NAME 09 of 16: YEHOVAH-TSABA

The post The Names of God lays the foundation for 01 through 16. Please read it first, thanks.

This name first appears in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 1, verse 3; however, it seems only fitting to speak about HIM from 1 Samuel, chapter 17. The Philistines had gathered an army and occupied a territory of Judah called Shochoh. Now the word Philistine means immigrant and described the descendants of Mizraim who had migrated from Caphtor (Crete). They had pitched their tents in a place called Ephes Dammim, which means edge of blood (v.1).

Saul and the men of Israel readied themselves to fight and pitched their tents in a place called the valley of Elah, which means oak tree. Notice the King James Version (KJV) says the Philistines were ‘IN’ the edge of blood while Israel stood ‘BY’ the oak tree valley (v.2). Was this prophetic of what was about to happen? Each army was on a mountain and the valley was between them (v.3).

The Philistines had a champion called Goliath who was from Gath. The scripture says Goliath was six cubits and a span which calculates to about 10 feet or 3 meters (v.4). He was taller than the tallest living man today, who, according to the Guinness book of world records (February 2011), is Sultan Kosen from Turkey with a height of 8 feet 3 inches (251.4 cm).

Goliath was hurling insults at the entire Israelite army (v.8-10). Everyone was standing around in fear (v.11) while Goliath paraded himself for 40 days (v.16). Now let’s skip to David. David was talking to his brothers when Goliath approached and started cursing Israel again (v.23). David told King Saul that he wanted to kill Goliath. He said he had killed a lion and a bear and compared Goliath to them. He further said that God had delivered him from the lion and the bear and by God he would slay Goliath like he did the lion and the bear (v.34-37).

Saul gave him permission and David went out against Goliath with a staff, a sling and five smooth stones from the river (v.40). When Goliath saw David he became outraged and cursed him because he was young and had come to fight him with sticks (v.41-43). Goliath told David that he was going to feed him to the flesh eating birds and beasts (v.44). David answered and said:

“…Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands.” (v.45-47)

David fearlessly ran towards the advancing Philistine army, wound up his sling, let the stone fly and hit Goliath in the center of his forehead. The stone sunk in and Goliath fell. David did not have a sword so he ran to Goliath, drew Goliath’s sword and cut off his head with it.

Photo credit: Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

The entire Philistine army began to run away because their champion had been killed (v.48-51). The Israelites chased the fleeing Philistine army to a place called Ekron, which means torn up by the roots. The Philistines were literally uprooted from Judah’s land.

The LORD of hosts is translated from the Hebrew Yĕhovah Tsaba pronounced tsä vä'. Some call the name Yehovah Saboath but I use the exact Hebrew term. TSABA literally refers to Yehovah, the leader or patron of the entire army of Heaven, actively going out to war. Notice in verse 47 David said: “…the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s…” God fights for us without conventional weapons and wins.

Yĕhovah Tsaba is our leader or patron in every battle so trust Him to fight and win for us everytime.

God Bless You!!!

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Some people want to know more about Hell, have tried to find out more, but have only received bits and pieces of vague information. Some people know enough about Hell from the Bible but need a refresher study. Some don't know anything about Hell but are curious to find out. If you are like me and don't want to rely completely on someone else's word about something, you will find that this book gives scripture in the correct context, to verify the teachings in it.

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God Bless You! God Bless You! God Bless You!

S. Morgan

IT IS OUR DUTY TO PRAY AND FAST

I woke up at about 3:30 am because of the sound of the mailman's motorcycle coming through my open window. I got up, looked through the window and saw the motorcycle's headlight flashing with each turn through the neighbourhood. I was thinking: "The Japanese are such dutiful people!"

I know that when I wake up suddenly for whatever reason its always good to pray so I decided to do just that. I grabbed my cellphone, went to facebook and made a post. It said:

"Its 3:35 am Saturday. The mailman's motorcycle woke me up. its raining. I think I will get some praying done. Will pray for all my FB fam. Hit the like button if u want special prayers."

Let me tell you that I have more than 350 friends on my personal Facebook page. I immediately got 1 like and a comment from a very good friend of mine in Florida. That was three hours ago. Its now 7:00 am and there are 17 likes and 9 comments.

As Christians it is our duty to pray for others. Prayer is such a powerful tool. In fact, prayer and fasting together accomplish great things. Look at what the scripture says:

Isaiah 58
King James Version (KJV)

6. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

7. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

8. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.

9. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

10. And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:

11. And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

I don't have to preach on this. It is so clear. Let me just share a picture I took at about 5 am and say that in the midst of clouds in your life praying for others and fasting will let your light break forth as the morning and let your health spring forth speedily.

God bless you!

(COMING SOON) FREE EBOOK: HELL IS A REAL PLACE

Hi friends,

In one week from today I will GIVE AWAY FREE copies of my EBOOK. Here is a preview of the cover:

This book is 32 pages (short) and discusses the reality of HELL. I initially wrote this as a 2-page article in my newsletter published January 2010 but expanded the article in November of 2010. There are 36 books in 3 series. This series is called "The Reality Series" and 'HELL IS A REAL PLACE' is the first book in it. 'HEAVEN IS A REAL PLACE' is the next book in the series.

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God Bless You!

S. Morgan

NAME 08 of 16: YEHAVAH-SHALOWM

The post The Names of God lays the foundation for 01 through 16. Please read it first, thanks.

The deeper I go into the study of the names of God the more I see that names are very significant. In the book of Judges, chapter 6, the children of Israel did evil in God’s sight and Yehovah delivered them into the hand of Midian (the Midianites) for 7 years (v.1). Scripture tells us that the Midianites prevailed over Israel and as a result the Israelites lived in dens and caves and strongholds in the mountains (v.2).

Midian was the son of Abraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:2-4). The name Midian (Hebrew MIDYAN) means ‘strife’ and these were his descendants. The scripture says that when the Israelites planted, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the East, came up against them and destroyed everything leaving nothing for Israel (v.3-5). As a result Israel was greatly impoverished and because of ‘strife’ they cried out to Yehovah (v.6).

The scripture says Israel cried out to God. The entire nation cried out to God (v.7). When Israel cried out to God the Lord sent an unnamed prophet to give them a message (v.9-10).

Now Gideon the son of Joash was threshing wheat by the winepress to hide it from the Midianites when an angel of Yehovah appeared unto him declaring that Yehovah was with him (v.12). Yehovah did not reveal Himself until after Gideon had made the declaration of his foreparents (v.13). The scripture says: “And the LORD looked upon him…” (v.14) and again: “And the LORD said unto him…” (v.16).

Yehovah told Gideon that He was sending him (Gideon) in his (Gideon’s) might and that he (Gideon) would save Israel from strife. Yehovah even told Gideon that He (Yehovah) would be with him for sure and that he (Gideon) would smite strife as one man. Yehovah talked to Gideon but Gideon was still in disbelief and asked for a sign that it was Yehovah himself who was talking to him (v.17).

It seems that the angel appeared to Gideon and announced Yehovah who spoke to audibly to Gideon. Gideon thought that he was going to die because he had seen an angel of God face to face (v.22). Gideon called out to YEHOVIH-ADONAY in fear (v.22) but Yehovah assured him that he would not die (v.23).

“Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” (v.24)

The Hebrew Yĕhavah Shalowm is translated as Jehovahshalom meaning Yehovah is peace but this is not all. Shalowm, pronounced shä lōm' refers to completeness in number, safety and soundness in body as well as welfare, health and prosperity. It also refers to peace with man and peace in a covenant relationship with God, as well as quiet tranquility and contentment. This was Yehovah’s reward to Israel through Gideon because of the strife (Midianites) that had afflicted them.

As I am writing this final paragraph, I am only now realizing that this message applies directly to me. This is such a comfort to know that in the midst of all the strife going on right now, my family and I have all of these things above.

Hallelujah Yĕhavah Shalowm!

NAME 07 of 16: YEHOVAH-QADASH

Yehovah told Israel to keep the Sabbaths forever because it was a sign between Him and them throughout their generations that they would know that He is Yehovah who sanctifies them. Keeping the Sabbath was a perpetual sign to Israel that Yehovah set them apart.

“Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.” Exodus 31:13 (KJV)

The Hebrew word for ‘sanctify’ is QADASH. It literally refers to consecrating, sanctifying, preparing and dedicating, hallowing or making holy and to separating or setting apart something or someone. In this instance the Israelites are urged to observe the Sabbaths because observing them was an eternal sign to them that Yehovah had separated them.

It is clear from scripture that the Sabbath is important to God and is also a reminder to the people and to their descendants that God had separated them. If it was not important to God then He would not have taken on the attribute Yehovah-Qadash. I will ask two questions below:

Question 1: Since this was a command to Israel, does observing the Jewish Sabbath apply to us as born-again believers under the new covenant? I like Matthew Henry’s commentary on Matthew 28, which I believe answers this question.

“He arose after the Jewish sabbath, and it was the passover-sabbath; all that day he lay in the grave, to signify the abolishing of the Jewish feasts and the other parts of the ceremonial law, and that his people must be dead to such observances, and take no more notice of them than he did when he lay in the grave. Christ on the sixth day finished his work; he said, It is finished; on the seventh day he rested, and then on the first day of the next week did as it were begin a new world, and enter upon new work. Let no man therefore judge us now in respect of the new moons, or of the Jewish sabbaths, which were indeed a shadow of good things to come, but the substance if of Christ. We may further observe, that the time of the saints' lying in the grave, is a sabbath to them (such as the Jewish sabbath was, which consisted chiefly in bodily rest), for there they rest from their labours (Job iii. 17); and it is owing to Christ.” Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1721)

Question 2: When should born-again believers observe a Sabbath, if at all? Again let us go to Matthew Henry’s commentary on Matthew 28.

“ He arose upon the first day of the week; on the first day of the first week God commanded the light to shine out of darkness; on this day therefore did he who was to be the Light of the world, shine out of the darkness of the grave; and the seventh-day sabbath being buried with Christ, it arose again in the first-day sabbath, called the Lord's day (Rev. i. 10), and no other day of the week is from henceforward mentioned in all the New Testament than this, and this often, as the day which Christians religiously observed in solemn assemblies, to the honour of Christ, John xx. 19, 26; Acts xx. 7; 1 Cor. xvi. 2. If the deliverance of Israel out of the land of the north superseded the remembrance of that out of Egypt (Jer. xxiii. 7, 8), much more doth our redemption by Christ eclipse the glory of God's former works. The sabbath was instituted in remembrance of the perfecting of the work of creation, Gen. ii. 1. Man by his revolt made a breach upon that perfect work, which was never perfectly repaired till Christ arose from the dead, and the heavens and the earth were again finished, and the disordered hosts of them modelled anew, and the day on which this was done was justly blessed and sanctified, and the seventh day from that. He who on that day arose from the dead, is the same by whom, and for whom, all things were at first created, and now anew created.” Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1721)

The scripture tells us that Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week. We know that the Jewish Sabbath was Saturday, the seventh day and that the first day was Sunday. This is often referred to as Resurrection Day. John calls it the Lord’s Day in Revelation 1:10.

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,”

Remember that as born-again believers we are also sanctified or set apart through Christ Jesus our Lord when He was raised from the dead.

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11

“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:10

If we are sanctified through Christ then we are set apart to Him and to the commemoration of the Lord’s Day as an example. We have scriptural examples of believers gathering on the Lord’s Day. The disciples assembled on the first day of the week two different times after Jesus had been raised:

“Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.” John 20:19, 26

Paul preached to disciples who had gathered together on the first day of the week to break bread.

“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.” Acts 20:7

There is evidence that the churches of Galatia and Corinth assembled on the first day of the week.

“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

Under the Old covenant, Yehovah-Qadash sanctified Israel and reminded them of their sanctification by their keeping of the Sabbath on Saturday. Under the New covenant Yehovah has sanctified us through Christ Jesus and we honor Christ on His Day, the first day of the week, the day he was resurrected, Sunday, by assembling together.

If Yehovah is also our Qadash, the Lord that sanctifies us, and sanctification is through Christ who rose from the dead on Sunday, then can it be said that Sunday is our Sabbath (seventh day), our day of rest, that is, our eternal sign of Christ’s resurrection and Yehovah’s sanctification?