The enlightenment teaching of the Essenes was known as THE WAY.  This teaching became the final interpretation of the Law and the Prophets, as revealed by Yeshua Messiah. The Way became the enlightened transitional teaching of the early church. 

Biblical names are intended to indicate what a person stood for or what they may have accomplished.  John the Baptist translates as ‘the Lord is gracious’, Mark 1.4.  John is designated as “filled with the holy spirit even from birth,” Luke 1.15, also translated as ‘great in the eyes of the Lord’, which is scripturally taken as a sign of grace relative to John (see Nazarite John).

Consecrated a Nazarite at birth, Samuel later faced encroaching challenges from the Philistines.  ‘Heard of God’ is his namesake. “…in favor both with the Lord and with men” (Sam. 2.26).

Hannah’s poetic song of joy at the birth of Samuel:

“Talk no more so very proudly;
Let no arrogance come from your mouth,                                                            

For the Lord is the God of knowledge;
and by Him, actions are weighed” (I Sm. 2.3).

Hannah’s name (Channa) means ‘favor’ or ‘grace’.

Samuel (child) with Hannah (mother)

JOSHUA/YESHUA

The most notable example of proper naming is Yeshua, which means ‘Yahweh delivers’.  Yeshua, in turn, derives from Joshua, Joshua meaning ‘Jehovah is salvation’.   Matt. 11.1-3, John the Baptist had his disciples ask if Jesus was the Anointed One, the Christ, which indicates both names of Yeshua as Deliverer and Savior, meaning to “save his people from their sins.”  We have ‘God is salvation’, or Joshua, followed by the completed act of ‘God delivers’, or Yeshua.  The naming of Yeshua is given its whole meaning with Immanuel, “God with us,” written in Matt. 1.23.  These three names, ‘God is salvation’, ‘God delivers’, and ‘God with us’, are intended to describe the fullness of Christ, the Deliverer, or Messiah (Anointed One).

In Jesus’ time, the Jews believed God would deliver them from the Romans.  Previously, it was the Greeks.  In between, Jews fought the religious civil war of Pharisees versus Sadducees.  But it seems clear Yeshua was sent to deliver the Jews from themselves, and as it turns out, this included the laws that limited and bound them.  The teachings of the Way illustrate that obedience to the law is a good thing, but of itself, the law does not set you free.  The law comes to indict and, by its nature, can never hold the key to freedom.

In contrast to the law, Jesus enlightens us into a completely new presence or standing with God, or ‘God with us’.  Thus, breaking the law equated with sin, as the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes believed, becomes removed as the final arbiter of our relationship with God.  In the teaching of the Way, grace stands above the law, and mercy shall be applied before punishment is imposed.  Forgiveness becomes paramount, as the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant points out (Mt. 18.23-27).  Conversion initiates the process, but enlightenment into the spirit of God, the renewed mind, completes the journey.

The power in the name Jesus, or Yeshua, is derived from the letter Shin (feminine) being added to Joshua.  Holy Shekinah, the root of which is Shin, or Holy Spirit, are very similar terms that represent divine presence and power, with the name Yeshua implying an embodiment of this presence and power.  Yeshua is masculine and feminine, as we observe and name those two attributes on earth.  Holy Shekinah specifically points to awakening or one who has awakened to God within or the kingdom within.  Using the name Yeshua thus conveys authority (God-being within) and power (God-being expressed) through invoking his name.

The word that Jesus speaks to the Father is ‘Abba’, which translates as Dad or ‘Daddy  Jesus relates to God so closely, tenderly, and dear that he calls him Daddy.  As Jesus prays in Gethsemane, he might as well have prayed, “Dad, what do you want me to do? I’m not sure what is to happen next, and I need guidance.”  Such a close relationship also relates to how close our Father is to us.

*

YHWH

Throughout the written work of the Hebrews, the provision is not to speak the name of God, YHWH, or else you might improperly invoke His name after vanities, or personal desires having no spiritual basis.  Instead, the biblical “Adonai” (Lord) was most frequently used.  By contrast, in the ancient world, pagans believed they could affect the gods through various sorceries (potions, Pharmacia), incantations, or by making an image of the god they appealed to.

The presumptive behavior of pagan worship was to name a god to control the god or make the god do the sorcerer’s bidding.  This approach puts the man in a god-like position.  As all of the ancient gods were open to man’s dictates through the magic arts, YHWH would not allow Himself to be put in such a class.  By pronouncing the first commandment* He separates Himself from all other gods.  In doing so, the lesson of authority within naming and the order of events (structure) becomes illustrated again.  “I am who I am” (Ex. 3.14) also places God as the first order of all events.

*Ex. 20.1-7, ” (1) I am the Lord your God.  (2) You are to have no other gods before me.”

If a man may not put another god before YHWH, then he may also not put himself before Him, nor rename YHWH into a pantheon and thus diminish Him, nor take command over Him.  By contrast, pagan people became bound up in their gods by this misdirected use of speech, chants, and incantations (see Enosh).  The Pagan gods also required sacrifice, sometimes human sacrifice.  Those religions that require human sacrifice are reduced to bloodied death cults, regardless of how they present specific religious tenets or broad-based doctrine.  The commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me,” orders the hierarchy, as Yahweh is the One True God.  Of itself, this commandment destroys all previous religions.

God Bless!