PART TWELVE Yahweh’s Salvation
The single most influential understanding for the study of Biblical Hebrew is recognizing that all Hebrew root words are physical activities that represent a Spiritual Truth; or reality. God is Spirit, so the value of a message is the Spirit Truth that particular message conveys. ‘Adam’ tends to get hung up on the natural or physical aspect of a teaching, or parable, because ‘adam’ is a ‘living soul’. ‘Adam’ tends to focus on the letter of the Law. The ‘first’ of ‘adam’ is of the earth, and is therefore earthy; or more simply put, earth minded. But the letter of the law is death to the earth minded, and therefore kills; it is the Spirit which gives Life to the mind. [2 Cor. 3:6]
KJV 1 Cor. 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
If the value of Biblical Hebrew is in the Spirit Truth a word portrays, nowhere is this more important than in names. The names of people and places reveal volumes of Spiritual revelation, and none of these names is more revealing than that of Yashua.
KJV Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS (Yashua): for he shall save his people from their sins.
There are many definitions and descriptions that well-meaning religious ‘authorities’, throughout the past two millennia, have attributed to the name Yashua; or Jesus. Most of these name descriptions are reflective of the prevalent culture or religious authorities that dominated a particular day, or time in history. Religion can be a harsh task master. At the time of the physical birth of Yashua of Nazareth, born to the Biblical characters recognized as Mary, and her husband Joseph, the Hebrew name ‘Yashua’ was not common, but it also was not unheard of either. Names assigned to individuals are more than just identifying monikers. A specific name can be indicative of a situation, an event, or place, or even a dire need. The situation prevailing at the time of the birth of Yashua of Nazareth was one of political turmoil in Jerusalem, and the City of David was occupied and controlled by Roman political and military forces. There was no shortage of military friction, and the Jews of the region were looking for a long prophesied deliverer to overthrow the Roman occupying presence. After all, in the mind of Judaism, what value is a ‘messiah’ if he won’t defeat and evict your enemies? Into this scenario a young girl of the lineage of King David, via the lineage of the tribe of Judah, was impressed upon to name her yet unborn son ‘Yashua’; “…for he shall save his people from their sins.” [Matt. 1: 21-25]
The Hebrew word ‘yah-sha’ is the root from which we derive the name ‘Yashua’. ‘Yah-sha’ has been used to describe situations and events that have been translated into English as savior, salvation, rescue, deliver and even Joshua. The primary understanding of the word ‘yah-sha’ is that of being made safe; or being kept safe. And there are other ways this word has been used. But there is a depth and clarity to what the name ‘Yashua’ declares that has been long overlooked and ignored; at least in my opinion.
At this point I think it imperative we have an honest look at what is meant by the word ‘salvation’, for religion has brainwashed humanity into believing that ‘salvation’ is getting to go to heaven when we die, and in so doing, escape the eternal sentence of a tormenting hell. What religious hogwash that idea is. That menial concept has distorted and perverted the mind of man for eons, and has been the foundational basis for most religious organizations and religious corporations. If religion did not have a ‘destiny of eternal doom’ from which to provide an escape, their business model would have failed from the beginning. So if religion has perverted the truth about ‘adam’, and ‘adam’s’ situation, what then is a more rational understanding of salvation for ‘adam’? My definition of ‘salvation’ is as follows: “Salvation is the process of being made free from any and all obstacles and barriers that hinder me from submitting myself totally to the Holy Spirit of Truth in Love”. And in my understanding, that is the very message and ministry of Yashua to all of mankind. Yashua came to show us what it looks like for a man to completely manifest the Spirit of Truth in Love; that which he referred to as “My Father”. And the name ‘Yashua’ simply means that you see your own salvation, and the means to your own salvation, and the manifestation of your own salvation. [Philippians 2:12]
Throughout the Old Testament, the Hebrew concept of ‘salvation’, via the root word ‘yah-sha’, has been used in many different ways; from describing physical rescue from suffering and peril, to that of a personal helper, and even to spiritual elevation. ‘Yah-sha’ (Strong’s #3467) is a much used root, appearing in numerous compounds that have a variety of significant applications. According to Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament, which I personally prefer as the leading authority as a Biblical Hebrew dictionary, the concept of ‘yah-sha’ has been used to describe many different ideas of safety and deliverance. The simple definition of this three letter root word is described as this: “…To be spacious; ample; broad: figuratively to be opulent.” However, the more personal applications of this concept of ‘yah-sha’ in the scriptures rarely indicate any of the above. The most obvious understanding of the use of ‘yah-sha’ in the scriptures is that of deliverance from a restricting and limiting situation. Some of the ways this word is used can be seen as follows: to make free; to preserve; to aid or succor; deliverance; safety. These are only some of the ways ‘yah-sha’ is used, but most of these uses seem to address a personal need of relief, or rescue. This word ‘yah-sha’ is also the foundation of many names in the Old Testament. One of the most familiar of these is that of Isaiah; ‘Yesha-yahu’ (Strong’s # 3470). Religion has ascribed to the name of ‘Yesha-yahu’ (Isaiah) the following; “his salvation is Yah (YHVH); or his salvation is from Yah”. From these descriptions, or definitions, it appears that the ‘authorities’ are indicating that salvation comes from ‘Yah; or is provided by YHVH. If this assumption were accurate, the conclusion would be that all of the words and names that have a ‘yah’ compound attached would be indicative of being saved, or rescued, by association with YHVH. But this is not the case. Even Moses told the ‘Israelites’ that there would another prophet arise from among them, and Him they would be able to hear. [Deut. 18:15-19] ‘Yah’ is many times recognized as a contraction of ‘yhvh’, and appears as a contraction in many compound words and names, including the name ‘Yesha-yahu’, or Isaiah. Gesenius, however, gives a much more accurate understanding of the meaning of this word/name of ‘Yesha-yahu’; “…the salvation of Jehovah (YHVH)”.
For H.W.F. Gesenius to offer “…the salvation of Jehovah (YHVH)”, as a proper definition of the Hebrew word/name we translate as ‘Isaiah’, is astounding. But even more than that, it may have also been a confirmation of numerous prophecies. Gesenius’ definition of this name indicates the need, or the possibility, of providing salvation to/for YHVH. The implications of this are beyond what most are willing to entertain; the idea that YHVH, as a manifestation of the God of Truth in Love, needs deliverance. But before you discard this hypothesis as religious blasphemy, please consider the following: NKJ Mark 7:13 "making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do."
There are numerous prophecies from the Old Testament writings that declare that YHVH Elohim, or LORD God, would provide a prophet from among themselves that would be the deliverer, or savior, to deliver YHVH Elohim from the limitations of being in bondage in carnal and soulish ‘adam’. Some will ask, “Can God be bound”? Yashua seemed to think so when he remarked “…you make the word of God of no effect through your traditions…” The Greek word translated as ‘tradition’ (Strong’s # G3862) in this context (Mark 7:13, plus others) is also used by the Septuagint writers to translate the Old Testament. And every time I can find this word being used to translate the Old Testament, it is indicating that Israel is forced to succumb to Babylon, and all of their other ‘enemies’, both internal and external, because of their carnal traditions. The benevolent value of the Word of God is made of no effect when we put the Word in subjection to our carnal and soulish appetites; or put more bluntly, our traditions. When we subject the value of the Spirit Life of the Word to our traditions, we are submitting ourselves, and our potential, to the inferior forces of the negative spirits of this physical world. Paul seems to confirm this as well in Col. 2:8. The ultimate purpose of the Spirit Life of God in our existence is to elevate our life above the chaos and stunting limitations of this physical existence; the biology that we refer to as ‘life’. Yashua reminded us that it is the Spirit that gives Life. Our carnal and soulish traditions only produce, and reproduce, death and destruction. And the death and destruction produced by our carnality and selfishness is what the scriptures refer to as ‘babylon’.
If we are to gain or obtain salvation in our association and service to YHVH, or Yahweh, then why is it prophesied continuously that ‘another’ would come? What need do we have of ‘another deliverer’ if LORD God, or Yahweh, provided for us salvation? How can we hope to obtain and maintain salvation when the ‘sacred name’ of YHVH is derived from a root word that describes mischief, calamity and/or iniquity? How are these questions to be answered or explained without recognizing that YHVH, Yahweh or LORD God never was communicating to us what religion has told us these words represent? Religion has totally and completely misunderstood the true value of the meaning of ‘yhvh’. This word, ‘yhvh’, never was intended to represent and communicate the Holy Spirit of Truth in Love as we have been led to believe. YHVH, as a ‘sacred name’, was and still is a distraction from Truth until the reality of a personal indwelling Christ becomes revealed to us; and in us. YHVH is simply ‘adam’, the earthy ‘adam’, attempting to fulfill the demands of a religious regimen while not yet having bowed the knee and become totally submitted to the Spirit of Truth in Love. YHVH was and is a religious compromise until the first ‘adam’, an earthy and carnal experience, dies to the killing demands of religious rules and regulations, and is subsequently resurrected into Holy Spirit Life as The Last Adam. For the last Adam is also the beginnings of The Christ.
And now, if I may, I will attempt a summation of this fumbling narrative. God is Spirit, and more definitively, God is the Spirit of Truth in Love. The opening chapter of Genesis is the Spiritual parable that lays out for us an orderly procession of creation, culminating in the climax of ‘adam’, or mankind, accepting for himself the Spirit of Truth in Love as his one and only governing influence. When the first ‘adam’, the living soul of carnal appetites and vulnerabilities, unites himself to the Spirit of Truth in Love, the first of ‘adam’ dies to the manipulative and destructive influences of other spirit voices, and the Last Adam is resurrected into a quality of Spirit Life that never has an end. And of the increase of the Spirit Life of the Last Adam, there is no end. [Isaiah 9:6-7]
YHVH is, indeed, the description of ‘adam’ attempting to manifest a ‘godly’ demeanor by keeping a litany of un-keepable rules and regulations. The ‘rules’ that religious ‘adam’ embraces were never able to deliver ‘adam’ from the chaos of religion, but are rather destined to frustrate, embarrass and confound carnal ‘adam’ in his efforts to achieve a religious ‘godliness’. The only effective salvation for ‘adam’ is to acknowledge the death of religious failure, turn in humble honesty to the Spirit of Truth in Love as the only redeemer and deliverer, and be resurrected into Life in the Holy Spirit of Truth in Love. This is true Salvation, and will always bare the fruitfulness of Spirit Love.
This writing was never intended to answer all of the bogus religious negatives that religion has ascribed to God, Jesus, Satan, Hell or even heaven. Those cannot be answered by me for you. You will have to find those answers for yourself. What, then, are we to do with all of the negative consequences of failing to keep all of religion’s harsh and demanding regimen for the reward of ‘going to heaven’ when we die? Hmmmm! I cannot answer for you. But as for me, when I recognized, and then acknowledged, that God is the Holy Spirit of Truth in Love, all of the lethal demands of religion began to lose their grip on my heart and mind. This is the culmination of my Salvation. And that salvation started for me when I began to understand that Yashua truly did appear to us to deliver us from the spiritual bondage in which we are entrapped in service to YHVH. And Yashua did so by revealing to us how a man, completely and humbly submitted to the Spirit of Truth in Love, walks out his Life of Salvation for the benefit of others; and to which he says to us, “Follow me”. Amen.
Shalom and Shalom! Alan