God is a God of Salvation. I want to spend another week meditating on this.
Salvation is the very essence of God’s character. Therefore, he judges us to save us, not to condemn us – John 16:8, 2 Pet 3:8-10.
Unfortunately, we all have fallen short and need salvation Rom 3:23.
Last week we saw that the word for salvation in the Hebrew language is: ????????? yshuwah. This word appears 78 times as salvation(Yeshua) in the Old Testament and is translated and equivalent to the name of Jesus in the New Testament.
Jesus’ Hebrew name is Jeshua and means salvation. It derives from the same Hebrew word as salvation. When the Angel spoke to Joseph and told him to name him Jesus, he confirmed that God provided salvation for the whole world’s sins through his son.
It is hard to comprehend how they could have missed it when the Angel announced God’s salvation in the flesh. I am sure the Angel spoke Hebrew to Joseph.
Matt. 1:21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS(Iesous in Greek but Yeshuah in Hebrew), for He will save His people from their sins.”
If we read Hebrew 1, we see that Jesus was the exact expression of God’s character.
Hebrew 1:1-3 Heb. 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
If you saw Jesus in action, you saw God’s heart for salvation and restoration. Jesus is what redemption looks like. So let’s read some verses and see what God promised.
When God delivered them out of Egypt and came to the Red Sea, God commanded them to stand still and see how he would save them. Egypt was following them with their army. They needed someone to save them. How would God do this?
Salvation(Yeshuah) will be made visible.
Ex. 14:13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation(Yeshuah) of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.
After they came through the Red Sea, they sang this song!
Ex. 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation(Yeshuah); He is my God, and I will praise Him; My Father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
Do you see how God revealed Jesus to Israel in the Old Covenant?
Is it possible that Jesus was involved with their exodus out of slavery? I know that Jesus brought us out of spiritual slavery into our promised land of eternal life. He brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Psa. 107:14 He brought them(Israel) out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their chains in pieces.
1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
The prophets spoke of the salvation(Jesus) that was to come. See what Isaiah says:
Is. 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation(Yeshuah), Who says to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
Is. 52:10 The LORD has made bare His holy arm. In the eyes of all the nations; And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation(Yeshuah) of our God.
Jesus commands us to take the good news of the Gospel to all the world – Matt 28:18-20.
Isaiah reminds us in another prophecy about how Israel failed, but God intervenes on their behalf with salvation.
Is. 59:17 For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation(Yeshuah) on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
In the New Covenant, we are commanded to put on the helmet of salvation(Yeshuah) – Eph 6:7.
We also have the mind of Christ – 1 Cor 2:16.
Throughout scripture, God makes known his plan for salvation. Jesus is God’s plan of salvation. No wonder Jesus boldly claims that He is the only way and no one can come to the Father but by Him – John 14:6.
Peter boldly proclaims that there is no salvation in any other name but the name of Jesus(Yeshuah/salvation).
Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation(Yeshuah) in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
God’s heart is for us to be saved, restored fully in body, soul, and spirit. He wants us to be blameless at His coming. God knows how to save us. He provided everything that can lead us to godliness.
2Pet. 1:3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
