazayah), Nehemiah (Nachemyah), and Moriah (Mowriyah).
Those who have sung “kumbaya (quwmbayah (stand with Yah))” or “hallelujah (halaluyah (radiate Yah’s light))” know this Yowd (י) sound all too well. The י provides the vowel sound for the common Hebrew words yad – hand, yadah – to acknowledge, yatab – good, and yahad – united.
There are literally thousands of Hebrew words where the Yowd (י) is pronounced just like the Y/y is in the English words: “yes, yet, yield, yarn, yaw, yawn, yawl, yea, yippee, year, yearn, yeast, yell, yellow, yelp, yeoman, yesterday, you, young, yolk, yonder, and yummy. And just like Hebrew, in English, the letter Y is often a vowel. Consider: “myth, hymn, my, fly, and cry.” In fact, according to the Oxford Dictionary, “the letter Y is more often used as a vowel. And in this role it is often interchangeable with the letter I.” This similarity to Hebrew is not a coincidence, because Hebrew served as the world’s first actual alphabet—a word derived from a transliteration of the first two letters of the Hebrew alphabet: Aleph and Beyt.
The second and fourth letter in Yahowah’s name is the Hebrew Hey (ה). Curious as to how Yahowah’s name could be based upon hayah (היה), which begins and ends with ה, and yet most often be transliterated “Yahweh,” where the first Hey is pronounced “ah,” and the second is pronounced “eh,” I examined every Hebrew word inclusive of the letter ה – especially those words concluding with Hey. What I discovered is that just like hayah and ‘elowah (the basis of ‘elohym), the Hebrew ה is almost invariably pronounced “ah.” In fact the ratio of “ah” to “eh” in Hebrew words is nearly one hundred to one. So in hayah, Yahowah told us how to pronounce all but one letter of His name.
And yet, in the definitive statement “’elowah hayah – God exists,” all of our questions are answered. We can simply look to the title Yahowah selected for Himself in this revealing discussion, “‘elohym (אלהים) – God,” to ascertain how to properly pronounce the Hebrew vowel Wah (ו). You see, ‘elohym is the contracted, and thus less formal, plural, and thus more inclusive, form of ‘elowah (אלוה), meaning “God Almighty.” And it is in ‘elowah (אלוה) that we find definitive proof of how to properly communicate the Hebrew ו.
Ironically, even the title Rabbis ultimately pointed to add the first common singular suffix, “my” to “lord,” ‘adoni, or more correctly, ‘adonay, to replace Yahowah’s name, was derived from ‘adown (אָדוֹן), which actually helps us pronounce His name.
But there is another, perhaps even better known, Hebrew word which can assist us in our quest. Scripture’s most often transliterated title, “towrah – Torah,” meaning “instructions,” provides all the direction we require to properly pronounce the Hebrew Wah (ו) specifically, and YHWH generally. In the Divine Writ, this title for “instruction, teaching, direction, and guidance” is written TWRH (right to left as: תּוֹרָה), where the “o” sound is derived from the Wah ו.
In addition, the most oft’ repeated Hebrew word over the last one hundred generations has been “shalowm (שָׁלֹום) – peace,” where once again, we are greeted with the means to properly annunciate the Hebrew Wah ו. And I suppose Zion and Zionist, would be almost as well known. Its basis is spelled tsyown in Hebrew, once again telling us how to pronounce the Wah.
Other familiar Hebrew words which are pronounced similarly include: gowym – people (specifically Gentiles), yowm – meaning day, ‘adown – master, ‘owy – alas, ‘owr – light, ‘owth – sign, qowl – voice, towb – good, ‘acharown – last, and of course ‘elowah – God, in addition to the names: Aaron, Jonah, Job, Judah, Moriah, Zion, and Jerusalem from ‘Aharown, Yownah, Yowb, Yahuwdah, Mowriyah, Tsyown, and Yaruwshalaym.
Beyond towrah and ‘elowah (God’s revealed instructions and His title), there are forty extremely important reminders conveyed throughout the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms which serve to affirm that God’s name is pronounced Yahowah, not Yahuweh or Yahweh. While two of these, Yowb – Job and Yownah – Jonah, were shared previously, I omitted their meanings and etymology. Virtually every credible lexicon affirms that the “Yow” sound in both names is a contraction of “Yahow.” As such, Yownah – Jonah means: “Yahowah’s Dove (a symbol for the Spirit of God).” Yowb – Job is: “Cry Out to Yahowah.” But there are more.
The most famous of these is Yowceph – Joseph, meaning “Yah Unites and Multiplies.” The most important is Yowbel – Jubilee, designating the year following the passage of seven Shabat of years, where “Yah’s Godly Lamb” frees us by forgiving our debts. Every important fulfillment on Yahowah’s calendar commences not just on a Yowbel year of Freedom and Redemption, but on multiples of forty Yowbel. These include 1968 BCE (2000 years (40x50) after the expulsion of Adam from the Garden) when Yahowah affirmed His Covenant with Abraham on Mount Mowriyah. Forty Yowbel thereafter (in 33 CE (there was no year 0 in the transition from BCE to CE)), Yahowsha’ fulfilled Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits on the same mountain. And finally, forty Yowbel removed from His sacrifice (upcoming in 2033), Yahowsha’ will return to Mount Mowriyah on the Day of Reconciliations in anticipation of celebrating the Festival Feast of Shelters for one thousand years during the Millennial Sabbath.
Names which continue to echo “Yahow” today include: Yow’ab – Joab (Yah is our Father), Yow’ach – Joah (Related to Yah), Yow’achaz – Joahaz (Grasp Hold of Yah), Yow’el – Joel (Yah is God), Yowb – Job (Cry Out to Yah), Yowchanan and Yahowchanan – Johanan and John (Yah is Merciful), Yownah – Jonah (Yah’s Dove), Yownatan – Jonathan (Yah Gives), Yowceph – Joseph (Yah Unites and Multiplies), Yowram – Joram (Yah Uplifts), and Yowtham – Jotham (Yah Perfects).
Therefore, the obvious pronunciation of YHWH (or ה ו ה י written left to right using Hebrew characters), is Y•aH•oW•aH. Mystery solved.
In case you may be wondering, the reason I have occasionally written “Yahweh” in my commentary is access. The overwhelming majority of people using search engines to find accurate information about God type “Yahweh,” because Yahowah is unfamiliar to them. So, if I did not intersperse this spelling along with the more precise transliteration, far fewer people interested in knowing Yahowah would have access to these insights. Further, since Yahowah routinely uses contractions of His name, including Yah, Yahow, Yahuw, and Yow, His Towrah affirms that He is not the least bit bothered by an incomplete or inexact pronunciation. What He is concerned about is that we know He has but one name, that we know what that name is, and that we use it.
Since Yah invented the language of revelation, we are wise to observe its lessons. In Ancient Hebrew, the first letter of Yahowah’s name was a Yad, which today is called a Yowd. It was conveyed by way of a pictographic depiction of an arm and hand , and thus symbolized the power and authority to do whatever work was required. Even today, yad means “hand” in Hebrew, and metaphorically, it still represents the ideas of “engaging and doing,” and thus of “authority and power.”
The second and fourth letter in Yahowah’s name is a Hey. It was drawn as a person reaching up and pointing to the heavens . In paleo-Hebrew it conveyed the importance of observing what God had revealed, of taking note of His greatness, and of reaching up to Him for help. Even today, the Hebrew word hey means “behold greatness.”
The third letter in YHWH is the Wah, which was called Waw in paleo-Hebrew. Its pictographic representation depicted a tent peg or stake . These were used to secure a shelter and to enlarge it. And as such, the preposition wa communicates the ideas of adding to and increasing something.
Bringing this all together, we discover that Yahowah’s name has more to do with our response to it than it does with Him. says that God has the power, the authority, and the will to do whatever work needs to be accomplished to assist those who look to Him, who observe His revelation, and who reach up to Him for help. Those who do these things will be added to His family. They will be sheltered and become secure.
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Now that we understand the most important name in the universe, let’s turn our attention to the second: Yahowsha’ – or sometimes transliterated Yahuwshuwa’, or simply Yahushua, even Yahshua. (The alternative ending (shuwa’ versus sha’) is derived from Deuteronomy 3:21 and Judges 2:7, where we find יְהוֹשׁוּעַ, as opposed to יְהוֹשֻׁעַ.) This name – or [fwhy – is equal parts an identity designation and a mission statement. As a compound of Yahowah’s name and yasha’, the Hebrew word for “salvation and deliverance,” Yahowsha’ tells us that Yahowah, Himself, is engaged in the process of saving us.
As for the name “Jesus,” which is more familiar to most of you, it is important to note that it cannot be found anywhere in God’s Word. As a matter of fact, there was and is no J in the Hebrew alphabet—nor one in Greek or Latin. The letter was not invented until the mid 16th-century, precluding anyone named “Jesus” existing prior to that time.
The letter J was first introduced by the Italian Renaissance humanist and grammarian, Gian Giorgio Trissino, who, while studying Latin texts in 1524, wrote Trissino’s Epistle about the Letters Recently Added in the Italian Language, to advocate the enrichment of Italian by using Greek characters to better distinguish between various sounds. His recommendations were universally ignored, save the modern distinction between the U and V as well as the letter I versus what would eventually become a J. In the aftermath of Trissino’s writings, his J was pronounced similarly to the Y in yet. But by the 17th-century, first in France (with the word junta), then in Germany and England, a new, harder sound, similar to the J in jet emerged, some say in association with Trissino’s Epistle.
The first English book to make a clear distinction between the “I” and “J” was published in 1634, where the new letter débuted on loan words from other languages, specifically Hallelujah rather than Halaluyah (meaning: radiate Yahowah’s brilliant light). (For those who relish dates, you may have noticed that 1634 is twenty-three years after the first edition of what was then called “The King Iames Bible” was printed in 1611. In it, Yahowsha’ was called “Iesous.”)
Therefore, we can say with absolute certainty that no one named “Jesus” lived in the 1st-century CE. “Jesus” is a falsified and manmade 17th-century forgery. More troubling still, “Jesus” is most closely allied linguistically with “Gesus” (pronounced “Jesus,”), the savior of the Druid religion (still practiced throughout England), wherein the “Horned One” was considered god.
There are a plethora of Christian (a title we will refute momentarily) apologists who errantly claim that “Jesus” was a transliteration of the Greek Iesou, Iesous, and Iesoun. The problem with that theory is four fold. Yahowsha’ wasn’t a Greek; He was a Hebrew. The Greek Iota is pronounced like the English I, rather than the come-lately J. The “u,” “us,” and “un” endings were derivatives of Greek grammar and gender, without a counterpart in Hebrew or English. And most importantly, you won’t find Iesou, Iesous, or Iesoun written on any page of any first-, second-, third-, or even early fourth-century Greek manuscript. As stated previously, Divine Placeholders were universally deployed (without exception) by the Disciples to convey Yahowah’s and Yahowsha’s name. Simply stated: it is impossible to justify the use of “Jesus.” It is wrong.
Yahowsha’, as a compound of “Yahowah” and “yasha’ – salvation,” means “Yah Saves.” Yahowsha’ tells us that Yahowah manifest Himself in the form of a man, and that as a man, He, Himself, delivered us. Yahowsha’ explains who He is and it defines His purpose.
And let there be no dispute: in the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms, you will find Yahowsha’ – - [fwhy - יְהוֹשֻׁעַ – written 216 times—first in Shemowth / Names / Exodus 17:9. The Savior’s name was written Yahowshuwa’ (יְהוֹשׁוּעַ) twice (Dabarym / Words / Deuteronomy 3:21 and Shaphatym / Judges 2:7). In addition, Yashuwa’ was scribed in the revealed text on 30 occasions. And Yashuw’ah, pronounced similarly to Yahowsha’, appears another 78 times. Collectively, these 326 Scriptural witnesses to the descriptive name and title of God’s implement and mission tell us that Yahowah is the source of our Salvation.
There are many Messianic Jews, countless rabbis, and otherwise misinformed pseudo-intellectuals who choose to ignore the Scriptural pronunciation of Yahowsha’ (even though it is written 216 times in this form and twice as Yahowshuwa’) in favor of Yeshu (which was never written in the Torah, Prophets, or Psalms). The earliest undisputed extant occurrence of Yeshu is found in five brief anecdotes in the Babylonian Talmud (a collection of rabbinical discussions constituting Jewish Oral Law circa 500 CE). Yeshu is cited as the teacher of a heretic (in Chullin 2:22-24, Avodah Zarah 16-17), as a sorcerer scheduled to be stoned on the eve of Passover (in Sanhedrin 43a), as a son who burns his food in public (in Sanhedrin 103a), as an idolatrous former rabbinical student (in Sanhedrin 107b), and as the spirit of a foreigner who is an enemy of Israel (in Gittin 56b and 57a). Yeshu is also used in the Rabbinical Tannaim and Amoraim as a replacement for Manasseh’s name (he was Hezekiah’s only son, and at twelve upon assuming the throne, instituted pagan worship in direct opposition to his father) (Sanhedrin 103s and Berakhot 17b). The earliest explicit explanation of the Rabbinical term “Yeshu” is found in the mediaeval Toldoth Yeshu narratives which reveal: “Yeshu was an acronym for the curse ‘yimmach shemo vezikhro,’ which means: “may his name and memory be obliterated.”
If that isn’t sufficiently sobering, if that isn’t enough to make you scream every time you read or hear “Yeshu” or its clone, “Yehshu,” then you don’t know Him very well.
Affirming God’s affinity for His name, is scribed exactly 7,000 times in the Towrah, Prophets, and Psalms. The four variations of Yahowsha’s name appear over 300 times. But that is not the end of the affirmations. There are another 260 Hebrew words, names, and titles based upon “Yah,” most all of which have been affirmed in the Dead Sea Scrolls. These were scribed in the Divine Writ no less than 3,000 times.
In opposition to these 10,000 affirmations, we have rabbis, who universally despise Yahowah, changing it to “‘adonay – my Lord.” Similarly, they have advocated replacing Yahowsha’ with “Yeshu,” irrespective of what the text actually reveals. So it seems reasonable to me to devalue their conflicting testimony in favor of Yahowah’s preference for Yah, not Ye, when addressing the Ma’aseyah.
During their Babylonian captivity in the 6th-century BCE, Yahuwdym (known as Jews today) developed a number of bad habits. As a result of being demeaned and mocked under the slang epithet “Yahoos,” they developed an aversion to all things “yah.” To minimize this irritation, Yahuwdym made it a crime to actually say Yahowah’s name. Then they went even further, and they purposefully misapplied their Sheva System, where the short e vowel was added to words comprised exclusively of consonants. And so long as the Sheva System only added this vowel to words without an Aleph, Ayin, Yowd, Hey, or Wah, that would have been fine. But they decided to assign an “e” following every occurrence of Yowd (י) irrespective of the fact that the י is a vowel and is most often followed by another vowel, usually Hey (ה), and thereby altered the existing and proper pronunciation of the most important names, titles, and words found in the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms including the spelling of God’s name. And while it sounds judgmental, this inconsistent application of their rule was done to keep people from knowing or saying: “Yah.”
While we are on this subject, it is particularly telling that the name ascribed to this artificial contrivance, Sheva, is from shav’ (שׁוא), the Hebrew word for “vanity,” in the sense of “failed and for naught.” Shav’ is “false, worthless, and lying speech which leads to emptiness and nothingness.” The fact that these deceivers labeled their revisionist system “false speech” is devastating to their credibility, and thus to the appropriateness of modern Hebrew vocalizations.
As incriminating as this all appears, with some further due diligence, it gets even worse. There was no “v” in the Ancient, Paleo, or Babylonian Hebrew language so shav’ itself is a product of linguistic manipulation. Comprised of Shin-Wah-Aleph (שׁוא), this word was originally pronounced showa’ and it meant: “to ravage, destroy, and devastate, creating a desolate, lifeless, wasteland.” Such is the result of removing Yahowah’s name from our collective consciousness and for changing not only the way it is spoken, but also the relationship between it and other words, titles and names associated with Yah.
By altering the existing and accurate Ancient Hebrew (Scriptural) pronunciation of the vowel following every Yowd (י) to “eh,” even when a Yowd is combined with Hey (ה), which is pronounced “ah,” as in hayah, and by changing the Wah (ו) from the vowel sound “o,” “oo,” or “u” to the consonant “v,” all four letters in Yahowah’s name - hwhy- יהוה were compromised. Further, while showa’ (שׁוא) and shuwa’ (שׁוּעַ) were written differently in the text, because they are transliterated similarly, by implementing the Sheva System, Yahowshuwa’ of the Torah has now been associated with “false speech” by these deceivers—the same Scriptural manipulators later known as Masoretes. They are the ones who brought us the Masoretic Text and the corruption of Yahowah and Yahowsha’. They are the ones who promoted the myth that no one knows how to pronounce the name of God. They are the ones who would have you believe that Yehshu and Yehshua are accurate representations of the Hebrew name of the person known to us as “Jesus.” Do you suppose it was all coincidence? (For Yahowsha’s vivid description of this “brood of vipers,” read Mattanyah / Yah’s Gift / Matthew 23:1-33.)
These things known, the second most misleading myth has been lampooned. The human manifestation of Yahowah, the corporeal implement God would use to do the work required to save us, is Yahowsha’, or Yahowshuwa’, depending upon which pronunciation you prefer. This name, as a synthesis of Yahowah and yasha’, the Hebrew word for “salvation,” affirms that: “Yahowah is our Savior.”
In Hebrew, the first three letters of Yahowsha’s name mirror those found in Yahowah: . So by way of review, the Yowd was represented by way of an arm and hand . It symbolized the power and authority to do whatever work was required.
The second letter in Yahowsha’, like Yahowah, is Hey, which was drawn in the form of a person reaching up and pointing to the heavens . It conveyed the importance of observing what God had revealed, of taking note of His greatness, and of reaching up to Him for assistance.
The third letter is a Wah, which in its pictographic form depicted a tent peg . They were used to secure a shelter and to enlarge it. It spoke of adding to and increasing something.
In Ancient and Paleo Hebrew, a Shin was drawn to represent teeth, or f, making it symbolic of language and nourishment, even the word.
Ayin is the final letter in Yahowsha’s name. This character looked like an eye and was used to convey the ideas of sight, observation, and knowledge . Even today, ayn is the Hebrew word for “eye, sight, perspective, and understanding.”
Bringing these images from Hebrew’s past together, we discover that Yahowsha’s name, and [fwhy reveals that He is the power and the authority of Yahowah to do whatever work is required to assist those who look to Him, who observe His Word, and who reach up to Him for help. Those who accept and understand this perspective will be added to His family. They will be sheltered and become secure.
When it comes to affirming God’s preference for names, there is only one unimpeachable source: the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms. And so while we will scrutinize the following discussion from the book aptly named Yahowsha’, fully amplified and in its entirety in the Towrah section, there is considerable merit to previewing the following excerpt of that message here as well.
“And it came to be (hayah), after (‘ahar) the physical death (mawet) of Moseh (Moseh), Yahowah’s () servant and coworker (‘ebed), Yahowah () spoke (‘amar) as God to (‘el) Yahowsha’ ( or [fwhy – Yahowsha’: a compound of Yahowah and yasha’, saves), son of (ben) Nuwn – the eternally existing (Nuwn), who had rendered assistance to (sarat) Moseh for the purpose of saying (la ‘amar), ‘Moseh, My servant and associate (‘ebed) has died (muwth), and so now, at this time (wa ‘atah) stand upright (quwm) and pass over (‘abar) this (zeth) Yarden (Yarden), you (‘atah) and the entire (kol) family (‘am) into God’s (‘el) realm (‘erets) which as a result of the relationship (‘asher) I am (‘anky) giving (natan) to them (la), to (la) the Children (beny) of Yisra’el – those who strive to live with God (Yisra’el).’ (Yahowsha’ 1:1-2)
‘In the manner (ka) which relationally (‘asher) I existed with (hayah ‘eth) Moseh, I will be with you (hayah ‘eth). I will not fail you, nor withdraw from you (lo’ rapah), and I will not abandon you or neglect you (lo’ ‘azab).’ (1:5)
‘Exclusively (raq) prevail by being strengthened, growing strong, firm and courageous (chazaq), and (wa) be very (me’od) alert, bold, brave, and secure (‘amats), by means of (la) being observant (shamar) for the purpose of (la) acting upon, actively engaging, doing, celebrating, and profiting (‘asah) consistent with and according to (ka) the Towrah Teaching and Instruction (ha Towrah) which, as a result of the relationship (‘asher), Moseh (Moseh), My servant and associate (‘ebed), guided and directed you (sawah), not turning aside from it, not changing your direction away from it, not being pulled or departing from it, not leaving it or being removed from it, not abolishing or rejecting any part of it (lo’ suwr min) moving away from what is right (yamym) or to the left, dressing or covering it up (shamow’el), so that (ma’an) you gain understanding as a result of the teaching and succeed, you gain insight and perspective, you become wise, circumspect, and think properly, and you prosper (shakal) in everything (ba kol), wherever (‘asher) you walk (halak).’ (1:7)
‘Do not depart, moving away from, do not lose sight of, fail to follow, or change (lo’ muws) the written scroll (seper) of the Towrah Teaching and Instruction (ha Towrah). This then (zeth), you should meditate upon, considering all of the implications (hagah), and (wa) it should flow out of your mouth (min peh) in (ba) the light of day (yomam) and the darkness of night (wa laylah), so that (ma’an) you closely examine and carefully consider, consistently being observant (shamar) for the purpose of (la) acting upon, engaging in, endeavoring to work with, doing, celebrating, and profiting from (‘asah) accordingly (ka) everything (kol) that is written (katab) in it (ba). For then, indeed, at that point and time (ky ‘az) you will be prepared to succeed, be useful, and accomplish the goal, you will be empowered, become capable, be successful, prosper, and thrive (salah) in association with (‘eth) the Way (derek). And also (wa) at that point and time (‘az) you will gain understanding as a result of the teaching and succeed, you will gain insight and perspective, you will become wise, circumspect, and think properly, and you will prosper (shakal).’ (1:8)
“Later (‘achar) therefore (ken), he [Yahowsha’] recited and proclaimed (qara’) all of (kol) the words (dabar) of the Towrah Guidance and Direction (ha Towrah), the blessings of peace and prosperity, the enriching gifts and loving benefits (ha barakah), and also (wa) the slights, the denunciations, vilifications, and abominations (ha qalalah), just as (ka) all of these things (kol) were written (katab) in (ba) the permanently engraved scroll (seper) of the Towrah (ha Towrah). (Yahowsha’ 8:34)
There did not exist (lo’ hayah) a Word (dabar) from (min) all (kol) that which (‘asher) Moseh (Moseh) had instructed and taught (sawah) which (‘asher) Yahowsha’ ( or [fwhy – Yahowsha’: a compound of Yahowah and yasha’ – saves = Yahowah Providing Salvation) did not (lo’) read, recite, call out, and proclaim (qara’) in a straightforward manner in the presence of (neged) the entire (kol) assembled community (qahal) of Yisra’el (Yisra’el – those ‘ysh – individuals, who sarah – strive, contend, and endure with, engage, persist, and persevere with, are set free and are empowered by ‘el – God), including (wa) the women (ha ‘isah) and the little children (tap), as well as (wa) the foreigners (ger) who were walking (halak) among them (ba qereb).” (8:35)
“Exclusively and invariably rely (raq), and to the greatest extent possible (ma’od), be observant (shamar), with the goal of (la) engaging in and acting upon, respecting, celebrating, and profiting from (‘asah) the terms and conditions (mitswah) associated with (‘eth) the Towrah Teaching and Instructions (ha Towrah), which as a result of the relationship (‘asher), Moseh (Moseh), the servant and associate of (‘ebed) Yahowah ( - hwhy), guided and directed (sawah) you all with (‘eth), for the express purpose of (la) choosing to actually love (‘ahab) Yahowah ( - hwhy), your God (‘elohym), and (wa) to (la) choose to genuinely walk (halak) in (ba) all (kol) His ways (derek), and (wa) to (la) accurately observe, closely scrutinize, carefully examine, diligently explore, and thoughtfully consider (shamar) His terms and conditions (mitswah), so that (wa la) you actually want to pursue Him, and cling to Him, choosing to stay very close to Him by following Him (dabaq ba), and so that (wa la) you actually serve with Him (‘abad ba) with all (kol) your heart (leb) and with all (wa ba kol) your soul (nepesh). (Yahowsha’ 22:5)
And (wa) Yahowsha’ ( or [fwhy) diminished and extended himself to serve and bless them (barak), and he sent them walking (salah halak) to God’s (‘el) and their homes (wa ‘ohel). (Yahowsha’ 23:6)
Do not (bilty) move purposefully toward or deliberately associate with (la bow’ ba) the things of (ha ‘eleh) those Gentiles from foreign cultures and nations (ha ‘eleh gowym) who remain (sa’ar) among you (‘eth). And with regard to (wa ba) the names (shem) of their gods (‘elohym), you must not be compelled to memorialize, mention, recall, nor proclaim them (lo’ zakar). And you should not be prompted to swear an oath or make promises by way of them (wa lo’ shaba’), nor should you serve them (lo’ ‘abad), and you should not bow down to them, prostrating yourselves (wa lo’ hawah) to them (la).” (23:7)
“Rather instead (‘im ky), with (ba) Yahowah ( - hwhy), your God (‘elohym), you should actually cling, staying really close (dabaq), just as (ka) that which relationally (‘asher) you have been doing (‘asah) up to now on (‘ad) this day (ha yowm). (23:8)
“And so now (wa ‘atah), respect and revere (yare’) Yahowah ( - hwhy), serving and working with Him (‘abad ‘eth) with integrity, being completely upright, in an association which is entirely true, perfect, and right, innocent, morally sound, and sincere (ba tamym), while being truthful, reliable, and trustworthy (wa ba ‘ameth). And (wa) reject and remove (suwr) accordingly (‘eth), the gods (‘elohym) which (‘asher) they, your ancestors, served (‘abad) in (ba) the eastern Euphrates (‘eber – speaking of Assyria and Babylon along the) River (nahar) and also in (wa ba) the Crucible of Egypt (Mitsraym). And (wa) serve as a coworker with (‘abad ‘eth) Yahowah ( - hwhy- יהוה – Yahowah).” (Yahowsha’ 24:14)
“Indeed (ky), Yahowah (), our God (‘elohym), He (huw’) lifted us and our fathers up and took us away from (‘alah ‘eth wa ‘ab min) the land (‘erets) of the Crucible of Egypt (Mitsraym – serving as a literal place and as a metaphor for human oppression and divine judgment), from (min) the house (beyth) of slavery (‘ebed), and He as a result of the relationship (wa ‘asher) engaged and performed (‘asah) before our eyes (la ‘ayn) the signs (ha ‘owth) and the great and powerful things (ha gadowl ‘eleh). And (wa) He closely watched over us and kept us secure (shamar) all along (ba kol) the Way (ha derek) which (‘asher) we walked (halak), and among all of (wa ba kol) the people (‘am) whose (‘asher) midst (qereb) we passed through (‘abar).” (24:17)
“And Yahowsha’ ( or [fwhy – Yahowsha’: a compound of Yahowah and yasha’ – saves = Yahowah Providing Salvation) said (‘amar) to (la) the family (‘am), ‘You, yourselves, are witnesses (‘atem ba ‘ed), indeed (ky), you, yourselves, have chosen (‘atem bahar) for yourselves (la) Yahowah () with whom to actively engage (la ‘abad ‘eth).’ And they said (wa ‘amar), ‘We are witnesses (‘ed).’ (24:22)
And so now then (wa ‘atah) leave, reject, and remove, walk away from, get rid of, and abolish (suwr) these foreign gods (‘eth nekar ‘elohym) which (‘asher) are in your midst (ba qereb), and (wa) stretch out (natah) your hearts (leb) to God (‘el), Yahowah (), the God (‘elohym) of Yisra’el – of those who strive, contend, and endure with, who engage, persist, and persevere with, who are set free and are empowered by God (Yisra’el). (24:23)
And the family of related people (‘am) said (‘amar) to (‘el) Yahowsha’ (), ‘With (‘eth) Yahowah (), our God (‘elohym), we will engage and serve (‘abad). And (wa) concerning (ba) His voice (qowl), we will listen (shama’).’ (24:24)
And so (wa) Yahowsha’ () established by cutting (karat) the Family-Oriented Covenant Relationship (beryth) on behalf of (la) the family (‘am) on this day (ba ha huw’ yowm). And he appointed it (sym) as a clearly communicated prescription and inscribed decree (choq), and (wa) as the means used to achieve justice and resolve disputes (mishpat) in Shakem – where burdens are shouldered (Shakem). (24:25)
And then (wa) Yahowsha’ ( - [fwhy) wrote (katab) these (‘eleh) words (dabar) in (ba) God’s (‘elohym) Towrah (ha Towrah). And (wa) He grasped hold of (laqah) a great (gadowl) stone (‘eben) and He stood it upright (quwm) there (sam) under (tahat) a large tree (‘alah) which represented (‘asher) a set-apart place unto (miqdash) Yahowah ( - hwhy).” (Yahowsha’ / Yah Saves / Joshua 24:26)
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Moving on to the next religious deception, if “Christ” was Yahowsha’s title, and it’s not, there would still be no justification for writing or saying “Jesus Christ,” as if “Christ” was His last name. Moreover, without the definite article, “Christ Jesus” is also wrong. Should “Christ” be valid, and again it is not, the only appropriate use of the title would be as “the Christ.”
As we dig deeper, what we discover is that Classical Greek authors used chrio, the basis of “Christos – Christ” to describe the “application of drugs.” A legacy of this reality is the international symbol for medicines and the stores in which they are sold—Rx—from the Greek Rho Chi, the first two letters in chrio. So those who advocate “Christ,” and its derivative, “Christian,” are unwittingly suggesting that Yahowsha’, and those who follow Him, are “drugged.”
Christians who protest that “Christ” is simply a transliteration of Christos, Christou, Christo, and Christon, either are not aware, or don’t want you to know, that you will find only one place in the whole of the Greek text prior to the mid 4th-century where any variation of chrio was actually written—and it does not apply to Yahowsha’. All references to the Ma’aseyah’s title were presented using the Divine Placeholders ΧΣ, ΧΥ, ΧΩ, and ΧΝ.
The only time we find a derivative of chrio in God’s voice is when the Ma’aseyah Yahowsha’ toys with the Laodicean Assembly (representing Protestant Christians living in today’s Western Democracies) in His seventh prophetic letter. To appreciate His sense of humor, and to fully understand the point He was making, it is important to note that the Laodiceans were wealthy and self-reliant. They made a fortune promoting their own brand of ointment for the ears and eyes known as “Phrygian powder” under the symbol “Rx.” So referencing their healthcare system, Yahowsha’ admonished: “I advise that you…rub (egchrio – smear) your eyes with medicinal cake (kollourion – a drug preparation for ailing eyes) in order that you might see.” (Revelation 3:18) Therefore, in the singular reference to chrio, the root of christo, in the totality of the pre-Constantine Greek manuscripts, Yahowsha’ used it to describe the application of drugs.
To further indict “Christ” and “Christian,” even if the tertiary definition of chriso, “anointed,” were intended, that connotation still depicts the “application of a medicinal ointment or drug.” And should we ignorantly and inadvisably jettison this pharmaceutical baggage, we’d still be left with other insurmountable problems.
First, the Scriptural evidence strongly suggests that Yahowsha’s title was not “ha Mashiach,” which means “the Anointed,” but instead “ha Ma’aseyah,” which translates to “the Implement Doing the Work of Yahowah.” (More on this in a moment.)
Second, “ha Ma’aseyah,” as a Hebrew title, like the name Yahowsha’, should have been transliterated (presented phonetically) in Greek and also English, not translated. For example, the titles Rabbi, Imam, Pharaoh, Czar, Sheik, and Pope were all transliterated, not translated.
Yahowsha’ was not Greek, did not speak Greek, and did not have a Greek name or a Greek title, so to infer that He did by crudely transliterating Ieosus Christos “Jesus Christ” is grossly misleading and completely deceptive.
Third, there is no justification for using Hellenized nomenclature when addressing a Hebrew concept. And since Yahowsha’ did not communicate in Greek, that language is nothing more than a translation of what He actually conveyed. This would be like transliterating Genghis’ “Khan” title, which means “ruler” in Mongolian, “Jinjeus Malak,” because we like the letter J, the “eus” ending derived from Greek grammar, and malak has the same meaning in Hebrew. Worse, how about rendering Caesar Augustus, “Hairy August,” as that is what caesar means in English. It’s idiotic.
And fourth, the textual evidence suggests that the Divine Placeholders ΧΣ, ΧΥ, ΧΩ, and ΧΝ were not based upon Christos, Christou, Christo, or Christon, as those who have an aversion to all things Hebrew would have you believe. Consider this: writing about the great fire which swept through Rome in 64 CE, the Roman historian Tacitus (the classical world’s most authoritative voice) in Annals XV.44.2-8, revealed: “All human efforts…and propitiations of the gods, did not banish the sinister belief that the fire was the result of an order [from Nero]. Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Chrestucians (Chrestuaneos) by the populous. Chrestus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilate. And a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Iudaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their center and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination when daylight had expired.”
But there is more, the Nestle-Aland 27th Edition Greek New Testament reveals that Chrestus (χρηστὸς) was scribed in 1 Peter 2:3, not Christos. Their references for this include Papyrus 72 and the Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest extant witnesses of Peter’s (actually of Shim’own Kephas’) letter.
In Shim’own’s epistle, one attested by both ancient manuscripts, the Disciple and Apostle tells us: “As a newborn child, true to our real nature (logikos – genuine, reasonable, rational, and sensible), earnestly desire and lovingly pursue (epipotheo – long for, showing great affection while yearning) the pure and unadulterated (adolos – that which is completely devoid of dishonest intent, deceit, or deception) milk in order to grow in respect to salvation, since we have experienced (geuomai – partaken and tasted, have been nourished by) Yahowah (ΚΣ – from a Divine Placeholder) as the Useful Implement and Upright Servant (Chrestus – the Upright One who is a superior, merciful, kind, and good tool).” (1 Shim’own / Peter 2:2-3) The fact that we find Chrestus written in the Codex Sinaiticus, and the placeholder ΧΡΣ written in P72 in the same place in this passage, we have an early affirmation that the Divine Placeholder representing the title “Ma’aseyah” was based upon the Greek Chrestus, not Christos.
And while Chrestus isn’t Yahowsha’s title, it is at least an apt translation of it. Chrestus means “useful implement,” and “upright servant,” as well as “merciful one.” It was used to “depict the good and beneficial work of a moral person.” So rather than being “drugged,” a Chrestucian is a “useful implement, an upright servant, and a moral person working beneficially” with Yah. Therefore, while using Chrestus would have been an honest mistake, at least, unlike Christos, it would not have been a deliberate deception.
With a second and third myth resolved, let’s turn our attention to Yahowsha’s actual title. To begin, let’s consider the issues of consistency and relevance. Most every important name, title, and word associated with Yahowah and our yashuw’ah / salvation bears God’s signature: “Yah.” So as you think about the following examples cited from Scripture, please consider the likelihood that Yahowah’s most important title would not be included in this list. And at the same time, I would encourage you to ponder the collective message communicated by these names, while at the same time considering the consequence of their religious corruptions. (As you consider the following transliterations of these names, realize that while all of them would be more accurately pronounced by rendering the Wah as an “o” rather than a “u,” I’ve listed them as they are presented in the most popular lexicons so that you might be able to look them up and verify their meaning.)
Continued in the next article....
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Posted on Mar 07, 2012 18:27pm by admin
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