The Names of Israel in the Holy Bible – Part 2.
Introduction: We continue to look at the major names for Israel that the Lord uses within Holy Writ. Last time we looked at 5 names, these being: –
1) Israel. 2) The Hebrews. 3) Jeshurun. 4) Zion. 5) My People.
Proposition: In our second study we shall see several more major names and then several unusual names that describe the nation under God (Elohim).
Within the following names in this series we can see how the Lord God viewed His people and also their actions by the names He used to describe them..
Teaching:
6) My Firstborn Son.
Exodus 4:22. “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, Israel is My son, My firstborn”.”
The consecration of Israel by God showed that the Lord considered all Israel as belonging to Him. That is why in the Law of Moses the Lord taught Moses,
“Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.” (Exodus 13:2). This command was to be a reminder to Israel about the cost of their redemption, they were to slay a lamb and put its blood on the doorposts and lintel of their houses
When we return to Exodus chapter 4, we can see the warning and the full penalty for not listening to and obeying what God had decreed unto Pharaoh via Moshe. “So, I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.” Pharaoh’s foolish stubbornness brought into being the judgment of God seen in (Exodus 11:4-5). Then Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the first born of the animals.”
The firstborn was a reminder of three very important truths:
7) The Children of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 14:1-2. “You are the children of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead. For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”
This status was not earned by them it was bestowed upon them by God Himself.
They were not to be associated with the pagan practices of mourning by cutting their arms or shaving their heads before idols of men and women. This made them separate unto the Lord a very special and precious possession of the Lord.
Israel’s God was to be viewed as a loving Father who had initiated the bond of spiritual love and adoption. They were a special treasure before their God.
This in type and covenant is seen to those who belong to Messiah Jesus, Jew and Gentile who are ‘born again’ and have the Holy Spirit of God in them. The Holy spirit is called ‘the spirit of adoption’ in (Romans 8:14-16). ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out Abba Father. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.’ So, Israel were called children as we are (John1:12 and 1 John 3:20) as well as being adopted in and by the Holy Spirit of God through the New Covenant. We are to be a holy people. Eph 1:4.
8) Called by the Name of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 28:9-10. “The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if your keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you.” (cf. Deuteronomy 11:25.)
God promised to establish Yisrael. This Hebrew term literally meant ‘to cause someone to stand.’ In (Exodus 6:4) this word is used in connection with the Lord’s covenant with Israel. “I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers.” In (Deuteronomy 28:9-10) it refers to Israel’s experience of the blessings connected with this covenant. God had already promised Avraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the sand on the seashore and that they would possess the gates and the cities of their enemies. (Genesis 22:15-17.)
We should note that these promises carried obligations revealed in the Law. Obedience brought blessing (Deuteronomy 28:1-14) and disobedience brought a curse (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). So, its 14 Blessings or 54 Curses, the fear of the Lord truly brings wisdom. Israel had already been warned in (Deut 9:5-6.)
9) The Congregation of Israel.
Exodus 12:19. “For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land.”
The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Matzah) has a spiritual meaning as well as a physical one. The physical one is obvious (Exodus 13:7) but it is also a reminder that they had to leave Egypt in haste. (Exodus 12:39) It is part of the Passover Meal each year for every Jewish home as a reminder of how the Lord delivered them with a mighty hand. To ‘born again’ Jewish and Gentile believers we see in the Matzah the stripes and piercings of our Lord. (Isaiah 53)
But the spiritual meaning is also a message symbolizing the need for each person to do spiritual house cleaning not just physical house cleaning in removing any leaven from their dwelling place. We are to cleanse ourselves of wrong thinking and actions. (1 Corinthians 5:6-8). Our Lord Yeshua spoke of leaven being a symbol of corruption and warned His disciples (Talmidim) to be on guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. (Matthew 16:6). Our Lord used leaven to illustrate the nature of the kingdom of God. (Luke 13:20-21).
10) The Assembly of the Lord.
Numbers 20:4-5. “Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranate, nor is there any water to drink.”
Here are the people whining and reminding Moshe of the promise of God that awaited them in the promised Land but first there had to be a time of discipline
for 40 years of wandering because they had wandered away from the Lord’s laws and commandments.
It is interesting to note that the Hebrew word used for congregation and assembly comes from the word community which in itself comes from a verb that means ‘to appoint’. It describes the congregation or assembly of Israel as those who had been called together by their God for a purpose. They were to be a united people who were appointed by the Lord God to teach and show the nations (the Goyeem) that there is but One God, the Creator and Sustainer, the Saviour and Deliverer, the Holy One who reigns in Heaven and over the Earth.
The Universe was designed by Him, the seasons follow His order, His wisdom is beyond all human thinking and knowledge. We bend the knee; we humble ourselves and stand in awe of His majesty and power ‘The Lord God Almighty’.
11) The Ransomed of the Lord.
Isaiah 51:11. “So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
The word ransom means ‘to buy back, to release’ and biblical examples of this are found in (Exodus 21:8, 28-32). This practice combined the concepts of exchange and rescue. Those redeemed were spared by the payment of a price.
Immediately we see how Israel was redeemed by the Lord as they were now in Covenant relationship with Him. (1 Chronicles 17:21 and Nehemiah 1:7-10).
12) The Children of Promise.
Romans 9:6-8. ‘But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.
Romans 10:1-3. ‘Brethren my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.’
Romans 10:12-13. ‘For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek (Gentiles), for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Joel 2:32).
Romans 11:23, 26-27. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and he will turn away ungodliness
from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” (see Isaiah 59:20-21).
These 12 names of Israel, the people of God, reflect that there are 12 tribes. But we have 22 more of the 34 names or descriptions of Israel, however, 6 of these have a negative or disciplining tone to them.
We shall look at these and several more in Part 3 of this series on the names of Israel to finish our Bible Study.