SEEK AND YOU WILL FIND

By: Mike Greene
(as appeared in the Master Key, July-August 2009)

     Recently, while talking to a pastor, I was trying to relate the importance of the Hebrew names and he gave me a rather blasé attitude. He said (and I’ll paraphrase), “Well, god never talked to me in Hebrew.” I looked at him and said, “I agree with you, He probably hasn’t.” Let’s go to 2 Corinthians and see why “god” didn’t talk to him in Hebrew. 2 Corinthians 4:4, In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious good news of Messiah, who is the image of Yahweh, should shine unto them. Some not only choose to be blinded, they willfully accept this blindness from the adversary.

The Hebrew Language and Hebrew Names

     How long did Hebrew exist? Have you noticed people don’t have a problem with Satan’s name? His name, which is Hebrew, has been carried from the beginning of the Book to the end of the Book! People don’t have problems with Hebrew names when it talks about Satan, but they have a tendency to turn you off when you talk about the Creator (Yahweh) and His Only Begotten Son’s (Yahshua) Hebrew names.

     Genesis 11:1, And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. Verse 6-7, And Yahweh said, “Behold, the people are one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.”

     This reference is talking about the building of the tower of Babel. I read somewhere that there was one tribe that did not participate in building the tower of Babel and that was a hill tribe called Eber. Eber did not participate in the building and, thereby, his language was not changed. Now, scripturally, I cannot prove that right or wrong, but after Eber, six generations later, we have Abraham.

     Genesis 14:13, And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew... [that’s the first mention of “Hebrew” in the Bible]. So we know Hebrew was used at this time. Was Hebrew ever done away with? Genesis 39:14, That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them saying, “See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.” Skip down to verse 17, And she spake unto him according to these words saying, “The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me.” This is talking about Joseph, who was considered to be a Hebrew. Genesis 41:12, And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. Again, it’s talking about Joseph and him being a Hebrew.

     Genesis 2:4, These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Yahweh Elohim made the earth and the heavens…

     Exodus 3:18, And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, “Yahweh Elohim of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our Elohim.”

     Pharaoh was told of the Name, Yahweh, in Exodus 3. Pharaoh then asked, Who is Yahweh, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not Yahweh, neither will I let Israel go (Exodus 5:2).

     Romans 9:17 says, For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, “Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew My power in thee, and that My name might be declared throughout all the earth.”

     1 Samuel 13:3-4, And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” And all Israel heard that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

     Here we still have “Hebrews” and here it is applied to Israel also.

     I’ve heard for a long time that, in Yahshua’s time, they spoke Aramaic. Aramaic is a dialect of Hebrew, but the Bible says they spoke Hebrew in the New Testament. John 5:2, Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

     John 19:13, When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Yahshua forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. So, Hebrew was still spoken then, or at least used. Verse 17, And He bearing his stake went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha. Verses 19-20, And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the stake. And the writing was, YAHSHUA OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Yahshua was impaled was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek and Latin. I wonder which language the Jews read?

     John 20:16, Yahshua saith unto her, “Miriam.” She turned herself, and saith unto him, “Rabboni,” which is to say, Teacher. Rabboni is, of course, also a Hebrew word. Acts 21:40, And when he had given him license, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spoke unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying…

     Continuing in 22:1-2, Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense which I make now unto you. And when they heard that he spoke in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence. Paul spoke in the Hebrew tongue and they listened.

     Philippians 3:5, talking about Paul again, Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee. They are grouping quite a few titles there along with his being a Hebrew.

     How long did Hebrew last? Let’s go to the last book written. Revelation 9:11, And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. Once again, we still have Hebrew being used.

     Revelation 16:16, And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

     I think Revelation was written roughly 100 C.E. and there is still Hebrew being mentioned. It was mentioned from Genesis all the way through Revelation.

Attributes of the Great “I AM”

     Where is all this leading? It is leading us back to Hebrew names. Exodus 3:14, And Elohim said unto Moses, “I AM THAT I AM”: and he said, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, ‘I AM hath sent me unto you.’”

     Now the words in the Hebrew are: Hayah, Asher, Hayah, basically meaning “I AM.” He did not give His Name there. He is telling His attribute that He will become whatever they need Him to be; that He could supply all of their needs. He had done so and He will continue to do so.

     In verse 15, He does give us His Name, And Elohim said moreover unto Moses, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, ‘Yahweh Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is My name for ever, and this is My memorial unto all generations.’” In verse 14, the “Hayah Asher Hayah” is Hebrew #1961 in Strong’s Concordance and in verse 15, the “Yod Hey Waw Hey” is Hebrew #3068 in Strong’s Concordance. Please check for yourself in Strong’s for their meanings.

     Isaiah 52:6, Therefore My people shall know My name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am He that doth speak: behold, it is I. Psalm 34:3, O magnify Yahweh with me, and let us exalt His name together.

     We certainly need to profess the Name of Yahweh. We need to gather together and proclaim His Name and this is certainly pleasing to Him when we do so. Psalm 33:6, By the word of Yahweh were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He wants His Name known to everyone who will use His Name in a righteous manner. He doesn’t want it profaned.

     He took His Name away from the Jews. Jeremiah 44:26, Therefore hear ye the word of Yahweh, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt... Now “Egypt” is not only used in reference to the country “Mitsrayim,” but it also can refer to the other lands that aren’t worshipping Yahweh—the lands of sin. “Behold, I have sworn by My great name,” saith Yahweh, “that My name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, ‘the Sovereign Yahweh liveth.’” Now, you talk about a curse! There’s a curse right there because Joel 2:32 says, And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Yahweh shall be delivered. Here, Yahweh has taken His Name away from Judah! But, they can get it back—they can have that blessing restored if they return to Yahweh and keep His ways. They can be blessed again with the use of His Name—such a great and awesome Name!

     Micah 6:8, He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Yahweh require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy Elohim? So, even though Judah had been cursed with losing the use of His Name, all he has to do is humbly return and seek Yahweh, just like the father with the prodigal son. He’s got His arms waiting for you. And then, in verse 9, Yahweh's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see Thy Name…

      It doesn’t take too much wisdom to find Yahweh if you are looking for Him, and if you can be submissive and obey His commandments.

     We’ve pretty much covered Yahweh’s Name. Even some of the people out in the world have accepted Yahweh’s Name, but when it comes to the Son, they still stay with J-e-s-u-s, which is totally false. Some of them say Yeshua, but His Name was and is YAHshua. Yahshua is a Hebrew name. In Strong’s, it is #3091 and it means “Yah is salvation.” “Yeshua” is a Hebrew word, Strong’s #3440, and it means “salvation.” Do you see the difference? Why would anyone accept Yahweh and His Name and yet, when they talk about His Son, they want to deny the honor given to Yahshua and also deny Yahweh at the same time?

     Isaiah 7:14, Therefore Yahweh Himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Yahweh Himself is giving you the sign that this is HIS Son.

     Now, let’s look at Matthew 1:23 where we see the fulfillment of this prophecy. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted [in Hebrew, of course] is, El with us. So, when you look at those saying His name is J-e-s-u-s, that of course is absolutely false. How can you give glory to this Son being born with Yahweh’s honor, if He doesn’t have the correct Name of Yahshua?

J-e-s-u-s or Joshua?

     This is verbatim from the King James Version, Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom Yahweh drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David (Acts 7:45). Well, that wasn’t Yahshua the Messiah, it was Joshua (Yahshua), the son of Nun. Hebrews 4:8, and once again verbatim, For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. Some Bibles have a footnote that the publisher put in to let the reader know that this “Jesus” here doesn’t belong there. In actuality, it should be “Joshua, the son of Nun.”

     Now, you know these translators of the King James Bible were very scholarly men. You do not need to be a Hebrew scholar to pick out Yod Hey Waw Shin Ayin (ucwhy), which is Yahshua’s name in Hebrew. He had to have the same name as Yahshua for them to make that kind of mistake!

     John 5:43, I am come in My Father's name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. The whole world has received “J-e-s-u-s.” It’s time for the world to wake up and receive “Yahshua.”

     John 17:26 [this is Yahshua speaking], And I have declared unto them Thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them. Who would want to take that away from anybody? Having that knowledge, that blessing, that love of Yahweh—would you want to take that from anyone?

There Is Only One Name

     So, why is Yahshua’s Name so important? By acknowledging His true Name, you’re acknowledging the authority with which He was sent, and that was to bring us salvation through His shed blood.

     Matthew 10:33, But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven. Would you really want Him to deny you?

     Hosea 2:8, For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. Yahweh gave Israel all these blessings and He gives us blessings. Would you take the blessings that Yahweh gives to you and give to Baal? I don’t think so. But Israel did because they were blinded. Verse 16, And it shall be at that day,” saith Yahweh, “that thou shalt call Me Ishi [which means “my husband” also in Hebrew], and shalt call Me no more Baali [which in Hebrew means “my lord”]. He’s going to take that curse away from them.

     Read Jeremiah 23:27, which is a good epitaph for some of the preachers in the world, Which think to cause My people to forget My name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten My name for Baal. That is what preachers out there, in the secular world, are continually teaching.

     1 Kings 8:43, Solomon is saying, Hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to Thee for: that all people of the earth may know Thy name, to fear Thee, as do Thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by Thy name. And verse 60, That all the people of the earth may know that Yahweh is Elohim, and that there is none else.

     Our Heavenly Father’s Name and His Son’s Name are both in the Hebrew language. How long did the Hebrew language exist? Is it possible to pronounce their Names? I think I’ve shown that the Hebrew language was around from Genesis to Revelation to today and, yes, it is not only possible but mandatory! May Yahweh bless all those seeking truth in and through His words!

HalleluYAH!