"And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS." Luke 1:31
The New Testament was written in Greek, and the name "Jesus" means the same in Greek as the Hebrew name "Joshua". Joshua means literally God is salvation. He means that to me. For me personally he has saved me from the guilt of my personal failings, from the things I yet lack in character, from despair and judgement, and from feelings of worthlessness. Writing a little bit about Him everyday has made December a refuge from outward expectations. I desire to build more trust in him and improve my commitment to him so that I am a more faithful disciple.
Merry Christmas t0 You All
Here are twenty-four names of Christ and twenty-four days until Christmas. Check back here to find the contents page of this series
"And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Issac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
Exodus 6:2-3
The two renditions of the word, Lord/LORD, have two distinct meanings. The word, Lord, is the English translation of the Hebrew, Adonay, and in the biblical context refers to a person of honor and respect. The word, LORD, is translated from the Hebrew, Yhovah, the English rendition of which is Jehovah. Jehovah is the designation of the Lord, Jesus Christ, who is actually the God of the Old Testament. The word, LORD, is used to avoid the too frequent repetition of the sacred name, Jehovah, which is used only four times in the Old Testament–in Exodus, Psalms and Isaiah. The name used in the Old Testament for God the Father is ‘elohiym, which is actually a plural form, but is used as a singular form to designate God the Father.
"In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem....And I will pour upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem , the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him...
Zechariah 12:8-10
There is much confusion in the sectarian world over the two terms–most of the Protestant Churches believing that Jehovah refers to God the Father, and that Jesus Christ first appeared on the scene at His mortal birth. However, that confusion is cleared up by two Old Testament scriptures. First, we learn in Exodus 6:2-3 that Jehovah actually represented Himself in early times as God the Father. In Zechariah 12:8-12 the LORD specifically identifies Himself with Jesus Christ, who was crucified.
I noticed that my electronic scriptures do not capitalize all the letters of LORD. Sometimes you just have to go back to the hardcopy.
Here are twenty-four names of Christ and twenty-four days until Christmas. Check back here to find the contents page of this series
"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Then say the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was I am."
John 8:56-58
Christ is the Jehovah of the Old Testament and the above scripture indicates that he remembered his covenants and promises made to The House of Israel. His mission as the Savior of the World was in every Old Testament story. Every Old Testament prophet is a type and shadow of Him. The mighty Jehovah condescended from his throne to become a little child in a humble stable.
"His eyes were as a flame; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:
I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father.
Behold your sins are forgiven you."
Doctrine and Covenants 11
How how I rejoiced when I heard
those sweet words!
Here are twenty-four names of Christ and twenty-four days until Christmas. Check back here to find the contents page of this series
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
Isaiah 7:14
From the Hebrew, Immanuel means "God with us". We know this because Matthew further explains this very fact.
“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
Matthew 1:23
I believe that feeling God with us in not a matter of him choosing whether we are worthy to have him but more our choice to become aware of his presence. Jesus comes to the most lowly of mortals. He is with the shepherds, the blind, with the individual filled with disquieting spirits, with the lame. He is with me during the MRI, looking for cancer, in the chemo infusion room and even in the radiation room when everyone else must leave, He is with me. The more I look for him, the more I sense him around me. This turning towards Him brings me more and more fully awake to how he is always with us. Sometimes I turn away because of my own unworthiness and doubt He would not come to me because of my flaws. I struggle with sin, we all struggle with being unclean and sin is "waste", as Hugh Nibley coined it. Waste because we miss out on the refining of being in His presence. The more I want God with me the better choices I make.
"Sin is waste. It is doing one thing when you should be doing another and better things for which you have the capacity."
"Awake, my soul, no longer droop in sin!
2 Nephi 4
Here are twenty-four names of Christ and twenty-four days until Christmas. Check back here to find the contents page of this series
Ponder anew, what the almighty can do. Now as we worship before him.
"He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
John 3:18
Born of Mary, a mortal mother and sired by Our Eternal Heavenly Father, he was the only one with parentage that placed within him DNA to give him supernal power to give his life freely and at the same time experience mortal life like all of us.
I can't perhaps fully grasp this divine fact but I feel the truth within me. Jesus is the Firstborn of all of Heavenly Father's children in the spirit and the only one begotten in the flesh.
This is exactly what gave him power for at-one-ment. He could be with us because he had mortal feelings and temptations, yet at the same time he could be with his Heavenly Father. He is the silken, red cord that ties us, with promise of a Heavenly existence.
Here are twenty-four names of Christ and twenty-four days until Christmas. Check back here to find the contents page of this series
"I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto you those things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." Revelations 2:16
In the Summer and late Fall I look out my window towards the east. In the early, dark, morning sky I see Venus shining brightly. It is comforting. Venus has been my morning friend for a long time. He reminds me of regularity. He reminds me that I am small but that I matter.
"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth unto a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." 2 Peter 1:19
Monday, December 21, 2020, Jupiter and Saturn will align in the night sky in an event astronomers call the "great conjunction", or Christmas Star- marking the planets closest encounter in 400 years. I will be seeking this phenomena just like the Wise Men sought out the star which was talked about in scripture. Jesus will always be there just like Venus in the east. I can use Him as a template to keep me going in the right direction, home.
Here are twenty-four names of Christ and twenty-four days until Christmas. Check back here to find the contents page of this series
In his immediate world he was a carpenter's son from Nazareth.
And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
Matthew 6:2-4
What I have learned so far in writing about the names and titles of Jesus is that he was known for good and bad and every title falls short, standing alone. He was always more than that. The shadow that is cast by a name only tells part of the story. And the story is huge, hence, the 24 names, the 50 names, maybe even a hundred. At the same time, one name has so much to tell us. That he learned his father's trade was revealing. It forecast his learning of becoming the Father's son and doing his Father's work to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man".
Here are twenty-four names of Christ and twenty-four days until Christmas. Check back here to find the contents page of this series
