Introduction: What’s in a name? Much especially as it gives meaning and understanding of the person or persons that the name refers to. We shall now see this in the nation or people of Israel. Ami Yisrael (My people Israel).
We are commanded by the Lord in Isaiah 40:1 “Comfort, yes comfort My people!” Says your God. (“Nachamu, Nachamu Ami.”)
Proposition: Throughout human history there have only been two groups of people that the Lord God Almighty has chosen to identify with as His very own people! These are of course the nation of Israel (which means – He who struggles with God) and the second is the Church (the ‘ecclesia’ the called-out ones).
The Church is part of the Commonwealth of Israel as Sha’ul (Paul) writes in Ephesians 2:12. ‘That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.’
The Apostle Paul goes on to reveal the mystery of the ages in that saved Jews and Gentiles are now as one, being the one new man in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). Ephesians 2:14-18. Paul then goes on to reveal the mystery in Ephesians 3:1-7.
The purpose of the mystery is then explained in Ephesians 3:8-21.
Teaching: Let us now look at just 5 names of Yisrael out of over 20 that speak about His people in one way or another..
1) Israel.
Bereshith/Genesis 32:27-28. So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob”. And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
At a place called Peniel, Jacob saw God face to face ‘Paneem El Paneem’. See Genesis 32:30. His new name Israel means ‘He who struggles with God.
This was to be the case for the nation that came through him as one of the patriarchs. Abraham (Avraham), Ya’aqov (Jacob) and Isaac (Yitzak).
The Hebrew root of Jacob’s name also has the meaning of ‘to deceive’ and that Jacob did with his father to gain the birthright and blessing. See Genesis 27:36.
Jacob’s life experience reflects ours, as we all struggled with God before we became one of his sons. Until we stop struggling, we will have many trials until we surrender all, to learn to trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus as the hymn states. Israel will one day trust and obey their Lord. Amen.
2) The Hebrews.
We’elleh Shemoth/Exodus 3:18. “Then they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt ; and you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please let us go three days journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’” (We’elleh Shemoth means – ‘Now these are the Names’).
If we go back to Exodus 3:7 we read in this verse how God refers to having seen the misery of His people in Egypt. The Lord had heard their cries as slaves and was concerned for their suffering. (We were all once slaves to sin!)
In like manner God hears our prayers, supplications and cries for help, for blessings etc. We are in a relationship with our God as were the Hebrews back in Egypt. The Lord brought the Hebrews out with a mighty hand of deliverance.
The root meaning of the word Hebrew means to ‘cross over’ which they did over sea and land to enter the Promised Land, named Yisrael. Another theory is the name Hebrew came from the name Eber which would see the Hebrews as being the descendants of Eber. Genesis 10:21.
We can note that Paul refers to himself as a Hebrew in 2 Corinthians 11:22.
“Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.”
Also, in Philippians 3:5 Paul writes – ‘circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee.’
3) Jeshurun.
Yesha’yahu/Isaiah 44:2. “Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: Fear not, O Jacob My servant; And you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.”
We are beginning to see a pattern developing within these names for Israel. All of them are symbolic of God’s love and calling towards His chosen people.
The name Jeshurun comes from a Hebrew root meaning of being upright, to be straight and also pleasing. So, as we apply the Hebrew root meaning we have the name ‘The Upright One’. But it also shows us that Israel were rebellious as the scriptures clearly attest throughout their history.
In Deuteronomy 32:15 within the Song of Moses we read in verse 15 – “But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked: You grew fat, you grew thick. You are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, and scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.”
Moshe (Moses), the great Law giver of God prophesied that Israel would in the future become unfaithful towards God after entering into the Promised Land. We must note even after wandering for 40 years due to disbelief and rebellion.
4) Zion.
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 30:17. “For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds, says the Lord. Because they called you an outcast saying: This is Zion; no one seeks her.” (Zion, one of the hills Jerusalem was built upon).
We have to marvel at God’s love and patience with His people. He is indeed a covenant keeping God. Within Jeremiah’s name we see that it literally in the Hebrew means ‘Yahweh Throws.’ It can also effectively mean Yahweh Sends, Appoints or Establishes.
What we can see clearly is that not only is God a Covenant keeping God but also a God of Restoration in five distinct ways that Jeremiah wrote of.
We have seen that the outcast has returned to the Land, it has blossomed and become fruitful in many different ways. Zion is the City of God on this earth, Jerusalem is known as the Golden City. The people of Zion and Israel are an independent country once again. Spiritual renewal has started, revival will come about for the remnant of Israel in the end times as the Lord brings repentance upon His people. Within the Millennial Reign and Rule of Yeshua as Lord, the people of Israel will be the centre, the focus of the world. Zion will prosper and have peace. Zion is a symbol of Heaven. See Revelation 14:1.
5) My People.
Hoshea/Hosea 2:1. Say to your brethren, ‘My People’ and to your sisters, ‘Mercy is shown.’ (What a wonderful word mercy is and the promise of it).
The names Yehoshua, Hoshea and Yeshua are all derived from the Hebrew root word of Hoshea which means salvation.
Yeshua is the only way of salvation for Jew and Gentile, the Scriptures record this very fact. God the Father sent His only begotten Son to be the Saviour of the World. Yeshua is Melech Yisrael, the King of Israel, He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Nothing could stop Him rising from the dead and being seen by hundreds, nothing can stop the growth of Israel and the Church. We have come full circle. We started with the fact that throughout human history God has chosen to identify Himself with two groups that would become His very own people! Throughout the Bible mercy is seen and so in Psalm 85:10 we read, ‘Mercy and Truth have met together, Righteousness and Peace have kissed.’ The Prophet Hosea was told by the Lord God to tell Israel that ‘Mercy is shown.’ Through these five names for Israel we have seen the Truth of it all.