Schlagwort: Name

By Christian / Carmen Joy Imes

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In this series, we are looking at thoughts from the book Bearing God’s Name – Why Sinai still matters by Carmen Joy Imes.

In view of what we have looked at in the first 4 parts, the question arises all the more: was that the end of the covenant between God and the Israelites? But then what about the promise he had already made to Abraham that this would be a blessing for all people?

Who let you in? – Gentiles and the Mission of God

In 1 Peter 2:9-10 we find the answer, although it could easily be missed by someone who only knows the New Testament. But now that we have already dealt with this topic in the Old Testament, we can recognize what came to the minds of Jewish Christians in the first century when they heard this passage:

And now you’ve become a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people who were specially selected to announce the virtues of the One who called you out of darkness and into His wonderful light. So, although you haven’t always been a nation, you’re now a nation of God! And although you once knew no mercy, you’re the ones who are now being shown mercy!

1 Peter 2:9-10 2001 Translation

Do the words sound familiar? We have quoted them before:

Now, if you’ll listen to what I say and keep My Sacred Agreement, you’ll be a special people to Me that will be higher than all other nations! ‘And because the whole earth is Mine, you’ll become My holy nation and a Kingdom of Priests.’ ‘Now, [go] and tell this to the children of IsraEl!’

Exodus 19:5-6 2001 Translation

By naming the titles from the covenant and thus referring to Exodus 19:5, we also have a reference to Yahweh’s segullah – his personal, special property But to whom are the words in 1 Peter addressed? To the disciples of Jesus in Asia Minor, who are Gentiles! That is why we also read: „In the past you were not his people.“.

But 1 Peter goes one better: „you are a chosen race“. γένος (genos) „offspring, race, people, nation“ Where does this come from and to whom did it refer exclusively until now?

Then, all the wild beasts will give praise to Me… Even ostrich daughters and those who are chained. ‘For, into their deserts, I will bring water… Yes, rivers into [all the] dry places For My chosen people to drink. For, they are the people I purchased, And they should describe all My virtues!

Isaiah 43:20,21 2001 Translation

The reason for being chosen is still the same: to bear God’s name and thus proclaim his glory.

And there is another reference, namely to Hosea. Hosea was to name a son as follows: „And he said: Give him the name Lo-Ammi [The name Lo-Ammi means ’not my people‘], for you are not my people, and I am not one of you [It is possible that „I am not one of you“ in Hebrew is an allusion to the explanation of the name of God YHWH in Exodus 3:14 („I will be“)]!“ (Hosea 1:9 Züricher) Only later was he to change this: „And I will sow them for myself in the land, and I will have mercy on Lo-Ruchamah, and to Lo-Ammi I will say, ‚You are my people,‘ and they will say, ‚My God! (Hosea 2:25 Züricher) Peter argues: If God re-adopts his rebellious people, why shouldn’t he do the same with people from the Gentiles?

1 Peter 2:9 therefore contains a bold formulation: λαὸς εἰς περιποίησιν (laos eis peripoiēsin) „a people for his personal possessions“. Whereby the Greek λαὸς (laos) and the corresponding Hebrew ‚am were previously used in the Scriptures exclusively for Israel. But now the Gentiles also have the same commission: „If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. …However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.“ (1 Peter 4:14,16 NIV)

When Peter speaks of a „royal priesthood“ and „holy nation“, his wording corresponds exactly to the Greek translation of Exodus 19:5,6. But not so with „treasured possession“. Carmen Imes writes about this:

Peter doesn’t use the Greek word that translates the Hebrew segullah in every other passage (periousios), which would highlight the uniqueness of the treasure itself. Instead, Peter emphasizes the process of becoming Yahweh’s possession by using a slightly different phrase (eis peripoiēsin) found only in Malachi 3:17. This slight shift in phrasing opens up a profound theological possibility.

Peter’s citation of Malachi is significant because it is the only Old Testament passage where the term segullah refers to a righteous remnant, rather than the entire nation of Israel. In light of Israel’s covenant unfaithfulness, the prophet Malachi had envisioned a future day when Yahweh would select a new segullah made up only of those who fear his name. Malachi had said, “‘They will become mine,’ says Yahweh of Armies, ‘On the day when I prepare a segullah’” (3:17, author’s translation).

By quoting Malachi directly, Peter shows us that he sees this very promise as having been fulfilled in the believing community made up of both Jews and Gentiles.

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

How does Peter come to this conclusion? This is not explained further in 1 Peter. But for the apostle Peter it was clear according to the account in Acts. According to Peter’s vision in Acts 10, he should no longer call anything unclean that is no longer unclean for God. And if God has poured out his Spirit on the Gentiles, then they are part of his people. There is no longer any difference between Jews and Gentiles. The only difference that now exists is the one in Malachi 3:17,18 concerning God’s segullah: not everyone in the community automatically belongs to God’s segullah.

“On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

Malachi 3:17,18 NIV

And Peter argues accordingly at the meeting in Jerusalem according to Acts 15:

God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

Acts 15:8,9 NIV

And James agrees with him:

Simon [Peter’s Aramaic name] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.

Acts 15:14 NIV

This must have come as a surprise to his listeners: Because until now, a clear distinction had always been made between „God’s people“ and the Gentiles. Either you are part of Yahweh’s people or you are not. And James justifies this with a quote from Amos 9:12, the text in the Old Testament, which indicates that Gentiles will be included in the covenant without converting to Judaism. Carmen Imes explains this text:

The Hebrew reads, “that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations upon whom my Name will be invoked” (author’s translation). This could imply military domination. The Greek Septuagint reads, “that the remnant of humankind, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, may earnestly seek me.” Rather than military domination, the Greek translation suggests global conversion. Still, both versions refer to the Gentiles as those “over whom my Name is invoked,” which is the principal point on which James depends. In Hebrew, “Edom” and “humankind” are almost identical, as are “possess” and “seek,” which partly explains the Greek translation.

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

With what the apostles, the elders and the whole assembly in Jerusalem then decide, they do not set aside Sinai. What they abolish are the laws whose purpose was to distinguish the Israelites ethnically from the Gentiles. What this may have meant for the Gentile disciples when they heard of the decision can perhaps be better understood if we look at Carmen Ime’s formulation:

You’re invited! You can follow Jesus just as you are. We discovered that hundreds of years ago the prophets looked ahead to this day, speaking of you who bear Yahweh’s name—Gentiles who belong. Welcome to the family!

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

This is also the goal of Paul’s ministry, as he says in Romans 1:5-8, for example, by incorporating well-known formulations from the Old Testament. And Paul is not preaching a new gospel either, as we have seen in the series „The new perspective on Paul„.

Our mission

What does this mean for us today? Carmen Imes sums it up like this:

Because of the faithfulness of Jesus, we can be marked with God’s name and participate in his mission to bring blessing to all nations.

Rather than asking if we have to obey Old Testament law, we need to ask what our relationship is to Israel’s covenant.

Because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, Israel’s Messiah, we have been granted membership in the covenant. We have been incorporated into his renewed covenant community. His sacrifice ushered in a new era. That reality, paired with our changed cultural situation, means that many of the Old Testament laws no longer function for us as they did for Israel. Obeying them by the letter would not uphold the purpose for which they were given.

The need for a temple has disappeared, fulfilled in Christ, and therefore sacrifices are no longer necessary.

Laws that were designed to keep Israel separate as an ethnic group have also been set aside.

As members of his new covenant community, we have the privilege — the grace — of living as his treasured people.

Far from irrelevant or obsolete, the Old Testament story tells us who we are. It tells us whose we are. And that changes everything.

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

By Christian / Carmen Joy Imes

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In this series, we are looking at thoughts from the book Bearing God’s Name – Why Sinai still matters by Carmen Joy Imes.

In the first three parts, we talked about how the Israelites were organized by Yahweh as a people and trained to bear his name. Their task was so that through them all nations could recognize what kind of God Yahweh is. Bearing God’s name was their free choice and they said at Sinai that they would do anything. After 40 years of wandering in the desert, the next generation did the same. And again they confirm their promise when they are in the Promised Land (Joshua 8:30-35).

After that, we hardly read anything about Sinai, even though ‚remembering‘ is a key theme of biblical theology. This is surprising when you consider the significance of the events. But the focus should be on remembering the liberation, not a pilgrimage to Sinai or something like that.

Is that the end of the matter? Hardly, because now comes the time when they should bear the name of God as promised, so that all nations can see that Yahweh is above all others and how superior his rule is. Carmen Imes goes into this in the second half of her book. However, I would like to mention just a few of the many interesting points here.

Enemy #1

Some were hostile to the Hebrews: First Egypt’s Pharaoh and his arms, then some nations on the move and finally the kings in the Promised Land. But that was not their most dangerous enemy. Their most dangerous enemy is themselves. Again and again they grumble, rebel or no longer want to enter the Promised Land. Their fear of the people is so contagious that the whole nation is in a panic. What is the problem? They refuse to trust in what Yahweh has promised them.

This also explains why Yahweh reacts with mercy to similar situations before Sinai. His expectations of the people are low. After Sinai, he has not changed. But his expectations can rightly be higher. He had given them a year to learn to honor him and respect each other. But he sees little progress. The pattern is therefore always the same after Sinai: Grumbling and rebellion result in punishment, prayer brings relief.

The beginning of fulfillment – and what Yahweh sees

But finally they are in the Promised Land. The book of Joshua illustrates the fulfillment of Yahweh’s promise.

Then all the peoples on earth will see that the name of Yahweh is invoked over you, and they will fear you.

Deuteronomy 28:10 Carmen Imes

However, it is already apparent here that although they have entered the Promised Land, they are not fulfilling their task of bearing the name of God. We read about the Canaanite woman Raab, who is full of faith, and in contrast also about the unfaithful Israelite Achan. The Gibeonites are more convinced that Yahweh will give the land to the Israelites than they are. „The next generation is off to a wobbly start.“

They quickly lose sight of the fact that Yahweh has taken them from the nations to belong to him. They would rather be like everyone else. In 1 Samuel we learn that even the priests, whose job it is precisely to uphold the covenant with Yahweh, disregard their sacred duties to such an extent that Yahweh announces that this priestly line will be wiped out. Next, they want a king like the others – and they want it now, when they want it. From the book of Judges we learn that they did not fully carry out Yahweh’s commission to conquer the promised land. It follows this pattern again and again:

Well, a messenger of Yahweh had traveled from GilGal to The Place of Tears at BethEl, to address the house of IsraEl. There he told them: ‘This is what Yahweh has said: ‘I brought you out of Egypt and into the land that I promised to your ancestors, and I said that I’d never break the Agreement that I made with you. However, I told you not to make any agreements with [the people] who live in this land, and that you were not to worship their gods! ‘Rather, [I told you to] destroy their carved images and to pull down their altars! ‘However, you haven’t listened to My voice, and you’ve done [many bad] things… Therefore, just as I told you, I won’t drive them out from in front of you, so they’ll harass you, and their gods will oppress you!’ Well, after the messenger of Yahweh said all of this to the sons of IsraEl, the people started shouting and crying…

Judges 2:1-4 2001 Translation

And as soon as Joshua died, this happened:

Also, the rest of that generation was laid to rest with their ancestors. So, another generation came along that didn’t know Yahweh or of the things that He had done for IsraEl. Therefore, the sons of IsraEl started doing evil things before Yahweh, and they started serving the BaAls!

Judges 2:10,11 2001 Translation

Yahweh sent judges again and again to free them. But even that did not help in the long term:

Yet, after each Judge died, they’d just go right back to being corrupt – even worse than their ancestors – by worshiping and serving other gods… And they stubbornly refused to abandon their evil ways, which made Yahweh very angry with IsraEl. So He told them: ‘Because this nation has broken the Sacred Agreement that I made with their ancestors and refused to listen to My voice, I will no longer drive away a single man from those nations among them who were allowed to stay in the land by JoShua, son of NaWeh. ‘[I’m doing this] to see whether IsraEl will ever choose to follow and walk in My ways, as did their ancestors.’

Judges 2:19-22 2001 Translation

Did things get better in the time of the kings of Israel? There were only a few good kings. When Solomon dedicates the temple, he says in his prayer that all nations may come to know the name of Yahweh. The fact that Yahweh fills the temple with his glory shows that he stands by his covenant with Israel.

The first important prophet of the time of the kings is Elijah. Not only does he have to face the king and the worshippers of Baal, but in the end he has the impression that his service has been completely in vain. Interestingly, he runs all the way to Mount Sinai, where Yahweh assures him that this is not the case. He is not alone. There are still a few who do not practise idolatry.

In the end, it was so bad that Yahweh had to exile them from the land – as he had already warned them at Sinai.

‘Then they entered the nations where they had been sent, And there they profaned God’s Holy Name. For the nations that lived there were saying: ‘Although these people belong to Yahweh, He has driven them out of their land!’ ‘So, for the sake of [God’s] Name, Which the house of IsraEl profaned, I spared them in all the [lands] where they went.

‘I will make My Name holy again, Which is being profaned among gentiles, The Name that you profaned in their midst… Then those nations will know that I am Yahweh,’ Says Yahweh the Lord, ‘When before their eyes, I’m made holy among you.

Ezekiel 36:20,21,23 2001 Translation

That was the low point. Instead of bearing God’s name and upholding his holy name, they profaned his name everywhere. One might even wonder whether the covenant they had broken so often still existed at all. After centuries, wasn’t the situation so hopeless that there was no point in continuing? Shouldn’t he just … start again? A new covenant?

A new covenant – or the renewed covenant?

Sometimes a fresh start is the best thing. Isaiah asks for this in Isaiah 63: Back to Sinai. The prophet Jeremiah speaks about this in Jeremiah 31. If you are already thinking about the New Testament, then read Jeremiah 31:31-32 carefully:

‘Look… The days are coming,’ says Yahweh, ‘When I’ll make an arrangement with IsraEl’s house, As well as with the houses of Judah. ‘I’ll conclude a New Sacred Agreement. That’s unlike the one that I made with their fathers. In the day that I grabbed their hands to lead them from Egypt’s land. But because they didn’t keep My Sacred Agreement, I had to let them go,‘ says Yahweh.

Jeremiah 31:31-32 2001 Translation

A new covenant different from the one at Sinai? Well, the covenant partners are the same. And the reason is not that the covenant from Sinai was bad, but because they broke it. Jeremiah describes the new covenant in the next two verses:

‘So, this is My [New] Sacred Agreement, that I will conclude with IsraEl then,’ said Yahweh, I will put My Laws in their minds, And into their hearts, I will write them. Then, they’ll be My people and I’ll be their God. ‘There’s no way they’ll then teach their neighbors and brothers. That they must learn of Yahweh; For, all will know Me from the least to the great. And when it comes to their errors and sins… I will kindly forget them!’

Jeremia 31:33-34 2001 Translation

The new thing is that every Israelite will be able to internalize this covenant. The covenant from Sinai was reaffirmed several times by the Israelites. Also because a new generation had grown up. But a covenant with a people, passed down from generation to generation through lineage, has not exactly worked well. This renewed covenant is therefore aimed at individuals who have a sincere desire to bear God’s name – just as Yahweh had said.

Are we overstretching the term ’new‘ in Jeremiah 31? Well, the same prophet also uses this term in Lamentations:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

‘For the mercies of [God] never end, And His compassions will never fail. Each morning, they’re renewed, And on Him, we can always rely.

Lamentations 3:22,23 NIV and 2001 Translation

And he uses the word as a verb: „Bring us back to you, Lord, we want to return. Make our days new, as they once were.“ (Lamentations 5:21 Zurich). Similarly, Ezekiel speaks of a „new spirit“ for his people (Ezekiel 11:17-20), a „new heart“ (Ezekiel 18:31) and a „new spirit“ (Ezekiel 36:24-28).

But doesn’t Hebrews 8 just refer to Jeremiah 31 and then say:

So when he called it ‘new,’[Syr] He [automatically] made the former one, ‘old’… And whatever’s grown old and obsolete is soon destroyed.

Hebrews 8:13 2001 Translation

But let’s not let the end of the chapter stop us from looking at the context:

But the author goes on to describe what exactly will disappear: namely, the sacrificial system. Sacrifices brought forgiveness, but they could never cleanse guilty consciences because people kept sinning. The first system of sacrifice, instituted at Sinai, was only temporary. Now that Jesus has given himself once for all, the earthly temple is not necessary. Sacrifices are redundant.

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

So did this Sinai story come to an end with the appearance of Jesus Christ? What statements do we find in the New Testament and especially in the Gospels?

Just give me Jesus – The Gospel witness

In the texts from the Old Testament that we have read in this series in connection with the Sinai Covenant, we have generally read the name of God Yahweh. If we now continue with the Gospels in the New Testament, we notice an enormous difference: Yahweh no longer seems to appear – at least not in the manuscripts that have come down to us. Instead, it is always about Jesus.

But the Gospel of Matthew in particular was written in such a way that a continuity is shown here: The child Jesus is called the Christ. (Matthew 1:16), the Greek form of Messiah, the anointed one. But his name is Jesus, which has the meaning: „Yahweh saves.“ (Matthew 1:21,25). If we had heard and read the name in Hebrew or Aramaic, the language in which Matthew was possibly first written, we might already have noticed a parallel to the time of Sinai: At Sinai, Moses has a right-hand man Hoshea, whose name has the meaning, „he saves.“ (Numbers 13:8). Moses changed his name to Yeshua, which means „Yahweh saves“ (Numbers 14:6). And Jesus is nothing other than the Latin form of the Greek Iesou, which is the translation of the Hebrew Jehsua: „Yahweh saves“.

But that is by no means all. The Gospel of Matthew was structured and written so creatively that Mount Sinai and the events play a major role. Here is just a brief overview:

• The Gospel of Matthew is divided into 5 blocks, which imitate the 5 books of Moses.
• Before that, there is an introduction with the story of Jesus‘ parents‘ fleeing to … where? Egypt! It is a reverse Exodus story.
• When the situation is safe again, they return from Egypt to the Promised Land, repeating, so to speak, Israel’s exodus from Egypt and entry into the Promised Land.
• Next we read that he is baptized in the waters of the Jordan. This reminds us that the Israelites first crossed the Sea of Reeds and then the Jordan.
• Then Jesus is sent by the Spirit where? Into the desert. For how long? 40 days.
• There the Isarealites were tempted to turn away from Yahweh. And that is where Jesus is tempted. And what is Jesus quoting from? „Jesus chooses precisely those chapters of Deuteronomy where Moses is reminding the Israelites of the lessons they ought to have learned in the wilderness, lessons Jesus knows by heart.“

What lesson does Jesus teach through his answers to the temptations? „No way to success is the right way if it violates the covenant. … The Messiah has passed the test that Israel failed.“

The Gospel of Matthew focuses on five sermons preached by Jesus. And so the first block of Jesus‘ teachings is known as the Sermon on the Mount. A mountain is the context that Matthew mentions here for a reason. And Jesus also ties in with Sinai: „Do not think that I have come to set aside the law or the ‚words of the‘ prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.“ (Matthew 5:17) Someone may think that ‚fulfill‘ means that Jesus ‚fulfilled‘ a condition, so to speak, and thus abolished the law. But when the law was given to Israel at Sinai, there was never a clause like this: Should anyone ever keep the law completely, then it is abolished, finished, obsolete. Let us remember: the point was that they, as images of God, bear his name! And for the transgression of the law there was the system of sacrifices. There is no clause that ended the covenant. Therefore, the New Geneva Translation states in the footnote: „but to give full effect.“ If anyone thought that the Sinai and the law had now come to an end, Jesus teaches them something different. On the contrary, he is very uncomfortable about the fact that the Israelites have let it slide and raises the bar to the level that Yahweh had intended with the law: „Do not think that it is enough if you have not broken the law according to the letter, because Yahweh does not want you to think and feel that way in your heart!

Is Jesus now „the prophet like Moses“ who is to come, as it says in Deuteronomy 18:15? If you consider the context of Deuteronomy 18, then you realize that Yahweh would not only send a prophet to give guidance in the face of idolatry. And that there would also be false prophets and how to recognize them. Acts 3 and 7 also apply this text accordingly. Jesus is also not just a prophet like Moses – he is greater. He is the ‚Son of Man‘, the Lord of the Sabbath, for example (Matthew 12:8)

In the transformation scene in Matthew 17, there are again many references to Mount Sinai. It happens … on a mountain. The face of Jesus shines. A cloud, glory, the voice of God. Moses and Elijah, who both saw God’s glory – at Sinai.

If you read further in the New Testament, you will be astonished to find that „reverence transferred seamlessly from Yahweh to Jesus, without explanation or apology.“

And Jesus continues things the way Yahweh started them:

But the Lord said to him:
‘Go on, because this man is the one I’ve chosen to carry [or to bear] my name before nations, kings, and the sons of IsraEl.

Acts 9:15 2001 Translation

And this was not only Paul’s task. The idea that the disciples of Jesus should ‚bear his name‘, just as the Israelites were to ‚bear the name of God‘, is found again and again in the New Testament. In James 2:7 it says: „Is it not they who blaspheme the good name proclaimed over you?“ This phrase is rather unguided in the Greek text because it mirrors the Hebrew phrase used for Yahweh’s name being proclaimed over Israel (Deuteronomy 28:10).

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By Christian / Carmen Joy Imes

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In this series, we are looking at thoughts from the book Bearing God’s Name – Why Sinai still matters by Carmen Joy Imes.

In the second part, we talked about what changed at Sinai. The Hebrews became God’s „personal property“, „his treasured possession“. However, from the cognates of the Hebrew word segullha with other languages of the time, it is clear that it was also applied to someone in a special relationship with the king. „They have a role that corresponds to their status. Their status is to be a special treasure. Their role is to be a priestly and holy community in the midst of the nations.“ (J. T. Wright, from Carmen Imes‘ book).

This is also expressed in the ’Ten Commandments‘, which are referred to as ’10 words‘ in the Torah and are instructions rather than laws in the modern sense. The first two ‚words‘ already show what the Hebrews‘ task was: 1. worship only Yahweh. 2. represent him well. Whoever gets to know the Hebrews should get to know God. In this way they would carry the name of Yahweh among the nations.

Now what?

Not everything is said with ‚the Law‘. They need further, ongoing guidance from Yahweh:

‘{Look!} I’m going to send My messenger to you in order to keep you headed in the right direction; for he will lead you into the land that I have prepared for you. Be sure to listen to him… Obey him! He won’t give in to you, because he carries My Name.

Exodus 23:20-21 2001 Translation

Is that why we repeated the law in Genesis? One reason was certainly that 40 years had passed and a different generation was living than at Sinai. But it is also interesting that the structure of Deuteronomy has some similarities with ancient treaties. For example, between the great king and the vassal kings. The agreement, the covenant, between Yahweh and the Hebrews is confirmed once again.

This is interesting because the covenant was broken by the Hebrews just after they had agreed to keep everything: Moses was not yet down from the mountain with the two tablets of stone, they violated the first commandment and made a golden calf. Moses smashing the stone tablets of the covenant was a clear sign that the covenant had been broken.

Was Yahweh now completely surprised that the Hebrews so soon stopped keeping their words?

Next, [Moses] took the scroll of the Sacred Agreement [that he wrote] and read it to the people.
And they [again] said: ‘We will do and pay attention to everything that Jehovah has said.’

Exodus 24:7 2001 Translation

Has Yahweh now carried out the punishment for breaking the covenant justly but harshly? That is what the great kings of that time did. And according to Exodus 32, he would have been prepared to do so. This is also how many imagine the ‚God of the Old Testament‘. In fact, however, we have skipped a few chapters between chapters 24 and 32 that show something else: Grace!

Grace? Between Exodus 24 and Exodus 32 there are 7 chapters that once again show Yahweh’s grace in the ‚law‘, in the covenant with the Hebrews. These contain detailed plans for the sanctuary. So God’s first response to the Hebrews‘ agreement was 7 chapters of instructions for His sanctuary, the means by which they can obtain forgiveness if they break the covenant. This is grace.

And that’s not all: Genesis 1-7 contains the instructions for priests. Tiresome to read if you’re not one. But let’s not overlook the repeated refrain: „and … shall be forgiven“.

Another side thought: Yahweh’s covenant with the Hebrews, the law, is therefore characterized by grace. A large part of the provisions revolve around how to forgive. No one is exempt. The provisions are for everyone in the people up to the high priest himself. So how could anyone think that without this they would stand righteous before Yahweh by their own works? And if the Hebrews didn’t think so, what is Paul discussing? We looked at this in the previous series „The new perspective on Paul„.

Were the Hebrews ready for the Promised Land?

Ready to roll

Moses himself was of a different opinion:

Thereafter, Moses said to Yahweh: ‘{Look!} You told me to lead these people on, but You haven’t shown me where You want me to go yet. ‘You’ve also told me that You know me better than all the rest, and that You care for me… So now, if I’ve found favor in Your eyes, show Yourself to me so I can see You. Then I’ll know that I’ve found favor in Your eyes, and I can be sure that this great nation is truly Your people.’ And [God] replied: ‘I’ll pass before you, to satisfy you.’ Then [Moses] said: ‘But if You aren’t going to [travel] with us, don’t make me go either! ‘For, how would anyone know for sure that these people and I have found favor with You, unless You go with us? [And if You should choose to go], both Your people and I’ll be glorified above all the nations of the earth.’ Well at this, the Lord told Moses: ‘I’ll do this thing that you’ve asked, because you’ve found My favor and I’ve put you above all the rest.’

Exodus 33:12-18 2001 Translation

Moses had internalized the lesson: without Yahweh they were nothing. „Everything they were was bcause of who he was. The same is true of you and me. What matters most about is is to whom we belong.“

What did the Hebrews still lack? The book of Numbers. It begins with the instruction of Jahweh to number the people. Then comes the order of the camp of Israel, etc. … Hardly anyone reads Numbers. But let’s not forget: this book was not written for us, but for them!

God’s vision takes shape concretely on the pages of Numbers. It’s practical. For people who have only known life as slaves and have had little practive at self-determination, God meets them where they are and makes their task straightforward. Follow me. Camp here. Eat this. Line up in this order.

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

The enumeration has a completely different effect. The Hebrews were simply slaves. The names of the ruling families of Egypt were remembered. But now it is quite different. It is as if Yahweh is saying to them: You no longer belong to Pharaoh. You belong to me. You are not insignificant. Your families will be remembered from now on as the beginning of a new nation.

What are they still missing? The priestly blessing of Yahweh.

The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: “ ‘ “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ’ “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

Numbers 6:22-27 NIV

In blessing by his name, he is seentially placing his name upon his people. Yahweh had already claimed them as his own at Sinai. Now he istitutes an official blessing to serve as a regular reminder. From this moment they are identified as his.

It is the clearest indication in Scripture of Yahweh actually putting his name on his people.

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

As an aside, the Hebrew word eleph, which is usually translated as ‚thousand‘, is used in the census in Genesis 4. The only difference is that there are no numbers in the Hebrew text as we know them. However, the resulting large number of Hebrews of over 2 million does not agree with archaeology, the space available on their journey or, above all, with the Bible itself. In Genesis 3:43, the total number of firstborns is given as only 22,273. This gives a ratio of 1:50 and each Israeli mother should have had an average of 100 children. The word eleph is also rendered elsewhere not as 1000 but as ‚clan‘ or military unit. A number of about 10 men per eleph is consistent with other data in Genesis and historical sources. This gives a figure of perhaps around 22,000 men, women and children.

Still an impressive amount. And more than enough for the foundation of this new nation of Yahweh. Under his leadership and with his blessing, they would continue to grow. And lest they forget all that we have discussed so far, Yahweh has a spectacular plan: every year the Israelites are to set aside a day to commemorate the last night in Egypt. This is so important to Yahweh that anyone who was unable to celebrate it should do so the following month.

By constantly remembering all the events and what Yahweh has done for them, one thing is impressed on them: they bear Yahweh’s name.

By Christian / Carmen Joy Imes

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In this series, we are looking at thoughts from the book Bearing God’s Name – Why Sinai still matters by Carmen Joy Imes.

In the first part, we saw how events at Sinai are framed in the text of the books of Moses in order to emphasize their significance. And that the Israelites first had to get to know Yahweh and build trust in him.

What is changing at Sinai

Now the Israelites have been wandering through the desert for three months until they reach Sinai. What comes next? What did they expect? Had Moses told them what Yahweh had said years before at the burning bush?

And God replied: ‘I will be with you! This [place] will serve as the sign that I’m sending you.’ sThen when you bring My people out of Egypt, you must serve God on this mountain.’

Exodus 3:12 2001 Translation

For Moses, the crucial part was: „I will stand by you“. The decisive factor was not who Moses was, but whose he was. In that situation, God therefore also revealed his name to Moses. This may not be a big deal to some, but it was back then. Most other gods were known under a pseudonym to keep people at a distance.

At Sinai, everything changes.
At Sinai, the Hebrews discover who they are and, more importantly, whose they are.

Sinai is about worship. God’s first instruction at Sinai lays the foundation, a new spiritual route. If we do not understand it, we may well misunderstand everything that follows.

Then Moses climbed the Mountain of God, and God called to him on the mountain, saying:’ You must say this to the house of Jacob and report [My words] to the children of IsraEl: ‘You’ve seen all that I’ve done to the Egyptians, and how I lifted you as on the wings of eagles and drawn you close to Me. Now, if you’ll listen to what I say and keep My Sacred Agreement, you’ll be a special people to Me that will be higher than all other nations!’ And because the whole earth is Mine, you’ll become My holy nation and a Kingdom of Priests.’’ Now, [go] and tell this to the children of IsraEl!’

Exodus 19:3-6 2001 Translation

Yahweh begins with a description of his grace! Grace in the books of Moses? Perhaps we are too fixated on the laws – and our understanding of laws today. We will come back to this again. But this is about Yahweh’s grace. He does not reproach the Hebrews for their behavior so far. He shows that it was his desire to bring them to him and not their merit. And then comes this Hebrew word: segullah (pronounced SEH-gull-ah).

To fully grasp the significance of Israel’s new status, I need to teach you my favorite Hebrew word: segullah (pronounced SEH-gull-ah). In the NIV, it’s appropriately translated as “treasured possession,” but it helps if we understand the wider use of this word. … Sehgullah appears eight times in the Old Testament.

The related ancient languages of Ugaritic and Akkadian both employ an equivalent word to refer to someone who enjoys a special status in relation to the king, a covenant partner who is especially treasured and entrusted with greater responsibility.

In the Aramaic translations of the Old Testament, the segullah is described as “beloved.”

They are to be a “kingdom of priests,” serving as his ambassadors to the nations, and a “holy nation,” set apart for God’s purposes. In my all-time favorite book, The Mission of God, Christopher J. H. Wright emphasizes that Israel was chosen in order to bless the nations. He says, “They have a role that matches their status. The status is to be a special treasured possession. The role is to be a priestly and holy community in the midst of the nations.”

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

The law of Moses was a gift for Hebrews. That shows their answer. And how Moses spoke about it or later Psalm 119. Other gods did not answer people. You never really knew what they wanted or why they seemed angry. They had to be appeased. Yahweh is very different: He even speaks directly to the Hebrews. He says clearly what he wants and what is not acceptable. The law is like a fence that protects them and helps them to live a prosperous life within it.

One more note on the word ‚law‘:

The English word “law” is both too narrow and too misleading to accurately translate the Hebrew word torah. It is better translated as “instruction.” Torah encompasses a wider scope of material than just laws. And “law” is not the best word to describe what the Torah contains.

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

The Ten Commandments – Commandments?

The Ten Commandments are in the Bible – but they are never called that! Excuse me? In fact, Exodus 34:28 speaks of 10 ‚words‘:

The Hebrew word dabar can also mean ‚matter‘ as well as ’thing‘. This is fitting, because it contains more than just commandments, as we will see in a moment.

Let’s look at the second misconception that is often encountered: How many panels were there? And how were they described? There are many images of them on the internet. I once took one from Jehovah’s Witnesses from 2020 because they always emphasize how thoroughly they ‚investigate‘ for their pictures:

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“And Moses turned and he went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the covenant document [eduth] were in his hand, tablets inscribed on both sides, inscribed on front and back” (Exodus 32:15, author’s translation).

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

We see two tablets but very few words. In Hebrew, the ’10 words‘ only consist of 171 words. But there must be a lot more on the back. Well, it’s just an illustration. More importantly, however, we also find here the idea that two tablets were necessary because the text would not have fitted on one. This is not the case. Rather, the Hebrew word eduth, which is translated here as covenant deed, has a special meaning and is found in a similar way in other languages of the ancient Near East. When it came to such documents, the tablet and an exact copy were made. If it was a treaty between two peoples, a copy of each was placed in the temple of their own god so that he could watch over its observance. In this case, however, the covenant was between Yahweh and Israel. Both tablets were therefore placed in the sanctuary.

Let’s come to the third common misunderstanding: the 10 ‚commandments‘ can be clearly divided into two groups of laws. One that concerns God and one that concerns people. However, this is not an adequate view of these instructions. Even when Israelites violated a ‚commandment‘ from the second group, they spoke of sinning against God (see 2 Samuel 12:13, Psalm 51:4)

In the covenant community, every part of life is an expression of worship and loyalty to the God who has committed himself to these people. How they treat others reveals their heart toward God.

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

Do the ’10 Commandments‘ now apply forever because they are even literally ‚carved in stone‘? Right before that, Yahweh speaks of who they are addressed to: „“I am Yahweh your God! I have freed you from the house of slavery in Egypt. You may …““ (Exodus 20:2 NT). They often use a specific ancient context and vocabulary. And they were never communicated to other nations.

The commands in this ancient context are for the Israelites alone. The torah was a gift to Israel, the people of Yahweh.

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

Therefore, it makes the most sense to read the first three sentences together as the first ‚word‘. This is shown by the chiasm used (Exodus 20:2-6, Deuteronomy 5:6-10):

The point of images is worship.
The means of worship are images.

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

This brings us to the second commandment, from which the title of Carmen Imes‘ book is derived.

Invisible tattoo: The Second Command

You must not bear (or carry) the name of Yahweh, your God, in vain, for Yahweh will not hold guiltless one who bears (or carries) his name in vain. (Exodus 20:7, author’s translation)

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

(S.49). InterVarsity Press. Kindle-Version.

Many translations render this differently because the translators and theologians thought that this would otherwise make no sense. But what does it look like if you try to let the Bible explain itself exegetically? The next context is Exodus 28: „So Aaron shall have the names of the sons of Israel on his breastplate for the arbitration, as a constant reminder before Yahweh when he enters the sanctuary.“ (Exodus 28:29). And the high priest also has a name on his forehead: qodesh layahweh. „holy, belonging to Yahweh“. The letter lamed before Yahweh is used here, as it was also used elsewhere in ancient seals to indicate ownership.

The twelve gemstones indicate that the high priest represents the entire nation before Yahweh. The medallion on his forehead indicates that he is Yahweh’s authorized representative to the nation. Now think back to the dramatic declaration of Exodus 19, when Israel first arrived at Mount Sinai. There God bestowed titles on his people like treasured possession, kingdom of priests, holy nation. As his treasured possession, Israel’s vocation—the thing they were born to do—is to represent their God to the rest of humanity. They function in priestly ways, mediating between Yahweh and everyone else. They are set apart for his service.

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

By looking at Aaron, every Israelite is reminded of their calling as a nation. Just as he is set apart for service (“holy”), so are they (“a holy nation”). At Sinai, Yahweh claims this nation as his very own and releases them to live out their calling. That calling is to bear Yahweh’s name among the nations, that is, to represent him well.

Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (English Edition)

In short, the first two commandments say: 1. worship only Yahweh. 2. represent him well.

This now makes it clear why the term ‚law‘ as a translation for the Hebrew Torah is inadequate and even misleading: it is not a collection of regulations and laws in our modern sense, but character formation.