Hi, and thank you for joining me at 144Judah! This is where I love to write about God, and cool things that I have found in many 'religious' texts. I bring all of these texts together and explore the truth as it pertains to life at the time as well as how it fits in now. So, without further ado... Today we are talking about Names.
As you gathered from several of my other blogs, names are very important. God doesn't do anything that doesn't have a special meaning.
Starting from the beginning in Genesis, we learn about Adam. His name derives from Hebrew and it refers to both men and women/ female and male. According to the Hebrew Bible, adamah means "soil" or "earth", but when used as a noun it means "man or humanity".
What is interesting about this is that it refers to both female and male, feminine and masculine, which also brings us back to the Adam and Eve story in the apocrypha. Where Adam is split in half. God makes him "fall asleep" and then when he wakes up he is there and so is Eve. She is literally half of him. Or his other half. Perhaps a soul mate? Ah... Remember when we were talking about how the word "rib" in Hebrew also means half? In all of the other translations of the text, the word for rib was translated half except for that one time. Why?
Throughout the bible, the stories and the people have a huge significance when you look at their names. For instance, when we go to Noah, whose name means rest. It didn't mean a rest from work, far from it, but it was a rest from the curse that was placed upon mankind from Eve's bout with Satan in the Garden.
Then we can look at Nimrod, whose name means "I said get down!". Which is very interesting since what he did was he hunted men for slaves and he used them to build the "Tower of Bable". He used these men to do all of his work for him and elevated himself in the process. He placed himself in a high seat and put the people under him (society).
Next is Abraham whose name means "Father to Many"... Ironically enough, he is the father to Ishamel - who had twelve princes, and to Isaac, who had Jacob, who had the twelve tribes of Israel. (from whom we all derived from.) He also had several other children after the death of his wife Sarah. Sarah, who was originally Sarai's name means princess. She was exceedingly beautiful.
Then we go to Jacob, whose name means "supplanter and deceiver". So, this is funny because if you remember the birth of the twins Esau and Jacob, Jacob was born second and his hand was on the heel of Esau. Later on in the story, we find out that Jacob tricked Esau out of his blessing and ended up with everything. He also took Esau's birthright from him for a bowl of soup while his brother was dying.
When we get to Job, we learn that his name means persecuted. This isn't too surprising as he was a just and upright man and had pleasing sight in the eye of God, however... Satan wanted him for himself, and tried to do everything he could to bring him to him.... But, God was right, and Job was good. That didn't stop him from being tormented.
Solomon means peace, which makes sense because Solomon didn't have a warring personality. He could have had anything he wanted, and did, because he asked for Wisdom. With Wisdom, we know how to earn money, to build great buildings/temples, to have everything that we want. Solomon had peace.
Daniel means God is my Judge, and it has a great meaning as Daniel was a slave and stood up for his God. He didn't want to eat the food that he was ordered to eat because it wasn't what His God wanted for him, so he stood up to the people and won. He wasn't worried about what the others did, he stood out for God. God would be the one judging him, and other peoples' opinions on the subject didn't matter. Hey, he was saved from the Lion's Den afterall. :)
Matthew means Gift of God, Thomas means twin, which is interesting because Yeshua (Jesus) renamed him as there were too many Judas' in the group. A better possibility is found in Eastern Syriac Christian tradition: Judas. The Curetonian Syriac version of John 14:22 calls him “Judas Thomas.” The apocryphal Acts of Thomas calls him “Judas who is called Thomas” and the Gnostic gospel Acts of Thomas calls him “Didymus Judas Thomas.” The latter two “gospels” may have preserved a tradition accurately. Since Judas (Yehudah) is the fourth most popular name in Israel and environs, and other apostles bore the same name, the early Christian community used his nickname “the twin” or “Thomas” to distinguish him from the others. An additional motive is to distinguish him from the traitor, Judas. What I have learned in my reading is that Thomas is the Twin brother of Jesus.
What do you think about that one?
Then there came Peter who was named by Yeshua (Jesus) and that means "Rock" whose name was Simon (he has heard). This is pretty powerful since he was one of the people that Jesus knew he could rely on. He knew that he was going to deny him 3 times, but he also knew his heart and knew what he would become later. He talks about this when he tells Peter feed his sheep.
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
Then we come to John, which means "Graced by God" In Hebrew his name is Yěhȏḥānān or Jonathan or the Aramaic form Yōḥana’ or John (cf. female name Joanna). Jonathan means “YHWH gave” or “grace.” He was probably the Beloved Disciple who was close to Jesus (John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, 21:20). If so, then he was undergoing a transformation from “thunderous” to “beloved.” John was also the only one of the 12 that wasn't martyred. He died at a ripe old age. He also was graced with God's Revelation that we are living in now.
Andrew (who was Peter's brother) means man, manly or strong.
Philip's name means "lover of horses".
Interestingly enough, Judas' name means Praise for one part, but was forever known as traitor. But when we look at where it came from in Strong's Concordance, the name Judas is derived from yad and means "to throw or stretch out the hand" and is the base root in the name Yehudah. If you were standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon for the first time you might throw your hands out and say, "Wow, will you look at that". This is the Hebraic understanding of "praise" and the name Yehudah, I feel like by this term of the hand being held out it stands for a deeper meaning like "give me my 30 pieces of silver".
Bartholemew means "Plowman".
James is the very, very anglicized version of Ya’aqov or Jacob. It comes from the biblical patriarch Jacob (Gen 25:23-26). This Hebrew word is built on the word for “heel,” meaning “he grasps the heel” or “he cheats, supplants (Gen. 25:26). James’s father was named Zebedee (a Greek version of the Hebrew for “gift”).
There are two James, one is the brother of John and the other is the son of Alphaeous.
Next we have Simon the Zealot. Simon, which we learn from above means flat nosed and he has heard. His nickname, however, comes from a broader meaning of “zealous for the law” (see Acts 21:20; 22:3, 19). He probably got the name before he was called to join the Jesus movement. Sometimes “zealots for the law” used violence against their fellow Jews for any flagrant violation of the law. Did Simon?Unknown, but in my opinion, it would be just like Jesus to call someone with a possibly violent past to be his disciple.
Then at last we have Judas (Thaddeus) Judas comes from the biblical patriarch Judah (Gen. 29:35), meaning “Praise YHWH.” Thaddaeus ultimately traces back to the Greek names Theodosius, Theodotus or Theodorus. It has been turned into the Semitic shortened version Taddai, which in another small twist becomes the Greek version Thaddaios (the –os suffix indicates nominative masculine singular, corresponding to Latin –us). At that time, Theodosius, Theodotus, or Theodorus were all popular names with Jews because built into the names is “God” (the-), which corresponds to Hebrew El or YHWH. (Names carrying God in them are called theophoric.) All three of those Greek names mean “gift of God.” However, in Hebrew or Aramaic, it can mean “beast.” The Greek name is better (!).
I wouldn't even talk about this guy, but... Even though there is power in every name, and I don't want to mention this one other than to inform you of his name meaning. Remember when I said God doesn't do anything without meaning and purpose... Yeshua revealed this to us in Luke, and it is for a time such as now. Pay attention!
In Luke 10:18, Yeshua says, "And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven."
The correct Aramaic description, And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as Barack O Bamah.
Lighting from the heights is the translation of Barack Obama.
Lighting is Baraq, O is from and Bamah is Heights.
So, what does this mean? This means that Jesus named the antichrist 2000 years ago so we would know today who it was! God is GOOD!
Other honorable mentions for fun:
All derived from the Hebrew/Gematria
Donald John Trump means: World Ruler, Graced by God
and Joseph Robinette Biden means: Alas Judgment.
We are in the time of Judgement now!
And at last, we come to the very end who has been around since the beginning.
He is the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega.
From Wikipedia:
The name Jesus is derived from the Hebrew name Yeshua, which is based on the Semitic root y-š-ʕ (Hebrew: ישע), meaning "to deliver; to rescue." Likely originating in proto-Semitic (yṯ'), it appears in several Semitic personal names outside of Hebrew, like in the Aramaic name Hadad Yith'i, meaning "Hadad is my salvation". Its oldest recorded use is in an Amorite personal name from 2048 B.C.
So, before you name your child, please think about the way that you would like your child to be. Do you want a child that is Graced by God like John, or would you want a child like Jacob who is a deceiver? My mother's name means laughter, and she has a wonderful laugh, and the sound of her laugh makes others laugh. Or maybe you'd like to name your daughter Emily, but be careful because her name means rival, meaning she will always be in competition with others. The name Paige means "young servant" -- nothing like naming your child as a slave.
THERE IS POWER IN A NAME. If it weren't so, God wouldn't have placed meaning on them, and Jesus wouldn't be renaming people after they are born in the spirit.
'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’ Isaiah 56:5
To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial,
And a name better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off. Isaiah 56:5
Isaiah 62:2
"The nations will see your righteousness, And all kings your glory; And you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will designate."
“You will leave your name for a curse to My chosen ones,
And the Lord God will slay you.
But My servants will be called by another name." Isaiah 65:15
IN GENESIS WE LOOK AT THE NAMES AND GENERATIONS BORN...
| Adam | Man (is) |
| Seth | Appointed (to) |
| Enos | Mortal |
| Kenan | Sorrow (but) |
| Mahalalel | The Blessed God |
| Jared | shall come down |
| Enoch | Teaching (that) |
| Methusaleh | His Death shall bring |
| Lamech | The Despairing |
| Noah | Comfort, Rest |
POWERFUL!!!
Revelation 3:12
"He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name."
With the new name we put on a new body. The body of Christ. Christ means "anointed".
I hope everyone has a wonderful day! Thank you so much for reading this blog, and may God bless you and yours!
