From the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun. – Numbers 13:8

Today's Scripture Reading (December 7, 2021): Numbers 13

My grandfather was one of the many people that went by his middle name. I am not sure that I ever knew why, but his name was Harold Murray Baker, and yet everyone called him Murray. The reality is that it really doesn't matter what people call you, as long as you answer to your name. I went through a period of my life when I wanted to go by my middle name, David, but the problem is that people would yell "Hey Dave," and I ignored the greeting. So I went back to Garry.  But Harold went through his life as Murray.

As is true with many people, no one knew that Murray was not my grandfather's first name. For the most part, it just didn't matter. But I remember a time when it did matter. Grandpa had sold a piece of property, and the papers were being mailed to him. At the time, Grandpa lived in a small town in a rural portion of the country, and he just had a "General Delivery" address. Grandpa would dutifully go to the post office and ask if there was any mail for "Murray Baker." And as time passed, he would pick up the mail, but the legal documents never arrived. Every time they were sent out, they were "returned to sender" with a note that there was no such person. Eventually, he figured out the problem. Because they were legal documents, the documents were being sent to Harold Baker, and grandpa was asking for the mail belonging to Murray. And no one at the post office made the connection that Harold and Murray were actually the same person.

An old riddle asks the recipient to name the only person in the Bible who does not have parents. The puzzle is not looking for a theological treatise on the lineage of Melchizedek; it is a simple riddle. The answer to the riddle is "Joshua, son of Nun (or none)." Joshua, son of Nun, would rise to be the leader of Israel, taking over for Moses when God finally took the leader of the Exodus home. But it is interesting to note that Joshua wasn't his name. His name was Hoshea. If there were legal documents sent to Joshua, they would be sent to someone named Hoshea, even though Hoshea is called Joshua through most of the Bible. And it was Moses who changed Hoshea's name.

There was a good reason for the change. Hosea means "Salvation." But Joshua, literally Ya-Hoshea, implies that "Yahweh is Salvation." It probably didn't happen, but I can see the first meeting between Moses and Hoshea in my imagination. Hoshea would walk up to the great leader of Israel, bow in respect, and say something like, "Hi, I am Salvation." In my imagination, Moses has a twinkle in his eye as he responds to this future leader. "No, none of us are Salvation. Even I am not Salvation. Your name should be Ya-Hoshea because only Yahweh is Salvation; only God can save. So, we will call you Joshua."

And when God finally came and stepped down from heaven to be born in a manger at Christmas, he was given the name Jesus or Yeshua. And it should be no surprise that Yeshua finds its roots in another name. Ya-Hoshea or Joshua; "God is Salvation."

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Numbers 14