Not the definition you would expect

Did you know that God has several different names throughout Scripture?

Each one has a specific meaning and representation of a character trait for who God truly is.  Modern translations represent the Hebrew names for God with a consistent naming rendition.  I study/teach from the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) translation; here is how God’s names are handled:

Hebrew – English
Elohim – God
YHWH (Yahweh) – Lord
Adonai – Lord
Adonai Yahweh – Lord God
Yahweh Sabaoth – Lord of Armies
El Shaddai – God Almighty

The Old Testament authors were intentional about how they approached God and how they wrote about Him.  We’ll need to keep this in mind as we begin to look at this psalm that David and Jeduthun wrote together:

Psalm 62:1-2
For the choir director: according to Jeduthun.  A psalm of David.

I am at rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from Him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I will never be shaken.

Looking through the entire psalm, we find that God is referred to as God six times, and Lord only once.

The Hebrew word for God is Elohim, which is a plural word in form, indicating majesty, but it is singular in meaning.  This name for God is typically used when the focus is on God’s great power – and it is that strength and power that David and Jeduthun are writing about.

The next thing to notice are the words they use to describe God.  Within these first two verses the descriptors of God include

our source of rest
our salvation
our rock
our stronghold

All of these descriptors sound great.  HOWEVER, we must not read our own church-age understanding of the word salvation into this text, even if at first glance it “seems to fit” because our justification-salvation is found in Jesus’ death on the cross.  Since we know that David and Jeduthun are the authors, this psalm would have been written approximately 1000 years before Christ was born.  Our reconciliation with God through Jesus’ death on the cross was not revealed at this time.  When reading passages from the Old Testament, we must be careful not to read New Testament uses of words back into the Old Testament writings.

So what do the authors mean here when they say salvation?

The term salvation in the Old Testament always refers to God’s ability to rescue – most often it refers to God rescuing the Israelite nation or an individual from their present circumstances.  When an OT individual was petitioning God for salvation, he wasn’t asking for his sins to be removed, he was asking for rescue from a dangerous or difficult circumstance by a Divine act.  It is with that understanding of salvation that the Israelites would have sung this psalm to God.

Let’s re-read the psalm – when you see God, think of His majesty and great power; and when you see salvation, imagine needing rescue from life’s circumstances:

Psalm 62:1-2
For the choir director: according to Jeduthun.  A psalm of David.

I am at rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from Him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I will never be shaken.

In these first two verses, David and Jeduthun are bursting with confidence in God.  We see how their word choices work together, vividly describing God as a place of strength and refuge in this life.

Is that how we view Him?

When life’s circumstances aren’t what we want them to be, do we have confidence in God’s ability to come through for us? 
Do we turn to Him for rest, or do we panic?
Do we recognize His strength to rescue us, or do we try to save ourselves?
Are we confident in Him, or are we shaken?

If you answered any of these in the negative (like I did), then let’s turn to Him now and recognize Him for the stronghold that He is.  If life is difficult right now, this psalm is a great reminder and perspective-shifter.  Even if life’s circumstances aren’t problematic right now, recognizing God for who He is in the good times prepares us for when the tough times come.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Celebrate good times

At 40 years of age, Moses was on the run.

He had killed a man, and Pharaoh wanted Moses dead for it.  So Moses fled hundreds of miles east to the land of Midian.  One day at a well, Moses came to the rescue of 7 shepherdesses who were being prevented from watering their flocks.  In gratitude, their father invited him to a meal.  The dinner event began the relationship between the two men, with Moses marrying and starting a family with Jethro’s oldest daughter.  During the next 40 years, Moses and his family stayed near and worked with Jethro’s family – Moses was actually shepherding Jethro’s flock when God met him in the burning bush to appoint him as the one to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt.

Now let’s hit fast forward...Moses has successfully led the nation out of slavery.  Egypt has been soundly defeated by the plagues God had sent and their military was obliterated during the Red Sea crossing.  However, before they meet God at Mt. Sinai, there is a family reunion. 

Before we read about Moses and Jethro, let’s stop and think about their relationship.  Moses arrived at Jethro’s house as a man who was hunted and looking over his shoulder.  Moses had grown up in Pharaoh’s palace, the richest of the rich in all of Egypt.  The Bible doesn’t mention the extent of his Egyptian education and training, but it’s not too much of a stretch to think that Moses was a little out of place when it came to rural life.  Over forty years’ time, Moses learned the ropes of leading and shepherding.  Little did he know, God was using his time under Jethro’s supervision to prepare him for the task at hand.

With this in mind, let’s look at their meeting.

Exodus 18:7-12
So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and then kissed him.  They asked each other how they had been and went into the tent.  Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that confronted them on the way, and how the Lord had delivered them.

Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when He rescued them from the Egyptians.  “Blessed is the Lord,” Jethro exclaimed, “who rescued you from Pharaoh and the power of the Egyptians, and snatched the people from the power of the Egyptians.  Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because He did wonders at the time the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel.”

Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in God’s presence.

This meeting was a joyous occasion.  You can see that they were excited to see one another, and they were excited about the things God had done.  It is a great moment when a mentor can truly celebrate with his protégé about the success God has had in their lives.  I’m certain that evening was full of “remember when” stories, with Moses thanking Jethro for his help all those many years ago, and with plenty of rejoicing over God’s part in all of it.

As mentors, we need to make sure we’re celebrating the successes of our protégés.  As someone being mentored, we need to make sure we’re telling our mentors about the victories God has won in our lives.  A public celebration will serve as an encouragement to both people and give God the proper recognition He deserves.

Keep Pressing,
Ken