From: 	 heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Sent: 	 Monday, December 1, 1997 1:08 AM
To: 	 Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup
Subject: Biblical Names and Jewish Roots
To:            heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
From:          Paul Stringer 
Subject:      Biblical Names and Jewish Roots

Dear Eddie:

>
>       Is there any books on the way the Jewish people got there names. and
>what was the basis of naming children in the old testament days. Would like
>to know. 
>

>From Eddie:
**************

        In the Western world, a name is:

1)  Just a proper noun we give to our children that we "like"
2)  It represents a "popular name" or figure at the time 
3)  It is associated with a family member or family history

        In the Middle East and in the culture of Ancient Israel, the 
naming of a child is a very significant thing. The name of a child 
represents a person's character or destiny. The names in the Bible 
usually communicate a person's character or destiny. A change of 
character or destiny is often associated with a change in name.

      Yeshua means "salvation". This is His character and destiny. He 
came to be the "savior" of the world and to  "save" His people from 
their sins. In Matthew 1:21 it is written:

"And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus 
(Yeshua/Salvation): for he shall SAVE his people from their sins"

      His name was Yeshua/Salvation BECAUSE He will SAVE ...

Abram is the Strong's Word (87) comes from the Strong's word (1) 
which means "father" and (48) which means "height, exalted". So, 
Abram means "exalted father". In Romans 4:16, Abram is called the 
"Father of us all". Abraham (85) means "Father of a multitude". 
Why did God changed his name from Abram (exalted father) to Abraham 
(father of a multitude)??  Because this was the promise that God made 
to Abraham and this was the destiny of his descendents.  In Genesis 
17:5 it is written:

"Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram (Exalted Father) but 
thy name shall be called Abraham (father of a multitude) for a father 
of many nations have I made thee"

Because God told Abram that he would be the "father of many nations", 
his name was changed to Abraham (father of a multitude). 

God promised Abraham that he would have a son based upon God's 
promise to  Abraham that he would be a father of a multitude. This son's 
name was Isaac (Yitzchak). Isaac is the Strong's word (3327) which 
comes from (6711) which is "tzachaq" which means "to laugh in 
merriment or scorn". In Genesis 17:16-17 it is written:

"And I will bless her, and give thee a son, also of her: yea, I will 
bless her, and shall shall be a mother of nations: kings of people 
shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon his face and LAUGHED ..."

In Genesis 18:9-10, 12-13 it is written:

"And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, 
Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee 
according to the time of life: and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a 
son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door which was behind him. 
Therefore, Sarah LAUGHED ... and the Lord said unto Abraham, 
Wherefore did Sarah LAUGH, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child 
which am old?"

In Genesis 21:1-3, 6 in is written:

"And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto 
Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bare Abraham a son in 
his old age, in the set time of which God had spoken to him. And 
Abraham called the name of the son that was born unto him, whom Sarah 
bare to him, Isaac ... And Sarah said, God has made me to LAUGH 
(6711) so that all that hear (SHEMA ... which is the greatest 
commandment) will LAUGH with me"

Jacob is the Strong's word (3290) which means "a heel-catcher, 
supplanter, manipulator". In Genesis 25:26 it is written:

"And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold of 
Esau's heel (6119) from (6117) and his name was called Jacob (3290) 
from (6117) ..."

So, at his birth, Jacob took hold of the heel of Esau so his name was 
called "heel-catcher, supplanter". This was the character and destiny 
of Jacob. Jacob's life was about "supplanting" and "manipulating" to 
get the blessing of Abraham and Isaac.  In doing so, Jacob was 
"wrestling" with God to get the blessing that God promised Abraham 
and Isaac. In Genesis 32:24-28 it is written:

"And Jacob was left alone: and there wrestled a man with him until 
the the breaking of the day. and when he saw that he prevailed not 
against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh: and the hollow of 
Jacob's thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said, 
Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, 
except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he 
said, Jacob. and he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob 
(3290) but Israel (3478 from 410 ("El" which is God) and 8280 
("sarah" which means "to prevail, have power as a prince") for as a 
prince has thou power (8280) with God and with men and has prevailed"

Israel was the new destiny of Jacob. Israel means "to have power as a 
prince with God". This was the "blessing" of Jacob (Genesis 32:26). 
Jacob was "blessed" by being given a new name "Israel" which spoke of 
his new character and destiny.

Judah is the Strong's Word (3063) which comes from (3034) which means 
"celebrated or praised". In Genisis 29:35 it is written:

"And she conceived again, and bare a son, and she said, Now will I 
PRAISE (3034) the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah (3063 
from 3034) ..."

Joseph is the Strong's Word (3130). It is the future of (3254) which 
means "to add".  In Genesis 30:24 it is written:

"And she called his name, Joseph (3130) and said, The Lord will ADD 
(3254) to me another son".

I could go on and on. The NAMES AND PLACES in the Bible also 
communicate this Biblical truth and Hebraic thought. By studying the 
names and places in the Bible and their Biblical meaning in Hebrew, 
God will communicate to you a spiritual characteristic and destiny 
about that name or place. 

        Perhaps our mishpachah (family) can suggest books that have 
been written about this exact subject.

>
>
>Also somthing also would like to know, "Jewish roots" why is it
>important to you and others for the back to the Jesish roots. i am asking
>for i would like to understand the important of this.
>paul 
>

        I hope by giving you an example of the importance of 
understanding the Jewish custom and culture of naming children and 
how names communicate a characteristic and destiny, you will begin to 
understand in a greater way why it is important to understand our "roots"
If you desire to understand the Bible in a greater capacity, it is important 
to understand your "roots". One of those roots is the Hebrew language. 
The English language is not structured to communicate spiritual truths 
but  Hebrew is. Hebrew is a spiritual language but English is not. The 
meaning and message behind the text is not always communicated by 
reading the text in English, however,  a greater understanding is learned 
by  researching the meaning of the text in the spiritual language given 
to us  by God --- Hebrew.

Our Savior (Yeshua/Jesus) was/is a Torah-observant Rabbi. His place 
of worship was the Synogogue. He wore a beard, a tallit and tzi-tzit.
He worshipped on the Shabbat and kept the Biblical Festivals. 
His disciples were Torah observant Jews. The Apostle Paul (Rav Shaul) 
was a Torah observant Jew. 

The Protestant Reformation was a separation (in part) from the Roman 
Catholic church. Christianity at large still clings to a Greco/Roman 
faith and practice and interpretion and understanding of the Bible. 
However, one must realize that the roots of our faith in NOT 
in Rome. The roots of our faith is in Jerusalem. The roots of our 
faith is the Shabbat. The roots of our faith is the Torah. The roots 
of our faith is the Biblical Festivals. The roots of our faith is the 
culture and heritage of Ancient Israel and the land of Israel. When 
Jesus returns and rules and reigns from Jerusalem for 1,000 years, He 
will teach the nations the TORAH (Isaiah 2:2-4). Yeshua/Jesus will be 
called Rabbi not the Pope.  The roots of our faith is not Peter but 
Abraham. 

In Isaiah 51:1-4 it is written:

"Heaken unto me, ye that follow righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: 
look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit 
whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah 
that bare you: for I called him alone and blessed him and increased 
him. For the Lord will comfort Zion ... Hearken unto me, my people 
and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a TORAH shall proceed from 
me ..."

Who is Zion that is looking unto Abraham and giving ear to the Torah 
of God?

In Isaiah 51:16 it is written:

" ... say unto Zion, thou art my people"

In Hebrews 12:22-23 it is written:

"But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living 
God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of 
angels,  to the general assembly and church of the firstborn ..."

     Biblical Zion (the people of God) are to look unto Abraham and 
give ear to the Torah of God. This is the roots of our faith. God is 
pouring out His Spirit all over the world and encouraging His people 
to examine and return to the roots of our faith. Our roots is our 
heritage. Our heritage is not only our past but it is our destiny. 
God has raised up "Hebraic Heritage Ministries" to encourage both 
Jewish and non-Jewish believer in Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah to study, 
embrace and live according to the rich heritage that the God of 
Israel gave to His people.  I pray that this ministry, the Web site, 
this newsgroup and our global network of ministries and individuals 
who are studying the Hebraic Roots of our faith will continue to 
encourage all of us to study, embrace, learn, understand and live 
according to  the roots of our faith while being led 
by the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) of God in doing so. Baruch 
HaShem!

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